A Day in Our Life with a 2, 4, 8, and 10 year old

It's that time of year again when with others at Simple Homeschool, I record an entire day and everyone can see the craziness that is my life!  You can see previous years HERE and HERE. 

Cast of Characters:
Me
My husband Nicholas
Claire - Age 10
Chandler - Age 8
Fiona - Age 4
Declan - Age 2

Wednesday, March 8, 2017

6:40am - I wake up to the pitter patter of Declan's feet coming up the stairs to our bedroom.  Nicholas has overslept and is still in bed.  He takes Declan back downstairs to get his cup and start the TV and gives me a few minutes to wake up.  Fiona soon is up the stairs as well, but she wants to snuggle in bed with me.  This is her special time of the day and I hate to mess that up.  We cuddle under the warm blankets.  She starts chattering at me.

6:54am - We head downstairs.  Declan has his juice cup and blanket and is watching Ninjago.  I get to talk to Nicholas a few minutes while he is getting ready and my water for my tea is boiling.

Sleepy babies

7:16am - After changing Declan I take my phone and tea and snuggle in the recliner with Declan and Fiona.  Nicholas heads to work.

7:25am - Claire wanders downstairs and snuggles with Zelda the cat on the couch while she wakes up.

7:42am - I get up to refresh my tea and put some food in the slow cooker for tonight.  Chandler stumbles out of his room and comes to get a hug.  I put a load of laundry on in the basement and come up to find Claire already started her schoolwork.  It's not a bad day for her, just journaling, English, spelling, math, cursive, and writing out a times table.  I check on the Littles and they are playing in Fiona's room.  I change Declan's diaper again. 

Schoolwork in her pajamas

Fiona's messy room!

8:05am - Chandler makes himself breakfast and sits to watch more Ninjago.  I throw a bagel in for Declan and Claire sweet talks me into making one for her.  I check with Fiona and she says she's too busy playing.  I stop to help Claire with her math.  Fiona runs out of her room completely naked yelling, "It's Naked Girl!!"  I hustle her back into her bedroom to get dressed.  Declan is sitting in his cozy coupe eating his bagel.

The boys!

 8:24am - Fiona heads outside to visit my mom who lives behind us.  I finally start on my own breakfast.

8:35am - My mom is meeting someone to take our extra rooster so she brings Fiona back - apparently Fiona just went down there to ask for more breakfast.  I make her some toast.

8:41am - I finally sit down with my slightly cold breakfast.  I try to have a good breakfast on Wednesday because we are on the run much of the day and I won't have much time for lunch.  I have a chicken apple sausage with eggs and wheat toast with homemade apple butter.  Claire comes over and goes over the chores she has done so far today.  She trying to earn enough tickets so she can watch a YouTube video here and play Minecraft at Chandler's gymnastics lesson later (Our ticket system explained HERE.)  Declan comes over and starts begging for the eggs off my plate.  Chandler starts his schoolwork with a cursive handwriting app on the tablet.

Little breakfast thief

 9:03am - Fiona starts yelling that Declan messed up the tent in her room.  I head in there to fix it and Mom gets back and we talk for a few minutes.  She heads out to feed our rabbits and chickens (we share them) and I go to take a shower.

9:40am - I hear fighting and get out of the shower.  Break it up and go get dressed and finish getting ready.  I help Chandler with his math and start to head down to get the laundry when I realize I need to change Declan's diaper again.

Chandler hard at work

Claire watching Minecraft videos on Youtube

9:53am - Head down to get laundry to hang it out on the line.  Send Claire to take a shower.

It's a disaster, but they are having fun. 

 10:02am - Head back upstairs after sorting laundry and getting another load ready.  Find Declan with a pen and hope he didn't write on anything.  Finally go out to hang laundry.

10:22am - Mom helped me finish hanging the laundry.  Come in and help brush teeth and hair for all the kids.

10:27am - I pack a snack bag for gymnastics and get eggs ready to bring a friend,  Claire gets her stuff ready to entertain herself during gymnastics and her library books together.

10:40am - We head outside and put everything in the van.  We stop out back to check on the rabbits because we have new babies and another doe due.

Baby bunnies!

Hagrid the rooster and one of his ladies

Our sweet Gimli boy

Claire and her chicken Blondie!

My Mom with Kaylee the chicken

11:00am - Get everyone loaded in the van and head out.

Claire loves being in the front seat now that she is 5'.

Back of the van!

11:15am - Get to gymnastics, but walk across the road to see Poppy (my grandfather).  He is in the nursing home/rehab center across the street from gymnastics for a few weeks due to a blood staph infection that requires daily IV antibiotics.  He enjoys seeing the kids, but they get a little wild in his room so we head back across the street to gymnastics.

