Somedays I really feel that I am moving against the tide and even though I have a very long list of “to do’s” I somehow just don’t get there. I decided to do an experiement to figure out where things go wrong and how in the course of three hours I only get one load of laundry done. These are the activities in the course of a general morning:

Wake up and get the kids out of bed.

Oldest one is crying that she doesn’t have any jeans, I head to the basement to get them. On my way to the basement I notice that glasses from last night didn’t make it into the dishwasher. So I load those up. I also notice that the counter is dirty and windex that. I also run out of paper towel. To get the paper towel I head to the basement, grab the paper towel and head back up stairs. I hear my oldest yelling for her jeans.. Ahhh! how did I forget them, back to the basement I go. Return upstairs to get the kids dressed. Brush teeth, comb hair, socks, clothes on, all these commands are repeated about 4 times faithfully. Sprinkle in a few conflicts of shes being a mean sister and we head downstairs for breakfast.

Who wants what to eat? Cereal? Toast? Waffles? the same drill every morning yet the kids cant decide. I say you will be hungry, make a choice. I need to repeat breakfast three times. As breakfast is being eaten, I make lunchboxes, snack packs and make sure all folders are in the proper place… Quick, bus is coming in 3 minutes… SHOES and COATS ON!!!!! We fly to the bus stop like maniacs.

I head back to the house and when I look in, what a mess. How does it get so crazy? I start with the playroom pick up, and while doing that I also sort the board games and remove a few that no one will miss. Straighten pillows, put shoes away and head to kitchen. Load dishwasher, return call to a friend, while remembering that I need to throw a load in the wash. While picking up the kitchen I see that it needs a good vacuume. Out it comes and it needs a new bag. Replace that and the phone rings its mom wanting to talk about a family trip to Italy. I head to the computer and look at the web sites she was referring to, great, we are in.

So I am now at my computer, check mail, respond and start to write a post, loose the post because I forgot to save it. Seriously, I just wasted 45 minutes. I go back to the kitchen, finish vacuuming and head up stairs for a shower.. The bed needs to be made, I do that and then head to the kids rooms. Make their beds, and pick the pajamas and mess off the floor to put into the laundry.

Take my shower and get ready- which I might add is now a 20 minutes process. Speed is my friend. Look at my bathroom, the toilet needs to be brushed, do that then the sink, might as well do the kids bath too. I look at the clock, its 11:25, how can this be, I only have 30 minutes until the bus is back. Run down stairs, with the dirty laundry, glasses and cups from nightstands and add those to the dishwasher also. Run dishwasher. Take out chicken for dinner to defrost, bring out recycle, call and book kids dentist appointment and finally make it to the basement to do the wash.

There is a load already in which I forgot to switch and needs to be redone. Reload the wash and rush to the bus stop. My morning is a total mess, and I realize its too many things in a short period of time. If anyone has the secret to maximizing their time, let me know. Until then,they need to write a book called ” If you give a mom a laundry basket.”