A Day in the Life...March 2014
Every time I have ever considered doing this, I have not for some reason or another. Either the day ended up not being "typical" or I got too busy to record the day or it was a terrible day, etc. I decided that waiting for a "normal" day may never happen...So here it is. A Day in the Life...
8:08 wake up. Well, not on my own. A little one climbed in to snuggle. After a few minutes I force myself up, check email and FB, do my quiet time and get ready for the day.
8:55 Call J, get her dressed, brush her teeth and maybe be slightly loud enough in the kids bathroom to wake the sleeping E. C is up, dressed, room is cleaned and he is playing quietly in his room. Love that kid.
8:58 Remind E that her room is a wreck and shouldn't ever look like that.
9:00 Start Breakfast. Strange multitasking -- scramble eggs while cutting C's fingernails over the kitchen garbage.
9:11 Call from the husband-- "Morning, are you downstairs?" (yup, checking up on me-- trying to start the day downstairs by 9!) ;)
9:20 Eat breakfast.
9:30 Bible. Read from Egermeier's Bible story book about Moses and the Burning bush, catechism questions from Big Truths for Little Kids, and character cards from We Choose Virtues. E: Mom, what is rowdy? C: Are we rowdy? Me: Ummmm....yes? ;)
9:55 Table chores (C is on vacuuming, and E is on wiping the table this week. J pushes in the kitchen chairs.)
10:00 "5 Minute pick-up" Everyone picks up everything they can and put it away for the duration of 5 minutes. I clean the kitchen.
10:05 E practices piano. C starts on handwriting -- copying words. J: Can I play an activity? (she has certain toys and games she can only play during school time). I tell her in a few minutes when I am done cleaning up from breakfast. The shiny new Sonlight catalog is sitting on the island taunting me...
10:06 Looking out the glass door, J declares it is great weather to go camping. (There are black clouds and a storm is brewing.) C- "You know what I don't like about camping? Packing." Me "focus C. J, leave C alone to do his school work.
10:08 More discussion about camping. Me "C, focus. J, shhhh!"
10:10 Camping talk continues. OK, need to take the kids camping apparently. Me "C, focus. J, shhhh!" Give J a job to do. J: "Mommy, can you get me an activity?"
10:11 C "I am almost finished with this book! Oh wait, maybe not." Me: "C, focus. don't flip pages, stay on the one you are on."
10:20 I finally get J an "activity" (Memory) and join C at the table. I ask C to pick 3 letters on his page he thinks he should redo. Handwriting is completed and we move onto math.
10:30 E finishes piano and joins us at the table. C "E, I am already on my 3rd thing!" Me: "C, focus!"
10:31 E "oooh, I like this handwriting page! I get to color!" C "Lucky! that's easy!" Me: "Focus!"
10:40 E moves onto spelling. She is working on Lesson 18 of Rod and Staff 4.
I say "Focus, please" at least 40 more times.
10:48 J: "Mommy, can you get me another activity?" Of course she wants one that is not opened yet- Zingo Numbers. I pass that shiny Sonlight catalog on the counter again...
10:53 C finishes math. We start reading. All About Reading Phonogram flashcards. After 2 cards, C yells "WAIT!" and leaves the table for a drink of water. C bounces on the bench while answering and calls out the sounds in voices. He will need a break soon. He's answering in opera now...
11:10 E declares she can't do anymore spelling on her own. I ask her to move onto math while I continue working with C.
11:19 spent the last 10 minutes finishing reading with C while helping J clean up the activity that she decided she didn't want to do.
11:20 off to the the couch so C can read a book to me. He is reviewing and reading easy books for confidence and fluency since we just completed All About Reading 3. He is currently reading Mouse Tales.
11:25 J joins us on the couch in my lap, and C reads to us both.
11:30 J and C go take a break. I face a sad E who is frustrated and needs help.
11:44 Finish spelling with E (she had to finish yesterday's as well) and help with math
11:58 Have a chat with E about attitude. Threaten the rest of the day in her room if she can't get it together.
12:10 E's math is finished. Call C back to the table to continue.
