Day #2

Day #2
The blog name.......
It's madness at our house 24-7.  Everyone has their very own distinct personality and everyone is VERY different from everyone else.  In the morning Ri likes to get up early and take the bus.  Jack and Mads have to be dragged from bed and forced to go to school.  Max would rather be cuddling with a blanket and some chocolate milk.  Daddy will normally get up in time to slap on the Kevlar and disappear for about 15 hours.  I might get up early or I might need to be woken up by Ri. 
After school Mads will do tumbling and want to play the piano, read, and play with her friends.  Jack will do anything under the sun to put off homework and chores.  He would rather be playing in the dirt, riding the 4 wheeler or playing with neighborhood friends and dogs.  He doesn't like piano or scouts.  Riles immediately finishes homework, does a chore and is off to ride bikes, play basketball or cook something.  She has lots of friends that live near us and she would be out with then until bedtime if she could.  She has piano lessons and singing, no longer has any use for tumbling, and has a good time at Activity Days (mostly because I am there and I am awesome).  Max wishes he was 8 so he could do what everyone else does.  He thinks all of his brother's and sisters' friends are his.  He loves to dig in the dirt and make lakes and rivers for his plastic dogs and cattle.  He always wants to be on the 4 wheeler.  He has a terrifically hideous break down most afternoons because he is tired but won't nap.  He also is pretty good at helping make dinner.  He really picked up on a lot of household chores because he wouldn't let me put him down for the first 2 years of his life.  Daddy pops in and out, usually for long enough to stir up the kids and then he's back to work. 
Dinner is nuts.  At least 3 of the kids fight over praying.  Max will generally contaminate Mads food so that she needs a new plate. 
No one wants to go to bed even though everyone is really tired.  It is a lot like trying to grab scattering marbles.  There is lots of running around wet and naked having lotion fights.  Everyone wants a different story.  Max wants to be held.  Mads needs her bedtime ritual.  Ri will read for at least an hour.  Jack needs to be hunted like an animal because you can always count on finding him......not in bed.
By 5ish I am mentally shutting down from exhaustion.  If the Dad is around I turn into a zombie and mentally check out.  That's not very often though.  Usually I am not hitting the sheets until late and then I HAVE to read just so that I can do something I like for awhile. 
It's pure madness.  Lots of noise and excitement and movement.  Even though it makes me tired and question my sanity......I love it.  I love it.  I. LOVE. IT!