A Day in the Life of a Homeschool Mom

I never did my "day in the life" post this spring that I've done for the past 5 years. But I really appreciate continuity, and I know I'll want to look back on this someday, so here's the late-in-the-year edition that now includes homeschooling!

7:12 Levi starts crying as Justin's alarm goes off. Justin gets up to check on him.

7:15 Justin puts Levi in bed with me. Levi asks where daddy is going and why he can't go with him. Tells me he's going to go to work with Daddy when he grows up.

7:18 Levi's buns hurt and he needs some medicine. We get up and I pretend to put Desitin on his buns. (Placebo effect FTW!)

7:20 Back in bed. Levi arranges my pillows to his liking then lays down by me.

7:26 Levi wants the light on. I don't want to get out of bed to turn it on, so I turn on the TV instead. He cries that it's too bright.

7:30 Levi doesn't want to watch Cat in the Hat, so I change it to Word Girl.

7:31 I roll to my side facing away from Levi and try to pray. 6 millions thoughts bounce around in my head like a pinball machine.

7:36 Levi cries that he can't see me, so I roll to my other side to face him.

7:46 Levi doesn't want to watch Word Girl anymore. I switch to Robocar Poli on Netflix.

7:47 I get up and go to the bathroom

7:49 Back in bed

7:50 My alarm goes off. I turn it off and snuggle deeper into the covers.

8:00 Levi hears Lucy moving around upstairs and tries to get out of bed to go see her. I hold him down so he doesn't go up there and wake up Lena. He screams and cries.

8:03 Both girls come down the stairs. I let Levi go and he runs into the living room crying.

8:04 Lena climbs into bed with me.

8:10 Lucy turns on Poli in the living room for Levi and starts watching Netflix on my computer.

8:13 Read a text from my sister about the lottery.

8:15 I'm awake but too cold to get out of my bed.

8:16 Google when the next Mega Millions drawing is. Text info to Niki.

8:19 Proofread some stuff for Niki.

8:20 Check my email, facebook, blog reader.

8:31 Levi climbs back into bed with Lena and me.

8:32 Try to talk myself into getting up, but can't do it. Decide I'll stay in my warm bed until the kids start asking for breakfast.

8:49 Feel guilty about lying abed for so long and force myself to get up and get dressed in multiple layers (leggings, yoga pants, socks, tank top, sweater, sweatshirt) while Lena and Levi suddenly realize they're starving and need breakfast right now

8:53 Build a fire in the woodstove.

8:56 Brush my teeth.

8:58 Put a bagel in the toaster for Lena.

8:59 Throw my hair in a bun, put my contacts in, add “shower” to my to-do list.

9:01 Butter Lena's bagel, put two waffles in the toaster for Lucy.

9:03 Deliver Lena's bagel to her in my bed, close the woodstove flue, take a picture of the thermostat to share with you all while Lena shouts that she needs a drink.

59* Brrr!!

9:05 Take waffles out of the toaster, put two pieces of toast in for Levi, pour Lucy a cup of milk, deliver her breakfast to her in the living room. Levi notices and rubs his belly saying, “Levi hungry!”

9:06 Get Lena a cup of juice/water, bring it to her in my room.

9:08 Take Levi's toast out of the toaster, peel off crust, slather in peanut butter, deliver to Levi in the living room.

9:10 Make coffee, put bagel in the toaster for myself.

9:14 Butter bagel, put cream in my coffee.

9:15 Fish my Bible out of my purse, attempt to sit down when Lucy asks for a bowl of cereal and another cup of milk.

9:16 Get Lucy cereal and milk.

9:18 Sit by the fire, do my devotions, eat breakfast.

9:27 Levi comes over to me saying, “Levi more hungry,” but is pacified with a drink.

9:28 Pray for a few minutes

9:32 Levi climbs on my lap and snuggles with me for a hot minute.

9:34 Put another log on the fire.

9:35 Give the girls a "5 minute" warning and check my facebook again.

9:43 Go to the basement to get more wood, prod the dying fire, add kindling to get it going again.

9:45 Tell girls to turn off their devices.

9:48 Build a track for Levi to hopefully occupy him during school.

