Before Kids and a video for mom's

It's funny how things that used to be som simple before having kids now have become impossibly hard! Before kids I worked and went to school. I still somehow managed to always have a clean house, make nice homemade meals, keep up with the launry and spend quality time with the husband. Now it's a major plus if the laundry gets folded instead of picked out of a laundry basket for weeks! I used to think that by becoming a stay at home mom as compared to a working mom I would have way more time for everything. But that is so not true. Some days I wander where all the time went. The second I finish washing the floors, or doing the laundry or putting the dishes away there is always one more dish in the sink, or a spill on the floor or a stain in an outfit that needs to be taken care if. I'm telling you this Stay at Home Mommy business is hard work! I know my husband thinks my days are filled with disney movies and play dates but that is so not the case. Kids can make the most simple task nearly impossible to finish. In the best way possible of course but I thought it would be funny to look at how I did things pre-baby

1. Running errands-Running errands with 2 toddlers is a nightmare. A simple trip to the grocery store for some milk and bananas takes 3 hours. You have to get the kids out of the car, load them into the shopping cart, ply them with snacks so you don't find yourself ripping open a box of goldfish right off the shelf and deal with your toddler screaming because you won't walk by the toy aisle. Then when you finally get to the checkout line there is a huge wait because the woman in front of you is mad because the store won't accept her coupon and now you have two kids having major meltdowns in the middle of walmart. Sigh. And husband, when you get home you will be doing all the grocery shopping with both kids in tow. I think it's only fair

2. Getting dressed- Oh how I used to love clothes and taking the time to do my hair and makeup. Now my hair usually gets thrown in a pony tail, even if I do take the time to style it because both kids think my hair is theirs. I went to church Sunday with my little pony stickers in my hair that I didn't notice my daughter had put in for decorations. And clothes! I live in yoga pants. It never fails that the minute I put on a nice outfit one of the kids will get sick or come running at me with stained hands that go right onto my nice shirt

3. Shopping- Not grocery shopping but actual shopping. I remember those days of perusing the mall, buying outfits to wear for each and every event I had coming up. Now I compare the price of diapers or formula to the price of a shirt or a pair of pants and end up not buying either. And I can't even remember the last time I went to a mall. I do most of my shopping off amazon. Best site ever!

4. Eating out- I vaguely remember the days of picking a nice new restaurant for the husband and I to try out. Now we pick a place based on their kid's menu and their price range

5. Movies- The husband and I love movies. We could spend an entire weekend laying around watching movies and relaxing together. I can't even remember the last movie we saw in the theater or watched together. I have spent my nights watching episodes of bubble guppies or disney movies for months now.

6. Simple tasks. The other day my oil light came on in the car and I realized that I was vastly overdue for an oil change. The thought of taking both kids to the auto repair shop and waiting in a smelly, dirty waiting room made me want to gouge my eyes out. I debated about getting a sitter to watch the kids but couldn't justify getting a sitter for that. So off we went. I spent my time waiting trying to get Gianna to stop eating leaves off a plant in the corner and Ethan from licking up his spilled milk off the floor. that's right. He was on the floor, licking up spilled milk like a dog. Just another glamorous day in the life of me

7. Leaving the house-Remember when leaving the house meant deciding what you wanted to do and then just opening up the door and leaving. How easy was that. Now it is a process. First you have to make sure everyone is dressed. Then you have to assemble the diaper bag and make sure you have enough juice boxes, sippy cups of milk, toys, snacks, diapers and wipes. Enough to supply a whole army. Then you have to get both kids to put their shoes on and then you have to make it out the door carrying your diaper bag, the bag and all the toys your toddler can't ride in the car without before you finally make it to the car and have to buckle the kids in and pass out said sippy cups and snacks. When I finally make it to the driver's seat I'm exhausted from the work out and ready to go back inside

Oh how times have changed. And I wouldn't change them for anything. Stained clothes, stickered hair and all. I love being a mom and am so thankful for my two little blessings