Colour me Campy

Marriage and motherhood have dulled me into a colourless entity. Not that I ever led a remotely exciting life in my pre-matrimony state to begin with. But I reckon I’m such a dreadful bore now.

My weekdays run like clockwork – rise by 7am, out of the house by 7.40am, catch 2 buses and reach school before 8.30am, leave school by 6.30pm (except for Fridays when work officially ends at 5.30pm and I rush for my 6.45pm yoga class at Raffles Place), try to get the kids to bed at 10pm (or later, depending on their moods) only to succeed in this mammoth task after an hour or two, and finally attempt to get some eye-shut after midnight.

Y-A-W-N.

Boring. I KNOW.

The only reason why I look forward to weekends is because our lil’ family gets to go out. It doesn’t really matter where we go – as long as we’re OUT of the in-laws’ home. Naturally, the ever-dutiful-and-filial hub would ask his folks to tag along (much to my exasperation because I prefer some quality time-out with the kids without their presence). But heck, it’s better than being stuck indoors. Even if it’s a mere grocery trip to NTUC, I take it as my reward for having endured another tortuous albeit dreary week.

Sundays reign supreme cos these days we spend at least the afternoons at my haven@arif. Not officially staying there yet but the kids love the space and needless to say I love the freedom to do whatever I damn well please in my own home. Sometimes I hook up my iPod Nano to the speakers (no budget for a home stereo system now), crank up the volume, and together with Xian, boogie to the BEP. (Xian likes to tune in to So You Think You Can Dance 2? and mimics the dance moves.)

Another reason why weekends are crazy? My idea of family fun includes dressing everyone in the same colours.

Ah yes. Frivolity is thy middle name.

I know it’s cheesy and tacky routine, but I get a kick out of it. It started with just Xian and I in matching colours (before Wen came along) but now Wen and even the hub are garbed in similar shades when we go out. This includes “official” functions like wedding dinners, family gatherings, festive occasions and whenever the four of us are outdoors together. Red was our theme this Saturday and on Sunday, we wore light blue / sky blue. When it gets tough for all four of us to be attired in the same colour (especially pink), the kids will be in one colour while the hub and I are in another. (As seen in pix where hub and I are in shades of brown/tan tops with beige pants while girls are in orange dresses) And since I shop for the family, it’s easy to co-ordinate their clothes because I know what’s in their wardrobes.

It is a trivial routine, but one in which I relish. The time will come when the kids grow older / wiser and decline to partake in this idle activity no matter how much I cajole / bribe / threaten them. Even now, Xian’s showing a rebellious streak of independence by refusing to wear some of the clothes I lay out for her (thankfully not the ones I bought).

Whimsical though they may seem at times, these are the little moments that keep me going. Whenever I’m running on empty and frustration threatens to unravel the seams that are thatched to my sanity, I seek comfort in the knowledge that during the weekends, I can add some colour into my family’s lives.

Literally or otherwise.