Snow Days

We did get the snow days I had been hoping for! Monday I kept all my girls home just out of spite for it not being a snow day.  I thought I can decide if I want us all home together.  Then Tuesday back to school and I worked at Grace and Pearl's Montessori school, VMS.  Wednesday was a snow day for VMS but Ruth(11) still had school.  Papa stayed home with me, Pearl (5) and Grace(3) and about 1 hour into it I thought I am going to go crazy if I don't get these girls out to spend some energy.  So I turned on the heater in the playhouse and asked them to pack for a trip, backpacks, a baby and sleeping bags.  I packed them a picnic and away they went on their 'trip' to the playhouse-which for today's purposes was a hotel. It was just the thing we all needed.  I hate when I look so forward to being home all together, I think I have too high expectations and then I'm let down.  In the mean time it makes me feel like a horrible mother.  I plan baking, crafts all those 'hallmark moments' and then instead I just want 5 minutes peace!  I usually find we all had expectations and not all the same.  One imagines playing a game, the other playing outside and one maybe being alone with me. (without her sisters)  When this doesn't all happen in the first 10 minutes, grumpiness sets in.  My job?  Set clear reasonable expectations and discuss them with the girls.  Let them know what the day might look like and let them have input.  Mostly though we need to connect with them first thing in the morning.  They need to climb into our bed (if they aren't there already) and just BE.   Which does conflict with Mav and I's desire to drink our coffee in bed, still and quiet.  But we are working on merging the two!