a day in the life
I decided after reading the series over at SimpleHomeschool that I would join in the fun and document a “day in the life.” We are still newbie homeschoolers, my babes
are 5 & 3, but I still thought it would be fun to see where the time goes
in the day. Our days seem to move past
so quickly, and I don’t know where most of the time goes! So, without further ado, a day in the life of
a homeschooling mama to two littles!
are 5 & 3, but I still thought it would be fun to see where the time goes
in the day. Our days seem to move past
so quickly, and I don’t know where most of the time goes! So, without further ado, a day in the life of
a homeschooling mama to two littles!
5:30 – I am
up. Definitely not as early as I would
like to be, and this is going to have to change as soon as our hellomornings
group starts meeting again on February 24th. I need more me time in the morning!
up. Definitely not as early as I would
like to be, and this is going to have to change as soon as our hellomornings
group starts meeting again on February 24th. I need more me time in the morning!
As an aside, registration will be opening on Monday for the
new hellomornings challenge. If you ever
wished that you could get through the morning without being crazy with the
kids, this would be a huge help, at least it was for me. You can go here to find out more
information.
new hellomornings challenge. If you ever
wished that you could get through the morning without being crazy with the
kids, this would be a huge help, at least it was for me. You can go here to find out more
information.
In the mornings I typically get up, get my coffee, get my
journal and devotional and sit for quiet time.
It is really a wonderful way to start my day. Not rushing around; which is what happens if
the kids follow me downstairs in the morning because I didn’t get up
early. I now do most of my Bible reading
at night, so it seems like I have a lot more time in the morning for my journal, or just enjoying my coffee – which is a blessing.
journal and devotional and sit for quiet time.
It is really a wonderful way to start my day. Not rushing around; which is what happens if
the kids follow me downstairs in the morning because I didn’t get up
early. I now do most of my Bible reading
at night, so it seems like I have a lot more time in the morning for my journal, or just enjoying my coffee – which is a blessing.
This is also the time I try to check my e-mail and plan my
day. I like to have an idea of where we
are going throughout the day, instead of just flying by the seat of my
pants. I look over books that we are
using for school, and try to get my head a little less foggy so I am ready for
my babes, who seem to have an enormous amount of energy as soon as their eyes
open in the morning.
day. I like to have an idea of where we
are going throughout the day, instead of just flying by the seat of my
pants. I look over books that we are
using for school, and try to get my head a little less foggy so I am ready for
my babes, who seem to have an enormous amount of energy as soon as their eyes
open in the morning.
6:30 – Everyone is
up now. This isn’t typical though. Emma is usually my early riser, getting up around
6 (or earlier some days – mainly when she hasn’t gone to bed early enough),
while Jack has been sleeping until 8:30 (but typically he gets up around 7), I think he must be going through a
growth spurt. Emma has to eat
immediately when she wakes up, Jack wants to wait a while to eat, but this
morning they are both starving. This becomes a pattern throughout the
day!
up now. This isn’t typical though. Emma is usually my early riser, getting up around
6 (or earlier some days – mainly when she hasn’t gone to bed early enough),
while Jack has been sleeping until 8:30 (but typically he gets up around 7), I think he must be going through a
growth spurt. Emma has to eat
immediately when she wakes up, Jack wants to wait a while to eat, but this
morning they are both starving. This becomes a pattern throughout the
day!
7:30 – Matt is
out the door, and I am trying to get the food and water out to the
chickens. I should do this as soon as
the sun comes up, but didn’t manage it this morning, and I am ok with that
because it is 2 below zero outside, a little too chilly for me to go bounding
out to the chicken coop without at least a pot of coffee consumed! Although, all that cold would probably snap
me out of my fog.
out the door, and I am trying to get the food and water out to the
chickens. I should do this as soon as
the sun comes up, but didn’t manage it this morning, and I am ok with that
because it is 2 below zero outside, a little too chilly for me to go bounding
out to the chicken coop without at least a pot of coffee consumed! Although, all that cold would probably snap
me out of my fog.
