How to have fun with your boys

There are several times a year that my string music teaching husband has concerts at night and meetings after school and I find I have a hard time balancing being a homemaker and mom (read play-partner).
This totally sets my kids’ routine out of whack.

During these weeks I usually find my kids wanting more attention (hence the play-partner in the opening sentence). This is when I go into survival mode and just try to have fun with my boys. This is how I to it:

1. Ignore all the housework around you (do it when they are in school or sleeping)
2. Don’t answer the phone
3. Be prepared to get dirty/messy
4. Try very, very hard to not let the whining, begging, fighting and manipulating get to you
5. Have a few fun outings, or special snacks, fort building with all the extras, etc planned to distract the kiddos and put the attention on how great you are as a mom at least until you have to talk sternly to them
6. Truly try to have fun and be a kid again

Remember in a few short days (weeks) Hubby’s schedule will return to normal and the kids will be satisfied and happy again. The attention will be all on him and the super fun routine of housework will return.

How do you “do” Survival Mode in your home during times like this?