It’s almost too quiet. The mother in me keeps thinking, The kids are surely up to no good with all this lack of noise. But no. There are no children at home for the moment. Larisa is on her way home from camp today. The boys are across the street playing with their cousins. They’re on an every-other-day schedule with whose house they play at. Here they have a huge car carpet set up in the loft with about 127 hot wheels all over the place, parked precisely in their parking places. I’m not sure what they have going on across the street…. but something Lego, I’m sure.
I realized yesterday that I’m not getting much accomplished (in my two days since returning from vacation). It’s because I don’t have a list. Diligiently I hunted down my day-timer where I painstakingly make my daily lists….. the last three weeks of pages are blank. (In my defense, I was gone for two of those weeks!) No wonder I feel like I haven’t gotten anything done. Lists are amazingly inspiring. The thrill of checking off that little box cannot be overrated. Not only are projects completed, blinds cleaned and closets cleared out, but the little row of boxes is checked off…. and that makes me happy.
Today’s list, that has yet to be made with pen to paper, includes: finish a Bag for Zaza (it’s half done), clean ONE blind (it’s a slow process, but it doesn’t make me cry when I do one a day), empty the suitcase, fertilize the lawn, plant Vinca all over the backyard (has to be done after 7 p.m. due to the temperature for me and the flowers) and de-collate my coupons. Whew. But just imagine the internal satisfaction of SIX boxes checked off. Sweet victory! That’s more than I’ve done in three weeks.
I also need to make a list for the kids of Things To Do during the summer. They will not be as thrilled with their list as I am with mine. Guaranteed. Theirs includes daily piano practice, 30 minutes of reading, multiplication and division flashcards and chores. (One measly hour…. MAX!) Sounds like pure torture, doesn’t it? I can already hear them moaning, “Mooooom, it’s SUMMER!” That’s when I show them my list and ask if they want to trade. They never do. It works every time. Do they think I’ll just willingly let their brains rot all summer??? Never! That’s why I’m the mom.
Tags: bags for zaza, check-off lists, day timer, Hot Wheels, Lego, mom, mommy, mother, motherhood, piano lessons, raising boys, to-do list, torture, Vinca, zaza
My Sister's Jar 
June 19, 2009 at 5:28 pm |
A checklist is THE ONLY WAY TO GO.