Choices-Something I am not good at

I know it has been almost a month since I posted I have been hanging in their weight wise, I am hovering around 216....all good considering.  I am currently home sick from work with laryngitis which is the only reason I am posting.  I have been so crazy busy at work and at home.  Once we hit may we have all the kids birthdays in our family which means a birthday party or two every weekend with Mother's day and Father's day thrown in there.  Also, I am a senior class advisor which means as my student's graduate it means lot of wonderful events for them....all of which I must attend.  So that leads me to the title of my post today.  I am struggling with making choices about events that are both fun and somewhat necessary and being home with my kiddos.  For example there are things I have to do, like attend field trips and senior class events, but there are other fun things like retirement parties and baby showers. I would love to attend these events but add those to my calendar at the end of May and June it means there are some days where I will only be home with my kids one or two days of the week.  So it is hard because I love these social things I care about the people who these events are for and I want to look like a good team player by going to these work events.  The issue becomes what I am leaving behind home.  It is hard to explain to people who don't have kids or have better child care options.  Dylan has to be picked up at 3 on the dot every day so it isn't exactly fair to my hubby to have to pick up Dylan all the time and then be home with them through dinner and sometimes bedtime.  I know in my heart that I will choose to be home with my kids but I hate having to explain why I am not at these events or only staying for a half hour instead of the three or four that the event is. As much as I love being involved and having a work family, this is the only time it stinks.  Oh well my babies always take top billing to all others....how could they not!