Everything happens on the weekends

Juggling school and kids is hard work.  Weeks are hard. Trying to get my school work done, keep the house clean (manageable at least) and trying to keep the kids happy and fed is more than a 9 to 5 job.  I get up at 6:00 to get my little girl ready for school.  I take her to school then I run errands, clean house or finish homework until its time to take my son to the sitter.  Once he is at the sitter it is time to start my hour long drive to school.  I get to school, go to classes, do my work, get my assignments and go home. I never stay and socialize and I've discovered recently most people avoid me because they don't know me.  Its sad I've been in classes with the same people for almost 4 years and I hardly know them.  Once I leave school (which believe it or not is my downtime, even with all the work) I go pick up my kids from the sitter.  We get home and I feed them, give them a bath and put them in bed.  On some days there is time to actually play with them but most times not.  I don't get to see my kids as much as I would like because of school but, hey, May is right around the corner (shutter!) That's a scary thought in itself. After they are in bed I do my homework, then go to bed myself.  The next day I get up and do it all over again. I stay busy. I stay tired. I stay stressed.  I get very little sleep because my weeks are so busy but oh there is always the weekend, right?
WRONG! I have discovered that everything happens on the weekend.  For two weekends in a row my heater has broke...no big deal because we have been having warm nights. Except, winter finally decided to arrive.  So its 40 degrees outside and I have no heat. Call the repair man who supposedly "fixed" my heater the first time it broke.  But I'm told they don't do repairs on the weekend. WHAT!?! Its 40 outside and I have two small children! So I start combing the phone book looking for a repairman. I get voicemail after voicemail. Finally I get a call back, the guy comes within 20 minutes of my call, temporarily fixes my heater for the night and promises to get the part necessary to fix it the next day. And he does! So the rest of the weekend should be smooth sailing...
Having a life on the weekends when you have two small children is hard.  I had a chance to go out with friends over the past few weekends and its been a blast.  However, my friends can stay up all night and party and sleep all the next day. I can't and honestly don't want to.  I like to go out and have fun but I dont want to waste the next day sleeping. I went to a Mardi Gras ball last night and it was an absolute blast.  Nothing like I expected but still fun.  I was nervous I wouldn't get to go because my daughter was complaining of a toothache Friday afternoon.  Saturday morning she was still in pain and had cried the whole night before.  There are NO weekend pediatric dentists in our area so there was nothing I could do.  Tylenol and orajel are her best friends right now.  So Monday I will be calling a dentist.  But see nothing ever goes wrong when you have a way to fix it! So between broken heaters, Mardi gras balls, toothaches, and homework my weekends are busier than my weeks! Weekends are meant for relaxing but I"m not sure I even know what that means anymore. I think I know the way to survive the weekends though and still have fun.
1. Keep all repairmen on speed dial! Know the ones who make weekend and after hour calls but also know their prices.  Don't get overcharged (we got overcharged the first time our heater was "fixed" but I'm not going there)
2. Know all doctors and dentists that are on call on the weekend.  If you have questions you can usually call the ER or your insurance company may have a nurseline.
3. Keep basic first aid kits available, but include medicines for toothaches, and things like that.
4. If you go out with friends...
                     -if you drink, do it responsibly
                     - know how you are getting home, before the night even starts
                     - get home at a reasonable hour, even if your friends aren't ready and you are make them take you. or call a cab
                     - get some sleep.
                     -get up and enjoy the next day.  Don't sleep it away being hungover. You can still have fun without ruining your next day. Plus, if you do drink if you dance then it burns off the alcohol faster :) you might be a little sore the next day but you will be able to function like a human and not a Zombie. So these are my words of wisdom for the week. Enjoy life. It can be stressful and tiring, fun and exhausting, crazy and ridiculous but its life.  You can live it or you can hide from it.  Don't end up graduating after being in a school for 4 years and barely know the people you see everyday.  Got to remember even if your life is crazy busy you always have time for people.