All in a day

I have had a couple of messages asking me what our typical day looks like.  I completely understand this.  I spent a couple days observing/hanging out with a friend of ours with 6 kids, just to ask questions and get tips from her.  (One cool fact: She numbers all the family's socks for each person, 1-8.  Makes sense!)  After all, why all the hype with the large families on TV.  People want to know the inner workings.  I know my little brood of 3, going on 4 is not very big by those standards, but throw in homeschooling and it becomes a total mystery to most folks.

(I did get a couple messages asking about specifics of my daily schedule, but for the one who asked, "How do you do it," well, I'm not sure if you mean the logistics or about my sanity.  Who said I was sane??  There, that part is answered.) 

 Our Daily Life
6:30-7:30 Wake up, make our way downstairs (Troy is amazing here, I'm a bear in the AM)

7:30-8:30 On MWF Troy leaves with George.  We get dressed (maybe), eat breakfast (we are slow movers)

8:30-9:30 The kids free play  or Liv keeps Ginnie busy so I can catch up on e-mails, start laundry, plan dinner, do breakfast chores.

9:30- 11:00 Ginnie goes down for a nap and Liv (or Liv and George) do school. (These pictures are from today, notice this was not a get dressed day.) 

11:00-1:00 Get George at 11:30 (on MWF), Lunch, story time, and free play (I try to clean up from the morning and check the computer again)

1:00- 3:00 Rest time!!  Liv has been allowed to stay downstairs this school year, she loves to play computer games (Starfall.com) or listen to books on cd.  George sometimes falls asleep and sometimes stays up and plays in his bed, and the baby naps.

3:00- 5:30ish A lot of things happen here.  Sometimes we are all upstairs cleaning, or playing a game, or watching a movie.  I like to do more on the computer or finish some chores.  This is when we might have a play date or run to the library or park too.

5:30- 6:30 Make or eat dinner, depending on how early I start the prep.  Troy's schedule is all over the place daily, so he can be home as early as 3:00, but as late as 7:00.  Troy does a family devotion after dinner while we are all together

6:30- 7:30 Fun time with Daddy and/or bath time. (Depending on the mess and our moods, whoever starts baths, the other will clean up the kitchen.)

7:30-8:00 Bed times!  The baby gets put down first, then Troy prays and reads to George while I pray and read with Liv.  Of course Troy and I relish the sweet quiet after this.  We are usually down stairs vegging, doing odd jobs, playing on our computers, making out..... You get the picture.  Life is good.  :)

P.S. Don't ask me what will happen next year adding the end of a political campaign (more about that later), George going to Pre-K 5 mornings a week, and life with a newborn!  It makes me dizzy just thinking about it.