12:00pm - I tear Chandler away from where he is talking with his friends to start his gymnastics class.  Our gym has a weekly homeschool class and they enjoy seeing their friends and Claire, Fiona and Declan get to talk and play with the siblings also waiting during class.  And I get to talk to my fellow homeschool moms.  It's actually pretty nice.

Fiona, Declan, and friend

Chandler waiting for his turn on the trampoline.

 12:40pm - Maybe I spoke too soon.  I spent most of today chasing Declan.  We had open gymnastics earlier this week so now he knows the fun available out there and it's been a battle keeping him off the gym floor!

1:07pm - Leave gymnastics and head home.  Everyone is rushed in the door and given lunch.  Claire makes herself a bagel, Chandler has a peanut butter sandwich, Fiona and Declan have hummus and crackers.  I quickly eat a yogurt and cheese stick.  My mom comes up and she will watch Fiona and Declan while they nap.

1:38pm - Claire, Chandler, and I are back out the door.  On Wednesdays we go to the next town 20 miles away and meet Claire's Orton-Gillingham tutor at the library there.  Chandler likes to go too and look at books and play on the computers.  I am so grateful that Mom doesn't mind hanging out at my house, because that means I don't have to chase Littles the whole time, but can sit in the quiet.  I usually journal, read, play on my phone, cross-stitch or crochet, or work on my school planning and/or records.  On the drive over we listen to our History textbook on CD.  Today we learned about the English Civil War and Oliver Cromwell.  We then got into the philosophical discussion of religious freedom, what that means, and what "hearing God's voice" means.  When we get to the library Claire heads in with her tutor, Chandler settles at the computers and I find my favorite comfy seat.

Such a beautiful library in this town. 

Chandler on the computer.

Claire in the study room with her tutor.

My comfy spot.

Working in my planner/homeschool records.  I love this planner! 

3:56pm - Claire's tutoring finished at 3:15, but I ended up talking to her tutor for a while discussing the rest of the year and the best next step for her.  I tear the kids away from the computers, check out their books, and we leave the library.

4:09pm - Stop by the day old bread store to get bread for the rabbits.  During the winter when we can't give them armfuls of fresh grass we give them a half a slice of the grainiest bread I can buy.  They like it and it's a good extra calorie when it is cold.

4:41pm - Get home. Immediately deal with Littles who apparently missed me "SO MUCH!!".  Shred the pork that's in the slow cooker and put the BBQ sauce in.  Bring laundry off the line and let Fiona and Declan play outside.  Begin folding the laundry along with all the baskets that have been sitting waiting for me the last few days.  Deal with Chandler and Fiona fighting.  Claire and Chandler have been doing chores to watch a Minecraft video on Youtube including getting eggs, emptying the dishwasher, straightening the living room, etc.  They sit and watch.

Being silly.

5:29pm - Put potato wedges in the oven.  Finish folding laundry.  Realize Fiona and Declan have taken all the pillows out of their bedrooms and are piling them as a huge tower.  I don't really want to know why.  Stop them and clean that up.

That's a lot of laundry.

6:00pm - Take school papers and file them. Get a text from Nicholas that he will be home in one hour.  Go through some papers.

Claire and Chandler watching Minecraft videos on Youtube. 

6:13pm - The kids finish their video and I tell them to set the table.  I'm getting tired.  Gotta keep moving.  I check dinner and start putting Fiona and Declan's clothes away.  Claire puts her laundry away after she is done setting the table.

I love it when kids are happily doing chores! 

6:29pm - I put my own clothes away and Chandler is chasing Fiona and Declan around the house with his remote control car.  They think it is hysterical.

Run Fiona!

6:35pm - I sit for a moment on Facebook and Declan comes to me to tell me his diaper fell off.  Then he runs away laughing and I have to catch him.

6:38pm - Start pulling dinner out and hear a scream.  Declan ran into the door frame while running.  After a few snuggles he seems fine.

6:50pm - Sit down to eat.

Everyone happily eating!

7:00pm - Nicholas texts that he is on the way and we all stare out the front window as we are eating waiting for him.

7:09pm - Nicholas walks in the door!  The kids are done eating.  They go play and Nicholas fixes a plate.  We talk as he eats.

7:31pm - We start cleaning up from dinner and I wash the dishes.

7:40pm - Nicholas gets a call that his step-father is in the hospital with his heart issues.  He quickly puts the Littles in pajamas, changes out of his dirty work clothes, and goes.  Chandler gets in the shower.  The Littles decide to watch Ninjago.

