You may have noticed Raising Arrows has slowed down a bit. It’s been very peaceful here in my neck of the woods, and part of that is a slower attitude all around. (See my post on what I’m doing about all the stress this world causes.)
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I’ve started getting up earlier (Thank you, Make Over Your Mornings!), and enjoying about an hour of time before the children start straggling into the kitchen. The children get their own breakfasts (with help, of course), but my breafkast of choice these days is oatmeal with 1 tsp coconut sugar and a sprinkle of chocolate chips because I’m doing Trim Healthy Mama without stevia. The oatmeal really keeps me going throughout the morning hours when school is in full swing.
Morning is spent on workbooks and “every day” school subjects. Today, I managed to sneak in a chapter from Pocketful of Pinecones. It inspires both me and the children! I’ve decided when we head out to do our Back to Homeschool shopping (even though we school year round), I will purchase Nature Notebooks and clipboards for my 4, 6, 9, and 10 year olds. Even the simple reading of this book has made them more aware of the nature around them. I think I will also buy a copy of Comstock’s Handbook of Nature Sudy from Amazon. I own the free e-version, but at heart, I’m still a real, live bibliophile (plus, I said I was going to spend LESS time on the computer. 😉 )
About 11 am, Aspen wants to nurse and take a nap, so I head to my room and curl up in my ugly gold chair and put on a mom movie – something like Miss Potter – that I’ve downloaded to my Kindle or stream from Amazon Prime (Miss Potter is available right now for Prime members). Not many people in the house want to watch mom movies, so this is my time to catch a few minutes of a movie that is more my speed.
Aspen now sleeps in a playpen in our room, having outgrown the Snugabunny. I lay her down, and quietly sneak out of the room to return to school with the others.
I spend my time on the floor with my little boys while my olders work on their own. Blake has finished his Economics course, and is working through Chemistry. He will follow it up with David Copperfield – his first ever Dickens novel, outside of A Christmas Carol.
Megan is racing through her school work in order to get back to crocheting a black hoodie – a pattern she found on Pinterest. I’m anxious to see the finished product. I’m amazed by all the things that girl can do – she is truly a Creative. She’s been spending most of her free time this week doing “quiet” crafts because last week was a busy week for her as she worked as a Counselor in Training at a Deaf Camp. Her dreams of becoming an interpreter seem nearer and nearer.
In between working with the middles and littles, I switch laundry loads and fold the clean clothes on the couch. My older girl’s and my toddler boy’s clothes are piled together – the girls will sort them out and get them put away since his clothes go in their dresser. My two oldest boys are piled together as well, and then there is a pile for my clothes along with my husband’s and baby girl. The little guys (age 4 & 6) are sorted according to the drawers in their heavy-duty plastic “dresser” so they can easily put things away where they belong –
Micah – daytime clothes
Garin – daytime clothes
Jammies (mixed)
Socks/Undies (mixed)
They are so close in age that most of their clothing is interchangeable. In fact, I find when it’s not me doing the laundry, their things get mixed up. I also secretly culled a few long-sleeve shirts my 4 year old has been hanging on to – and yes, wearing, despite the 100 degree temps! After lunch, I will call them all to put their clothes away as part of Tidy-Up Time.
Around noon, I call my 17 year old son in to start lunch. Today, he chose a frozen pizza we had hanging around in the freezer and the myriad of leftovers lurking in the fridge. I had a salad with diced chicken and spicy ranch dressing. We didn’t bother to clean the toys from the table before eating – some days it just makes sense to eat with knights and Army men.
By this time, Aspen was awake and wanted some “real” food too. I’ve been buying organic baby food from the store. I know I could be making food for her, but this is one place I’m willing to “cut corners” and save myself some time and energy.
As the older kids work through their Table Chores, I send the little boys (ages 2, 4, 6) to the bathroom and then to Rest Time. This is a fairly new “revival” of our old Rest Time. The first day was a test of my patience, but the second day didn’t even require me to stand guard outside the door. The 4 and 2 year old are in one room. The 2 year old goes to sleep and the 4 year old is allowed up after an hour. The same goes for the 6 year old in the other room. I could put the two of them together, but I’ve found they don’t really “rest” when they are together.
While they are resting, I do Tapestry of Grace with my olders (ages 9 and up). Today, however, was a project just for my middles – moccasins made from brown felt. I traced around their feet, added a top and back sewn on with embroidery floss, we cut fringe, and my 10 year old daughter added beads. This was a 2 day project studying the Plains Indians. I read about the various tribes and how they lived while they hand-sewed their moccasins. The children were so pleased with the lessons, they ended up playing “Indians” with their brothers when they got up from Rest Time. (Want to know more about Tapestry of Grace? Visit my TOG Page!)
