What we do when we don't blog

The last few days has just been business as usual.  Nothing extraordinary or real note worthy has happened that I want to record for children to remember when they are old.  So I told Spark, I am going to write about our nothingness so you can see how we spent our "regular" days.  Here goes our nothingness.

Spark is usually the first one up in the morning.  He will often get up during the night, watch t.v., go back to bed around 7:30 or 8:00 and then sleep again until 9:00 or later.  I think he needs this time alone.  If Dad is working, Spark will sometimes stay up in the morning and wait for him to get home and then go back to bed.  

Most mornings everyone gets their own breakfast.  Sometimes I will have something planned but that is the rare occasion.  Then we sit around for a while and get our bearings.  If Dad worked I like to chat with him about how his night went, if he didn't we watch some news.  If he worked then he usually brings home the paper and then I do the Sudoku and check emails, blogs etc. 

Chores are next on the list.  All the animals need food, fresh water and a little attention.  In the winter we don't do much more than that because it so cold.  Giving water means that we haul jugs of water out to the barn from the house.  We have to chop the ice, if possible, that formed in the buckets over night.  If the bucket is completely frozen we pour hot water over it and a big ice cube, ideally it works this way, pops out.  If the chickens layed any eggs we gather them up.  If we are out there not long after they lay them they aren't frozen yet so we bring them in, if they are frozen we throw them away so that when it does get warm they won't stink.

After chores we start school, trying to get at least an hour in before lunch.  I like to get math out of the way first.  Sometimes they ride the bike or do other things at this time.  Spark concentrates much better if he has few miles in on the bike before he has to sit down and start paying attention.  Then we have lunch and do more school in the afternoon.  If we are home all day we often study until 4:30 or 5:00.

The above would be our perfect morning and afternoon but, of course, often other things seem to pop up and throw us off.  Dad had a dentist appointment yesterday.  He is going to be the owner of a sparkly new gold crown on a tooth he broke on a old maid in the popcorn bowl.  Today we had to go pick up our produce order that comes every three weeks.  Sometimes other things will take precedence, a package needs mailing, we need to run to town, an animal needs some extra attention (like Eeyore having a seizure), some household chore has to get done, an appointment, etc.  If Grandma Shirley and Grandpa Bob want to come then that is a week day.  We always break for them to come, you can do school anytime but how often do you get to see your grandparents.

On Mondays we go bowling in the afternoon.  Since we have to drive into town we combine the trip with shopping and going to the library. 

Wednesday is AWANA night.  If Dad doesn't work then he and I drop the kids off and go on a little mini date out to eat so we have time to talk.  If he works then I stay at the church and chat with the other moms.  I am way older then most of them and so the talk is of car seats and breast feeding.  All of which aren't part of my life anymore but I still enjoy the chatting.  I am always happy to hold a baby and that alone is enough to make my night.  I just love babies.   Last night Dancer's class went to another town to the DQ for treats.  Lucky them!  Usually I would be panicked to let her ride with someone else but, after our near accident the other day, I realize she isn't that much safer with me.  The kids love AWANA so they are always in a good mood and excited to tell about their nights when they get in the car so that is really fun.

Thursdays we go to the YMCA for gym.  They love this because a lot of their friends are there and so it is a big social time.  This session they hired a person go with the older kids and work out on the gym equipment.  He runs them through a 45 minutes circuit and it is like having a personal trainer.  I told Dancer how lucky she is to have this opportunity, I would love to be able to go with them.   I sit in the lobby and chat with the other moms.  These mom's all have older kids so the topics aren't as likely to be about kids but, if they are, it is about middle school and teenagers.   If need be we make another run to the library and shopping we do it on Thursdays.  Often we are done with the books or videos we checked out on Mondays so we at least do a book drop.

When we are home at night, the kids can use the computer and watch t.v.  We don't watch a lot of t.v., not because we don't like it, but because there just isn't much on.  Tuesdays we watch "The Biggest Loser" but the rest of the nights we will usually watch a movie we already own and have popcorn.  Dancer loves to play games so we play at least one almost every night.  Spark spends a lot of time drawing or playing Legos.  We will work on 4-H projects, make crafts or read.  A lot of days we need to catch up with our bike miles or Wii Fit time.  When it is nice out we are outside until it is dark out.

At night we need to do the barn chore routine again.  The kids also need to empty and fill the dishwasher and other misc. inside chores.  I try to do a load of laundry every day and keep a semi order to the house.

Spark likes to be read to before he goes to bed.  I usually read to him and then get back up and that is when Dancer likes to talk.  If Dad is home he and I sit up later talking.  If he is working then I go to bed at the same time as Dancer so I have time to read a few bible chapters before going to sleep.

That's it, that is as exciting as we get.  Nothing to write home about.