More Mommy Time

I need more Mommy Time.
No, not more time for myself, but more time to be a mommy.
Lately I feel like I've run my legs off. Between shuttling the kids to school & birthday parties & soccer. And cooking dinner (heating something up, anyway) and changing the sheets and and and.
The other day I realized that I don't have much time to BE with my kids.
So, in an effort to be more like the mom I used to be, I've decided to MAKE the conscious effort to BE with my kids more.

As much as my six year old finds chores "boring" my two year old loves to "helpyou." So, last night, after having the 6yo pick up toys and school papers from the living room I had the 2yo "help" me vacuum the carpet. Then he helped me fold the towels. I should have started him sooner on this as the 6yo started at 18 months.
So what if they are more lumpy than when I do it? It's just a side towel that will most likely be used to clean up spilled lemonaid on the kitchen floor.
MC still has to empty the dishwasher, and will be promoted to folding her own clothes. (She has been doing some of her clothes, but mostly they are wadded into her drawers.)

I'm afraid I've let things slide a bit- as our time home was stretched so thin. BUT NO MORE! I decree that we WILL get back to our reading and writing schedule. We will reinstate the toothbrushing chart. We will fold the laundry before the creases are permanently set. We will have crafts time together.

And on that note, I've been following a few blogs where they participate in an "Unplugged" challenge. A topic is posted & then participating bloggers run with the idea for events to do with the children. It seems that mostly homeschooling families are the ones doing it, but I'd like to steal some of the ideas.
Like grating up crayon stubs (what? you don't have a box of those at your house?) and melting between waxpaper and framing with construction paper leaf shapes.
Or making Tub paints with baby shampoo and food coloring and cornstarch. Oh and fingerknitting. MC needs to start developing her yarn/knitting/crochet/handiwork gene. I want to do it with the loops used for making potholders. You know the thick cotton loops from socks.
Yep. My kids are gonna hate me for making them do more chores. But come bathtime, oh yeah. They will LOVE me for letting them fingerpaint!

Oh. And despite my good intentions to include lots of photo. camer card always seems to be left in the other pc. So enjoy the new widget in the upper left corner- MACRO photos. (That means close up images!)