During the rest of the afternoon hours, my oldest son worked on a website he is building for his airsoft team, and my daughter crocheted. Eventually, Aspen was ready for her long nap of the day, so we went back into my room to snuggle and nurse. The computer I am currently using was in my room, so after she fell asleep, I took a bit to type up a few of my thoughts and answer a couple of emails. My MacBook is in the repair shop, so I’m using a computer I’m not used to. Funny how using an unfamiliar laptop can make typing a chore. I ended up spending more time gazing out my window at the sunlight in the trees than actually writing anything coherent. But, nature is a better break than a computer screen can ever be.
Upon leaving my room, I packed away into storage the Bumbo. Aspen can sit on her own now, and I’m never one to leave baby paraphernalia out any longer than necessary. But, I will be honest, it’s difficult watching her grow up. Baby Aspen is 7 months old now. It seems so surreal. She is near the age Emily was when she passed away. She is so like Emmy, yet so different. It is still strange to me to have a little girl after all these years.
Because it is Aspen’s 7 month old “birthday”, once she awakens, Megan and I head out to do a quick photo shoot in the front yard. Since she is sitting up, I put her in a flat-bottomed basket near a tree. She wears an outfit that reminds me of Emmy. Megan used to call Emily her little strawberry, so I put Aspen in a “little strawberry” outfit with a bright pink headband, and Megan spends a good hour shooting photos with her new portrait lens.
I’m thankful supper is already simmering. We are having roast in the electric skillet. It’s best this way. Sear it on both sides and then add some water and spices, and let it simmer. Pair it with broccoli and you have a wonderful meal to end your day.
At the end of the meal, we tidied the house to ready it for the evening. A friend recently called it “putting the house to bed.” I like that.
Once the house was finished, I cut boys’ hair and got them showered and jammied. We ended the evening by reading in Heidi and discussing the upcoming weekend.
Since Ty was gone for the evening, I did a little redecorating in the kitchen, turning my hideously bare pot rack into something that makes me smile.
The grater was my grandmother’s. The other things are items I have collected and decorated with over the years. I once had a landlord who laughed at my love of foliage inside my house. Perhaps I am a tree hugger at heart – in the Creationist sense of the word, that is.
It felt good to crawl into bed and pull the covers up to my chin. The sheets are cool and the quilt is just the right weight. I set the alarm on my phone and place it on the windowsill. When I awake, I know my little daughter will be in my arms – the thought of this makes me smile myself to sleep.
What is your day like? Have questions for me about my day? Leave a comment!
Elizabeth says
I’d love more details on making a roast in an electric skillet! I never thought of that! But I love my electric skillet!
Amy says
Sure! This is something Ty’s grandmother always did. I’ll see if I can post a recipe sometime, but the basic idea is to sear it on both sides, and then add some water and seasonings (she always added onion soup mix, but I’m not real fond of that), and then let it simmer and shred. We didn’t let it go as long as that, but it really is better when you can do that. It doesn’t take much water if you keep the lid on (replenish as needed).
MrsMomof7 says
What a sweet day.
Our day was a little less calm and restful. I got up a bit too late and was greeted by the smiling faces of children, and one grumpy face. Poor D3-6yo, sliced her scalp open on Tuesday. She was anxious for some Tylenol when we got up. She got three stitches in the gaping wound, the slice had gone through the entire scalp right down to the bone. Pretty incredible. But we are thanking the Lord for sparing her a much more serious injury or death, as she got this slice by “flipping” into the concrete pool. Somehow she managed to only slice the scalp, and not bang her head! No impact, just a laceration. God’s hand of mercy was surely upon her! If it had only been a couple more centimeters she could have died, or been seriously injured.
Well, after giving her Tylenol, I ask the kids to get their shoes on so we can walk across the street to the park and get free breakfast. The city offers free school meals all summer long at the park across the street. Breakfast and Lunch! I must confess its not typically the most healthy option, but it sure saves my budget, so that I can spend money on school things!
When we come back the little boys are rambunctious, my 4yo is crying over something, AGAIN, and the 2yo is probably to blame. I have a tender-hearted 4yo boy followed by a commander type 2yo boy. The 2yo is always expressing his prowess and domination over the 4yo. It’s really crazy some days!
At our breakfast table I go over the week’s long chore list, because some of the kids have been saying they have done something, but not actually doing it WELL. Plus, with the interruption of stitches some of the chores were over looked. So I reassign chores around the table, and by God’s wonderful mercy, nearly everyone is cheerful and ready to help out. My 12yo son is the most eager, and this is a wonderful thing, because he really sets the tone, and has lately been struggling with his own attitude.
The children clean up the table, and kitchen and start on the long chore list, while I sit down to nurse the 6mo, and rock him to sleep. After a bit, we watch a tv show called “Mountain Men” on Netflix. Then we walk across the park for lunch.
