Snapshot

I had a moment yesterday evening when I realized the scene in our kitchen right then perfectly captured an average weekday evening in our house. When I was in law school I wondered, what would it be like to have two working parents come home at the end of the day with two young kids to take care of? So below is snapshot of exactly that. JP was coaching from 3-5:45 pm, so I picked up the kids at 5:50. We both pulled in the driveway at 6. Usually dinner is ready right when I get home and we all sit down to eat it together. Last night, with everyone getting home at the same time, things were a little more piecemeal...

[6:00 pm]

We meet in the driveway and all walk in together. A big pot of water immediately goes on the stove with the gas on high. JP and Landon go on a walk around the house to get the mail. Claire and I go back to my closet to change me out of my light grey pants and silk top. I come back out in sweat pants and a tank top and microwave some frozen peas and carrots for Landon and Claire's appetizers. The radio is turned on. Claire goes in her highchair and begins happily shoveling peas in to her mouth while carefully avoiding the tiny cubes of carrot. JP and Landon return. Most of the mail goes in the recycle. Landon washes his hands and sits at the table to eat a banana and his bowl of vegetables. JP cleans Claire's bottles and Landon's lunch box containers. I feed the dogs and water my new hanging flowers on the back porch (they are beautiful!). Landon is jabbering about the "archyteture" he's learning about in school ("some buildings are super tall mommy. SUPER TALL."). Claire is head banging to the classic rock station JP switched the radio to while I was outside watering the flowers (I prefer pop, JP hates it; we do a lot of switching and occasionally compromise on country).

The water boils. I dump in a pound of rigatoni noodles. JP puts the bread in the oven and then adds some of his favorite spicy sausage ravioli to the boiling water (it floats on the top while the noodles cook near the bottom). We sit at the table while the kids finish their vegetables. Claire gets a few cubes of cheese. Landon gets his milk. I get the strainer, JP scoops out his raviolis with a slotted spoon and then dumps the big pot of boiling water in the sink. Claire's noodles go straight to her tray. Landon's noodles go in a bowl and are topped with jarred sauce. JP's noodles go in a bowl to be mixed with the already present spicy ravioli which is also topped with the jarred sauce. My noodles go back in the pot on low heat with olive oil, chopped garlic, halved cherry tomatoes, fresh spinach, and kosher salt. After about 60 seconds, that gets dumped in a bowl with balsamic vinegar and gorgonzola cheese. We all sit, say grace, eat our pasta, and continue talking about our days. Our single dirty pot sits in the sink.

[6:30 pm, end scene.]

The rest of the evening: JP washes dishes while I draw the bath for the kids. He meets me in the bathroom after the kitchen is clean and we divvy up the kiddos for pj's, teeth brushing (Landon), medicine (Claire), and meet back on Landon's bed for a bedtime story. We read and snuggle and sing a song (lately JP and I must both perform "I'm a little teapot" while Landon laughs hysterically and Claire laughs at Landon's laughing) before exiting the room with Clairebear and closing the door. Claire gets a fierce squeeze and then goes in her crib with a little pat. JP and I close her door, adjust the upstairs thermostat, and walk downstairs together. It's now 7:15 pm. I turn on my laptop, pour a glass of red wine, and am logged back in to the work system by 7:20.

At 9:30 my laptop is closed and we're on the couch watching the Glee finale (which I hated). We read, straighten up the downstairs, and cuddle, with lights out a little after 11, nearly 4 hours after our kids went to sleep (which is why we really don't need many date nights- every night is a date night!).

[end scene, again]

I never know if reading these things makes someone think our life seems too hectic or too easy, but it's good. There's lots of little things going on at once, but when your husband is your best friend and equal partner, and your kids are still young (no homework or other evening duties) and awesomely trained little sleepers, it makes the would-be hectic time after work and before bed my favorite part of our day.