Hot Mess Mommy Express

I'm not sure what it is about 2022, but I will tell you this. It has been overbooked, over-scheduled, overwhelming, demanding and short on time. Just when I think I feel a breather coming on, our calendar fills right back up and I find myself longing for time to do nothing....literally! I can't be the only one who feels this way. Don't get me wrong, we've always been active and busy, but this year hits different. I've definitely dropped the ball along way in some areas, but for the most part, I'm proud of the fact that I've managed to keep most of them in the air.  Lately I have felt added weight to my mental health, unlike anything I've ever felt before. I go to work five days a week where so many depend on me. I go home where so many depend on me. Our 2022 downtime has been allocated to sports and countless engagements. All the while you can find me scanning our calendar looking for gaps. I haven't felt the time to really process certain aspects of

Reposted from my September 11, 2020 Facebook Post. Today was one of those mornings...I felt like my hair was on fire, there was spilled juice all over one's clothing, the breakfast bar and the floor, my kids were fighting, the dishwasher didn't run the night before and the dishes piled high. I felt like time was moving twice as fast as it normally does. I scrambled to pack three lunches and it was a mad rush to get myself and three humans out the door for school...I felt spent, absolutely over the morning routine, just as my kids were. I looked up and said, "Lord, I'm not sure I can do this today. I'm tired. I'm spent. My kids are spent. Please give us the strength to take on this day." I gave up on the rush, because we were already late and took a deep breathe. On the drive to school, I apologized to my kids for such a rough start to their Friday. I reminded them that it wasn't even 8:00 a.m. and that we could still turn our day around (a reminder to

We did it! Week one of back-to-school is under our belt and our second week has begun. It's amazing how quickly my kids (and myself really) were able to fall back into routine. I'm not sure if it's just the initial excitement of a fresh start, seeing their friends or they were getting bored with summer downtime, but I am just so proud of our kids for jumping back into the groove. I always joke that the excitement fades quickly and before I know it, we are back on the struggle bus. I anticipated a rough start with our Monday morning routine today, but much to my amazement, we had a positive start to the week! This school year came with a new morning routine and family dynamic. With my husband's new fully remote job, I no longer have to drop off and pick up the kids from school anymore. This gives me a little extra time and less rush in the morning. It lightens my load up a bit, which I didn't realize how much I needed. I feel like I can soak up those breakfast conver

For the first time in almost twenty years, I was pulled over by a police officer. For some this isn't a big deal, but for me, it left me with lasting impact. Want to hear the story?  Last Thursday, I left work feeling mentally exhausted, more than normal. I put my hot mess express in drive and headed for home, just like I do on every single work day. How often do we drive somewhere without a recollection of how we got there? How often are we driving while spaced out?  Here's the scary part. I don't remember the drive. I have a mental block somewhere as a result of constantly running on autopilot.  Sometimes the pressures of career life, married life, parenting life and everyday life take their toll on us. Am I right? I try my best to use my commute as a time to gather myself, clear my head and get ready for the next phase of my days. On this particular day, I felt so drained. I hadn't slept well in a while. I felt like I was carrying a massive load and I drove home, for

Suddenly you're 30 and think to yourself that the next ten years are going to be the best yet. It feels like you have so much of the 30's ahead of you, but then suddenly you hit the mid-way hump and realize that you are now on the downward toward 40. I'm not sure how that happened, but I won't lie! I do love the 30's. The 20's were tough, as we worked hard, struggled to get by at times and tried to find our way. Today is my 35th birthday, so I feel the need to offer words of encouragement to those who may need it! Are you a twenty-something who dreads the 30's? Are you already in your 30's and feel defeated by it? I'm here to encourage you to stop! Brace yourselves for this one, because some of these are mind-blowing. Okay...more like comical, but nonetheless, here you go.  Enjoy my personal list of reasons why I love the 30's!  Unlike my 20's, I feel like I somewhat (not fully) have my sh*t together.  We have more financial wiggle room than

I would be lying if I said I didn't sit in my office for a moment to just reflect (and shed a few tears) as we wrap up yet another whirlwind school year. With every single last day of school (and the first days) comes the further realization that my kids are growing so fast. They have become intelligent, talented, passionate, brave, loving (and sometimes mischievous) individuals and I am so proud of them.  Over the last nine months, I've packed hundreds of lunches, styled hair, checked for shiny white teeth, handed out vitamins, prepared breakfasts, wiped away tears, given countless hugs, adjusted work for sick days, powered through snow days, looped through the morning drop off line with an "I love you" and cleaned out endless papers from backpacks. One thing is certain. The days often seemed so long, but they were oh so short!  Rhylan had the biggest transition year of all....middle school. This came with so many tough moments. As a mom, there is something so emotio