C thinks he is a fly and the glass door is a fly trap, and flings himself onto it. Whatintheworld?!? Send E off to read. Negotiate that she can read one chapter now and one while waiting for her sister at gymnastics. C gets distracted and starts playing the pencil drums. E walks around and after being unable to find a quiet place comes back for direction. I send her to the back porch. C shares how he really wants a real drum set. I help E who disconnected the lock on the glass door. C is back to drumming.
12:15 I do a Writing with Ease lesson with C.
12:20 I ask C to write his name and date on the paper which sparks him to go change the block calendar and bring it to the table to copy.
12:21 I remind C that only the M in March is capitalized, I erase the A-R-C-H and he writes it again-- in lower case.
12:22 I bang my toe on a chair and squeal to which C giggles and J rushes out to see what happened. C is back to drumming.
12:23 First Language Lessons with C. C marches around the table while quoting Mr. Nobody. J pipes in from the other room to join in the recitation.
12:26 Ask Caden to put his drumstick err pencil down.
12:32 Finish language. While I get out spelling, C starts drumming again. This time with 2 "drumsticks." I confiscate the unnecessary "drumstick."
12:35 Erase a messy word -- the pencil he has doesn't have a good eraser, I am forced to return the other "drumstick--" with a warning for its use.
12:38 E finishes her reading and comes in. I instruct her to begin her writing.
12:42 C jumps up to leave the table. When I ask where he is going he says to the bathroom. I ask him to come back and finish the word I just called out. He does, begrudgingly, while dancing around.
12:44 Me "did you wash your hands" C nods. Me "with soap?" He shakes his head, and I point back to the bathroom.
12:45 Back to spelling. E needs to do a narration and asks if she can tell it to herself. I offer her my phone to do it as a voice recording that I can check later. C is now performing a concert on the bench. "Focus."
12:52 J comes in with some pieces for her magnetic dolls house and screws, I ask her to put them on the counter for another day. She is now singing in the kitchen.
12:53 E: "J!" J turned out the light in the dining room while E was in there. J assures her it was the Tickle Monster. C says she is like the Boy who Cried Wolf.
12:59 I let spelling take too long so we could "finish the step." I am now frustrated and he asks to go play to which I agree. E comes in to see how much she needs to do. I work on writing with her.
1:04 E is still staring blankly at the page and I threaten bodily harm.
1:05 I inform her that her time is running out and if she does not complete her school work before we have to leave she will not be going to gymnastics today. <insert weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth>.
1:08 I ask the littles to play a little quieter.
1:14 E finishes writing. I start making lunch. C and E clean off the kitchen table. I ask J to clean up the Legos. I pass that Sonlight catalog again...it taunts me.
Is it seriously only 1:15???
1:20 J comes in crying because C stepped on her. I ask, "Why were you lying on the floor? I thought you were cleaning up the Legos?" She informs me that C told her to lie on the ground and he then proceeded to step on her. I call for C. C comes in with his head down proclaiming he is the "worst." We have a chat about mean choices and he is told after school he will spend some time in his bed before free play. He apologizes to J.
1:25 sitting down to lunch. J "I thought we were going to have something fast like peanut butter and jelly?" Me: "This is what we are having if you want to eat." I use lunch time to get online for a few minutes. I consider taking the Sonlight catalog and hiding in the bathroom, but instead I set up the laptop for science.
1:40 E and C do table chores and I take J to read a book and put her down for a nap. I go to put up a load of laundry only to realize the load of towels has been in the wash too long and needs to be rerun.
1:45 E and C get started on science. I come down after a few minutes of cuddling with J and help them with the experiments. My fingers are now red from food dye.
2:10 We finish and clean up from science. I direct the kids to clean up the few toys left out from the pre-lunch clean up.
2:13 Settle on the couch with our current read aloud: The Story of Eli Whitney.
2:14 J starts crying. I go up to check on her. She heard a noise. I assured her it was just the washing machine or the bathroom fan. She insists it was the sound of a flip flop. I cuddle her for a minute. She is still scared. I pray with her and kiss her goodnight.
2:18 Back to the couch to read.
2:35 finished two chapters. C is sent for quiet time to read in his bed. E goes to gather her things for gymnastics this afternoon, change, and play for a few minutes. I finish cleaning the kitchen.