Emma and Jack are making birthday cards for Matt up in the
play room, and this gives me a chance to get the dishes all done and a load of
laundry in the washer.
play room, and this gives me a chance to get the dishes all done and a load of
laundry in the washer.
This past weekend I went through the kids play room and
cleaned it out. I threw away a bunch of
broken stuff, I had them decide some things they wanted to give away, and I
packed up some things that we don’t regularly use. I found that yesterday the kids wanted to
just stay in the clean playroom and play most of the day yesterday, which isn’t
always the case.
cleaned it out. I threw away a bunch of
broken stuff, I had them decide some things they wanted to give away, and I
packed up some things that we don’t regularly use. I found that yesterday the kids wanted to
just stay in the clean playroom and play most of the day yesterday, which isn’t
always the case.
8:30 – School
starts. We have been starting our day
with CosmicKids Yoga videos on youtube. The
kids really love it. It gets some of
their energy out and they have fun with it.
During this time I am setting up the books at the dining room
table. We did have an entire school room
set up upstairs, and it was nice, but I decided I needed to get their toys out
of their bedroom and into another room (preferably not the living room). Now, having the school room also be the
play/craft room was not going to work, so now we are using the dining room
table and couch again, and it is working out nicely. I also start preparing the kids a snack – an apple
and some carrot sticks with a lemon garlic dip that I make and the kids like.
starts. We have been starting our day
with CosmicKids Yoga videos on youtube. The
kids really love it. It gets some of
their energy out and they have fun with it.
During this time I am setting up the books at the dining room
table. We did have an entire school room
set up upstairs, and it was nice, but I decided I needed to get their toys out
of their bedroom and into another room (preferably not the living room). Now, having the school room also be the
play/craft room was not going to work, so now we are using the dining room
table and couch again, and it is working out nicely. I also start preparing the kids a snack – an apple
and some carrot sticks with a lemon garlic dip that I make and the kids like.
9:00 – Put the
snack out for the kids. They sit down
and I read a story from our Story of the World book. We are in the first volume, Ancient
history. The kids really enjoy the
stories, Emma especially. After their
snack is finished I sit with them and read part of Usborne’s Then& Now book. It is a cute
little book that the kids enjoy looking at.
snack out for the kids. They sit down
and I read a story from our Story of the World book. We are in the first volume, Ancient
history. The kids really enjoy the
stories, Emma especially. After their
snack is finished I sit with them and read part of Usborne’s Then& Now book. It is a cute
little book that the kids enjoy looking at.
9:30 – I put on a
Scholastic Kids video – So you want to be President, it is on Netflix. The kids settle in for that, and I make my
breakfast/snack/lunch. It is almost
always a salad, unless I have leftovers that look appealing. Most people think salad is only a lunch or
after meal, but it fills me up and I feel better about eating that in the
morning. Today’s salad consists of
lettuce, cucumber, onion and chia seeds – clearly I need to get some more
veggies at the store…
Scholastic Kids video – So you want to be President, it is on Netflix. The kids settle in for that, and I make my
breakfast/snack/lunch. It is almost
always a salad, unless I have leftovers that look appealing. Most people think salad is only a lunch or
after meal, but it fills me up and I feel better about eating that in the
morning. Today’s salad consists of
lettuce, cucumber, onion and chia seeds – clearly I need to get some more
veggies at the store…
10:00 – Emma
starts math. We are starting a new book
today, and I am not quite sure she is ready for it, but she blows me out of the
water with her understanding it easily.
Jack decides he wants nothing to do with school and instead finds the tv
remote and turns on Mater’s Tales on Netflix.
Clearly I need to hide the remotes.
I had only planned to do math for about 15 minutes this morning, but
Emma ends up doing math for an hour.
starts math. We are starting a new book
today, and I am not quite sure she is ready for it, but she blows me out of the
water with her understanding it easily.
Jack decides he wants nothing to do with school and instead finds the tv
remote and turns on Mater’s Tales on Netflix.
Clearly I need to hide the remotes.
