Day in the Life

I've been thinking for a while of doing a day log for those who are curious about how we do what we do. So far, no "normal" days have turned up, so I'll talk about today.

If I get up at 5:15, I can pray, do some exercise, get myself ready and get the kids up at 6.

I actually got up at 6(!) prayed while getting ready (we pray the Liturgy of the Hours which is, essentially, all the psalms and a whole lot of scripture spread out over the year). We got the kids up around 6:30. Sort of. This part got messy as some kids got ready right away, then drifted into books or play and other kids didn't get ready but followed the example of the others.

Fridays are "kid's choice day," so we planned the day over breakfast when we finally had everyone there (we finished about 8:00 which is an hour late for us).

They decided to:
read the library books for English,
do computer games for math,
do experiments for science (several kids got science kits for Christmas),
watch Liberty's Kids for social studies,
take a hike for PE since the weather was warming.

I also told them the things that needed doing:
fold and put away laundry,
put away the dozens of books in boxes in the library,
make bread,
clean the kitchen,
take out the trash, and
bathe Oob and Choclo.

I also intended to do more mailbox reading with Choclo,
clean up the Christmas detritus in the guest room, and maybe make some phone calls.

We started with chores! The kids and I divvied things up.
I gathered trash while giving direction and assistance.
Everyone put away 10 books in the library.
Zorg managed the dishwasher while Klenda and Mxyl made bread, Leena cleared the table, and I assisted the Lil Guys (Choclo and Oob).
Mxyl cleaned the kitchen while Zorg and Leena handled the laundry; Klenda bathed the Lil guys while I finished up the library and provided direction and assistance.
I'm sure the dining room and kitchen got swept in there also.

We were done about 9, and I let kids go read as they finished up their jobs. I was last because I was helping clothe the Lil Guys who were reluctant to leave the bath, let alone wear anything afterward. I then snuggled with the Lil Guys and a stack of board books.

Around 10, we pulled ourselves out of the books. I turned the older four loose on their science kits, left the Lil guys playing in the living room, and made an attempt at the guest room.

Right about the time for the first complaint from the older kids (Choclo and Oob getting into their experiments), I discovered that Choclo and Oob had never opened their Christmas stockings! Taking the better part of valor, I skipped the candy and handed them their little toys instead: a wooden locomotive for Oob (which he used on the piano keyboard for quite some time), and a friction tractor for Choclo (which he played with quietly on a different floor!).

Around the time the Lil Guys tired of their toys, it was 10:30, time for me to make lunch. Choclo and Oob, tired of being ignored (and getting hungry) started squabbling over the step stool. Someone got sent to their room in tears. I made spaetzle while coaching the older kids to finish up the science and clear the table. Oob sang the Bob the Builder song over and over, just in case I might forget that he would really like to watch Bob the Builder right now! Zorg told me that if anyone ever wanted to eat him, he would have them eat his hands first because he would be able to get a robot hand, and, also, he would put poison on his hands.

The kids set the table with some direction and we sat down to eat at 11:00, right on schedule. We discussed current technology in robot arms and the possibility of being able to control a prosthesis with your mind. Then we decided where to hike.

After we cleaned up, we piled in the car and spent a lovely two hours wandering about in the woods. It was probably more nature study than hike. It may have been more, "Let's poke things with sticks" than "nature study." At any rate, it was the end of the cold spell and the woods held that austere beauty of warm winter days.

We came back and watched the first two episodes of Liberty's Kids, which turned out to be excellent. Then the kids did whatever while the Lil Guys watched Bob the Builder and I worked on the guest room and then blogged my squid stuff.

Just like that it was 3:30, the Emperor came home and it was time to make dinner!

I didn't get to the math computer games. I probably should have done that instead of the science since we were doing the hike and tonight is robot night (everyone builds robots or snap circuits). I also didn't get to do the reading game with Choclo. I spent a lot of time on the hike, and then he was too overstimulated to try it. I would have done the hike the same way again, however, because a warm January day is rare, we all needed the exercise, and the exposure to the beauty of the woods is something I consider very valuable. I'd like to do a separate blog on that, and show off the pictures!