I've been very aware of several trends that are making a massive comeback with Gen Z and even with us millennials. Welcome back biker shorts, high waisted denim, chokers and platform sandals, to name a few! To be honest, I don't hate it! I actually love it. Does that mean we were trendsetters back in the day? I like to think yes! Returning trends have inspired this blog entry and I hope that some of you can relate. Growing up, I absolutely cringed at the thought of a clothes from a thrift store, garage sale or anything in between. You see, back in my youth, you weren't considered "cool" in our small-town school unless you were rocking Tommy Hilfiger, Z Cavaricci, Calvin Klein, Nike, Doc Marten (are you feeling nostalgic yet) or shopped at The Buckle. I knew my parents couldn't afford it, but yet our Mom always tried to keep us looking and feeling stylish! Once I started earning my own money, you could find me putting things on layaway at The Buckle. I look bac

  I'm the mom who periodically monitors her middle schooler's school gmail account. I monitor for certain things, one being missed homework assignments, because let's face it! He's in middle school and there are so many other things he'd rather be doing than his homework. At the same time, he's smarter than I ever was in school and when he's pushed, he truly can rock his homework, just like the great bands of the early 2000's.  Does my kiddo know that I monitor his school email? Not exactly. Judge me if you want! He does know that I have access to it. I'm not going to defend myself, but I will say that in doing so, I spare myself from a lot of worry. I also monitor for signs of bullying and profanity. I've found both, but that's a discussion for another day. When your child has been the target of bullying on multiple occasions, it's important to watch for the signs, so that you can have evidence when it comes to communication with school

Have you ever walked past your family command center/wall calendar only to realize that you never changed the month? In our home, it is still February! Do I still wish it was February? Absolutely not! I love each March day that comes, bringing us closer to spring. I love the spring forward time change that gives us longer days. I love that it's 4th quarter at school and we've nearly survived another school year. The wall calendar that hasn't left February only goes to show just how chaotic and crazy this last month has been, not only at work, but also at home. I've barely known what day it is for weeks now. Not to mention that it's apparently St. Patrick's Day and you can find me in pink today, instead of green, because I still don't know what day it is. My kids were kind enough to greet me with pinches this morning to remind me, but the mornings are so crazy that there wasn't time to change clothes. So off to work I went....without any green. It's f

This moment right here? It's one of those moments when you know it's going to be one that you cherish forever while you are in the moment living it. This was our very first "big" family vacation as just us...our family of five. Every single moment of it felt like a dream. It was the day after school ended in 2021. We loaded up the hot mess express and drove until we reached the sand! It was quickly made evident that our kids needed this just as badly as we did. Sometimes when I'm having a tough day or feeling emotionally drained, I remember this moment. My kids felt free...we felt free. They left behind their sibling conflicts, stresses and worries and ran for the salty water. At one point, they joined hands and just stared out at the horizon and my eyes filled with tears. You see, this wasn't just a family vacation. This was us overcoming tough times, not just from the pandemic, but there was a time when financially, this wasn't possible. There was a time

"Mom, can I go to the dance on Tuesday?"  My eleven year old asked me this very question and of course I said yes. It will be his first-ever school dance and it's right after school for two hours next week in honor of Valentine's Day. My only ask of him was that he didn't dress like a homeless person for school that day. Maybe he will finally take the tags off of those super nice jeans and sweaters collecting dust in his closet! Of course I'm excited for him to experience this ritual, but why am I so nervous about it? I think the overprotective, wants what's best for her son, apprehensive about mean kids, version of me worries about him experiencing two different things. First, what if he musters up the courage to ask a girl to dance and is rejected? Secondly, what if he has a run in with mean kids? He has dealt with his share of them this year in middle school. I finally (and I do mean FINALLY) hear him mentioning his friends at his new school. This is a

Every Sunday, for the last few years, we've had what our kids have officially named "Cinnamon Roll Sunday." On Sunday mornings, we make cinnamon rolls and have breakfast together. There is always a fight over who get's to be in charge of frosting the cinnamon rolls. There is always an argument over who gets the center, gooiest cinnamon roll and there is always a mess to follow.  Cinnamon Roll Sunday is something that our kids look forward to all week. It's a time when we make a point to have breakfast together. It's a fun tradition, that may seem insignificant to many, but to our kids, it's so important. Emersyn always makes a point to avoid spending the night places on Saturday nights, because she doesn't want to miss Cinnamon Roll Sunday. How sweet is that?  Family traditions are so important, regardless of how big or small they are. Do I make those Insta-worthy homemade cinnamon rolls? Psssh! Absolutely not. We're working with Aldi cinnamon roll

  Every year it comes and every year I cringe. The flyer comes out of the folder and the headline reads... "It's that time! Create your own Valentine's Day box for our class party!" When I was in school, we put stickers all over a Kleenex box or decorated a paper sack with crayons. Not anymore! In today's day and age, it's all about the show. You go big or go home! Parents are spending hours and dollars to create these Valentine's Day monstrosities. I actually love (no pun intended) Valentine's Day, but what I don't love is the added pressure that it puts on parents.  I will say that I'm pretty darn proud of some of the Valentine's Day boxes I've whipped up for my kiddos over the past few years. Thinking back we've had everything from Harry Potter, to Disney, sports, Fortnite and donut themes. While I don't consider myself a crafty person, this is something I excel at (thanks to Pinterest, Hobby Lobby and Dollar Tree). However,