9:55 Call girls to the table, get books out, clean off the table, sharpen Lucy's pencil.

9:58 Levi starts playing with his track. I steal his Binky and put it away.

10:03 Sit down at the table and start reading the girls' Bible lesson while they do their morning work (cursive and spelling for Lucy, writing/sight word work for Lena). Lots of interruptions. Some discussion.

10:14 Work on Awana verses.

10:16 Help Lucy remember what interrogative and imperative sentences are. Levi climbs on my lap, then goes to sit by Lena. Continue Awana verses.

10:20 Wipe peanut butter off Levi's face, try to coax the fire back to life again.

10:23 Lucy moves on to math. She can do it independently. Levi is bothering Lena. I try to distract him.

10:25 Sit down to type all this up. Lena finishes her morning work and runs around with Levi while I finish typing.

10:44 Get Lena's math out for her. Lucy finishes her work and plays with Levi for a few minutes.

10:47 I'm freezing. Check thermostat. It's not getting any warmer in here.

Made it to 60 at least!

10:48 Take care of Lucy's finished books, set out her English assignment, call her to the table.

10:50 Check Lucy's spelling and math. She spelled “stretch” wrong, but got the rest right, and did all her math correctly.

10:52 Levi's causing trouble. Change his diaper and bring him in the living room to do puzzles.

10:55 Lena finishes her work and joins Levi and me to do alphabet puzzles.

11:04 Leave Lena and Levi doing puzzles to check on Lucy.

11:07 Get Lena's English out and tell her to come to the table.

11:09 Tell Lena to come to the table again.

11:10 Lena starts her English, Lucy starts geography.

11:12 Levi knocks over a huge stack of books in the living room. Lena helps him clean up.

11:14 Lena continues to work on her English (a little reader)

11:18 Levi climbs onto my lap with a book he wants me to read. I read to him while helping Lucy spell words for a crossword and help Lena finish her reader.

11:20 Lena finishes reading. I ask her to get out the sight word flashcards. She finds addition flashcards instead. I help her with a few then Lucy finishes geography. I tell Lena to do the cards herself while I start science with Lucy. She throws a fit, but eventually settles down. (Levi has been sitting on my lap reading to himself.)

11:23 Start reading Lucy's science book to her. Levi wants me to read his book too, so I try to do both, while also helping Lena with the flashcards.

11:25 Levi gets off my lap and tries to push a chair over to my side. I help him, then ask Lucy to read to him for a minute so I can help Lena. She's getting lots of hard addition problems right. I'm super impressed until I realize she figured out where the answer is hidden on the card. Lol. Cheater.

11:28 Turn Poli back on for Levi so we can finish up Lucy's science.

11:29 Continue reading about rain forests to Lucy.

11:33 Lena freaks out that I'm not helping her with flashcards.

11:35 Attempt to read and keep Lena quiet.

11:38 Lose temper with Lena, send her out of the room.

11:43 Finish reading to Lucy and help her with her science worksheet.

11:50 Set Lucy up on my computer with a geography game. Lena whines that she never gets to play games on my computer.

11:51 Set up a blind hearing test for Lena's science. Lucy wants to play too. Tell girls to close their eyes and guess what I'm doing – brush my teeth, cut a piece of paper, bounce a ball on the floor, open a bag of chips

11:55 Set up a blind smell test. Blindfold girls and have them smell mustard, peanut butter, ranch, lotion, lemon juice, and nail polish.

12:04 Take care of hearing and smell test objects, start making macaroni.

12:05 Lucy asks me to read during lunch, Lena freaks out that she doesn't want me to.

12:07 Lena asks if she can watch TV while she eats, cries when I say no. I tell her she can watch after she takes a shower. She screams and cries that she doesn't want to take a shower.

12:10 All 3 kids go upstairs for a minute and I try to stoke the dying fire again. There are glowing coals, but the logs are not burning. Give up and sit down to type this stuff up.

12:13 Lena climbs on me whining, talking like a baby, and begging for me to find her a game to play on my computer.

12:22 Drain macaroni, help Lucy with the butter and milk.

12:24 Sit back down with Lena who continues to whine and wail about everything under the sun while Lucy fills bowls of macaroni for herself and Levi.

