Pages

Saturday 7 January 2012

A "Typical" Day

I get asked many times about what we do all day and how I get it all done. My first response is usually, one, the Lord helps me A LOT, and two, I have to schedule and plan EVERY THING! Now don't get me wrong, if you asked me to describe myself, being scheduled is not one of the top ten characteristics! I'm a huge procrastinator...my big weakness!



That being said, I have been thinking a lot about what I do in a day, especially when I don't get everything done.  Before I begin though, I'm a huge believer in planners (mine is a paper journal, but many opt for digital-doesn't matter, as long as you have one!) and to-do lists (even if its jotting things down on scraps of paper).

So, a "typical" day:

I wake up around 7am, read my Bible, study, and pray. If the kiddos are still asleep, I exercise then shower. Since Micah is usually awake by the time I'm done praying, my exercise usually has to wait till the afternoon or evening and I throw on some clothes, wash my face and get to the kitchen to throw in the first of 4 to 5 loads of laundry that I do a day and start breakfast. Breakfast used to consist of cereal and toast, but have lately been convicted of actually cooking a hot meal. I've always hesitated cooking hot breakfast (my excuse was that it took too long), but now love doing it!



The kids are usually up by 8 or so and the big kids read their Bibles and start on their morning chore lists. Usually everyone is finished and down at the breakfast table by 9, and we eat breakfast together and Daddy reads the Bible to us or has a short devotion for us.  Everyone does their table chores and I take the littles up to wash up.


The big kids start on their school work and I work with the littles for a couple of hours. By noon most schoolwork is finished and I start another load of laundry and then make lunch (been trying to do more than just sammies then, too!) The kids tidy up their school books and toys while listening to music or turn on "Dogs 101" on the computer. After lunch, table chores get done and story/activity time commences for the littles. Then the big kids finish up their work, read, or work on a hobby, while the littles nap for a couple hours. Mommy ususally grades papers, works on her Avon orders, cleans a bathroom, throws in more laundry, has a cup of coffee and views FB on her phone. Sometimes I use this time to Zumba and take a shower, depending on how the AM went (I try to workout 3-4 times a week).

In the late afternoon we do "4 o'clock chores". Each kid has a room they are in charge of to clean (the goal is to have the house ready by the time Daddy comes home at about half 4). The littles each have a buddy and they help the big kids. If dinner isn't in the crockpot, I start dinner.

After dinner, table chores again, baths and some family time, sometimes a board game, reading aloud, or a little tv. Little kids in bed by 8 and big kids at 8(theoretically...obviously on Wednesday nights we have Bible study at church and bed time is very late and so is wake up time the next day). Mommy works on lesson plans, menu planning, orders Avon, studies for the ladies Bible study or exerices and showers and then collapses on the couch with hubby for an hour before bed time!

Variations of our day include, karate on Monday evenings and Saturday mornings for the big boys, ballet for Felicity on Tuesday afternoons, piano lessons for Emily and Zachary on Thursday mornings and Bible study on Wednesday nights.  Thursday evening is reserved for either a Ladies Bible study (once a month), a Family Feast night (to reward the kids for their hard work, also once a month) or to have a family from our church over for dinner. Friday is usually a field trip or a family day, Saturday we prepare for church, and Sunday we are at church, ususally all day.



So, that's it! How it gets done through careful planning and lots of hard work! Spending time in God's Word and in prayer before I start each day is essential! Without putting the Lord first, there is no way I could do what I do everyday. He is a constant source of strength in my life. Everyday HAS to start with Him first!

Until next time....

1 comment:

  1. Wow wow wow what an enjoyable and encouraging piece of reading my dear Lisa. I just love the way your ORGANISED days go...of course they are...as well as your kids are just great! I like the way you run your family: everyone is included in everything, everyone has a chore to do every day instead of mummy doing it all and feeling completely worn out at the end of the day while the kids have been watching TV for hours. Of course there is nothing wrong with watching TV. We all have days when the kids will watch more TV than usual but it's not every day, is it?
    I completely agree with you on the fact that if mummy is organised first then everything else will fall into place, otherwise someone else will be running the house. And let's not forget the Lord, he does give strength and everything we need, we just need to ask Him. Simple!
    I love reading your blog Lisa. Just keep posting pls. I'm already one of your biggest fans. So encouraging and sweet. I know that if you can do all these things with 6 kids, so I can do the same with one! Thanks lovely! Praying for you and the family.
    Love u...Val. xx

    ReplyDelete