Monday, March 12, 2012

A Sleepy Monday

Blasted daylight savings time. 

It is just one measly little hour and yet it seems to have this drastic affect on everyone in my family.  Who knew I would miss one extra hour of sleep?  Who knew going to bed a little earlier would be no help at all?  Who knew I would be this tired?  I think I'm crankier than the kids are, and they are pretty cranky.

I suppose I can't place all of the blame on springing ahead one hour.  The weather hasn't been much of a help.

Don't get me wrong, the weather yesterday was near perfection.  It was 65 degrees and sunny.  It was so beautiful that I decided to take my first outdoor run in about 5 months.  Not only that but I took Molly along with me to see how she would do as a running partner.  After the first few blocks I was ready to turn around and return Molly to the house.  She was so confused as to why I was running.  She didn't understand how to follow me around turns.  She wanted to chase every bird and squirrel she saw.  And every car we passed freaked her out (which is weird considering she has a strange urge to chase cars down our street every once in a while).  But, after the first mile she was finally getting the hang of it.

Then we hit mile two and three and the silly dog was pooped.  This, the same dog that chases our snowmobile across the whole lake up north five times without stopping.  Every ten seconds I had to tug the leash and encourage her to keep up.  It was exhausting.  My nice stress-relieving run turned into a freaking struggle.  I hate it when that happens. 

Anyway, we made it back.  And after that it was play time.  The kids were outside from a little before 11 in the morning until after 6 at night.  They only came in to go to the bathroom.  Their neighborhood friends came over and it was party time in our backyard. 

They were all having so much fun that I didn't even want to call them in for lunch.  Instead I just waited until they told me they were hungry (about 4 in the afternoon when their friends decided to go back home).  Then they came in for some quick bananas, granola bars, yogurts, and milk. After that they went right back outside. 
Grace went on her swing for the first time in half a year.  I forgot that it had been so long and that perhaps I should start out slowly.  Instead, I wound up and swung her high up in the air.  Her entire body locked up as her stomach dropped into her feet and she screamed, "Mama!!! Noooooo!!!!  Oh wait...  Hahahahaha!  I like it!" 
It was a wonderful, long, warm day playing in the sun.  We had missed our neighbors and our playset and our backyard.  It was so good to see them all again. 
It was a very successful day all around.

But, by the end of the day after dinner was eaten the kids were so tired that they could barely make it up the stairs to bed.  This morning it was a bear getting them out of bed.  Even Tommy, who loathes sleep, wanted a little more time to sleep. 

The weather today makes the exhaustion even worse as it is dark and rainy.  The perfect kind of day for cuddling up with a big, thick blanket and going to sleep.  But, there is no rest for the weary.  Errands were run, groceries were bought and put away, lunches were made, sheets were changed, closets were cleaned of too small clothes to donate, homework was done, a bath is being run for a little girl with a cold, and dinner is being made.  Then when all the dinner dishes are cleaned and put away off I go to chorus rehearsal for three hours.  I think I may need to make myself some more coffee.

How are you handling the loss of an hour?  Did you get any outdoorsy fun this weekend?  Are you suffering from this dratted daylight savings time, or am I the only wimp?



14 comments:

Lynn said...

Poor Molly! Great pics of the kids and i just want to say how AWESOME AWESOME AWESOME it is to see the kids out playing. Most kids would rather stay indoors glued to the TV and/or game systems. So that is great!
I am probably the only strange person that the time change doesn't bother. I forgot to set the clock ahead on my night table, so when I woke up at 6:15 Sunday morning, and realized it was really 7:15,...well, it kinda aggravated me. I am an early riser....it kinda made me feel like I slept in. Like wasting the day away...LOL I guess it just takes some people longer to get used to it.
and by the way, thanks for the comment the other day on the irritating things. Yours was cute. I guess we all have our issues.....
have a good day.

Kat said...

Robin- We actually don't even own any video games. We're mean like that. ;) Yeah. Poor little Molly. I would have felt badly for her if she hadn't immediately come back home and wanted to play out back with the kids. I think she may just need a haircut so she isn't so warm. :)

Karen Deborah said...

