Where did it go??

You know, my weekend? I don't mean I was so busy wowing it up, letting my hair down and relaxing after a busy week that it passed in the blink of an eye. I mean where, since the birth of two of the most important people in my life, has MY WEEKEND GONE?? I read in some soppy, sentimental Mother's day special in the paper a couple of weeks ago that "a man's work is from sun to sun, but a Mother's work is never done. I sighed in recognition while simultaneously putting a sock on one child and pouring milk on cereal for the other.
Since they were born I've been at home, proudly keeping house, seeing all those firsts and providing a secure and stimulating early childhood. My Mum gave me the same thing and I value it infinitely and want my two to have the same.
But, while I've been at it, someone has absconded with my weekend. I used to look forward to Friday night, it was the end of the week and I could hop off the treadmill and into a fresh headspace. It felt very healthy to do non-weekday things and not be bound by routine. Come Monday I could hop back on the treadmill feeling all fresh and new.
Now I get to Friday afternoon, hop off the treadmill and hop onto an exercise bike or some other torturous exercise machine. The work doesn't slow up, because kids don't get that Mum needs a rest. They keep spilling their food, dirtying their clothes and filling every square centimetre of carpet with toys. They still want Mum to clean their teeth, help them get dressed and tuck them into bed and I'm flattered, really. But Dad's home, PLEASE let him do it.  Which brings me to the Dad's home, added level of complexity. Routine is largely out the window and there's an extra parent giving orders, (helping make mess) and contradicting the weekday expectations. Add a dash of sleep refusal and our house is a ticking bomb of tired, boundary pushing kids and parents with frayed nerves. I've even started to look forward to Monday, and that messes with my head.
Now, being the proactive type, I don't want to surrender my weekend to bad behaviour and grumpiness, I want to reinvent it and make it a nice place to arrive at come Friday.  I've tried stockpiling some reading for the weekend, but by it's very nature I never seem to find time to do it. I romantically imagine spending quality time doing fun things with the kids, like that happy family on the Connect Four box. But in reality, it's just the kids having fun while I break up fights and reinforce the sharing ethic.
So, I'll start with next weekend and insist that it's not all about the kids. This one will be about Mum and Dad. It might even be good for our precious two to learn that the universe doesn't actually revolve around them and Mum and Dad are far more fun when they're not stretched to their limits and frazzled.
Now usually, this requires them to not be present, but I'm changing the rules. This weekend will be about Mum and Dad while junior and juniorjunior will like it or lump it. We've tried it before and it hasn't worked yet, but I've got a good feeling and several bribes up my sleeve. Spontaneity will be the victim as organisation is always the key to keeping the kidlets happy while the adults get on with things other than pushing swings or cut and paste. So, with a bundle of paper and crayons, a big bag of sugar and the threat of a telly ban, I'm tentatively planning an uninterrupted cuppa or browse in a shop without footing a damages bill. If that goes well, I'll ambitiously try to wrangle a quiet, uninterrupted craft hour or two to finish this sweet calico baby (pictured) for my daughter's birthday in a couple of weeks. I don't know if I can pull it off, but golly gee I'm going to try!
Let me know if you've ever managed such a feat, otherwise wish me luck!

Over the last week or two my buntyandsars time has been largely filled with screen time. I don't class myself as a tech head by a long shot but I think giving buntyandsars a face online is really important and hopefully entertaining for you. As I get better at it I'm getting hooked. It's a whole new way to be creative for me and the perfect way to communicated visual ideas.
Have a click around the blog, it's got some new bits thanks to lots of hard work, frustration and swearing. I know many these new bits are unfinished but bit by bit I'm filling them with good stuff. The clever hands button is the one I'm most excited about at the moment. Because I'm home with kids all the time I'm constantly finding activities to engage their little brains and I want to share them with you and your kids. Things like masking tape roads on the carpet (pictured) or salt dough necklaces have been keeping them busy lately. I'm about to become the annoying person with the camera so I can make pictorial how to's just for you. I'm also a prolific creator myself (for those of you who hadn't already picked this up) and I love making stuff, so I'll be giving some how to's for all you grown ups to get your hands busy.
I'm also pondering a spot to put the latest buntyandsars ideas in development for you to check out and leave an opnion on...so keep popping in to check out the changes.
What I'm really craving now, though, is some old fashioned pencil and paper time and with Buninyong Makers Market coming up on the 28th of May, I'd better get busy...See you there!