The Merry, Merry Month of May.

Before I gloat about my May 2012 (which will surely make you red with envy - or is it green with jealousy?), I'll give you some time now to leave and check out another blog, more charitable and encouraging than this will be. I'll see you back again when I'm complaining about meal time or the house we can't seem to sell.

You stuck around? Ok, but I warned you.

Every April, I think ah, I can't wait for Jude's classes to be over so he can be home all day during the summer! And then inevitably, he starts work on some freelance job or website upgrade or that poster he's been dying to do for years or cleaning out his office or teaching that summer course or organizing the screenprinting lab or going on that fabulous summer trip to Italy for 5.5 weeks... Somehow that Summer ends up looking like Fall. Or Spring. And even Winter.

But May was actually Summer. Here's what it looked like:

6:07 a.m. The girls wander into our room. I roll over. Jude fixes breakfast.

7:57 a.m. I fix my coffee. Joan's already dressed and Charlotte is getting a diaper change.

8:38 a.m. The girls entertain themselves while we Facebook, Twitter, and blog.

8:58 a.m. Jude washes the morning's dishes.

9:04 a.m. Four Landrys ride together to that day's activity. The park? The library? Gymnastics playdate? Lowes? A birthday party? I possibly grocery shop alone. That's right, alone.

10:30 a.m. We somehow get custody of Evelyn and add a redhead to our family.

10:31 a.m. Five Landry's carry on with the normally scheduled program.

11:24 a.m. Lunch is prepared. Kids hosed down. Jude changes poop.

12:17 p.m. The front porch and hand-me-down lawn toys occupy the girls while Jude plays guitar and I read.

12:57 p.m. Jude drives Joan to school. I lay Evelyn and Charlotte down in their respective beds and catch up on my Netflix Instant Queue.

1:18 p.m. Jude arrives home (or maybe his office) to finish design work. I grab a coke. Maybe I start dinner.

2:46 p.m. Evelyn wakes up and eats quinoa. (This takes a while, but when finished, she plays independently and quietly in the playroom.)

3:46 p.m. Charlotte wakes up and eats junk. Then tries to take Evelyn's toy away.

3:52 p.m. Jude plays guitar while we sit on the porch.

4:33 p.m. The four of us drive to pick up Joan. The kids play on their playground until 5 p.m.

5:12 p.m. Evelyn's mom arrives. We chat and part.

5:40 p.m. Dinner with the fam. (sounds more fun than it actually is, trust me)

6:13 p.m. Evening wagon stroll downtown.

6:49 p.m. Short episode of Barney.

7:10 p.m. I do baths while Jude finishes the dishes. Or vice versa.

7:38 p.m. Teeth. Stories. Prayers. Lights off.

7:41 p.m. Jude brings Charlotte back to bed.

8:12 p.m. Kids passed out. Netflix or Hulu on.

10:35 p.m. Retire to bed for reading and sleeping.

It isn't always like this, and I know it might not be like this ever again, so not one day in May, have I taken for granted. I have recognized and been so grateful to have the blessing of my husband at home and involved each day. He's had just as much design work to do during the day as he's always had, but this year, he really made an effort to take care of it during their naps or in between activities. And it's made for a merry, merry month of May, indeed.