Today was one of those mornings. Usually by Friday, the Zehnle family is just over it all. From the getting up early, to the morning routine, drop off/pickup, work/school, we all long for a day off and a day to stay home. Rocking the morning routine solo is always an adventure. Michael goes in to work super early and also makes time to feed and take the dog out, which I so much appreciate. That leaves me with the three kiddos and all of the things to accomplish before we head out the door.  I always feel like I've been on a whirlwind adventure before my workday ever begins. Today was no exception. I try my best not to show it and bring my professional self in to work, but inside my brain at times, you can find me screaming. The headache I started my workday with is a result of a morning full of chaos, a week full of it really. Picture this. 1. The kids were fighting, yelling and screaming at each other. This is pre-coffee mind you, so my tolerance was extremely low and by Friday, I

 Let me preface with this. The Zehnle family was not looking for a dog. For over a decade, I remained firm in my stance against getting a big dog. The commitment, costs, added responsibility to our already loaded plate, my need for clean, etc, were all reasons why I never thought that adding a big dog to our family would be a good idea. I also believe that sometimes four legged family members find you at the right time, when you are not even looking. I'll admit, hearing Michael's half of that phone call made my skin crawl at the idea. However, I saw his face. And in that moment, I knew it was happening. I can't be the villain forever and he was willing to step up and take care of her.  After that phone call, I had the next couple of weeks to wrap my head around the idea. Ready or not, Betty was coming to live with The Zehnles. I'll be honest, I lived in total denial for those couple of weeks and prayed that things would fall through. That Saturday morning arrived though

Usually when I say "never say never," I'm talking to mom friends about minivans. In this particular situation, the phrase applies to something completely different. Dogs. Ladies and gentleman, allow me to introduce you to the latest addition to the Zehnle family....Betty. Now rewind with me as I take you back to the times I said "never" and why I chose to push my personal feelings aside and welcome this pretty, mischievous puppy into our already chaotic family life.  Raising Kids - Teaching Responsibility One of the most important aspects that lead to the decision of welcoming Betty into our family is that I finally feel like my kids are at the right age. I can't imaging trying to train and nurture a puppy at the same time as taking care of littles! I know some of you are or have done just that and I tip my mom hat to you, because that is something I didn't have the motivation to do! Rhylan just turned eleven and has wanted a dog for such a long time. I

"You gotta start romanticizing your life." I recently stumbled upon this statement and it truly resonated with me. I've often been called a relentless optimist. I try to see the good in every situation and every person. While I believe that this is a strong quality to have, it can also be a negative one in that not everyone you come into contact with has the same intentions. I have had to learn to stop myself from investing too much of my time and energy into negative energies and situations that are not good for my mental health. While this trait has it's negative side, I believe that it's at least 90% positive! Now that I've explained my personal logic, let me share just a few ways that I romanticize certain aspects of my life.  Mom Life Let's discuss life with kids. Do I love being a mom? Yes. Do I always  like  parenting? No. However, even on the hard days, I'm so thankful for our kids. What if instead of focusing on the messes, meltdowns and mista

As moms it's important for us to instill in our children the things that we wish we would've had when we were kids. Am I licensed to say that? Absolutely not! Speaking from personal experience though, I find this to be more important as my children enter each new chapter. Where is this thought coming from? Buckle up, because I'm bringing you an experience from none other than little miss Everly. She's our resident drama queen and self-appointed "baby of the family" by a mere twelve minutes after her sister!  Yesterday was a rare day...one where I actually got to pick my kids up from school. Here in the midwest, winter can be a real (for lack of a bitter word and with cleanliness for little ears in mind) biotch. Our current winter biotch has prevented bus transport to our iced over subdivision. I was thrilled to get the chance to do it. I splurged on a coffee on my ride home, cranked up some tunes and told myself "this is what it's like" to pick y

It's been since July of 2020 that I (metaphorically) picked up a pen and expressed my thoughts. For a long time, I found it therapeutic, a great way to get things off of my chest, hopefully inspire other moms out there and for lack of better phrase...keep it real. Then the pandemic happened. Our entire world, routine and lives as we knew it were completely rocked and no longer "routine."  For the last almost year and a half, I've felt like the only way to cope was to take each day as it came. I poured my entire being into first my family and second my career goals. We moved to Missouri, we've embraced and continue to fall in love with a new hometown, our kids have grown so much and we've worked our tails off to keep our lives moving forward. Here we are in a new year. 2022! I can't be the only one saying... HOW IN THE HECK DID WE GET HERE?  Am I right? If you're like me and have a hard time recalling many of the days of the last year and a half, then I