Top of Ole’ Smokey

 We are sitting in a house on top of a mountain. Sounds gorgeous….it is. It’s also painfully boring and inconvenient. It was 22 degrees yesterday, the twins and I did not go outside. Even if we went outside, there is little play space because it’s the top of a mountain! Inside is a massive amount of space but we cannot play in most of it. The children can use the playroom only for toys and running. The rest of the house is breakable items and slippery wood floors with random 2 step dips or rises every 10 ft. This means a ton of "boo-boos" for 6 kids. Most of the toys here are great for the 7year old and 9year old. The 11year old only plays on an iPhone so he is out of the way. The 5year old is just always yelling so she’s sweet but obnoxious. She just gives me a headache.

4 of the 6 kids are sick with bad colds and 2 are crying about their ears hurting…one being my little girl and the other is the 7year old. I slept a whole 2hrs the first night and maybe 3hrs last night. Thankfully, it’s one more night. It’s not one child during the night, it’s different kids at different times. I am sleeping in the wing of the house where the 4 youngest kids are. The older two are on the other side of the house in a room across from my boss and her boyfriend. I get the early risers and the mid-night criers. They are all pretty good about getting back in bed but it’s room to room all night for me. The 5yr old finally just slept with the 7yr old in the same bed last night. That helped them. My little girl woke up at 5am for the day and her brother was woken by her. The next one was up at 6 and another at 6:15…it was a long morning before it even should have begun. My boss decided to prance on in the playroom at 7:45am and announce we could come eat breakfast. I gave all the kids three choices…cereal, yogurt or waffles. I said I was not making 8 different things like yesterday. they kids were fine with it but my boss looked annoyed. I cut up strawberries and washed blueberries and left them in bowls on the table so kids could pick some fruit too. i gave everyone milk or water. Then I announced I was showering and to ask their mother (my twins) or their father (the big kids) if they needed something. I took a 7 minute shower and was back in a total of 11 minutes. The entire kitchen/dining area was a disaster. Everyone just left everything and nobody had to clean up after themselves. I announced I needed EVERY bowl, spoon, plate, cup etc before anyone could go skiing. They all brought their items to me and I rinsed and put them in the dishwasher. I sent them to all brush teeth and get dressed while I cleaned. 

Cleaning the table and floor and placemats is not bad but then my boss mentions that she can’t get the windows clean. She had let them draw (with window markers) all over three sliding glass doors the night before and now she could not get it off. I found Fantastik because we didn’t have any glass cleaner and used that. I then rinsed the windows with water and dried them because the Fantastik leaves a film on the glass. My boss said help later…I just ignored her and kept cleaning. I then cleaned up all the toys in the living room (they are supposed to stay neatly in a closet there) and then sent all their kids to the bathroom and to get boots on. They were lined up and waiting to get out the door on time and off I sent them

My twins are playing in the playroom while I write this. We have fought a ton, cried a lot and blown our noses dozens of times. They are bored. I am going to give them TV time for 30 minutes then bundle them and take them outside for a 5 minute walk. They need some fresh air even if we can’t go far because it’s all downhill. I am NOT carrying them uphill on the way back so we will not go far. 

I was supposed to leave by bus first thing tomorrow morning but that has changed. The boyfriend and his 4 are leaving tonight. Tomorrow we will leave and my boss will drive us back home. From there I will switch suitcases and leave. I asked if I’d be able to take my shower, get my manicure/pedicure, and change before leaving…she told me she didn’t think so! She has no right to expect me to watch the kids when I’m supposed to be off! I am not getting paid extra for any of this crap. I’m pissed. 

I just want to get on a plane and see Mike. I’m not nervous to see him or meet his friends but I am nervous to fly alone. I don’t mind flying, I mind airports. I have never flown alone that I remember. I am smart enough to read signs and I’m giving myself a little extra time but I’m still nervous. I also don’t know if I have to check my bag. I want it as a carry-on so I don’t have to wait for it or worry but I am not sure they will let me. It’s small enough but I think I can only bring that or my purse as a carry-on…we will see. 

My last piece…haven’t talked to James since the Monday or Tuesday after the Super Bowl. His phone has been shut off and he hasn’t tried to get ahold of me. It’s better this way (no contact) but I feel bad that I can’t even check on the dog.