Meet Me Monday

Finally starting to feel better and that I can function normally. We'll see how long it lasts today. Trying to get as much done as I can while I can. I thought I would share with you what my normal school day is going to be like. I was just contemplating all that I need to do this school year and it has gotten a little overwhelming in my mind.

My day starts off at 330 am. (yes, you read that right) The alarms (two of them) go off and the hubby and I snuggle for 5 to 10 minutes, depending on how much we are not ready to get out of bed.

At 340am, we roll out of bed. Hubby gets dressed and I grab my bag and phone and head downstairs. I get the coffee started and start working on the dishes. Hubby comes downstairs and eats breakfast and packs his lunch and we talk about random things. Enjoy our little bit of time with limited distractions. If we're lucky, no children wake up and follow us downstairs. It was a really long day when all three woke up with us that early.

At about 415am, the hubby leaves the house for work. I pause in my dishes to give him a hug and a kiss goodbye (I know it's sappy) and then I lock up the house and finish the dishes if they need to be done. On Tuesdays I wash the floors downstairs. The rest of the days I do minor chores downstairs that won't cause alot of noise. I don't want the girls up this early in the morning either. Once the chores are done, I get to spend time by myself. I can watch a movie I don't get to see when the girls are awake. Or I can get my writing and researching done on the internet. I can do my reading. Or I can just vegetate. Haven't tried going back to sleep yet.

At 630am, the alarm goes off to remind me to go upstairs and wake the circus (love my phone and all the alarm options). The girls get a half hour to roll out of bed, get dressed, and get downstairs for breakfast. I use this time to get dressed myself (if I haven't already) and start a load of laundry if I need to.

At 700am, breakfast begins. At 710am, they are informed that breakfast is half done. At 720am, it is brush teeth and go potty time. At 730am, it's coats, hats, shoes time. At 740am, we need to be out of the yard otherwise we'll be late for school. During the breakfast routine I am packing lunches, grabbing my own breakfast (if I haven't eaten yet) and making sure that they all are doing what they are supposed to be doing.

We all walk together to school, even in the snow. The girls have decided to drop off Hazel first and then take Amber to kindergarten. When the bell rings for school to start, I will have to convince Violet that it's time to go home. She told me at the end of the last school year that she was going to second grade this year and she's waiting to hear who her teacher is going to be. Praying that one of the teachers will be willing to let us come and volunteer at school this year. It was so nice packing little projects for Violet last year. If I'm home all day with her, I don't know what I'm going to do.

From when we drop off the girls until we pick them back up is completely unscheduled. So far. I would like to go with her to the library one day a week. We also are a part of a MOMS group on Thursday mornings. And Friday, there is a playgroup that we could join. We will have a snack, lunch, and a nap every day. The rest of the time I will get to be a homeschooling mom. She keeps asking me for workbooks to work on and to practice her letters. She pulls out craft stuff when her sisters won't let her play with them. She's only three and is trying to keep up with her sisters.

At 225pm, the bell rings to let us know that we need to start getting ready to get the sisters from school. At 255pm, we need to be at the school to pick up the sisters to walk home. There is snack and a half hour of playtime after they get done with school. Then we'll sit down with homework and hubby should arrive home from work at about 415pm.

That is when I get to start cooking dinner. Because, on Tuesday he teaches a water kickboxing class; on Wednesday the girls have youth group; on Thursdays the girls get Grandma time and we get date night. I would love to plan a game night for us instead of having it random. I would also love to plan a movie night in there somewhere. We were doing after dinner plans determined by whoever got the dinner plate with the air bubble trapped in the glass. Only this past week it slid off the counter and shattered.

At 730pm, we head the circus upstairs for bedtime steps (potty, jammies, teeth, clean clothes, journaling). At 800pm, we start reading bedtime stories. By 900pm, everyone is in bed and most likely sleeping.

I'm wore out just thinking about it. Good thing nap time is just around the corner. Now I'm off for feeding time because the circus is getting restless.

I would love any great ideas you may have for keeping my tiny Violet busy during the day. She can already write her own name and almost the entire family's. She can almost count to 20 on her own. She tells huge stories. Cuts and pastes and colors in the lines. If you have a child equally as skilled, I would love to hear how you keep them busy during the day.