I had only planned to do math for about 15 minutes this morning, but
Emma ends up doing math for an hour.
11:00 – At this
time she is ready for a break and wants to go upstairs to play. Jack wants to be wherever I am, which right
now is downstairs. He quickly loses
interest though when he realizes Emma is having a fun loud game of make believe
upstairs, and rushes up after her. It is
really cute to see how well they play together it isn’t always the case, but
most of the time they play well together.
I go upstairs to see what they are going to want for lunch. Jack wants eggs with ketchup (our chickens
seem to be laying regularly again, yay!), and Emma wants oatmeal with
strawberries. I don’t always ask them
what they want for lunch, I mainly want them to eat something, and find that
making an afternoon meal they want is a good way of accomplishing that.
time she is ready for a break and wants to go upstairs to play. Jack wants to be wherever I am, which right
now is downstairs. He quickly loses
interest though when he realizes Emma is having a fun loud game of make believe
upstairs, and rushes up after her. It is
really cute to see how well they play together it isn’t always the case, but
most of the time they play well together.
I go upstairs to see what they are going to want for lunch. Jack wants eggs with ketchup (our chickens
seem to be laying regularly again, yay!), and Emma wants oatmeal with
strawberries. I don’t always ask them
what they want for lunch, I mainly want them to eat something, and find that
making an afternoon meal they want is a good way of accomplishing that.
While the kids are playing, I put a new load of laundry in,
and start folding. Man, this is exciting
stuff!
and start folding. Man, this is exciting
stuff!
12:00 – The kids
come down and are ready to eat lunch.
While they are eating, I spend time reading from the books we are
currently going through – Little House in the Big Woods, The Indian in the
Cupboard, Harper Collins Treasury of Picture Book Classics, and our current
library book stash.
come down and are ready to eat lunch.
While they are eating, I spend time reading from the books we are
currently going through – Little House in the Big Woods, The Indian in the
Cupboard, Harper Collins Treasury of Picture Book Classics, and our current
library book stash.
1:00 – It is time
for quiet time. I started this little gem
back up a couple weeks ago, and it seems to be working out well. The kids will stay in their bedroom and listen
to an audio book for an hour and a half, while jumping on their bed and yelling,
but at least they are staying in the bedroom!
It gives me a chance to sit down and regroup for the afternoon. I should be using this time to exercise, but
I am reading a really good book right now – The Discovery of Witches – and I
can’t seem to put it down. Plus, I
borrowed it from the library as an e-book, and they tend to magically disappear
from my nexus right before I finish them, so I am determined to get through
this one before it goes away!
for quiet time. I started this little gem
back up a couple weeks ago, and it seems to be working out well. The kids will stay in their bedroom and listen
to an audio book for an hour and a half, while jumping on their bed and yelling,
but at least they are staying in the bedroom!
It gives me a chance to sit down and regroup for the afternoon. I should be using this time to exercise, but
I am reading a really good book right now – The Discovery of Witches – and I
can’t seem to put it down. Plus, I
borrowed it from the library as an e-book, and they tend to magically disappear
from my nexus right before I finish them, so I am determined to get through
this one before it goes away!
2:30 – Everyone is
up from quiet time, and now they get their “treat” of the day, which is 30
minutes of playing Super Mario Brothers.
I didn’t think that I would get my kids involved with video games so
young, but alas, things never seem to turn out the way I plan, so there it
is! They like to watch their dad plow
through the levels and get to the end.
up from quiet time, and now they get their “treat” of the day, which is 30
minutes of playing Super Mario Brothers.
I didn’t think that I would get my kids involved with video games so
young, but alas, things never seem to turn out the way I plan, so there it
is! They like to watch their dad plow
through the levels and get to the end.
3:00 – The kids
go back to playing in their play room, and I go back to the kitchen, my
favorite place. I had planned to make
chicken, however, when I went to take the chicken out of the fridge, I noticed
that the package was already open, so into the trash it went. The problem with cooking from scratch is that
you need to kind of have a plan for the day, otherwise you are scrambling when
it comes time for dinner. I called the
husband, and he suggested tuna noodle casserole. Tuna noodle casserole it is! I like to make mine pretty much like homemade
mac & cheese, just adding tuna and peas.
