Jeron Ashford Frame wrote a book a few years ago called "Yesterday I had the Blues." The book tells the story of a young boy who describes the emotions of his family members with different colors. It’s one of our favorites and for this blog, I’ve borrowed generously from Frame’s idea for the story because I have the blues.

I’ve got the blues, the end of summer, hot and humid, frizzy hair and ponytail every day kind of blues. I’ve got the my house is too hot, but I’m not allowed to turn the thermostat down below 78 degrees because any lower will melt the ice caps kind of blues.

I’ve got the my 10-day vacation to my parent’s house is over and now I have to take care of my kids all day, all by myself, without my husband or parents to help, kind of blues. I’ve got the back to the daily routine blues, and the no, I don’t see anything exciting coming up for us anytime soon kind of blues.

I’ve got the I saved all my money to buy a couch to replace the stained one in my living room but when I went to the store I learned the one I wanted had been discontinued kind of blues. I don’t want to go shopping for another couch! I’ve got the paying bills makes me grouchy and can you believe we go through four gallons of milk a week kind of blues.

The blues had me grumpy this morning when I tried on a shirt and saw that my waist just keeps growing, and I’m definitely NOT pregnant, but my blues weren’t strong enough to make me break my healthy eating plan for this week, even though I made a batch of cookies with my kids.

I’ve got the 2-year-old wakes me up at 5:30 every morning, even if I stayed up until midnight the night before, kind of blues. I’ve got the can’t you please just drink your milk out of the Dora cup blues, the please no more crying about who is sitting in your chair at breakfast blues. I’ve got the no more shouting at your sister and no more taunting your brother kind of blues. I’ve got the did I really raise him to behave like this kind of blues. I’ve got the please don’t interrupt me when I’m talking, and the please remember your manners and the please, please, please stop whining kind of blues. Please, pick up your toys, too.

Yes, I know I have the self-indulgent blues, the woe-is-me kind of blues, the false blues, not the real can’t pay my rent, what will I eat, kind of blues. And, I know the whiny blues from a suburban mom who is lucky enough to have the choice to stay home with her kids isn’t really that bluesy at all.

In fact, if I could just get one day at the beach, I’m sure I could turn my blues into some uplifting reggae.

Natalie appears every Sunday on TriangleMom2Mom. Read more about Natalie at her blog A Day at the Park.