Just a Mom Living That Summer Circus Life

As I write this, I am searching deep in my head to find the words to express how I feel about summer with four busy boys….at home. My brain is mush and I’m currently eating a bowl of cereal at 10pm.

The best way I can describe it: it’s a complete circus show. I am the ring leader, but no one is listening. Hula hoops, fire sticks, random objects and sunflower seeds are flying around and when the show is over, the stands are a mess.

When I had one child, summers were a little easier to manage. I was able to have one on one special time and adventures were a little easier. Now I have multiple kids in all stages with different mom needs. On these hot summer days, those adventures leave you wiped out. At home, every time I turn around there’s another Popsicle wrapper, a stray sock, wet clothes from the sprinkler, crumbs on the floors and dishes in the sink. At the end of the day there’s a totally exhausted mom staring at me in the mirror, saying “What just happened?”

I’m the mom that doesn’t have schedules posted, meals prepped or even planned. We wing each summer day for the most part. (There’s an adventure in that!) While I love being with my kids and their funny personalities, I enjoy when they have an occasional summer camp because it gives me a little structure and a little quiet time at home.

And let’s talk about summer vacations. You live on a high while on them, the sun is shining, the kids are laughing, gadgets are off and life is good…until you get home. Then the post-vacation blues set in. The unpacking, the laundry, the loud, the meltdowns and the messy house.

In the midst of summer, I feel like Hocus Pocus lost in the city of Zootopia while trying to find Nemo. Just keep swimming!

I ask myself, how am I surviving? How am I filling my cup?

1. Work out: I do it BEFORE the kids get out of bed. Set the alarm and just do it. I know if I get that done, when the kids get out of bed, I am already one step ahead of them and I AM full of energy, smiles and kiss attacks-Ha!

2. Quiet time: Everyone gets one! At least 30 mins a day to spend in their room reading, playing, coloring and no electronics. Basically learning that being bored is ok.

3. Clean the kitchen: empty the dishwasher, the sink and wipe down the counters before I go to bed. It makes for a better start to the day and doesn’t give me immediate anxiety of all the things to do.

4. My job. I enjoy being around (grown up) people, learning and researching. It fills my cup. If you stay home with your children (which is a full time job with a ton of overtime) find a subject you’re passionate about and read, learn and grow your mind before you go to bed.

The saying “ You will miss this someday” is probably true and it rings in my head every day while I am in the thick of it. I embrace the crazy and bake cookies!

I look at my circus show of a house at the end of the day and those missing socks, wet clothes, toys all over the yard and Popsicle wrappers everywhere make me smile. It means fun was had and I probably just need to relax and go to bed.

When all else fails this summer….join the circus!

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Richelle Byrne
Richelle is originally from Minnesota and moved to Oklahoma in 1998! She now resides in Arcadia with her husband of 15 years and 4 boys (10,8,6 and 1). She also has a stepdaughter who is 23 and is getting married this year! Richelle is going on her 20th year in the real estate industry and enjoys helping many families obtain the dream of owning or selling a home. In her free time, she enjoys being outside exploring with her family, having movie nights, lunch dates with friends and working out at Orangetheory. One day she hopes to live on some land and own a cow!

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