Happy Daylight Savings Time!

Daylight savings time in the spring is most assuredly a welcome switch at our house, but sometimes it takes a little while for our family to adjust. Meal times don’t go as smoothly…who wants to eat breakfast at 6:00am anyway? Bedtimes seem way too early…"But mom, it’s still light out and the neighbors are outside playing soccer!" And trying to wake the kids for school becomes particularly challenging.

It was the first official night after the clocks were sprung ahead, and there I was still wide awake at 2:00am. The baby was having a rough night so she came into bed with us. I adoringly listened to her soft breaths until I eventually fell asleep. Much to my dismay, I had an extremely strange dream about our son’s ants from his science fair project attacking me and then almost drowning in quick sand! Just as I narrowly escape death, I hear the grocery truck pulling up to save me, only it wasn’t my dream...it was real life!

I quickly wake my husband Neil. "Hun, the groceries are here!" I exclaim glancing at the clock. I realize it says 8:00am and Zach and Em start school at 7:45! Ahhh! I snatch a smiling yet soaking wet Allyson who was snuggling between us, and rush to wake the other four kids.

Our oldest son Ryan needs to be at school at 8:15 so he swiftly makes a break for the shower while muttering something under his breath. Zachary, on the other hand, strolls down the hallway comfortably wrapped in a blanket yawning. "What's for breakfast?" he lazily wonders as I sprint past him with a still very wet baby on my hip. "Whatever you can find Zach!" I respond I desperately trying to find a match to a sock in the laundry basket at the bottom of the stairs.

Next, I enter the dining room and I’m overcome by an extremely pungent stench. Zach who is beside me forcefully gags and I immediately follow. "What is that smell?" I ask my half asleep husband who is helpfully carrying bags of groceries into the house still in his pj's. "Did you order fish?" he replies wincing, "Cause it's rotten or something!" I inspect the bags on the table and quickly notice that I don't' recognize ANY of the items. We got the wrong order! Of all days!

As Neil and I explain our situation to the grocery man, my sweet girl Emmy valiantly volunteers to pack the lunch boxes. Zach sits at the table holding his nose and requests a frozen waffle and peanut butter sandwich. (I did tell him whatever didn't I?) Then to top it off, Lindsey (our four year old) begs to go outside to talk to the grocery delivery guy, only she insisted on wearing one of Emmy's old shirts and just tights to bed, so I sternly tell her no! She can't understand why, and frankly I don't have the time or the patience to explain. Thank heavens Ryan ends up helping Zachary while Neil and I straighten out the order.

It was now 8:15 and Ryan is the first one in the car. Em fixes her own hair while Zach and Neil grab their coats. "Hun, you may want to put some pants on because you might need to bring the kids into the school since they’re late," I suggest as I lug the new order into the house with Allyson still on my hip and Lindsey proudly prancing around in her tights dragging bags behind me. "HONK HONK!" Ryan starts beeping the horn, and poor Emmy tries to zip up her jacket while Lindsey hugs her good bye. Zach begins kissing and hugging everyone too as if it were any other morning, and Neil rushes to change his pants. Within seconds Ryan stomps up the front steps wildly beckoning the crew to COME ON! And with that they race off as I sigh and wave, still holding our drenched yet content baby girl. Finally, I complete a much needed diaper change, put the groceries away and start the coffee just as Neil returns home to get ready for work. Phew! I suppose starting a day like this is better than being attacked by killer ants in quick sand right?