{Ten day series on daily life in our homeschooling family. Providing insight for those curious and encouragement for those committed. Each day has a different emphasis: today’s is what a four day week looks like & family style cleaning. Bloggers who link up get entered for an Amazon gift card!}
Ahhhh… Friday!
2:00 Startled by Paul making noise. Noah is puking on the other end of the house. Sigh. Thankfully, Paul says it’s all taken care of now.
7:41 Awakened by sweet Paul Louis since he has appeared snuggled next to me. He immediately says, “I’m going to wake up at 7:44!” Then he turns to stare at the big digital numbers. I try to go back to sleep for those three minutes.
7:44 The snow storm blowing keeps me from staying asleep past Paul Louis’ favorite time of day (pretty much anything with :44 in it), so I check Facebook and email.
8:00 I’m a bit irked that I am up so early on Friday. We have four day school weeks on purpose. Fridays are for cleaning, errands, field trips, and hospitality. Friday is also sleep in day. Paul Louis clearly did not get the memo.
8:15 Chase plastic boxes across the acres. I look fantabulous doing this in my robe and Uggs. The wind here is pretty stunning.
8:18 The kids are watching Noah play LOTR Wii. He loves when they give suggestions on what to do (I wish there was a sarcasm font).
8:30 Cook oatmeal and call a friend to cancel our hospitality opportunity (aka: visit/play date). We chat. We commiserate about our struggles. We cheer one another on.
As I mentioned, four day school weeks really open up the hospitality and ministering opportunities We had planned on both today, but the puking nixes that.
8:45 Realize Noah not only puked all night, but he set some new puking records here in the Brouse House: height, distance, carpet area, and number of items covered. My biggest fear of a top bunk puke fest happened. Pretty horrible, right? Here’s the most amazing and beautiful part (yes, there can be something beautiful about this): my husband took care of all of it and I slept through the entire disgusting ordeal. All laundry in the wash, room cleaned, items wiped down, and baking soda on the carpet.
That man earned some serious bling for his crown last night/this morning.
9:00 Prepare cleaning assignment lists. Surf the internet.
9:39 Not feeling real motivated to clean. I’m tired and feeling lazy. The kids are too. I’m pretty sure they are hoping I will forget all about cleaning. I need to light a fire, figuratively and literally.
9:44 Snuggle Paul Louis who is crying because his “lip is torn and broken”. The dryness is new to us and I need to remember to have them drink more and use Chapstick. Poor guy.
9:50 While the kids play LOTR Wii, I keep getting freaked out because certain areas have music that sounds just like music from The Godfather. Not really what I want to hear with six kids in the room.
9:53 My stomach is rumbly. I hate how that happens every single time I hear about puking in my home. Every time. I get dressed in a cleaning outfit (aka: clothes I don’t want to get dirty, but need to move nicely in).
10:15 Cleaning commences. Assignments: restrooms (me); kitchen & sweep house (HB); pick up clutter & mop (Chloe); kids’ room (Phoebe & Esther); windows (Paul Louis); not puking (Noah).
11:02 While I LOVE listening to Les Miserables while cleaning, it makes me emotional. Is it ok to cry while I scrub my tub? (side note: if Hugh Jackman does not win best actor, I will scream).
11:10 Paul Louis starts on the windows.
11:30 I’m done with both bathrooms. I reward myself by chatting with a friend on the phone. Very nice.
11:52 I make a list of topics I need to discuss with Paul about the new semester. While this is our first week back, it’s not “full”. I take the first week to get acclimated and then we add.
Noon Chloe makes pizza.
12:24 I cleanse myself of anything that might be on me from the kids’ disgusting bathroom. My shower time morphs into a soak/bath. Just because I feel like it. The kids eat the pizza (which smells delicious) and Noah continues to lounge in the sick bed (aka: play LOTR Wii from the sofa).
1:00 I peruse the internet for what I want for If the Shoe Fits, Buy It international holiday! I could really use another pair of warm boots.
