Oh, Canada

Husband is now back to frequently traveling out of the country for work. I should probably note this is a slight exaggeration, as he just hops on up to Canada and not Japan, but I will take "Oh, poor you, at home all alone with the kids" as much as I can get it.

I can't complain, Joel Andrew goes to school three days a week which really helps with the single parent time. I am pretty sure I would go stark raving mad (is that the term?) if I was home alone with the kids for three days and nights straight. God bless the Moms and Dads who do it alone while their spouses are at war for months on end. Not even taking into account the whole they are at war thing, just thinking of the time that they have to be a single parent. And then, there are the single parents. Wow.
Anyway, less about my incompetencies and more to - what do we do? Well, on the one hand it is kind of nice. I can make what I want for dinner (and generally make Joel Andrew grilled cheese). I can watch what I want for TV at night. So, that works out.

But the big bummers include, I get terrified at night all alone in the house and put the alarm on. Which inevitably I forget is on and I set off when I go to let the dogs out the next morning, thus waking the children and then starting the day off awesome. I do not enjoy a glass of wine, as I should after a long day. It is just me in the house now, and god forbid anything happen I do not want to be labeled as the parent that drank all alone while her two young children were sleeping.

Additionally, there is no one to fall back on with help, and no one to watch the kids when I make dinner. Currently, when Joel Husband gets home from work he whisks the kids away and plays with them for a 1/2 hour while I make dinner. I love this 1/2 hour. I pour a glass of wine (because there is another responsible parent in the house), put on my tv, and cook. The whole family wins, a nice home cooked meal, and a calmer and recharged Mommy.
When Joel Husband went to Canada almost every week back when I was still pregnant with James, Joel Andrew and I got into a routine of sorts. But I still thought I should change the name of my blog to "waiting for bedtime."

But, since it looks like travel for work is back in our life, and although it won't be every week like last time, the kids and I should get a new groove.
And, just a note to say I am trying to keep up with my new years resolutions - Joel Andrew made Ama and Nana their birthday presents this year - I can't wait to post the final picture (an idea I got from Pinterest) - must wait until after Nana's birthday in February though. Joel Husband saw it and instead of saying "Wow, that is awesome," or "My Mom is going to love it," - he said: "You have too much time on your hands." I guess that is a compliment? I am achieving my goal of becoming a more crafty Mom?
And look, forever in print (if not forever on the blog since I have a feeling one day the blogs will either erase our posts or start charging us for space) - my blogs. Already separated into two books! I just copied and pasted them into word (I did not include the photos because that was a formatting nightmare, plus we have many photo books we can peruse simultaneously if you are really into it). I printed them out onto nice, heavier stock paper, and had them hardcover bound at Staples for $8.95. Total cost per book, probably 1-1/2 hours of work and $12. Nice!