All Day Play Day!

Today the big kids started back at school. And Joe started his (much dreaded by me) trauma rotation. I've decided that the reason it's called "trauma" is because our entire family is going to be traumatized by the end of this six weeks. I'm kidding. I know it's actually because Joe is on the trauma surgery service and responsible for the care of patients after they have experienced real trauma. But still six weeks of 13+ hour work days six days a week with one night shift each week thrown in the mix...it sounds traumatic to me! If the schedule doesn't traumatize me the lack of shaving will. It's some weird initiation thing amongst the residents here. No shaving during trauma. Bring on the beard! Blech. 

Enough about trauma. More about our kids...

Because we knew today was the start of what we anticipate to be a long, hard stretch for our kids we wanted to make our last day of Christmas break extra special. Which admittedly is easier said than done with four kids spanning very different ages and developmental stages (and on a budget). Initially we promised the kids a mini road trip to play tourists here in our new state. But then reality set in and we decided we were just too tired to make a road trip happen. Lame. I know. But true. So there we were the night-before-our-last-day-of-break without any super awesome plans! Joe and I literally laid in bed trying to stay awake long enough to come up with a plan. Any plan! We were desperate at this point to not reveal to our kids just how lame we really are. When it came to me...AN ALL DAY PLAY DAY!

I excitedly told Joe my awesome new idea. Stay home ALL day and PLAY with the kids. Start in the morning and play until bedtime. Only stopping to eat or sleep. No leaving the house. No working on projects. Just playing. Joe immediately reminded me that I don't like playing. And that he likes to play but not that much! Both true. But I assured him we could do it even if we didn't enjoy it. Because ITS FOR THE KIDS. 

Monday morning rolled around and we started out strong and enthusiastic. Over breakfast we made a list with the kids of all the things they wanted to play. Isaiah declared it the BEST DAY EVER. 

And then we started playing. Or at least some of us did. I had to put Levi down for a morning nap before I could start playing. And Hannah chose to go to library storytime with her grandparents...which lead to an impromptu trip to Goodwill & Salvation Army. But then we played. We played Legos. And Magnatiles. And pet shop. We painted. And colored. We played with play-doh. We even biked and scootered in the garage. Lots of playing. And maybe a little impromptu napping next to the Legos...

So was it a success? Yes and no. Yes because our kids loved it! They are already asking for a second ALL DAY PLAY DAY. No because we didn't cross all our items off the play list. And mostly no because real life has a way of rearing its ugly head and demanding our attention despite our attempts to ignore it. Things like picking up prescriptions and dance class and return trips to thrift stores to check out potential new-to-us chairs. Playing all day just isn't practical. 

Speaking of real life. I was hoping Joe would be able to get a good night's sleep last night before starting trauma. Ha! A certain teething baby decided midnight until 2 AM was a good time to cry. And cry. And cry some more for good measure. Then again at 5 am. At which point I gave in and brought him into bed with us. Unfortunately this resulted in our heads being attacked repeatedly by said baby. It felt more like a wrestling match than sleeping! And then during one of these attacks our curtains fell down and landed on Joe's head! So pretty much the exact opposite of a good night's sleep. 

Oh. But looking on the bright side...we bought the chairs! Our living room feels so much cozier now.