The storm before the calm

As I unwind from yet another incredibly crazy morning getting the kids ready for school/Mother's Day Out, I am reminded of how different my dream morning is from reality.

Dream Morning:
I rise 1/2 hour before the children and make coffee for Bryon and me. I proceed to the kitchen where the table is already set for breakfast. I make yeast blueberry waffles, eggs, bacon, and freshly squeezed orange juice and go wake up the children. I am dressed and ready in ten minutes. I head back to the kitchen to find my boys awake and dressed and laughing about how much fun they had making their bed and putting away their pjs. We then gather up our things and hit the road. In the car we are all in such good moods that our souls want to sing. Kumbaya, my Lord.

Reality:
The kids wake up and pounce on my bed waking me up from a sound sleep. I realize that I have overslept yet again. "Boys, get your clothes on." Wash my face off and slip into warm up suit. No time to put on make up or comb hair. Happy with myself for at least making lunches the night before. Baby wakes up. Boys are playing with toys. "Boys, get your clothes on." Baby starts screaming. Nurse baby while saying good bye to husband. Boys are wrestling. "Boys, get your clothes on, or else." Make bed while nursing baby. "Mom, I don't like what you picked out for me." "This is not a democracy, get your clothes on." Phone rings. Bryon can't believe I haven't left yet. Get baby into car seat. Boys watching Dora the Explorer in their underwear. Cuss words are now at the back of my throat and I am ready to release them at any given moment. Swallow them. "Boys, if you are not dressed in 1 minute, you will be going to school in your underwear." Help Thomas put his clothes on the right way. Negotiate with Matthew that he can choose what he wants to wear tomorrow if he wears what I picked out for him today. Baby screaming in car seat. Everyone hops in the car. Forgot breakfast. Grab breakfast bars and hit the road. Boys try to out do each other in a contest on who can make the best dinosaur sound. Drop off Matthew at school. Drop off Thomas at Mother's Day Out. Come home to a quiet house and blog about experiences. Try to figure out a way to make life easier tomorrow morning.