2:42 I finally sit down with the Sonlight catalog. Get distracted by email and FB.
3:00 Tell C and E to clean up and get ready to go
3:05 Wake J to go to gymnastics.
3:10 Attempt to leave the house. E "What do I have for break (for tonight at gym)?" Me: "You can have a granola bar." C "I want a granola bar! Can I have a granola bar???" J "I want a granola bar! Can I have a granola bar???" E "What can I have for snack now?" Me: "Have a couple of pretzels." C "I want a pretzels! Can I have a pretzels???" J: "I want a pretzels! Can I have a pretzels???"
3:15 snacks procured and we are now late for gymnastics. On the way to gym we listen to the States and Capitals CD.
3:35 At gym E and C each do 10 minutes of Xtramath.org and E reads a second chapter finishing her book. C then plays for the remainder of the time and E stands around annoying me who is FINALLY getting to look at that Sonlight catalog.
4:45 Finish gym, have a chat about behavior at the gym with J, leave E for her practice (5:00-8:30) and head to pick up my new glasses.
5:50 Home. Finally. I start dinner, and send C to take a shower.
6:00 Put the pasta on, set my phone timer and race upstairs to give J a shower. Finally get a chance to switch those towels in the dryer and get a load of laundry up.
6:12 Back down to work on dinner. C and J play upstairs.
6:30 eat dinner and clean up (kids do table chores and I clean the kitchen).
6:50 J asks to play a "game" because I didn't get a chance to do "school" with her this morning. I agree. We do All About Reading Pre-Level lesson "E" and a page in Handwriting Without Tears Preschool book.
7:10 She doesn't want to be done so we do some counting on the abacus.
7:17 J is distracted by C who has set up Candy Land at the table. I am free while they play. Woohoo! Time to crash on the couch and do some blogging.
7:45 Have the kids clean up and head to ready for bed.
8:00 Bedtime for the two littles! I work on some emails...
9:00 E and hubby get home, eat dinner
9:20 Send a very tired gymnast upstairs to get ready for bed.
9:36 R prays and sings with E
Done. Done. Done.
I get to sit and continue planning curriculum for next year . . . or maybe read a book! I have laundry to fold and things to clean...but yeah, no, thanks.
8:08 wake up. Well, not on my own. A little one climbed in to snuggle. After a few minutes I force myself up, check email and FB, do my quiet time and get ready for the day.
8:55 Call J, get her dressed, brush her teeth and maybe be slightly loud enough in the kids bathroom to wake the sleeping E. C is up, dressed, room is cleaned and he is playing quietly in his room. Love that kid.
8:58 Remind E that her room is a wreck and shouldn't ever look like that.
9:00 Start Breakfast. Strange multitasking -- scramble eggs while cutting C's fingernails over the kitchen garbage.
9:11 Call from the husband-- "Morning, are you downstairs?" (yup, checking up on me-- trying to start the day downstairs by 9!) ;)
9:20 Eat breakfast.
9:30 Bible. Read from Egermeier's Bible story book about Moses and the Burning bush, catechism questions from Big Truths for Little Kids, and character cards from We Choose Virtues. E: Mom, what is rowdy? C: Are we rowdy? Me: Ummmm....yes? ;)
9:55 Table chores (C is on vacuuming, and E is on wiping the table this week. J pushes in the kitchen chairs.)
10:00 "5 Minute pick-up" Everyone picks up everything they can and put it away for the duration of 5 minutes. I clean the kitchen.
10:05 E practices piano. C starts on handwriting -- copying words. J: Can I play an activity? (she has certain toys and games she can only play during school time). I tell her in a few minutes when I am done cleaning up from breakfast. The shiny new Sonlight catalog is sitting on the island taunting me...
10:06 Looking out the glass door, J declares it is great weather to go camping. (There are black clouds and a storm is brewing.) C- "You know what I don't like about camping? Packing." Me "focus C. J, leave C alone to do his school work.
10:08 More discussion about camping. Me "C, focus. J, shhhh!"
10:10 Camping talk continues. OK, need to take the kids camping apparently. Me "C, focus. J, shhhh!" Give J a job to do. J: "Mommy, can you get me an activity?"
