What do you do when things do not go as planned?

With four children under the age of seven in my house, it is safe to say things typically do NOT go as planned. For instance, this weekend the PLAN was to finish my Christmas shopping, clean the house, do the laundry, finish my paperwork, mail out Christmas cards, and go to Cookie Bouquet for Christmas cookie decorating. What actually happened is that Friday evening at dinner my husband's back starting spasming and he ended up in bed for the entire weekend. So I took care of four kids, and him, and the house, and did not get most of my list done.

We had to do things mostly around the house so we made chocolate cake one night. This was designed to help me feel better! And decorated a gingerbread house Sunday afternoon. This was designed to help the kids feel better! (And it was a kit from Wal-Mart, just so you don't start thinking it was that impressive! Well, the kit itself was impressive but not the mommy-made-from-scratch factor!) But limited laundry was done, no shopping, and absolutely no paperwork.


But what I have learned is this - first, single motherhood is hard! Very hard. And second, get help! I didn't ask for any help this weekend and it was fine, but then my husband ended up heading to the emergency room at 6:30 am this morning and help was needed! Luckily, the grandparents stepped in to help, but we were gone all morning and then had another appointment with his regular doctor right at school pick-up time. Doesn't everything always seem to fall right at school pick-up time? But SeekingSitters came to the rescue. This is why I love this service - for myself! I looked up the sitters' calendars and found a wonderful sitter, Ann, who was available today and she came over with less than 2 hours notice. She picked up the big kids from school and stayed until we could get back. So, THAT is what to do if things do not go as planned! Call in reinforcements!

I hope your holiday season DOES go as planned this year and into your New Year, but if it doesn't.... you know who to call! Oh! And luckily, Cookie Bouquet has another cookie decorating day on December 21, so meet us there!