Well that is what you get ....

Okay...so this week I am all alone trying to run this household of 8...7 children plus me!!

Doug is in Mexico...I am in Minnesota.  That is a lot of miles between parents leaving me to make lots of decisions...directing of traffic...and making things go smoothly.

Well...I don't think I ask too much from my children.

Be respectful to me...and to each other.

Clean up after yourselves after you eat.

Clean up at the end of the day whatever you have played with or had a part of playing with.

Help with animal chores.

Go to bed when you are supposed to.

oh..and did I say do this with respectful attitudes?

Well...for some reason...it didn't go that way today.

I don't like that.

I think I want it always to be harmony...happiness....appreciation..and it just wasn't that way.

Kids wanted things...wanted no part in picking up ...wanted more things done for them...and with sarcasm and a tone that I got no feeling that there was any respect going on.

So...this momma got tired...impatient...overwhelmed...sad...and more impatient which led to crabbiness!!

I hate when I get crabby...because it is a ticket for me to beat myself up.

It all ended up fine...tuck in for the boys was nice because I NEVER let days end with sadness or madness.  There were hugs and eventually prior to that they all pitched in and helped.

But what hit me the hardest this evening was when I told my 12 year old to go and put the puppies away...for the 2nd time...he was irritated because he had to get up off the computer...go outside...so as he mumbled to himself out the door I promptly asked him to speak up and he sassed some more...and I quickly said that this mom needs help around here...and there are messes everywhere and he said "WELL, THAT IS WHAT YOU GET when you have 7 kids!"    I cringed ...I hate that comment and I don't hate many things in my life.  I have heard that from sooo many people that when it came out of the mouth of one of my own.....it hurt...it made me want to EXPLODE!!   I didn't though...I refrained and simply responded that that is why indeed this house should be well kept...because there are 7 children that CAN help!!

So...now that I have gotten that off my chest..I am going to enjoy this quiet time after all have settled in their beds and be me...alone...with my thoughts and be thankful that yes I do have 7 children and hope that tomorrow their appreciative sides shine a bit brighter than what they did today!!