fasten your seatbelts ... it's gonna be a bumpy ride

[WARNING: this is very wordy, not grammatically correct and a little convoluted. forgive me.]

i was not prepared for the weekend ... and for the record - this is not meant to be a PityParty, just a reminder of the weekend that i just survived!

i'll tell my story in a time line (of sorts):

Thursday: morning was business as usual; Abi to school at 9:10; straightened the house, made lunch, fed the kids; Elyssa to school at 12:30; boys down for quiet time and nap; 1-4pm Andy's Knee Surgery: he had his meniscus scoped - it had a little tear and they cut it off and smoothed the jagged edges. we didn't have anyone to watch the kids so his dad took him to the surgery center and then i would pick him up after i got the girls from school. the nurse called at 3:15 to tell me that Andy would be able to leave at 3:45. i called my in-laws to see if it would be ok to drop the 3 oldest while i got Andy. his dad volunteered to go get him. fantastic! then the nurse called again at 4:15 "Andy needs to be rescued," she said. i told her i'd be there asap. i called the Shaw's and my mother-in-law said that my father-in-law had to pick up my sister-in-law too and that he was running a little behind and would probably be there in 5 mins or so ... i headed to the surgery center anyway. my father-in-law was just going into the building when i pulled in - at 4:35! the nurse gave us the instructions and he was discharged. they wheeled him out and he rode in his dad's car to dinner at his parent's house - like every other thursday ... except this time he was drugged, lethargic, and when upright on crutches = zero help with the rowdy kids! home at about 7:45; jammas; teeth; prayers; bed. Thursdays are typically my 'night out' so Alicia came over to watch Survivor and hang out. she was going to stop at Wal*mart but the power was out due to the windstorm. i tended to Andy while he camped out on the couch and then put him in bed at 11:30ish. we stayed up chatting and tweeking our blogs a bit and finally went to bed at 2ish in the AM!

Friday: Alicia was up and out at about 8:30 and i took Abi to school at 9. then home to tend my recovering husband: ice on for 20 minutes then off for 40, pain meds every 4 hours, nausea meds every 6, advil every 8, make sure he has at least a cup of water every hour and food before meds, keep his knee elevated above his heart and periodically check his circulation, he should stretch and bend as much as the pain will let him, he will be drowsy and should sleep. don't leave 'minors' in his care - he is considered 'under the influence' while he's on his pain meds. (basically he's no good to me - i was anticipating being able to run errands and such while he was laid up at home ...); 4:30 pick up babysitter; 5pm help set up for a wedding reception (Andy's still on crutches = zero help at the reception but came as a show of support) and be home by 6:30ish so that babysitter can attend said reception; clean the house in preparation for company; get party favors prepared for Saturday's Big Birthday Bash (which were going to be bottles of bubbles for everyone ... but did you know that bubbles are SEASONAL!?!? Wal*mart doesn't carry them in fall and winter months! plan B: 10" balls for Easton's friends, squishy footballs and basketballs for Ammon's friends, Silly Putty for Elyssa's friends, and bubble gum for Abi's friends!); ALL in addition to my 'regular' duties as the mom. (mind you there is Mt. Foldmore on my bedroom floor and Mt. Washmore in the Great Laundry Basin AND all the hampers throughout the house are full to capacity as well.) i didn't get in bed until 2ish AGAIN and the house was still a wreck!

Saturday: boys woke at 7:30; girls at 7:45; breakfast for everybody; finish the house; clean out the van; visit with the Felts!!; pick up Elyssa's friend, the cake, icecream, and drinks at Costco on the way to BBB (planned to leave the house at 3 but didn't until 3:30 in turn pushing everything a half hour behind); Party from 4-6pm (arrived 4:15ish - thanks Alicia for being on time!), play time from 4-5:15, cake and ice cream, took turns opening gifts - "we've got time, right?" Abi, Elyssa, Ammon, skipped Easton - ran out of time; my mom and dad came for the party (and also brought a cane for Andy to use - no more crutches ... but still has only one helping hand0; frozen pizza dinner for the Andy and kids and get them in bed by 8:30 (after pitching Ammon's bed tent that he got from Grandma and Grandpa Shaw); it was supposed to be date night but the invalid hadn't been sleeping well (in addition to his meds causing drowsiness) and often dropped off to a snore mid-conversation - not so much fun to take out. i left when the kids were asleep and andy was on the couch with an ice pack and the remote to get gas in the van, and a burrito at Taco delMar (yum) for my dinner, then to Alberston's for dessert makings for Granny's birthday.

Sunday: everybody up, showered, dressed, fed and out the door by 10 for 10:45 deaf branch so that i could interpret for Relief Society and Sacrament Meetings. thankfully Grandma and Grandpa Shaw were in attendance to assist Andy with the kids during Sacrament Meeting. Then to Granny's for her birthday dinner and dessert. my sister Molly and her husband Chris got the Wii for their kids' birthday/christmas gift and opened it and played it at Granny's and we couldn't leave there until everybody got their 'mii' set up and played a round of boxing. We finally got home at 8ish; pjs; teeth; prayers; bed for Ammon; read for 15 minutes with Abi and Elyssa; bed for the girls and (phew) the weekend was over. Andy and i watched Shark (he dozed during the commercials) and then i put him in bed, medicated and drowsy at 11:30.

[heavy sigh]

now for the things i forgot: thursday night i was supposed to put out the garbage for friday morning pick up - didn't realize it until i took elyssa to school and saw all the garbage cans out on the sidewalks (didn't notice them when i took Abi to school- DUH); saturday morning Andy was supposed to go to a scout meeting at 8:30; and the Wright's left the party with hugs and "thanks for coming" but no party favors!!

all weekend Andy has been asking me what that "look" means ... here's your answer dear: i am tired and was totally unprepared for this weekend. i honestly thought that it wouldn't be all that bad - "shoot! i'm super woman - i can do everything"... until i was in the middle of it wishing i could run away and hide. this is not to say that i don't love you or that i am upset about any aspect of this last weekend's mass chaos ... i simply was not prepared (ie: geared up, equipped, organized) and therefore i am tired (ie: worn out, depleted, exhausted).

the trouble now: my house is a wreck again (the living room is filled with new toys, art supplies, and wrapping; the kitchen looks like the cupboards threw up; and my bedroom is a disaster area of clean and dirty clothes) and i need to catch up!! i have been everything to everyone this weekend and my house has suffered. Andy is walking better, with the help of the cane, and has gone back to work and i am left to pick up the pieces - literally.

wanna come over??