A Day in the Life

Happy Monday, guys!

Here's something weird I almost hate to admit. About me. Are you ready? I kindof like Mondays.

Sharing my Valentine flowers with you!

Isn't that so bad? I mean, it's like a thing to hate Mondays, but after a couple days of loose schedules and expectations of fun and relaxation that never seems to happen, I like Mondays for their reliability, stability and, yes schedule. I didn't like them so much when I had a career, but now that I'm a stay at home mom we all seem a little happier to be back to the routine.

So since Mondays in my book don't stink, I thought I'd share one with you! Talk about exciting! I do some daycare and this Monday that I documented was a busy one with three extra kids coming and going.

Here we go! I'll just do these in order from top to bottom, left to right. Mmmkay?

1. Somehow my decaf with half and half and stevia helps me get out of bed in the morning. The smell, the warmth, the ritual.
2. I take it with me to the bathroom and listen to my devotional on my phone. I have struggled to faithfully have morning devotionals since I was a teenager, and this actually works! I have a reminder set on the Bible app and love to listen to somebody else read the Bible while I get ready for the day. Here's a peek of my make-up in our grody (rented) medicine cabinet.
3. I love this home made face cream! It's coconut oil, olive oil and lavender essential oil. Totally works and I rarely get blemishes. I have lots of other granola things going on, but I'm saving that for another post.
4. I'm inadvertently growing out my hair. Just haven't scheduled an appointment! My shaggy head looks better when I curl my hair and the only thing that really works is a straight iron. Seriously. It lasts for three days with a few touch-ups.
5. Breakfast time! Lately we've been having eggs or oatmeal, and the kids love it uncooked. Not kidding! We do a scoop of "quick" oats, a round teaspoon of brown sugar, a few walnuts and almond milk. Yum! We also like it with honey, apples and cinnamon. So easy, and no pan to wash!
6. One of the day care kids is here before breakfast is over. She's already eaten but joins us at the table for a clementine.
7. Our family joins hands in a circle and prays for protection throughout the day before Daddy leaves.
8. Then we all wave as he drives off!
9. The kids are busy so I wash the dishes before more kiddos arrive.

1. It's February but SO COLD out. I know it'll be an inside day.
2. The kids all watch the squirrels out of the living room window. There are six kids today, our three boys (ages 2, 4, 6) and three extras (all 3-year-olds).
3. The kids head downstairs to jump on the trampoline so I stole a moment to sweep.
4. One of the sweet day care girls. It was her first day. I wanted to keep her!
5. Toys! Everywhere!
6. Another day care kiddo. Those curls kill me!
7. My boy Josiah tells me about the Lego house he's building. Love him!
8. I notice the sun is shining on my gallery wall in the hall. Yes, I have an obsession!
9. Clean up, clean up, everybody do your share!

1-3. Lunch time! I almost always serve pb&j on days I have more than one extra kid. Everyone loves them and you can't get much easier.
4. Story time is after lunch. I try to let each kiddo choose a story, but on days with six kids it lasts a little too long!
5. I tuck a couple kids in for naps. Mr. Curls naps, and so does Josiah. He's also potty training, so after he sits on the potty I pick him up and carry him to bed and we stick our tongues out at the mirror. I love little traditions.
6. The girls don't nap, per their parents' requests. They do school with us instead--my boys didn't get much done because of the distraction, but they had fun and we have some flexibility in our curriculum.
7. School time leads to art time. Today's request is paint, so we watercolor on wet coffee filters. They dry pretty and if you fold up the middle and pinch it with a pipe cleaner, they make cute flowers.
8-9. One of the girls goes home and the rest of us have an hour of quiet time. When we don't have extra kids around, my boys go to their rooms and read or play or draw quietly. With the extras we have to be more creative about where to put everybody, but I'm pretty consistent about quiet time. It helps my sanity for the afternoon, and it's good for them to learn how to be quiet and stay entertained on their own.

1. After nap time is snack. Today is cheese and crackers.
2. I start Indian curried lentil soup for supper, a family favorite!
3. The remaining kids play while they wait for their dads to come get them. Sometimes the afternoons get long and I'm really looking forward to nicer weather so everyone can get some fresh air and vitamin D while they get their endless energy out!
4. We tell the last two day care kids good-bye. My boys have reading time, usually on the kitchen floor, while I finish supper prep. Daddy comes home and takes a shower (painting is messy!)
5. Jonathan is *this close* to reading, so I help him sound things out. Tonight he chose "Bingo" which is great for the repetition!
6. I made a spinach salad and am eating it with cottage cheese and the lentil soup. So good!
7. Josiah is counting on his fingers. "One, two, wee, por, pive." I caught three in the picture--note how it's a little different!
8. The boys get ready for bed and we have family worship before tucking them in. I didn't get pictures of any of that. Kinda hard to document when I'm reading Bible stories and praying and it's dark! It's about 7:45 when Gary and pull out the laptops in the living room.
9. I blog or read other blogs while Gary watches documentaries or spends time on the phone regarding our mission. We're supposed to go to bed at 9 but usually it's more like 10.

So there you go! A random, average day in February! Of course it doesn't show all the other things we do. Gary sometimes runs in the evening, I do a bunch more chores on days I don't have quite so many kids, the boys have chores too, and sometimes I do crafts or mission-related work like newsletters or thank-you cards. You never know!

What about you? Do you hate Mondays? I hope today was a good one for you!