Sunday tips....

on those hectic days..

Sleep in till 9:00 and let your husband manage the busy morning routine - especially if you are nursing all night.  You will have more patience and  a few more positive ideas to streamlining your day! 


Also read Ginny's Gems!  So great if u have lots of kiddos!

My routine - yes you may laugh it makes no sense but works sorta,

Skip the coffee, it keeps me up at night. 

Two eggs and toast.  Lots of vitamins, but specifically a good pre-natal.  Some OJ and then..

S the four yr. old, does dishes while I manage....

M and J put away cereal and milk so they can use the table for Math and Phonics books.

Older two help little ones get dressed, and I send the ever bouncy M and J to get the laundry I saw everywhere upstairs. 

(Girls are still sleeping usually.)

 9:30  -If not they are up and mostly happy as they nursed before I came downstairs. 

8:00 - kids eat and A or Z has already been instructed to put away dishes before I get up (hopefully)

10:00 - I yell at them to start school as usually they are hiding.

9:30 - I also expect rooms to be pretty clean before I come down stairs.

10;00  -Finally we start school, M and J at table and the ever destructive toddlers pinned down to something specific (like washing dishes, cups ect. ) Or coloring or puzzles or something constructive.  I even pull out a water bottle and have them wash window with it even if they come out dirtier it is better than WWIII in my house. 

10:00 - 12:00  We play the Memory CD a few times pausing at intervals to reiterate what was said or to say it more slowly, when I decide there is some sort of peace in which to do so.  Could be first thing or could be when they eat lunch. We also try to fit in Math and Phonics pages at this time.

12:00 Lunch and then, we have a small break - even Mom, to think(/kids play sports) - for two minutes while Mom fixes breakfast dishes and puts rest of lunch mess away. ( that M or Z help to make.),  Then I nurse, again.  And listen to m read,  while I change diapers, switch laundry ect..

AM and PM - Older two work upstairs - in seperate rooms or else forget the focus.  With some kind of motivation like do it or else do it all summer.  Or they carry babies around and hopefully have enouph time to do the basics of school in the afternoon.

Still, I  have not checked Math papers for the first week or two of school, hopefully I find time to work it in.  Plus whatever else I am forgetting,  It may just be a homemaking sort of education this year,

We think M is learning to read and J along with him.  That is half the battle!  I review his reading at night as he struggles.  And try to do some fun reading as well.   

Dad reads, history pages, bible pages, or science pages at night.  We learn randomly but we learn.