10:11 C "I am almost finished with this book! Oh wait, maybe not." Me: "C, focus. don't flip pages, stay on the one you are on."
10:20 I finally get J an "activity" (Memory) and join C at the table. I ask C to pick 3 letters on his page he thinks he should redo. Handwriting is completed and we move onto math.
10:30 E finishes piano and joins us at the table. C "E, I am already on my 3rd thing!" Me: "C, focus!"
10:31 E "oooh, I like this handwriting page! I get to color!" C "Lucky! that's easy!" Me: "Focus!"
10:40 E moves onto spelling. She is working on Lesson 18 of Rod and Staff 4.
I say "Focus, please" at least 40 more times.
10:48 J: "Mommy, can you get me another activity?" Of course she wants one that is not opened yet- Zingo Numbers. I pass that shiny Sonlight catalog on the counter again...
10:53 C finishes math. We start reading. All About Reading Phonogram flashcards. After 2 cards, C yells "WAIT!" and leaves the table for a drink of water. C bounces on the bench while answering and calls out the sounds in voices. He will need a break soon. He's answering in opera now...
11:10 E declares she can't do anymore spelling on her own. I ask her to move onto math while I continue working with C.
11:19 spent the last 10 minutes finishing reading with C while helping J clean up the activity that she decided she didn't want to do.
11:20 off to the the couch so C can read a book to me. He is reviewing and reading easy books for confidence and fluency since we just completed All About Reading 3. He is currently reading Mouse Tales.
11:25 J joins us on the couch in my lap, and C reads to us both.
11:30 J and C go take a break. I face a sad E who is frustrated and needs help.
11:44 Finish spelling with E (she had to finish yesterday's as well) and help with math
11:58 Have a chat with E about attitude. Threaten the rest of the day in her room if she can't get it together.
12:10 E's math is finished. Call C back to the table to continue.
C thinks he is a fly and the glass door is a fly trap, and flings himself onto it. Whatintheworld?!? Send E off to read. Negotiate that she can read one chapter now and one while waiting for her sister at gymnastics. C gets distracted and starts playing the pencil drums. E walks around and after being unable to find a quiet place comes back for direction. I send her to the back porch. C shares how he really wants a real drum set. I help E who disconnected the lock on the glass door. C is back to drumming.
12:15 I do a Writing with Ease lesson with C.
12:20 I ask C to write his name and date on the paper which sparks him to go change the block calendar and bring it to the table to copy.
12:21 I remind C that only the M in March is capitalized, I erase the A-R-C-H and he writes it again-- in lower case.
12:22 I bang my toe on a chair and squeal to which C giggles and J rushes out to see what happened. C is back to drumming.
12:23 First Language Lessons with C. C marches around the table while quoting Mr. Nobody. J pipes in from the other room to join in the recitation.
12:26 Ask Caden to put his drumstick err pencil down.
12:32 Finish language. While I get out spelling, C starts drumming again. This time with 2 "drumsticks." I confiscate the unnecessary "drumstick."
12:35 Erase a messy word -- the pencil he has doesn't have a good eraser, I am forced to return the other "drumstick--" with a warning for its use.
12:38 E finishes her reading and comes in. I instruct her to begin her writing.
12:42 C jumps up to leave the table. When I ask where he is going he says to the bathroom. I ask him to come back and finish the word I just called out. He does, begrudgingly, while dancing around.
12:44 Me "did you wash your hands" C nods. Me "with soap?" He shakes his head, and I point back to the bathroom.
12:45 Back to spelling. E needs to do a narration and asks if she can tell it to herself. I offer her my phone to do it as a voice recording that I can check later. C is now performing a concert on the bench. "Focus."
12:52 J comes in with some pieces for her magnetic dolls house and screws, I ask her to put them on the counter for another day. She is now singing in the kitchen.
12:53 E: "J!" J turned out the light in the dining room while E was in there. J assures her it was the Tickle Monster. C says she is like the Boy who Cried Wolf.
12:59 I let spelling take too long so we could "finish the step." I am now frustrated and he asks to go play to which I agree. E comes in to see how much she needs to do. I work on writing with her.
1:04 E is still staring blankly at the page and I threaten bodily harm.
