Lunchables and Cheetos...Oh dear!!!

This morning I was informed "We are out of cereal AND bread."  Whats for breakfast??...well let me whip up some bacon and eggs real quick instead of getting ready to go to my final...throw my hair in a ponytail, throw on some clothes and rush out the door for a 7 AM final.  Oh by the way...there are no leftovers, no rice made, no meat ready, and no bread for sandwiches...NOT EVEN TORTILLAS!!! Yep I know I know, I need to go get groceries...we do have food just not quick and out the door food.  So after class I stopped and grabbed a couple of Lunchables and Cheetos and took them to the two littles.  But boy did I feel like a complete horrible parent dropping off junk food like that!!!

Since December I have learned a few things...

1.  I spoiled my kids ROTTEN! And yes we expect a ton out of them, but they really were spoiled rotten as far as household chores go.

2.  As a parent that is going to school, it is nowhere NEAR just working full-time.  Last year when I was working outside the home, I could still have time to cook paleo, workout, keep things cleaned up, help with projects and not be stressed.

3.  School has become my number one priority and it needs to be that way.  The house will wait, the kids can function and do a load of laundry and be given a list of things to accomplish and it will be done or they lose privileges and that's ok too!!!  

Most importantly I have learned that it is ok to not be super mom.  Yep, for many many years my whole world revolved around making sure I was doing everything I could to support their growth and development- physically, emotionally, socially and intellectually.  It has take a lot of work to let things go and realize that I set the foundations in place and that really Jake is the only one that still requires a couple more years of true support where the other two are now in the position of just a little redirection now and then (or a lot LOL). The foundations have been laid and it is now time to start letting them build (as absolutely scary and hard as that is for me).

This latest adventure has reminded me of a part of myself I had lost.  The part that absolutely LOVES science and math...(there was a reason I was once in engineering lol).  I realized that I actually do have a lot to give besides just being a mom and a wife and taking care of things at home.  

I am finishing up a semester of 15 credits and although a lot of people take a ton more, 15 credits my first semester back while balancing the insanity of sports and kids has shown me that I can finish and that entering the work force will be so much easier than full time school and juggling things (not to mention JT will have his license by then EEEEEEK!!!!)   

Most importantl,y I have learned that it is OK to once in awhile drop the ball (even when it comes to groceries) and feed the kids Lunchables and Cheetos (YUCK!!!).  They will live, they will flourish, and they will learn that it is ok to struggle so long as you don't let those struggles defeat you!!! 

For those of you moms that did this when your kids were little...I give you props because with old ones who are somewhat independent its rough!!!  For those of you that are considering finishing school...do it!!! It is not only good for you but is good for those kids. Through you they are learning so many life lessons right along with you!  -Including that Lunchables and Cheetos really do taste good even if they are complete nastiness :)-

Now it's back to finals studying and preparing this house for a Maymester of math!!!