400 Things: Monday

After sharing how we homeschool all week, now I'm sharing a real day at our house. This should be good!

7:00 After hitting the snooze button a few too many times, I get up because Nicholas (2) and Nathan (5) wake me. Catie is still sleeping, so I sneak out of the bedroom quietly. I give Nathan the milk he wants every morning when he wakes up, and the boys watch Backyardigans while I prepare breakfast. Mexican Chocolate Bread and OJ Smoothies. Yum!

Mysteriously, the girls' alarms did not go off at 7, so I wake them at 7:10. I instruct them to bring all their dirty laundry to the kitchen since today is Laundry Day (more on this soon).

7:10 My husband is about ready to leave, so I talk to him for just a few minutes, and then he's out the door.

7:30 Time for breakfast. I have very picky eaters. Can you believe that 3 out of 4 kids did NOT want their chocolate bread??? Sorry! The rule is, you eat what is served without complaining. It's not like it was brussel sprouts or liver!

I also spent a few minutes reading out of Proverbs and Hebrews. We are currently reading in Leviticus, and I shared some notes about that, as well.

7:45 Starting the mammoth laundry pile and getting Nathan dressed. Claudia is doing chores. Nathan is building his train set. Chloe and Nicholas are still sitting at the table trying NOT to eat.

8:00 Chloe has finally finished choking down her bread, so she's off to do chores. Nicholas is still at the table. Claudia is finished with chores and getting her shower. I need to get dressed and do my chores, but first I'll check emails, weather, and facebook.

8:06 Nicholas finished his bread. Finally. Nicholas and Nathan are instructed to clear the table. Nathan needs some reminders about obedience and "yes ma'am."

8:15 While I'm cleaning mirrors and glass doors, Catie wakes up. I quickly finish, make my bed, and change her diaper. Claudia calls the beauty college about getting her hair done.

8:30 First load of laundry done. Chloe moves it to the dryer and starts the next load while I feed Catie. Claudia practices piano while the boys play with toys.

9:00 Chloe and the boys go outside while Claudia starts her IEW assignment. What shall I do with 30 minutes of peace and quiet??? Clean off the desk. I have a huge pile of new books for Sonlight and I have to rearrange to find a place for them. I listen to the soundtrack from The Fellowship of the Ring while I'm working.

10:00 The three middle kids come in from playing, and it's time to do our Ocean study. Everyone gathers at the table while I read Mister Seahorse by Eric Carle and The Magic School Bus Explores the Ocean Floor. We also add some things to the kids' lapbooks. Catie joins us and falls asleep in my arms. We also snack on some fruit.

10:45 Nicholas and Nathan play a computer game while the girls and I read in my room. We have taken a short break from Sonlight to study Texas and the Alamo. We will be visiting San Antonio this spring, and I wanted them to have a recent study under their belts. : ) I enjoy a Dr. Pepper during this time. Claudia switches laundry loads.

11:00 I get a call from my husband on his lunch break. We catch up on his day and mine. He hopes to work less than 10 hours today. I hope he's right. I pay some bills and fold laundry. The girls work on their independent school books, like math, grammar, spelling, research, and reading.

11:30 The boys go off to their room to play. Nathan comes out one time asking me to remove his clothes. I assume Nicholas has already done so. I checked. He did. Chloe needs help with her spelling.

11:40 The mailman rings the doorbell to give me a package. Yay! It's from Vision Forum. : ) The boys love to talk to the mailman because their Daddy is one. Nathan says, "Hi Mailman! I'm naked!" I wasn't quick enough with the clothes. Claudia is working on her research paper for IEW. It's about Cowboys. Catie's starting to whimper. She must be hungry or sleepy.

11:50 I rock Catie to sleep while I watch Claudia's math DVD with her. Chloe works on her math book, and the boys play/fight/burp/laugh in their room. I lay Catie down on my bed to sleep. Nicholas knows enough about telling time to know that lunch is at 12:00. He reminds me that it's almost time. Chloe switches laundry loads. Nicholas changes from his 'basketball player clothes' to his 'dragon' costume.

12:10 Claudia needs assistance with math. Nicholas wants to tell me an 'ocean story' that he made up. I patiently remind him to wait while I help Claudia. Catie wakes up from her very short nap. Chloe brings her to me. I need to keep folding laundry so we can use our couch, but, as Nicholas continues to remind me, it's time for lunch. And the table is still a mess from our Ocean study.

12:20 Chloe makes PB sandwiches for the boys while I clear the table. Then I heat up my leftovers from Johnny Carino's. Yum! My sister calls to see if we will help her son Wyatt with his Flat Stanley project. Since I am on the phone, all heck breaks loose. Nathan didn't finish his sandwich, so he went to throw it away. Nicholas wanted it. Nathan said, "NO!" and ran to the trash can with it. Nicholas chased him and pushed him down in the kitchen. But Nathan still managed to get the sandwich into the trash. Nicholas ate it anyway. "I'll call you back," I tell my sister.

12:40 Catie's diaper leaked, so she needs a complete change of clothes.

1:00 Chloe and Nicholas ask to go back outside, so I let them. We were going to go walking on our town's walking trail, but it's a little too windy and chilly to get Catie out, so I'll do the Wii Fit later this afternoon. I need to go to Wal Mart, and I'd rather go when it's not crowded. So I'll put Nathan down for his nap and leave the girls in charge for a bit (I don't leave Catie with them yet!). After almost 3 years of naps, Nathan still acts shocked and surprised everyday when I announce nap time. I'll nurse Catie in the bedroom with Nathan until he falls asleep. I know he still needs his naps, because he falls asleep in a matter of minutes.

1:30 The town tornado sirens go off for their monthly test. The alarm is practically in our backyard. Chloe and Nicholas come running breathlessly in, but Claudia has locked the back door so they pound on the door and ring the doorbell. Help! "Mama, what is that sound?" I inform them that it's just a test that they do on the first Monday of the month. Chloe goes so far as to check the calendar to confirm the date, and then she and Nicholas head back outdoors.

2:00 I get the kids settled (playing Super Mario Bros. on the Wii) and head to Goodwill and WalMart. I'm looking for an old lamp for a super-cool project I saw online, but Goodwill doesn't have what I want. I get my stuff at WalMart, including a toy for Nathan's birthday, and head back home.

3:30 Back home. Nathan is up from his nap now, and Catie is hungry. Wondering if my mad dash around WalMart can take the place of the Wii Fit? Probably not the same. I'm getting tired, but I'll try to make it happen anyway. Gotta nurse the baby. Claudia says she will take a 30 minute nap, and then work on the speech that's due tomorrow at IEW.