1:05 I inform her that her time is running out and if she does not complete her school work before we have to leave she will not be going to gymnastics today. <insert weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth>.
1:08 I ask the littles to play a little quieter.
1:14 E finishes writing. I start making lunch. C and E clean off the kitchen table. I ask J to clean up the Legos. I pass that Sonlight catalog again...it taunts me.
Is it seriously only 1:15???
1:20 J comes in crying because C stepped on her. I ask, "Why were you lying on the floor? I thought you were cleaning up the Legos?" She informs me that C told her to lie on the ground and he then proceeded to step on her. I call for C. C comes in with his head down proclaiming he is the "worst." We have a chat about mean choices and he is told after school he will spend some time in his bed before free play. He apologizes to J.
1:25 sitting down to lunch. J "I thought we were going to have something fast like peanut butter and jelly?" Me: "This is what we are having if you want to eat." I use lunch time to get online for a few minutes. I consider taking the Sonlight catalog and hiding in the bathroom, but instead I set up the laptop for science.
1:40 E and C do table chores and I take J to read a book and put her down for a nap. I go to put up a load of laundry only to realize the load of towels has been in the wash too long and needs to be rerun.
1:45 E and C get started on science. I come down after a few minutes of cuddling with J and help them with the experiments. My fingers are now red from food dye.
2:10 We finish and clean up from science. I direct the kids to clean up the few toys left out from the pre-lunch clean up.
2:13 Settle on the couch with our current read aloud: The Story of Eli Whitney.
2:14 J starts crying. I go up to check on her. She heard a noise. I assured her it was just the washing machine or the bathroom fan. She insists it was the sound of a flip flop. I cuddle her for a minute. She is still scared. I pray with her and kiss her goodnight.
2:18 Back to the couch to read.
2:35 finished two chapters. C is sent for quiet time to read in his bed. E goes to gather her things for gymnastics this afternoon, change, and play for a few minutes. I finish cleaning the kitchen.
2:42 I finally sit down with the Sonlight catalog. Get distracted by email and FB.
3:00 Tell C and E to clean up and get ready to go
3:05 Wake J to go to gymnastics.
3:10 Attempt to leave the house. E "What do I have for break (for tonight at gym)?" Me: "You can have a granola bar." C "I want a granola bar! Can I have a granola bar???" J "I want a granola bar! Can I have a granola bar???" E "What can I have for snack now?" Me: "Have a couple of pretzels." C "I want a pretzels! Can I have a pretzels???" J: "I want a pretzels! Can I have a pretzels???"
3:15 snacks procured and we are now late for gymnastics. On the way to gym we listen to the States and Capitals CD.
3:35 At gym E and C each do 10 minutes of Xtramath.org and E reads a second chapter finishing her book. C then plays for the remainder of the time and E stands around annoying me who is FINALLY getting to look at that Sonlight catalog.
4:45 Finish gym, have a chat about behavior at the gym with J, leave E for her practice (5:00-8:30) and head to pick up my new glasses.
5:50 Home. Finally. I start dinner, and send C to take a shower.
6:00 Put the pasta on, set my phone timer and race upstairs to give J a shower. Finally get a chance to switch those towels in the dryer and get a load of laundry up.
6:12 Back down to work on dinner. C and J play upstairs.
6:30 eat dinner and clean up (kids do table chores and I clean the kitchen).
6:50 J asks to play a "game" because I didn't get a chance to do "school" with her this morning. I agree. We do All About Reading Pre-Level lesson "E" and a page in Handwriting Without Tears Preschool book.
7:10 She doesn't want to be done so we do some counting on the abacus.
7:17 J is distracted by C who has set up Candy Land at the table. I am free while they play. Woohoo! Time to crash on the couch and do some blogging.
7:45 Have the kids clean up and head to ready for bed.
8:00 Bedtime for the two littles! I work on some emails...
9:00 E and hubby get home, eat dinner
9:20 Send a very tired gymnast upstairs to get ready for bed.
9:36 R prays and sings with E
Done. Done. Done.
I get to sit and continue planning curriculum for next year . . . or maybe read a book! I have laundry to fold and things to clean...but yeah, no, thanks.
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