8:00pm - I sit at the computer and start to type this up.  Claire and Fiona are fighting over the recliner.  Chandler gets out of the shower and sits on the floor.

Everyone looks comfy!

8:31pm - Everyone disappears and I realize they are all in the boys' room.  I warn them that everyone needs to be calm because it is almost bedtime.

8:43pm - Declan asks to "nuggle chair".  Fiona, Declan and I settle on the couch.

8:54pm - I start the kids on brushing their teeth and getting in bed.

9:06pm - Nicholas walks in just after the kids are tucked in and prayed for.  He goes around to give them all kisses and I put on pajamas.  He reminds me that we need to type up his bill for the week.  I type it up for him and fight with the printer to get it printed out in a readable fashion.  Nicholas and I talk and he tells me what is going on.

9:41pm - We settle down to watch an episode of Smallville (no judging!).  I enjoy a chai latte and Zelda the cat on my lap.

Pretty Zelda!

10:31pm - Nicholas and I head upstairs to read in bed a few minutes before passing out.  Good night everyone!

Baby Chicks!

Our baby chicks are here! 

We got 15 chicks this time around from Meyer Hatchery.  We decided on 6 Speckled Sussex, 4 Gold Laced Wyandottes, 3 Salmon Faverolles, and 2 Delawares.  They are adorable!  The kids are in love.

New Farm Additions!

Last night my mom and I picked up three 3 week old Easter Eggers and six 1 week old Maran chickens!  They are all in the chicken tractor together and seem to be getting along well.  The little ones keep hiding under the bigger chicks and it's so sweet! 

We also received a trio of New Zealands!  We got a New Zealand Red pair (buck and doe) and a New Zealand White doe.  Very excited!  Now we just need to finish repairing the new hutch we got with them! 

Our new buck named Rory

Meet Coconut

Sweet Apple

Expanded Chicken Run!

We have some happy hens (and roosters)!  We tripled their run this weekend and they now have fres grass again and should still be safe from predators.  It's around 1,000 square feet for them to wander and play now. They are very happy scratching under the rabbit cages and finding all the bugs!

I am beat.  Mom and I ran nearly 80 feet of fencing while connecting the pens and it wasn't as simple as it sounds.  Have you ever tried to take down old fence and put new fence up all while trying to keep 30 odd chickens from escaping?  And while trying to keep an eye on two toddlers playing in the yard around you?  

The rabbit cages are still tarped and stapled with feed bags for the winter.  It stops the wind and keeps their hutches cozy. 

Happy chickens!

My Day with an 18 month, 3, 6 and 9 year old

Simple Homeschool has been posting their "Day in The Life" series which I love every year.  I did one myself last year and decided to do it again.  It's fun to see!  This was a fairly normal, imperfect day on the rare occurrence lately that we get to stay home all day.

Cast of Characters:
Declan - 18 months old
Fiona - 3 years old
Chandler - 6 years old, will turn 7 at the end of this month!
Claire - 9 and a half years old

Tuesday, February 16, 2016

O Dark 30 - Fiona joins us in bed, which already has Declan in it as well.  She cannot get comfortable and wants "nuggles".

5:29am - I give up and get up with her.  Daddy is already up and getting ready for work.  I make a cup of Yerba Mate tea and give Fiona a nutrigrain bar and a cup of juice and we settle in the recliner with a comfy blanket with Backyardigans ... and Peppa Pig ... and Vic the Viking .... I doze and Facebook on my phone.

7:34am - Declan and Chandler are up at a more normal time.  Declan wanders around playing after getting a drink and a nutrigrain bar.  Chandler starts on chores so he can get some tablet screen time.  Fiona starts playing Hungry, Hungry Hippos.

7:52am - Chandler earns enough for 20 minutes on Minecraft by cleaning the kitty litter, folding the towels and cloth napkins and sorting the socks.  He settles down and I start breakfast for myself.

8:02am - After interruptions I finally sit with two pieces of sourdough toast with butter and a cheese omelet from eggs our hens laid yesterday.  Fiona sits with me with a bowl of cereal.

8:19am - I put in a load of laundry and help Chandler start his breakfast of a bagel, make Declan a scrambled egg, and start getting Declan and Fiona dressed.  During all this Claire wanders downstairs.

 

9:00am - Claire has quickly done some chores to earn some Minecraft time.  I start to get in the shower, but find Fiona playing with my salve.  I take it away and clean her up a little, then get in the shower.

9:22am - Come down from getting dressed to find my mom (who lives out back) here to get the chicken scraps.  We take turns feeding the chickens and rabbits that we raise together and today is her turn.  Fiona is playing dress-up, Declan is playing with his toys.  I send Chandler to get dressed and Claire to get breakfast.  I brush Fiona and Declan's teeth.

