Wednesday, October 8, 2014

How our day typically goes....

How our day typically goes....  or doesn't in a lot of cases. 

This is irritating- sorry...this picture is sideways help???
 Our day typically starts off with daddy waking early to do devotional time at 6am or earlier.  Yes I know I am a horrible person....but I have a huge issue with trying to get up and right away focus.  Jason however loves having the house completely quiet.  So it works. 

We wake the kiddos around 6:35-6:40....while they start to get up, we do T25.  Hey, doing this together has helped encourage us both.  Although I am definitely following the moderator- hey, it works. 

By 7:20ish we are sitting down for breakfast & Jason shares with the kiddos about his morning devotions.  Sometimes they listen....and well you know sometimes not.  BUT the important thing is to keep trying!!!! 
 Around 8-8:30 we start school.  You ask that is a huge variance?  Well, the story of my life!  God has grown me a lot in this area.  There were times when I would really lose it if things were not exactly on time!  It wasn't pretty.....trust me.  I have tried to let go of the perfect schedule.  ;)

I do "large group" school time- science, language arts, basic math concepts, history, geography, Bible lessons, praise and worship, etc.  Yes, I know you are thinking, but Dawn you have children from 4 to 14 how does it work.  Each thing I do I know not all the kiddos are going to pick it up.  That is fine.  I try to draw some questions easy for the youngers to answer and harder questions for the olders to answer.  I review, review, review- A LOT!  This gives everyone opportunity to ask questions and really learn those basics.  I do go more in depth as well, and when the littles are wandering- I let them....  it's fine. 

I also have many activities that are for the youngers to do while it is over their heads too!  Big puzzles, coloring, shape activities, fine motor skill things, lacing, etc. 

Oh and don't forget snack time between 9-9:30!!!  Or little miss will remind you!!!  :)
 Around 10-10:30 we start doing individual or paired lessons like math, reading, spelling, pre K specifics, and working with Michael.  I keep working with the kids as well as doing work phone calls and emails too.....depending on the day ;). 

HA!  Well pretty much each day is a crazy adventure because some days we spend a lot of time one on one with a child struggling.  One needing our time.  It is hard....often frustrating feeling, but then we are here for our children.  So we put one foot in front of  the other......and keep plugging along.  Today was definitely one of those days.  Just keep swimming, swimming, swimming....... 
 Somewhere in there then is an hour break for the kids....until lunch (some may do lessons and then go outside...some may go outside and I call them in when it is their turn).  We keep our lunch simple- PB&J, meat and cheese, sandwiches, roll ups, toasted, pizza on flat bread/tortilla, leftovers, etc. 

After lunch from 1-3:30 we do a quiet time rotation.  Home work (work books, Explode the Code, Wordly Wise, and others), writing assignment (something from a book, something we worked on earlier, or something off of pinterest- things like if you were to go on a dream vacation where would you go and what would you do), copy work (typically of scripture passage- in cursive for the olders, and printing for the youngers), Math (we do xtra math which is drill, and Teaching Textbooks for the olders, other math curriculum for the youngers), computer time- Switched On Schoolhouse or Jump Start, quiet play.  **Michael naps- sometimes ;).

This is my time to focus on devotions & work until dinner time.  Jason works during our homeschool and in the afternoons as well.  Our work times are varied.  There are times I am answering emails at Disney, or calling people on Saturdays.  I do home studies in the evenings or on weekends.  It all balances out and we are careful to make sure we keep time for our family.....just may not be traditional work times.   There are many advantages to it as well.  We get to work from home!!  We get to work together!!  And when it all hits the ceiling- we are both available to help. 
 3:30 is time for some free play- outside preferably and again snack time!!  Then 4:30 or 5 is chore time....then eating between 5:30-6.  Bed times are at 7 for the youngers and 8 for the olders.  (At age 8 they stay up until 8).  The oldest- get to stay up later at times depending.... 
 We have church Sunday mornings and everyone is up not later than 6am!!!!  I and the older children volunteer during the opposite service.  I volunteer with the Emerge (middle and high school students).  The older children help with children's programs.  Of course we are going to 3 services soon - so that will be different.  We plan on attending one service together as a family, go to "Sunday School" one service, and volunteering one service??   Jason typically once a month or so is a part of our church's worship team as a vocalist. 

We do small group on Sunday evenings. 
Tuesday nights we do Bible Study with our children. 
We have first Wednesday services, second Wednesday is Emerge Rallies, other Wednesday's are Emerge small groups.  We also have prayer times at noon on Wednesdays which we try to go to as often as possible.
I typically do couponing time on Wednesdays (1-2 hours depending), and shop on Thursdays.
Thursdays right now we are teaching Empowered To Connect.
First Saturdays are typically serving days where our church does specific projects.    Our kiddos do Wii nights, board and card game nights, and movies.  It all depends on timing and we just don't stress about it.

Fridays and Saturdays are date nights for us, as well as for us taking our kiddos out on occasion.  Important for sanity!!!  I also believe that whenever possible take at least some of the kids with you to run errands.   
 When do we go to bed......well on average 11.  There are definitely exceptions usually if there are we are up later.  Sometimes we just sleep in because we can....and we need to.  Typically Saturdays if I don't have to do a home study or if we aren't doing a volunteer project somewhere- we sleep in!!!  As you know what this really means is I set out a snack the night before- write a note to the kids to eat a piece of fruit, have a snack, and watch a movie----- so we can "relax" this morning. 
 We live a crazy life, but as most of  you know we go to Disney pretty much once a week...or to the beach...or to a park!  This is our Family Day!!!  I try not to work too much on this day if at all possible. 
 The pictures brought to you by vacation....yes.....there are still more!!!  The first pictures are from Iowa State Fair.  The corn fields are surrounding Wesley Woods love the Iowa scenery!  These last few pics are of our meeting with one of our families Mendy and Ryan and their children....including their youngest who we were excited walk with them on their adoption journey with Christian Adoption Consultants!!!  They came to the camp where our friends Deke and Su live (who also brought home their littlest man too through CAC).
It was fun to cook over the fire with new and old friends!!!  Enjoying the miracles of adoption and those fun memories :)!!!! 

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