A week in review

So since a week ago, how have things gone?
Last Wednesday: The tooth fairy failed, but redeemed herself.  Then the boys were with their father for the night.
Last Thursday: The hellacious afternoon before curriculum night in which the two big boys refused to do anything, and I took them to school without making them dinner as a result.  Feed yourselves.  If you're not going to be on my team then I don't see any need to make you dinner.  They ate graham crackers and opened a can of beans.
Friday: Got sick.  Worked a crazy long day.  Ran errands while sitter stayed with them. Brought home take out Thai food and pumpkin pie for dessert.  We made homemade challah as usual and whipped cream to go with the pie.  Reasonable good dinner hour and then bed went ok I think.  I can't even remember for sure.  Seems like we read together on my bed about Sarah and Abraham and some other PJ Library book.
Saturday: miserably sick.  First beautiful weekend day together in ages and all I wanted to do is sleep.  I did get a long nap while the youngest one was napping in the afternoon and then made matzo ball soup in the PM.  Stayed up late late after the boys went to bed to do stuff for work that had to be done before Sunday morning but that I couldn't do until after sundown.
Sunday: Exhausting morning at school, then the boys with their father for the rest of the day while I got to rest.  Couldn't sleep.  Intended to, but couldn't, despite being sick and miserable and tired.  Then the mixed up evening.
Monday: Afternoon started off ok, but the eldest had yet another meltdown about homework and chores.  I was asking him to fix his spelling homework and deal with the piles and piles of mixed up clean and dirty clothes all over his room (in his closet, in drawers, under the bed, in the toy chest, etc.).  Nope.  No can do is the attitude I get.  Spelling was only partially done and clothes in bedroom not at all, when his father came to pick him up at 5:30 for our new schedule which attempts to give him and the boys some one on one time after my weekends.  I had a good night with the younger two.  That could have been bad, because often those two are harder as two then all three together. But they weren't.  We had a good night and they even wanted to slumber party in the same room together. And they went to sleep nicely!
Today: Went on the pumpkin patch field trip with my middle and wasn't happy to be standing in the cold and rain for 3 hours when I still feel sick and miserable.  Couldn't get warm after that all afternoon.   Feel grateful for friends who brought dinner.  It's the second time that family has done that.  I'm really touched.  Which then makes me feel badly about feeling like I'm not cared for enough in previous days, but can't help but feel that self-pity anyhow.  I think Dr. P would allow that.  Had some nice one on one time with the eldest while the middle was at an after school class and the little one was playing independently (should have been napping).  Then after returning home with the younger two, my big guy went into serious fit mode again.  Still about the damn laundry.  Once again, I stayed mostly pretty calm.  Though I did tell him (without yelling) to get the hell out when he came in the dog door.  It took him over an hour to get in a better space.  I offered help multiple times.  I tried to give him space, but I also checked in with him.  And then suddenly, he just flipped the switch and decided to be super helpful, cooperative, and responsive.  It was from Mr. Hyde to Dr. Jekyll in no time.  We talked briefly about it at bedtime, but of course he can't figure out what the trigger is that's upsetting him so much about that chore.  And he doesn't know what would be a good recovery strategy when he's so angry.  All my suggestions (shooting baskets, going around the block, etc.)  fail to provide any satisfying plan for him.  He refuses to agree to one of them.
So, another roller coaster week.  It will get easier, right?
Falling asleep now.  No wonder, it's nearly 1 again.  I understand why it's so hard to go to bed at night, but I really need to learn to take better care of myself.