1:20 I explain mopping to Chloe, who has had some kind of memory loss in this area. I also explain “clean” to Phoebe and Esther, who have never fully grasped the word as it applies to their room.
1:47 I make the menu and grocery list for the next seven days. Chloe finishes mopping. The younger girls finish their bedroom.
2:00 Tuck Paul Stinkin Cute Louis in for nap
2:10 I head to the garage to leave for bank, friend’s, gas station, and Walmart
2:11 I come back in to get something I forgot
2:12 I come back in to get something I forgot
2:13 I come back in to get something I forgot
2:14 I sit down and ask the LORD to make sure I’m actually ready to go
2:15 I leave. Seriously.
2:24 Bank business. I keep my gloves on the entire time because I.am.so.cold. Did I mention I went into the bank? Next I go get gas, then head to a friend’s to pick up something and catch up (she had the gall to leave town for a couple of weeks).
3:00 Hug my friend, grab a hot cup of something, and we head up to her sun room. Lots to share, not enough time.
4:30 I accept the truth that I actually need to grocery shop and therefore must leave her house.
What are the kids doing while I am gone? HB is doing the dishes, Chloe is playing on the computer and watching Noah, Phoebe plays Wii, Esther watches the Wii extravaganza, and Paul Louis sleeps through it all.
4:40 I enjoy the lovliness called Walmart. Or Walsmarts. Or Wallyworld.
5:20 Rush in to start dinner before Paul gets home.
5:22 Realize I didn’t get medicine for the horrid ulcer I have on the inside of my lip.
5:30 Make spinach and onion cheese quesadillas while listening to the blessings play in different areas around the house. Several games involve duck tape.
6:20 Dinner with the fam. Conversation is always lovely, but not as deep as I’d like. One interesting point: Noah is surprised by the concept that most people who puke all night want to shower/bathe the next day. Clearly, 14 yo boys don’t.
6:35 Phone call from a friend in Texas. Paul reads one chapter of Cheaper by the Dozen to the blessings while I chat in my room.
7:00 Meal chores.
7:30 Kids are playing some kind of romping game. Paul is reading by the fire. HB is pinning. Noah is trying to convince us he doesn’t need to go to bed, but needs to watch Doctor Who. I start writing up this post.
8:07 Beyond belief, Paul and Esther are doing some kind of dance to “At the End of the Day” (from Les Mis). Funky.
8:30 Tuck in the younger kiddos with prayers and hugs. Chloe showers. Noah convinces me to watch Doctor Who if he will fold three loads of laundry. I am a brutal deal maker.
9:00 Paul is officially delirious. The man needs to go to bed. He’s earned at least twelve hours. He’ll probably get nine.
9:06 Paul snores from his chair while sitting up.
9:30 Chloe and Noah are tucked in. So is Paul.
10:00 I settle in for the night. HB goes to bed too. What a great week, despite the puking. Homeschooling is grand!
So ends the first week of the series A Day in the Life of a Homeschooler. I think you’ll really like next week’s emphasis points. Come back! and linkup!
If you are not a homeschooler, is this what you expected: harder or easier? If you are, how was your week?
{ 15 comments… read them below or add one }
I am so sorry about the puking! No.fun.at.all. I hope everyone wakes up feeling well and no more bunk bed episodes occur!
I am so impressed by your minute-by-minute run down… my days blaze past me with only three or four looks at the clock… usually prompted by children asking for food and my realizing that I am behind in getting a meal together.
And I am sorry about the cold, being a lifelong Texan I am clueless about anything other than sunshine… but snow does sound lovely, in theory.
My being able to do the minute by minute thing is ONLY so I can do these posts. I have a notebook and a pen (so I can jot) and my phone (so I know what time it is) on the school table so I don’t forget to document.
Typically, I rarely know what time it is. The kids let me know it’s time for lunch.
Yeah, the snow is really pretty to look at. The cold… God is teaching me to not say, “I could never do cold!” Sigh. His ways are not mine and I’m trusting Him in this.
