The last few months of this year seem to have just flown right by. The last time I wrote on this blog was September 8, and the post before that was in July. It always is so amazing to me how fast time goes by, and the more children we have the faster it seems to go. Here's a run down of what we are doing on most "normal" weeks. I put normal in quotations because between 3 children, you learn to expect anything and anyone can come down with some illness or whatever out of nowhere.
Sunday-
Sundays are usually pretty quiet around here. Mark has to be at the church around 7-7:30 to set up the stage, lights, and sound equipment each week. We currently are renting out the Convention Center in Marshall, which means during the week all the things church related must be down and stored away and then on put back up again on Sunday mornings. So no one really sees daddy until we get to church later that morning.
Usually I get the kids up and going around 7:30-8 and they get to watch one show or so while they eat their breakfast. This is a special treat, because normally they aren't allowed to watch television while they eat, instead they eat together at the table. However, daddy says during the weekends the rules relax a little and it gives them something to look forward to and enjoy. While they are preoccupied with the show and eating I finish up whatever is left for me to do to finish getting myself ready, which means hair and make-up, but I wait to put on my clothes. I also try to pick out and get everyone's clothes ready too. After the show it is on to the bath (if we hadn't taken one the night before) so everyone smells good and clean. Then I get the boys dressed, then I get Halle Kate dressed, and then I put everyone in the car with whatever items are needed (diaper bag, bible, drinks, etc). Then I come back into the house to put on my outfit for church. This prevents anything spilling on it or getting spit up upon before we get there and I don't have to worry about how is getting into what while I change since they are all strapped in ready to go. We go to church, then come back for lunch, nap (Mark usually has a soccer game he plays on Sunday afternoons), then some play outside time, dinner, and more play time. Very relaxed and not a whole lot pressing us this day.
Monday-
Monday is a day we have nothing "scheduled" so it is also the day I do "school" with Reid. We start school around 9:00ish or so after everyone has woken up, eaten breakfast, and done their morning chores. We work on whatever letter they will be working on at his school that week. I usually pull various worksheets from pinterest, including one where he makes a book. I want to do more and make more little crafts and all, but between the letter work, a math sheet, calendar time, and bible lesson, that is all the sitting still we have in us, and that is ok with me. One day I will get it all together and do the neat things. Halle Kate is hopefully napping during this time, though I don't let her sleep very long, because I would rather her sleep later on when everyone else does. She is the worst napper out of the three, but she is also the one who gets toted around the most during the morning, so her morning nap is never at a real consistent time, except for on Mondays and Thursdays.
Once we have done school I usually give them free time to play, hopefully outside if the weather permits. I try to take that time to do housework that needs to get done, like laundry, dishes, vacuuming and mopping, cleaning bathrooms, etc. Anything that is generally too loud or has me moving around too much during the afternoon nap time. We then come in for some inside play time or I go out with them to the driveway in the front yard and watch them as they ride bikes or scooters. Then it is time to make the kids lunch and let them eat around 12 or so. After they eat, they can play, or we sometimes draw, or paint, or do playdough, depending on where they are emotionally. At 1 they get to watch one show before going down for nap at 1:30. After everyone is put in their beds I go and get myself lunch and sit down to eat that and watch one show of whatever I choose. I try to make sure I am up and doing something from at least 3-4, whether that is laundry, or working on my bedroom, which happens to be the catchall for stuff. My kids then sleep until 4 or so when they wake up and go to play again. This usually means going out to the front yard to get out their energy. A snack is usually given about this time. Then it is time to fix supper if it isn't a crock pot meal, or get it prepared. Sometimes this is crazy town because there isn't a "set" thing for them to be doing at that time, and I am preoccupied with dinner before daddy gets home.
Finally daddy makes it home and we are able to eat together as a family, clear the table, and head back outside one final time before our bedtime routine begins. Around 7, we put the kids in the bath, clear up whatever is left in the kitchen that didn't get cleared before, then they are out and in PJs and ready for bible time around 7:20. We do bible time together, then it is either one more show (this is usually what happens) or sometimes daddy gets out his guitar and we sing before bed. I try to also read a book here, but that doesn't always get accomplished. I need to get better at that aspect. 8 o'clock, all children are in bed, and Mark and I fall out on the couch and chill for a bit. We usually watch netflix until around 10, then head to bed ourselves because seriously it is exhausting, and get get ready to do it all again in the morning.
Tuesday-
Tuesdays are mother's day out days for all three children, so the morning is a little rushed with breakfast, chores, and clothes on to prepare for "school". They get dropped off at 9 AM and I get to do whatever I have planned for that day. I really thought I would be home a lot more, but usually these days I am gone from the house for almost the entire time. This is where I get those random things done that need to be done but is too hard to do with 3 under 5 with you. They get home at 2:30 and then we weather the storm until bed, which the routine is the same as above.
Wednesday-
Wednesdays are great days because we go to Bible Study Fellowship, which I adore. It is an absolutely free class where women gather together to learn more about the bible by going through specific books or themes. For instance last year they spent the entire year on the life of Moses, and this year they are doing the book of revelation. It is truly like a college course with reading and homework to do every week and I just love it. There is also a children's program which is AMAZING. The kids learn what you are learning each week, as well as many other songs and verses. Their teachers also pray for them by name weekly, which is such a neat thing to know someone else is praying for your baby right along with you. I go to an hour small group meeting and then an hour lecture, and then usually me and 3 friends and all our children eat lunch outside on the playground at the church. It is a great time to just be together.
We come home from that, watch our pre-nap show, then head to nap. This day I really have to push to get certain things done so our house stays afloat, and I try to do those during the show so I am not making too much noise at nap time. Once nap time is over it is a fast and furious race to get dinner cooked, eaten, and everyone ready and out the door to Wednesday night church. We absolutely adore our small group and the kids love getting to see their friends. We also get home rather late, so once we are home around 8:30 it is usually a fast bath (at my request, I want those sick germs off, Mark doesn't care) and bed.
Thursday-
Thursdays are essentially the same as a Monday. Some days we have somewhere to go, an errand to run, or a play date with a friend. I try to stick around the house as much as possible so the kids are at home with me more than they are away.
Friday-
During the week, Mark work around the clock and tries to see all his patients, which will leave Fridays open to spend with us. Those are "special days" because the boys get to watch a show while they eat and then they go somewhere with daddy while I either work on things around the house that need more intensive attention (closets, eesh those aren't fun). We usually meet up for lunch and then come home, show, nap, wake up and play, repeat.
Saturday-
Everyone is home all together and those days are fun and slow, spent with everyone all together, We adore these days and are thankful for the time we get as a family. It gets kind of hard trying to keep 3 littles entertained and having enough to do to pass the day but we make it work for us. God has been so gracious and I know I will one day look back on this and wonder "what all did I do" or "how in the world did we survive?" So I am writing it down. . . Instead of folding the three piles of laundry while listening to HK cry because she woke herself up an hour early from her nap (sorry sugar find your paci and get on it, I am not coming in until nap is done).
So yes, this is what we have been doing lately and some as the weeks have passed. Every week looks different, but they basically have this skeleton to go off of.
