Just for fun I thought I'd post about a typical day in my home ... especially since I've been carrying on and whining about having so little craft time.

Maybe this will be of interest to someone ... or leave you pining for my grand, luxurious life of rest and relaxation.

Here goes:

6:30 Wake up

6:45 Daycare kids begin to arrive

8:00 My kids are all awake now, the oldest is either at school already or getting ready, breakfast is served for everyone at the house - usually cereal and milk (because at 8:00 am I am very creative)

8:30-11 Daycare play, reading, art, hanging on the lanai time, most of the kids are 2 years old so free play, reading, and talking are pretty big, we do art often but really no other "schooling" (yes, I do ABC's and 123's, colors, naming, etc. but it's done as a casual part of play, not as a "lesson" ... oh, and I sing too ... these poor little kiddo's have a teacher who slaughters the ABC song on a daily basis)

9:00 My kids start schoolwork, my time is divided between the family room, where the little ones are, and the kitchen table, where the big kids are. The older kids have computers in the breakfast nook so I can see them doing school and the younger two sit at the table. I can see both the family room and lanai from the table, and the table from the family room or lanai, so no matter where I am everyone remains supervised


11:00 Art or play time for the little ones while I make lunch for all, lunch is a project as some kids won't eat certain things or are on restricted diets ... I line the little ones plates up in order and fill them that way, rarely are two the same (I don't mind, I'm used to it and I'd rather serve them what they'll eat, as long as it's healthy), my kids often make their own lunches if they don't want what I've made - they are all pretty good cooks


11:30 Lunch

12:00 Nap time for the little ones - break for me, right?  Nope. I spend nap time hanging out at the kitchen table with the boys, doing math and history lessons, checking work, answering questions. It's also a good time to straighten up a bit or take care of any business. When there's no school to do I might get a bit of sewing done, but we do school Monday-Friday so that rarely happens outside of summertime


2:00 Nap is over, back to playing and reading aloud while everyone wakes up, big kids are either done with school and hanging with the little ones or still working on schoolwork

3:00 If the big kids are done with school the little ones and I (and any big kids who wish to) will head to the playground or for a walk. Lately it has been the playground daily


4:00 Afternoon snack, check remainder of schoolwork (hopefully they're done), big kids have usually hooked up with friends and are out and about, oldest is home from school and doing her own thing

5:00-6:00 Daycare kids head home for their family time

6:00 Usually dinner cooking begins, the kids have activities at 6:30 3 nights a week, so sometimes dinner isn't served until later. I prefer to have us eat our meals together and most of the time we do. While I often cook dinner (not always, the older 4 either volunteer or get drafted on occasion) the kids do the dishes and tidying, allowing me to get a little break time


6:30 Take kids to activites, returning home around 8:00, if no activities we hang out and talk, play, watch tv, whatever ... our family time, one night per week I spend gathering my coupons and deals and heading to the grocery store

8:00-8:15 Home from activities

8:00 River goes to bed

9:00 Next two boys to bed


10:00 Next two kids to bed, I get my computer time in, blog posts, check mail, read blogs, etc. This would also be when I'd sew if I were done with other things

11:00-12:00 Cassie and I to bed

And in the morning it begins again!

**This schedule changes more than it stays the same ... without notice ... without reason ... without a back up plan ... and I wouldn't have it any other way.