Molly has to learn. It sounds like she isn't too confident with walking yet? She is so smart just train her. She isn't going to run by you for miles the first time you try. She'll fatigue because of the learning involved but she will get it and love it!!!

I am totally wimping out! Was falling asleep in church for reals.

Wendy said...

I have been SO sleepy all day. But I think that's because I only got about 4 hours of sleep. (It was really, really hard this morning when that alarm went off at 5:30.)

I love it when kids are completely happy to stay outside all day. There are days in the summer when the TV is "grounded" and has to stay off. :)

Mom24 said...

Grumpy. Grumpy. Grumpy. I hate this time change. Really, really hate it. I hate what it does to me, I hate what it does to my kids even more. Grrr.

My hubby and Jacob were sick this weekend so there was no outdoor fun. *sigh* It's coming though, spring is definitely coming.

Unknown said...

OH girl. Ben did NOT want to get up this morning!!! It was the worst it's ever been. He usually gets up much easier. Of course I didn't want to either... I was just nodding through this entire post. ha!

I do like daylight savings in the Summer when it is light out longer but I cannot stand the adjustment and it's SO early now. I do not like that!

Tonya said...

You are NOT alone. I think I even made matters worse for myself by drinking a can of pop with caffeine. Now that I am super tired I can't fall asleep. OY. Tomorrow is suppose to be gorgeous out and I want to ride bikes so hopefully I will get a decent amount of sleep ;)

Hilary said...

Oh wow.. I forgot about those days when kids just want to be outside all of the time. It sounds busy, fun and yes, exhausting. Hurry summer! ;)

Anonymous said...

The weather was glorious, but that time change was harsh here, too. Better today, thank goodness!
I think you have to train a dog to run with you--when I first took Jax, it was just as you described. We do better now that he understands the expectations.

Jeni said...

I've been in "recovery mode" since Saturday -the day before DST arrived! My daughter and I went shopping which consisted of visiting 3 thrift shops/antique type places followed by a stop at Joanne Fabrics and ending with a visit to Kohls. My legs are not accustomed to that much walking so the extra exercise combined with loss of an hour of sleep Saturday night, plus screwed up sleep Sunday night and well, today's the first day since Saturday that every muscle and joint in my body isn't aching. The grandkids on the other hand -no problems with them Sunday as they were actually quite well-behaved at church and after -no one threatened to beat the other senseless, so that's progress! And since then, they've been up and at 'em early with no hassles and in bed and out like lights by 8:30 -all good there, ya know! Now if only I could go to bed early and sleep for more than 1-2 hours max at a clip, I'd probably feel a darned site better over all too! My advice today -same as yesterday -"Don't get old!" But on second thought, it does beat the alternatives, doesn't it? Peace!

Riahli said...

I can't stand the time changes... so annoying! It takes me a while to get use to it being light later too, so for a while there I always get behind with dinner, usually because I get distracted with outdoor projects, ha ha! I have been dragging myself out of bed way later then usual, which is so annoying... I just keep telling myself this means summer is on the way, and that is all I care about. ;)

Krystyn @ Really, Are You Serious? said...

Exhausted, I'd imagine..but look at your backyard...that's every mother's dream. Well, I think it is!

(And, the hour didn't hit me until like Tuesday...exhausted!)

lime said...

oh i hate the time change but i was in boston and having fun with no responsibility so that helped. glad you got such a lovely outdoor play day.

imbeingheldhostage said...

I had to laugh about Molly. It brought back memories of when our dog would just lay down in protest in the middle of my husband's run- same dog who would run to China and back if someone left a gate open.

Sorry about the time change for you, the UK did it a while back & I didn't really notice it. Having been an Arizona girl all of my growing up years where there is no time change, I've never really understood why we do it.

Words To Live By

Be grateful for each new day.
A new day that you have never lived before.
Twenty-four new, fresh, unexplored hours to use usefully and profitably.
We can squander, neglect, or use them.
Life will be richer or poorer by the way we use today.
Finish every day and be done with it.
You have done what you could;
some blunders and absurdities crept in;
forget them as soon as you can.
Tomorrow is a new day.
You shall begin it well and serenely and with too high a spirit to be
encumbered with your old nonsense.

-Ralph Waldo Emerson