A Day in the Life

I woke up to a grumpy boy who just wanted cuddled. No, not my husband-- Daniel! It was so sad, because I really needed to get out of bed and he kept saying "Mommy! I neeeeeeeeeeed you!" And really, what mother's heart can resist that? Finally, Michael and Katie Grace piled into the bed (Nicholas was already there) and distracted him, and I was able to sneak downstairs.

I made the breakfast muffins and got the ox tails on the stove to make broth. Michael unloaded the dish drainer and Katie Grace started on sorting the laundry. I also brewed some iced tea. When the muffins were done baking, I went up for my shower. While I was up there I also managed to put away my laundry and the two little boys laundry and straighten out our night table. I'm trying to do a tiny bit of our room each day.

Back downstairs, breakfast was over and the laundry was all sorted. The kids worked on taking it up and I dressed Daniel and finished the dishes, and our day was off to a running start.

First on the agenda, after devotions and morning prayer, was Story of the World. We worked on a map of the American Revolution and learned about the three branches of American government. I don't know why this fascinated the kids, but it did. Well, the older two. Daniel and Nicholas were in the living room playing with balls.

Next,we worked on the first step of this beautiful Nativity painting. Everyone painted, even the littlest ones.


Michael and Katie Grace got started on their independent work and Daniel and Nicholas and I had our Advent circle time. It was lovely. I love how the Advent wreath and the ever-increasing lighting of the candles is such a concrete representation of getting closer and closer to Christmas!

I worked with Nicholas a little. We're telling a lot of "joining stories," rudimentary addition really, and he's shocking me with how much he gets it. I could write a whole post on Nicholas, but he's my most... immature? still incarnating? wild?... child of them all. He's a smart kid, but very much in his own little world. We're doing fingerknitting with some nice chunky wool, and he finished the bookmark he's making for Daddy for Christmas. He's so proud!

Nicholas went off to work on his own and it was time for Katie Grace's main lesson-- Joseph and dreams and learning to find averages, oh my! She drew beautiful illustrations of Joseph's dream and the dream of the baker and the cupbearer.

A quick snack of crackers and cheese, and it was back for Michael's main lesson. We're doing Moving Beyond the Page again, and again, I am underwhelmed. We'll not be buying any of the units again. Today we talked about free verse and how a poet uses words to set the mood.

In between main lessons, I sorted through coupons and made short work of my big pile o' stuff. I also worked on our lunch stew and did a few more loads of laundry.

Lunch was yummy. Much better than yesterday's chemical dogs. We cleaned up a bit and then read another chapter in The Silver Chair. And then... we were finished. Michael had orchestra and I had intended to teach Katie Grace some piano, but I had a headache and elected to take a short nap instead. Tough to do with Daniel climbing all over me, but I managed.

We've switched things up a bit, putting the group stuff in the morning rather than in the afternoon, and it's made a huge difference. I hope you had a happy, peaceful day as well!