Overall, relatively easy meal, although making the cheese sauce does
take a bit of time. I listen to the
Inspired to Action podcast with Crystal Paine online while I am making dinner. It was a really good podcast! I recommend it!
go back to playing in their play room, and I go back to the kitchen, my
favorite place. I had planned to make
chicken, however, when I went to take the chicken out of the fridge, I noticed
that the package was already open, so into the trash it went. The problem with cooking from scratch is that
you need to kind of have a plan for the day, otherwise you are scrambling when
it comes time for dinner. I called the
husband, and he suggested tuna noodle casserole. Tuna noodle casserole it is! I like to make mine pretty much like homemade
mac & cheese, just adding tuna and peas.
Overall, relatively easy meal, although making the cheese sauce does
take a bit of time. I listen to the
Inspired to Action podcast with Crystal Paine online while I am making dinner. It was a really good podcast! I recommend it!
4:30 – The kids
come down and are ready to eat. So we
sit down to eat dinner. After dinner we
play for a bit and wait for daddy to get home.
come down and are ready to eat. So we
sit down to eat dinner. After dinner we
play for a bit and wait for daddy to get home.
6:00 – Daddy is
home late after running some errands for me, and is eating really fast tonight. Then we all play until…
home late after running some errands for me, and is eating really fast tonight. Then we all play until…
6:30 – Now we
start our bedtime routine. PJ’s,
brush/floss teeth, stories. We tuck them
in around 7:15.
start our bedtime routine. PJ’s,
brush/floss teeth, stories. We tuck them
in around 7:15.
7:30 – The house
is freezing – we are totally over winter.
I curl up with my book, and Matt watches some TV. Overall a very good day, and I am ready to do
it all again tomorrow.
is freezing – we are totally over winter.
I curl up with my book, and Matt watches some TV. Overall a very good day, and I am ready to do
it all again tomorrow.
Monday seems to be a big laundry day for me, hence all the
folding of clothes and changing laundry over today. But, other days my time is filled with baking
with the kids, and knitting. It is a
pretty relaxing atmosphere though. We
obviously have some incredibly insane days; this one just seemed to work out
really well!
folding of clothes and changing laundry over today. But, other days my time is filled with baking
with the kids, and knitting. It is a
pretty relaxing atmosphere though. We
obviously have some incredibly insane days; this one just seemed to work out
really well!
I would love to see
what a day in your life looks like!
what a day in your life looks like!
I loved reading about your day! I got some good iras from you – the Kids Yoga sounds awesome, i really wanted to get my kids on it and this might just get us do it. And I need to read to my kids aloud just a bit more! I like that you do it few times a day – I usually do it only 1x… special occasions more times. Have a great day tomorrow!
Hummm, I may have to look into that Cosmic Kids Yoga. Your day made me smile. 🙂 Something about hearing how cold it is there makes me just feel warm and cozy (I'm imagining myself curled up with a warm blanket and a book). I guess I maybe shouldn't mention how warm it is where I am? Yeah, I'll just keep it to myself. We have chickens too. Do yours go out at all when it gets that cold?
-Laurie @ Just-another-blog.com
Shuddering at the thought of a 5.30 start with chickens to feed in the freezing cold! You are a better woman than I!
Sounds like you had a wonderful day despite the cold temperatures.
Curling up with a book is how I would love to end every day!!!
We love Cosmic Kids Yoga….super fun!
Great Blog! I have a 6yo who will love the kids yoga! Thanks!~JC
Great post! Thanks for sharing your day. What a terrific mommy you are.
Popping over from Simple Homeschool 🙂 We have insane days too but when it all falls into place like this it is so lovely, isn't it? Sounds like a lovely day 🙂
What a fun post! You have very busy days with those little ones but they sound like happy and fulfilling days! 🙂
Sounds like a good, full and BUSY day! Thanks for sharing!