We always lose our routines on the weekend. Or maybe we don’t lose our routine, but it is really just a different routine altogether. The weekend is all about sleeping in and kicking back. This morning, the boys woke up at 10:30. By the time I had breakfast made, it was after 11:00. That would explain why we had lunch at 3:15. As soon as lunch was finished, I jumped in the car and drove for 3 hours so I would be at my school tomorrow. I will be away until Wednesday. Then I will leave again and be home Friday night. (Eight more work days until Spring Break! I can do this.)
When I arrived in Springfield, I received the following photo and text from my youngest son.
This is dinner when you are gone.
Yes, a can of coke (left from lunch-this kid can nurse one soda across four states!), vanilla ice cream with chocolate sauce, and M&Ms.
My older son left the house for rehearsal at 1:30 today. I won’t see him again until Thursday night at his baseball game. I am missing his first baseball game of the season tomorrow night. He said to me this afternoon, “Maybe you should quit working and be a stay at home mom so you can see all my games.”
I replied by asking this simple question, “Are you going to give up eating?”
(For those of you who have not been blessed with parenting teenage boys, you need to know teenage boys eat an ENORMOUS amount of food! You can’t even imagine how much food. I have two boys. Our weekly grocery bill is ridiculous.)
He smiles in response to my question.
“I guess I’ll see you Thursday night, Mom. I love you,” he says as he wraps his arms around me and squeezes tight.
“I love you, too,” I say as I return the squeeze.
Can’t keep my kids on a routine during the weekend. Ice cream for dinner. Ice cream with soda. Missing the first baseball game of the season. Not seeing my children until Thursday night. Neither of my children eating a vegetable today unless you count salsa or ketchup as a vegetable. I can’t remember if they ate a vegetable yesterday now that I think about it. And entirely too much of their time spent playing video games.
This is why I will not be receiving the Mom of the Year Award.
steps in the literacy journey 
Erin,
I’d love to know if you are ever in NE Missouri – like Kirksville or so! That would be close to Iowa.
So, when your sons are making independent choices for meals, they aren’t making the most nutritious choices. No surprise there. After all, they are boys and therefore will fill their ever-empty stomachs with no regard for vegetables!
They aren’t starving! They will be happy when you return. A bit of sugar to get past the “spring forward” lag may be just what they need!
🙂
If the boys were voting, I bet you would win the award. They know you are there for them (when you are not away working, so you can fill that empty stomach) and they love you unconditionally. Weekends are kick back, and that’s the routine you follow. Sounds all good to me. 🙂
Erin-
The mom who made homemade donuts is not winning Mother of the Year? I disagree. Totally. Your boys have the important stuff. Lots of love. And that’s what matters the most.
This is spoken by another mother of the year. My 20 and 22 year old aren’t in school, right now anyway. They live with me but work the 3-12 shift, one at a grocery store and one at a movie theater. I haven’t seen either of them since last Thursday night.
As a mother of a 20 month old son, it was very interesting to glimpse my future. I will start saving for my future grocery bills now 🙂 It sounds like you’re in a tough position having to be away, and missing the first baseball game. I felt for your sadness. It also sounds like you’re making some difficult sacrifices to support your family. That sounds like a version of love to me, and one that deserves a reward.
Who needs a mom of the year award, you are the mom of a lifetime to them!
Oh I don’t know about that. It seems like from your dialogue with him, he would disagree with that too. Mom of the year wouldn’t flip over this meal and she’s shine a great light on weekends living. Sounds like you could win 😉 As a mom of 2 little boys, in appreciated this slice so much. I just shopped 2 days ago and already my fridge is bare. Their friends helped with that. Great slice!