We carry the lunch back through the thick humidity, and 90+ degree temps, and I wonder yet again, why the Lord had to move us to Florida! I have a brief discussion with my oldest children about how I had a temper tantrum with the Lord about moving here, and how God really showed me how immature I am at heart. But that He loves me, and that I know it was His plan that we move here… the point being that we all have to obey, even when it isn’t all fun and roses, and our personal happiness is not always the bottom line, and that we can learn contentment where ever we are…
At home I cook up some hamburger patties and mushrooms and onions for my AIP kid and myself. The other kids eat the strange spaghetti with cheese and chicken, carrots and apples and milk. Then we all clean up. I check in with my oldest son, to see where he is on the list of chores and schoolwork he has. He still has to mow the lawn (which means I have to sit outside and watch him, during his probation period with a new electric mower.) He has to brush the pool, and he still has schoolwork. But his attitude is good, so I am confident he will complete most of it.
I get the urge to go shopping, to compare prices on school supplies and hit Staples.
My oldest and I mow the yard, while the kids inside get a few minutes to play computer games, for doing bonus chores. Then I hurry them all into their shoes and into the hot van, to go hunting for food and school supplies.
We hit BJ’s around 2:30 and gather up a few things. While we are there, we are stared at by everyone we pass. The children are counted “umpteen times”, and I try to be cheerful to all the people with myriad questions and comments. I used to enjoy showing off my family, and talking to people about the kids… but lately I am irritable about it, just wanting to be left alone, and not stand out like a circus everywhere I go! I know my attitude is wrong, and that I am overlooking many opportunities to share the gospel, so I am trying to overcome my frustrations and slow down, so that I can really interact with people with my full attention.
We leave BJ’s around 4:30 and head to Staples. At Staples the little boys start RUNNING up and down the aisles, and then tackling each other… (did I mention how I hate to have attention called to our family?!) I make them both sit on the floor near the cart/buggy, so that I can actually THINK about what I am trying to buy. After 2 long hours of price comparing, and gathering supplies, we try to check out. Apparently time has slipped by because it is nearing 7! when the store is closing up. They spend 15 minutes ringing me up and checking my amazon comparison rates, so I can get my 110% price match on school supplies. I buy a back pack I don’t need, so I can get 25% off my $170 order. But then something goes wrong. The total amount saved only came to $11!! That’s not 25%!… but the store is closing, and I am already in there 10 minutes past closing time… the people are getting antsy with me, and the kids are ready to climb the shelving. I get flustered and tell them I don’t want the backpack then. They take the backpack off, and leave the discount. So I “saved” $27 dollars total… Hardly worth the hours of planning and shopping I put in. 🙁
We all file out of the store, and into the van to drive home. The kids start complaining that they are hungry, and its no wonder, since it is now BEDTIME, and we haven’t eaten dinner! I go over the plan of attack for arriving at home with my oldest two children, so that things will run more smoothly.
When we arrive home, I pass off the baby, head to the kitchen and cook up some salmon filets and broccoli on the double! My oldest son unloads the van of school supplies and groceries. My oldest daughter helps cook the dinner, and I put away the groceries. My second oldest daughter sets the table, and my third daughter gets the little boys ready for dinner. *yay teamwork!*
We all sit down and reflect on the busy afternoon, and the kids praise the salmon, that they all bemoaned in the van! LOL
After dinner I have to feed the baby and change him and put him to bed, but the little boys need attention, the pool still needs brushing, the oldest boy still has schoolwork, and the table and kitchen need attention. I set everyone to tasks, and the oldest girl does her brother’s chore of brushing the pool, while he sits out there to be sure she doesn’t accidentally fall in and hurt herself, and does some of his remaining schoolwork. My second oldest daughter gets the kitchen chores, and my 6, 4, and 2 yos are sent to ready themselves for bed, while I lay on a trundle in my room and try to get the baby to sleep.
All the littles are in bed by 8:45, the kitchen is finished by 9, and the two older girls hit the sack. My son finishes up some Spanish, and then we have a long talk until almost 11! I go o bed, but I’m somehow not exhausted… must be the AIP diet is giving me extra energy, because I’m typing this the next day, and I got up at 6:30 wide awake! (I lost 7 pounds in 4 days on this diet! sheesh! I’m not doing it to lose weight, but to stop the chronic inflammation I was suffering, that seems to be getting better too.)
Well, another day has arrived! Bye!
Amy says
You might not have noticed this, but when you type it out, it sounds beautiful. What a blessed day!
Leslie says
I agree with your sentiments. Sometimes we don’t realize how beautiful something is until we write it down, look thought the pictures, or process it in some way.