9:42am - Claire, Chandler and Fiona are playing Hungry, Hungry Hippos while Claire eats breakfast.

10:00am - Mom comes back up to discuss the day.  Claire goes to get dressed.

10:10am - Claire goes to get the eggs since she forgot yesterday while Chandler starts his schoolwork.  Fiona plays at the table with us.  Today they only have their journal writing, Math, English, and Science reading to do.

 

10:27am - Claire starts her schoolwork and I take my camera away from Fiona.

10:35am - Take Chandler's K'nex creation away from Declan.  Chandler takes a break to go fetch the trash cans from the road.  Fiona pulls the stool from the kitchen to look at our developing frog eggs on the buffet.

10:42am - Take markers away from Fiona.

10:57am - Chandler finishes his sit down work.  I help Fiona straighten her room.  Claire is doing her math.

11:01am - Fiona falls apart because of something Chandler does, comfort her.

11:28am - Claire finishes her sit down work, we still have science reading to do this afternoon.  Chandler has finished enough chores to play Minecraft again.  Claire and I dump Declan's toy basket to organize it.  Declan loves that.  We move the couch and find a crazy amount of stuff.  I put Pandora on so we have some music to get us moving.

12:17pm - Start making lunch.  Chandler and Fiona have leftover kielbasa and boiled potatoes from last night.  Claire has two peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and Declan has a grilled cheese sandwich.
 

12:56pm - Claire and Chandler go to their rooms for an hour of quiet time and reading.  I put Fiona in her bed with a couple books to nap and walk with Declan for a few minutes until he falls asleep and I can put him in his crib.  Finally lunch for me!  I steal some of my husband's lunch meat and make a pastrami sandwich.  I sit at the computer to eat and check my email.

2:15pm - Claire and Chandler come out and Claire uses her tickets to play Minecraft.

2:48pm - I am making Hungarian Goulash for dinner that needs to simmer for 2+ hours so I go start dinner.  Declan wakes up very fussy and needs Mommy.  I end up letting Claire start dinner while I hold Declan and direct/help.

3:33pm - Fiona gets up from her nap and is extremely whiny.  She wants to play with Claire's Legos and Claire doesn't wamt her to.  Chandler is running around cleaning and trying to earn tickets. 

3:50pm - Claire ends up taking Fiona to play with her Megablocks and Declan slides off my lap to join them.  I head into the kitchen to wash dishes.

4:15pm - I help Fiona with her Legos while Claire goes and gets the afternoon eggs even though it just started raining.  Chandler brought in wood, made his bed, cleaned the dining room floor and straightened his bedroom so was able to play another 20 minutes on Minecraft.

4:20pm - I sit down to start typing some of this up.

4:39pm - Claire and Chandler disappear upstairs to Claire's room to play to Fiona's complete disappointment.  Since it's raining out and she's out of sorts I let her put a Barbie movie in.

5:05pm - I hear water running and Claire says "It's okay!  I'm just doing Chandler's hair!"

5:12pm - Declan and I snuggle.  He gives the best hugs!

5:33pm - Just as I go in to finish up dinner Daddy gets home.  Hugs and kisses from everyone!  He changes out of his work clothes while I finish dinner and Claire and Chandler set the table.  We all sit down to eat.

6:19pm - Daddy helps me clean up from dinner and I wash dishes while he wrangles kids and lets them each have a Vienna Finger cookie as a treat.

6:44pm - Daddy has a meeting about work tonight so he starts putting the babies in pajamas before going. 

7:12pm - Daddy leaves for his meeting.  The kids curl up to watch Netflix.

8:13pm - The big kids go to get pajamas on.

8:19pm - Fiona asks me to snuggle her on the couch.

8:43pm - I tell the kids they don't have time for another episode because it is too close to bedtime.   After the awful display I get from Claire and Chandler I send everyone packing off to bed immediately. 

8:52pm - After teeth brushing, I pray for Claire, Chandler and Fiona and tuck them in bed.  Declan and I settle in the chair with an episode of West Wing on Netflix.  That show never gets old.

9:08pm - Declan is asleep.

9:33pm - Daddy gets home and we talk for a few minutes.  He takes Declan up to his crib for me. 

9:48pm - I change into pajamas, make some tea and popcorn and curl up in the recliner.  Daddy sits with Claire and talks with her since she is still up reading.  After he comes back downstairs we snuggle up on the couch together and watch Netflix for one episode. 

10:54pm - We head to bed, morning comes quickly.  As my head touches the pillow I realize that we never got around to reading our science ....