How do families do this???

So one of my goals for this school year is to have the girls more involved in extra curricular activities.  Last year I totally played the "I just had a newborn so you can't possibly expect me to get out of the house on a regular basis" card, but I feel that as Max gets bigger, I can't really use that excuse anymore.

I'll admit, I can be a bit of a recluse. It's very difficult for me to want to get myself and all the kids ready and drive out somewhere (sometimes far away). But I know that I am going to have to make the sacrifice, buck up and take the kids places.

Attending the (NOT) Back to School Party put on by AAH was the first (giant) step towards that.  It was far away, and we didn't really know anyone who was going to be there. We had a good time, but still didn't really meet anyone that it would be possible to have an ongoing relationship with. (The party was in North Austin, about a 40min drive and none of the people we met that day lived anywhere close to us.)  So we still have  along way to go in getting connected with other homeschoolers around us.

Today was another major step in getting out of the house.  Adrianne and Riley are both signed up with the children's choir of a local church and then after choir practice, they have a "Girls in Action" (GA for short) meeting where they join other girls their age in community service projects. While Adrianne and Riley are at their meeting, Emmaline has a little class that she can attend where she can play with other children her age and learn a short Bible lesson.  So far, all three girls said they really enjoyed their classes tonight and are looking forward to going back next week.

But I must admit, I'm sort of baffled how other families pull off this type of schedule on a regular basis. Choir practice starts at 5:30 and there is no extra time between that and the girls' GA class, which doesn't let out until 7:30.   I cannot fathom how families with two working parents and children who attend public school could keep up with that (because I know some DO). Where do you fit in dinner? Not to mention homework?  Really I tip my hat to those families who DO make it work, because with just the very little running around I actually did, I felt exhausted!

Tonight Max stayed with Matt and they had a "boy's night", but if for some reason Matt can't watch him, then I will bring him with me and he can play on their playground while we wait for his sisters to finish. Tonight though, I spent an entire uninterrupted  hour READING A BOOK.

It's the little things......