The best part is that as soon as it’s done snowing, it’s sunny! I should have taken a photo of that. It’s strange to me: to have it so gorgeously sunny and bright… and cold with snow.
My boys would feel the same about kids giving tips during LOTR Wii. Poor Noah.
I like, though, how you save folding till there are 3 loads of laundry, so the kids can watch TV/movie while they fold. That makes it sound so intentional and not at all like you are behind on laundry. I must implement this plan immediately
Even if it means they win negotiations to stay up late(r) than needed.
(kidding; I know yours really is intentionally that way)
We also do cleaning day on Friday, but I haven’t cut us back to a 4 day school week yet…..might have to work that out; cleaning gets hurried when we fit it in with school. Hmmm…..
Ha! It really is intentional. We put the baskets in the “front” room (a living area that is mostly used by grown ups when they come visit) and wait until there are 3-4. I decided this a year or so ago because doing it one basket at a time just seemed to rob us of time. This way, we don’t do it every day, but every other and folding time is better.
O.K. So this day doesn’t sound that bad, except for the Noah thing. I would just be scared it would spread to more kids.
But to have days like this (and the others ones this week) – there JUST HAS TO BE tons of planning – for the school, the food….etc. When does that happen?
Other pressing, nosy questions that you can choose not to answer: Do your kids snack? Do they all eat the same thing and like everything? (of course these questions are stemming from my own issues, right?) Do they do any extra curriculars like sports? Does this 2 week set include weekends? Do any of them have learning differences? (ahem, my issues again.All of these.)
Again, I’ll stop or could go on forever. These are wonderful posts. My youngest is convinced we are going to move to a farm and start homeschooling. She has been making plans for it for awhile. She is starting to ask for specific dates – ha.
Oh, MKD! I’m so very glad you are asking these questions. They are exactly what I want to hear! So… you will be getting your very own post to answer them. Does you daughter have any Qs? I’d be happy to have the kids (or myself, depending on the question) answer.
The good thing about Noah is that he is the last of the six. Believe it or not, it seems we have had some crazy kind of stomach thing that takes 4-9 days to reappear… or we’ve had something new often…. since we’ve had pukers on the 17th, 22nd, 26th, 28th, Jan 7th, and now Jan 11th. So very weird. At least they weren’t going to school every day and giving it to their classes.
I always wanted a big family, but God gave me Mindy and the internet instead.
)
I am really enjoying this. I have been homeschooling for four years and have five kids. Our days started out totally one way and transformed over the years. It is very helpful to see how other homeschoolers’ days go. I am also seeing some was that I can improve my days… some things I have done in the past and have gotten more laxed about and some or totally new ideas.
I love that you are adding in the things like the phone calls, internet, and other distractions that so easily steal our day away. I really have been trying to avoid those time stealers this week. I get caught up in the internet easily when I sit down to nurse my baby girl. That darn phone keeps ringing this week, though. I love to talk, so that can be a problem and I have a hard time telling people I have to go. It is my “hospitality”… I don’t like to turn people away.
Even though you are not specifically blogging about meal planning the mere mention of it really drives home that my days would be easier if I had a plan. And if I delegater more tasks out to my kids with real rewards that make it enjoyable for them. Truly if they can watch TV if they fold the laundry they would probably complain less about the laundry.
Thanks for the encouragment, Shannon!
Yup, the complaining about laundry stopped when I started allowing movie watching.
Great post! You motivated me to REALLY clean my house again. After baby and the holidays it had gotten pretty bad. Now I’m ok with the kids eating off the floor again;)
Enjoying getting to know the family through your blogs.
Aw, man, I missed the link up! :/
http://apinchofthyme.com/2013/01/12/a-day-in-the-life-of-a-homeschooler-day-5/
I will see if I can extend it!
BRB
Thank you, SO MUCH! <3
I have just read days 1-8. What a wonderful visit to your homeschool!
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