Our days are a variation of lots of activities. Some days we are at home all day, some days we are in the car all day getting errands done, and most days are a mix of it all. We stay busy and try to make sure that the busy-ness is a good one.
I randomly picked a day to record what our life is like:
I'm up at 5:30 for my workout. Bike and a short swim. Then off to home to get the boys up, dressed, and ready for the day.
Breakfast--Evy: none (kid won't eat before 9:30). Merritt: turkey SAUSAGE and yogurt. Mom: oatmeal with quinoa.
8:00 They play at the gym while I get a long swim in (yes, swimming twice in the same morning makes me tired, but I've got a logic behind it) and then back home for snack.
10:00 Summer Homeschool. It is going amazingly well. Evy is working on reading and Merritt is eager to accomplish whatever I ask him to try. We do all kinds of things from reading, art stuff, walking around outside, to drawing on the board in the garage. Next week we are going to hit the outdoors really hard. I have some plans for us to get done before it gets hot. I am really enjoying this time with them.
12:00 Lunch. Typical: peanut butter and jelly sandwiches or leftovers. Today's menu--bean soup. Thankfully, they ate it.
12:30 Play. Today the boys have been superhero/pirating it with costumes and props and sound effects. They take this play *very* seriously, like they totally know it is their job to play.
Evy: Ironman, I need you.
Merritt: Hold on! I'm getting my armour on. ch-ch-ch-ch!
Evy: Wook at all my TREAAAASSSUUUUREEEE!
Evy: Don't look. Go tell Mom a joke.
Merritt (looking at me): HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
(guess that is his version of a joke)
If I need to redirect, I have to make sure that I do it in character and use the appropriate superhero name.
2:30 Quiet Time. Otherwise known as: IthinkIamgoingtopaybillsandgetworkdone but I end up entertaining Evy and Merritt, or at least refereeing between the two of them. This goes on as I try to sneak in getting some chores done and paying a bill or two. I usually am on toy standby ready to transform BumbleBee or help them put on a costume or fix something that broke . . . like Spiderman's head "accidentally" coming off his body. Sometimes, we take a break and watch a show related to whatever they are playing--today we skipped the show, but, yesterday, we took a look at how skunks spray that smell.
4:30 By the end of the day, we transition to the outside where they come in every 30 seconds to tell me something. What people don't realize (or forget) is that it is a miracle that dinner ever gets cooked to any form of completion.
5:30/6:00 or whenever dinner! We usually wait for Erik to come home for dinner. Today, we needed to eat without him.
6:30 The boys are screaming with excitement. This is a sure fire indicator that Erik is home. Each time he comes through that door, it is as if the boys are watching fireworks for the very first time.
After dinner: we run errands, go on walks, practice baseball, go to baseball games, play boardgames, get some chores done.
Today: a walk through the neighborhood.
What makes the walks successful is our "ticket" system for crossing the street. Merritt is, uh, enthusiastic when it comes to crossing streets. Our rule is you have to have a "ticket"--one of our hands--and then you look both ways. Once we cross the street, we squeeze the boys' hands and make a clicking sound as if we are punching their tickets. I am so that that works!
8:30 Boys are in bed. Lots of songs, requests for stories, COLD water, and we "blankie" the boys. I visit Merritt's room until 9:00 as he has a hard time winding down.
