I am an organized woman. I’m an organized wife, mother, daughter, and business owner. I have to be. I run the household and there’s 4 (5 when you count my dad) people to manage, and none of them are particularly organized. There’s a dance between weird work schedules (Poe works nights, I work days), kids going to school, homework, chores, housework, family dinners (to make my dad feel included), finances, and extracurriculars. I’m good at it.

Here’s what a typical Friday schedule is:

5:30am – I get up.

6:00am – I get kids up to get ready for fed, clean, ready for school.

6:55am – Take both kids (Poe’s still at work) to drop Logan off at before-school percussion class.

7:30am – Cab comes for Joseph to go to school.

7:30-isham – Poe comes home from work.

7:50am – I go back to school dropoff to switch Logan’s drumkit with his backpack

In between the above and until 9am – housework, picking up, laundry, dishes, feeding pets etc.

9am-2:20pm – workworkworkmeetingwork. Maybe remember to eat something, and hope no crises with kids come up. Poe is sleeping at this time.

2:20pm – Pickup Logan from school (In actuality sitting in carline)

3pm – Pickup Logan, then snack, chores, homework at 4 – Poe handles homework. I’m back at work.

3 – 5pm – workworkwork “IS THERE BLOOD? NO? I’M WORKING”

5pm – End work, start dinner. That I probably cook.

7pm – Poe goes back to sleep for a nap before work.

Everything’s up in the air then, until the kids have quiet time at 8:30pm and bed at  9pm.

10:15pm – Poe goes to work.

I sleep sometime after that.

Up in there are things like showers and medications, and of course fitting in things like doctors and such.

This morning? I set my alarm. I was sitting right here when I did it. I don’t know what happened. But around 7:35am my husband walked into the bedroom laughing his fool head off and Logan was saying, “Oh NOoooooo.” The cab was honking, and no one was dressed or fed, and Logan missed his percussion class. As I sit here, it’s 1/2 hour before work and I’ve not done a darn thing.

All because of a missed alarm.

Today is a Mommy-Fail day.

Apparently my blog is down, and you can only see this if you subscribe to the feed.

Dammit.

Working on fixing it.

An update. Poe is up for a cool job that I’m not mentioning until after he either gets it or doesn’t. First was a lengthy application. That was put in on March 6th. We were a little worried about that because we had to disclose information one doesn’t usually have to on a job application. March 15th, we finally found out he passed that and was put into the testing process (good!) which took them a month to schedule (bad) and another 2 weeks or so to actually get to. He finally took that test yesterday, May 15th, a full 2 months after getting to that part of the process.

He passed the actual test with flying colors, which then put him into the “disclosure” process. These are actual quotes:

“Did you ever take a magnifying glass and see if ants burned when you were 5 years old? That’s arson! Write it down!”

“Did you have a 17 year old girlfriend when you turned 18 and graduated high school? That’s statutory rape! Write it down!”

And on and on and on. He came home feeling elated for having passed the test, and the scum of the earth for having to hash through every single bad thing he has ever done or experienced (“Did you ever witness spousal abuse? Write it down!”)

Now comes the interview and polygraph. Yes, I said polygraph. A lie detector test. That comes on June 30th. A full month and a half away, during which point they will be digging up every bit of dirt they can on him. And interviewing everyone they can get their hands on. It’s… unnerving. It really is. On the other hand, he’s been a practical boy scout for the last 15 years, and all his stupidity was basically done while he was very young.

And now, we wait. And maybe sweat a little.

Dear “A. Friend,”

I think I know who you are.  But I won’t call you out – both because I’m not sure, and I don’t want to embarrass you by ruining your intended anonymity.

Thank you.  From the bottom of my heart, thank you.

I’ve always wanted one of those foot scraper thingies.  I love to read.  The kids will dig the straws and Silly Bandz.  And frankly?  We have three days til payday with no money for food because one of my clients didn’t pay me on time.  So that money you sent?  Literally puts food in my kids’ mouths.

It was completely unexpected, made me cry (the good kind), and say a prayer of thanks.

And the chocolate won’t go to waste, let me assure you.

My friend, today you helped me immeasurably.  I’m grateful.  I thank you.

Love,

Michele

Below is a guest post of my husband, Poe.  He’s a little ticked and asked if he could write on my blog.

Hello there, this is Poe… Sparks’ husband.  I heard a discussion on the radio this morning that prompted me to request this “Guest Post” on my loving, beautiful, talented wife’s most professional and stylish blog. Full disclosure, this post is going to have to do with sports…kinda.

I don’t know if you have noticed or not, but the use of the words “Super Bowl” has been absent from almost all forms of advertisement not directly generated from the NFL.  While I understand this from a purely monitary point of view (not really,) I have always thought it to be petty and selfish in the extreme.  The use of the title “Super Bowl” in an ad for pizza, or a new TV does nothing to detract people from actually watching the “Super Bowl.”  If anything, it’s free advertising… but I digress.

This morning I was informed that a number of businesses in New Orleans received letters from the NFL informing them that their use of “Who Dat” in the advertisement was a violation of trademark laws as “Who Dat” was an official NFL trademark.  ARE YOU SERIOUS!?!  That has got to be the most out of touch, conceited, petty, and just plain dumb policy I have heard in a very long time.  That is like some official for the Olympics saying people need to use “The Game Overseas” or “A Group of Countries Playing Games Against Each Other.”  Just stupid.  As if New Orleans does not have enough to deal with, now this.  This is the first trip to the “Super Bowl” for the New Orleans Saints and the “Who Dat Nation” – and the NFL pulls something like this. Seriously, is “The Dog Pound,” “Raider Nation,” or “Cheese Heads” trademarked by the NFL too?  It’s like me trying to trademark “Dude”. (Ed. note – my husband has trouble in conversation NOT using “Dude.”)

I am sorely disappointed in the NFL, so much in fact that I will not be watching the “Super Bowl.”  (Ed. note – my husband is an AVID, RABID football fan, so this is big.) I just wanted to vent and this is, I think, one of my best options.  Thank you baby!

Poe