Single Parent Productivity

Jenny was away yesterday and today at Time Out for Women in St. Louis. That meant I was on my own with the boys. Although I know it has to be much harder to juggle them day in and day out on her own as Jenny does, I got a lot done (but can't say I didn't realize again how easy I have it). In the past 36 hours, I managed to:

1. Keep everyone relatively happy, safe, and fed (corn dogs, pancakes, and chicken nuggets).
2. Keep track of the boys in Hollywood Video while I searched for videos to watch last night (Curious George and the second Work and the Glory). I also managed to schmooze the manager into letting me use TWO coupons for free movies. The coupons state only one coupon per visit, and Jenny "but that's against the rules" S. never lets us try it. With her out of the picture, I figured what could it hurt. I think me being really nice and having three kids in-tow did the trick.
3. Went to the grocery store and the boys reminded me they hand out free cookies at the bakery. We parked between the grocery store and the video store and walked the distance to each so I'd only have to get them in and out of the car once.
4. Slept-in until 9am! Eli and Nathan had a "campout" in my room last night, sleeping on the floor in their sleeping bags.
5. Made two trips to Home Depot. I was going to go to Ace Hardware for the second trip, but the Knights of Columbus were in front asking for donations in exchange for Tootsie Rolls, so I opted for Home Depot instead. Although I don't have anything against donating (I spent countless hours standing with my dad collecting for the Knights of Columbus as a kid), I didn't have change and didn't feel like hearing "but Dad, he said we could have candy..." while looking for outlet boxes and caulk.
6. FINALLY finished two projects at home as a surprise for Jenny. A year and a half ago the light above the kitchen sink started dripping during a rainstorm. For about a year, I had a piece of cardboard tacked up after I took out the rotted sheetrock. Got that replaced in May, but never got around to putting up a new light. Done. Also in May we re-did the bathroom, but I never caulked the tub or the new toilet. Done.
7. Took the boys to the library to pick out books and DVDs.
8. Liam's hair has looked like something out of That 70's Show for sometime, and Jenny and I decided that we would take him to Great Clips for a $5.99 haircut. You see, the Staggs boys don't usually go out for haircuts, not when there's Daddy's Haircut Store in the garage. I've cut my own hair for the last three years (now that there's less of it to cut) and I also cut Eli and Nathan's hair. I haven't wanted to try Liam's for fear that he'd squirm, but tonight I finally reached the point of not wanting to look at it anymore. So, he got MY $5.99 special. They hate Daddy's Haircut Store, although I usually try to dig out some obscure toy that they've forgotten about and say "Look what you get for being a valued customer! Isn't this better than a sucker?", followed by groans. Jenny still hasn't made an appointment.

So, that was my day and a half as a single parent.

Liam: before (last Saturday) and after (tonight)

Kitchen sink light and completed bathroom