Mom:
Yes, I am posting a 'mom' weekly check-in!

I actually put real thought in how I like to start my day, do my teaching time, end my day, and work in meal prep, exercise, Bible time, work, etc. This is the best schedule I've had! I realized I like to get up early, but I like it to be quiet when I get up. I go downstairs in my pjs, get my first cup of strong coffee, and tiptoe back upstairs to my room to do my Bible Quiet Time. There will be a stage in my life where I take more time to do my Bible study, but for now 15 minutes is realistic. And I decided it was time to be realistic with my schedule this year. It is working so well! I am starting my day with time with my Lord and Savior, in a quiet house, cuddled up in my bed with coffee by my side, and it is wonderful! Then, I open the shades, and in comes each of my sons one at a time, for me to hug and start my day with, connecting with each individually. Coffee #2 gets delivered by my dear son Riley, and after a few more rounds of teaching/correcting, I am in my workout clothes and down to make breakfast, another thing I love to do - cook for my boys.

At this point, loud Christian praise music is playing, and the house is full of light and hustle and bustle! Breaks such as chores, breakfast, lunch, recess as well as working in different places in the house (i.e. my bedroom, dining room table, kitchen table, addition table, living room couch, addition daybed, etc.) keep things fresh and moving. I like to move, and so do boys, so this works well!

To save on teaching time, I put several 'round table' teaching times in the day. This works well for math, grammar, DITHOR, and writing.
I also really do need to exercise, due to my thyroid basically not working, or the weight just comes back on. So, each day I get dressed in my exercise clothes, and as soon as my teaching is done after lunch, I exercise. If it's nice outside, I run and love enjoying God's creation. If it's not nice outside, I run on the treadmill in the basement and watch a DVD of something for fun. It is my time to myself after teaching and before work, and I look forward to it so much! Then it's a quick shower and racing off to work. To make this happen, the night before I set out my exercise clothes, my clothes for work, any breakfast prep ahead of time, my Bible, and my morning thyroid meds/water bottle. I also have Emmett's school books in my room along with my teaching schedule/folder. I do supper prep during lunch prep, and that way I can usually have supper partly or all done by the time I get home from work. It is a busy day, but it is working so well! We have also moved all of our laundry to one day, Saturday. It is one gigantic laundry day, but we attack it as a family, and then it's done for the week. I make the menu and grocery list on the weekend. I do online grocery shopping, so all I have to do is pick up the groceries on Sat. when I'm doing errands. I also have Thursday as my designated appointment day, as I don't work that day. Every other week we go out to eat with family after our chiropractic appointments as a family, and once a week (usually Sat.) I go on a date with my dh. Hooray - happy times planned ahead = things to look forward to! We also have on the calendar everything we know is coming... vacations, my dh traveling, my dh's hunting/fishing/business trips, my job's conventions, my mom's doctor appointments, holidays, breaks, family visiting from TX, etc. Then, I have the days marked we are doing school for the year accordingly. We are right on track so far! But, I planned some 'grace' days if we get off.

It is shaping up to be an awesome year!
In Christ,
Julie