A Day in the Life – Hive and Nest

 My life on November 20, 2008 (or thereabout)
Where all the magic begins:

Although it’s hard to believe I have any sort of self-discipline, I usually get up at 5 a.m. I like to walk/run while I blog and watch old episodes of The West Wing (I have all the seasons on DVD. When I finish them I’ll probably have to stop working out.)

I like to be showered and dressed by the time I wake the first batch of kids up at 6:45 (otherwise I completely forget and leave the house with no make-up and greasy hair. Yeah, scary).   I grew up fixing myself cereal for breakfast because my mother was a night owl and didn’t get up with us.  I hated it, so I usually make the minis a nice from-scratch breakfast.

The elementary schoolers start an hour and a half before the middle schoolers. I think it is just too cruel to wake anyone up even a second before it’s necessary, so I read the scriptures twice (Plus I like reading twice because I’m soooo spiritual.  I’m a big fan of reading while the kids eat. There is no fighting or fidgeting that way.)

Phase Two:

After getting everyone else off to school, it’s time to start India on her homeschooling. I pretty much just assign her something and she goes off and takes care of it herself. It’s easy to get her to do her work because she studies what she likes. This week we’re working on plagues and pandemics. And Mesopotamia. And drawing.

While she studies I’m supposed to be working on this:  (the dreaded Cave of Laundry) Guys, do I need to mention how much I despise the laundry?  It’s my most hated household chore.

But I usually work on this: (because if you ignore laundry long enough it will simply disappear!)

By snacktime Jasper has usually stripped down to his skivvies

He falls apart shortly afterwards.  Which leads to the most blessed period of the day: NAPTIME!

Ada plays and I spend the next few hours doing I don’t know what until . . .

. . . the kids roll in from school. Mayhem and messiness ensue.

Snacks and homework

Then it’s time for my little minions to check the chore chart and do my evil bidding

After chores it’s time to play. Why get out all the fancy European toys we’ve bought over the years when there is bubble wrap to be jumped on? We’re simple folk around here.

Just because I make a nice breakfast doesn’t mean I necessarily make a nice dinner.  Tonight it’s frozen orange chicken from Costco along with rice (medium grain so it’s nice and sticky) and green beans (also frozen and from Costco).  Hey, at least it’s not pizza!

Arabella is the dinner helper tonight.

I get more and more peevish as the night wears on.  I try to hold it together until everyone is in bed and I can spend some time in a vegetative state.  Usually I read.  Tonight’s laugh-a-minute book:

Then it’s time to check on all the sleepy-heads (usually Mister’s job)

Then I’m off to fight cavities and wrinkles, and finally to go to sleep.  (Notice I squeeze the toothpaste from the middle.  I like to hang free and loose that way.  As you can guess, Mister is a squeeze-from-the-ender.  We have never been able to compromise so we each have our own tube.  Don’t even get me started on peppermint vs. spearmint.  It’s one of the fascinating games we play to keep the marriage fresh.)

We have several “day in the life” people playing: (you might need to give them some time to get everything ready, so check back again if they haven’t posted yet.  Or just mutter “loser” and go on to the next blog.) Arianne at Little Pink Houses (highly recommended because she’s my sister and she’s funny) Gabrielle at Through My Eyes Paige at Keepin’ Up With The Joneses Kellie at Diamonds in the Rough Shana at A Day in the Life