Sarah in Maryland says
I may just be a hormonal pregnant woman but your post made me cry! It makes me want to visit for a day and soak up some of the peace! Thanks for a glimpse into your life.
Adina @royal blessings says
I love hearing about your day. It’s so busy yet you seem so patient and stay on task well. Your baby girl is beautiful. Thanks for sharing pictures of her!
Rebecca says
1.The moccasins turned out so adorable!! Where did you find the idea? (just for my future reference).
2. Aspen is adorable and cannot believe she’s 7 months old! Wow, where did the time go?
3. Isn’t getting up early just the best? I don’t know how moms get it all done and homeschool and have any sanity without getting up before the kids because no matter how many kids you have, once they are up, there’s no more time to just sit or pray or read or think straight 😉
4. My mom used to make our roasts in the electric skillet and they were so good…..much better than the ones I make in the crockpot. I got rid of my electric skillet several years ago, I was purging everything I didn’t use (and I hadn’t used that skillet in years and years) but I think I might (the next time I cook a roast) cover it really good in foil and just slow bake it in the oven for several hours…you know, like you would do a turkey. Or maybe put it in a baking bag. My crock pot roasts just ain’t cutting it for me. 😉
5. Having kids to help out (and making them, requiring it of them) makes me smile. Many hands make light the work. I know several people, including family members, who have several kids and they don’t give them responsibilities. Not even to clean their own rooms!! These same people don’t get into the bed until 11pm or later then back up at 5am ……um, not happening here. My girls’ future husbands will be so glad I taught them how to do laundry, keep house, garden, can and just work hard. I’m glad my mom gave me so much responsibility! I also had plenty of time to read and do my own enjoyable things and my girls do too! My sil said she didn’t want to make her kids slaves ……..so she’s worked so hard that at the age of 45, her legs are almost to the point of needing amputation and she can barely hold down the jobs (she works several jobs) that she has and has had to give up a couple jobs (she’s a hairdresser for nursing homes, her husband has had to work several jobs too…poor management also comes into play) and her kids (most of them are gown now) have had to teach themselves how to take care of themselves and their things. And some of them still don’t know how.
Sounds like you’ve got it together…..
Amy says
Ha! I don’t really have it together, but when you write it down, it sure sounds much calmer than it actually was at times. Over all, it was a good day. 🙂
1. Moccasins – I bought felt and embroidery floss and used the basic idea behind soft-soled baby shoe patterns. It was pretty rough, but it turned out fine. And they were happy, so that’s what matters!
2. Roast in crock – yeah, it’s not my favorite, but it sure is easy.
Jessica says
What a beautiful, abundant life you have! Thank you for sharing your blessings with us!
Melissa says
It sounds like a wonderful, busy day!
I was like you and once loved Sonlight and have now moved away from it. TOG now has my attention. I’ve researched it endlessly for about 10 days now, but I’d love to hear your opinion. How does it work for your family? At what age do you start the kids on it? Is it too much for the littles? How challenging are the readings for a Dialectic student doing Year 1? Thanks!
Amy says
I use TOG as a GUIDE. I DO NOT use it the way it is designed…that would be too much work for me. I need to pull together a post on this topic! Basically, I am picking and choosing from the information provided and catering to my middles and olders. I rely on the world book info in the Teacher Notes a lot. I did do it when my oldest was little, but I’ve found I really can’t manage it with anyone younger than 8 or so. The Dialectic readings are manageable. The Rhetoric are WAY beyond what most kids that age are doing – and much more classically based. There is a fantastic mix of information and resources, and I’ve found that it is well worth the money spent to have this tome at my fingertips.
Melissa says
Thanks so much! Do you get the digital or print version? I’m leaning toward digital, but I do really like to just hold something in my hands. 🙂
Amy says
I got the Digital this past year, but a few months ago, I called TOG and asked if I could add on the print. I will probably buy both from here on out. I really need it in my hands, but I want it updated too. I drafted a post about how we use it that I’m hoping to have out on Monday. 😉
Melissa says
Great! I look forward to it. Thanks for answering my questions.
Magan says
I loved this! Our days sound oddly similar. I’ve just started getting up early again as well and love the peace it brings to your day.
Laurie Rogers says
Reading this post warmed my heart and made me smile! Thank you for the inspiration; we have been homeschooling for 15 years and it sometimes gets old (to be honest). But you have prodded me to jump back in with the same zeal I had in the early days! Thank you!
Amy says
That warms my heart! Thank you! I really enjoy these posts. 🙂
jen says
I enjoy your “day in the life” posts! They make me feel less crazy about my life… give validation to the monotony of it all! Thanks for sharing… this was encouraging!
S. Trstenjak says
I love these glimpses into your days. Please continue them! Your baby Aspen is beautiful and your older daughter is taking such lovely photographs. I wish she could take my children’s pictures.