12:28 Get up and get Lena some macaroni. Set it at the table and she throws herself on the floor crying that she wants to sit by me in my chair by the fire.

12:32 Finally give in to Lena's screaming and let her sit by me with the caveat that the first time she spills one noodle she's going back to the table.

12:36 Levi climbs on me with his mac n' cheese. I feed him while continuing to read.

12:40 Lena wants more. Lucy gets more for herself and for Lena. Levi starts yelling that he wants more, too.

12:45 I finish feeding Levi, Lucy gets him more. Lena wants more. She wails when she finds out it's all gone. I tell her to get some grapes. She wails again when she can't find them in the fridge.

12:50 A fight breaks out between Lena and Levi about who gets to sit on my lap. I dissolve the fight and finish the chapter I was reading to Lucy.

12:55 Levi wants me to read to him, Lena starts begging for grapes.

12:56 Lucy reads to Levi while I get grapes for Lena.

12:57 Lena actually sits next to me reading nicely to herself while eating her grapes.

12:58 Facebook

1:08 Give Levi his Binky and change his diaper amid much protest

1:09 Lay in my bed with Levi for a few minutes.

1:12 Carry him upstairs, help him find some cars to sleep with, read two books, sing three songs, put him in his bed, turn his fan on. He tells me the fan is too loud so I turn it off, go downstairs.

1:25 Freezing and shaking from low blood sugar. Throw some very unhealthy cheesy pretzel roll things in the microwave as Lucy says, “Levi's crying that he dropped his Binky.”

1:26 Back upstairs. Give Levi his Binky and turn his fan back on, per his request.

1:28 Back downstairs. Pour myself a glass of Dr Pepper.

1:29 Levi is screaming about his fan. I go back up and have a lengthy discussion with him. Leave him screaming.

1:33 Sit down in front of the barely warm fireplace to eat my food. Help Lena turn on a sight word game on my computer.

1:34 Girls beg for my food and sips of my pop.

1:35 Eat while playing Spades on my phone.

1:43 Levi's finally asleep. I poke the stupid fire again. Get myself some more food. Feel overwhelmed by how cold I am and how messy the house is. Sit down to eat and play Spades some more.

2:02 Make coffee, fill and run the dishwasher.

2:05 Sit down by the (mostly dead) fire with a bag of mini donuts and my coffee. Tell the girls to turn off my computer and do their chores.

2:06 Lena freaks out, as per usual.

2:10 Girls each take one of my donuts and get to work on their chores.

2:23 Lucy finishes her chore and sits down to do screen time. Lena loses her mind because she wanted to sit in that chair even though she's not done with her chore yet. I spank her. She runs away crying.

2:25 Get out my computer to check my email, blog reader, Pinterest (procrastinating on my chores)

2:27 Lena comes in and whines about wanting Lucy's chair. I tell her to do her chore. She finds a game she wants to play and begs me to play it. I tell her no and she whines, “Pleeeeease? Please! Please!”

2:33 Lena plays with Lucy for a while.

2:44 Lucy finally finds a show to watch on Netflix and Lena comes to lay on me and whine because she doesn't want to do her chore. She randomly starts talking about cutting my eyeballs out and how I'd have to learn sign language before she cut them out, then dissolves back into baby talk, whining, crying, and laying on me.

2:55 Help Lena roll up some tape. Force myself to turn off the computer and get to work.

2:56 Go to the bathroom. When I come out, Lena chirps, “Levi's awake!” Guess I wasted his entire naptime.

3:00 Go get Levi. Snuggle him while directing Lena specifically what to pick up off the floor for her chore.

3:05 Libby pulls in with Baby Nash.

3:08 Finish cleaning the dining room

3:10 Libby brought coffee. Sit, drink, and chat. My chores can wait til tomorrow. ;-) Help Lucy and Lena hold Nash for a while.

3:25 The girls go back to screen time and I take Nash. Hold him for a long time. He falls asleep on me and makes the sweetest little sounds. Levi bops between the girls, me, Libby, and his cars on the floor while eating a Coffee Crisp he found and getting covered in chocolate.

4:15 Tell Lucy to be done with screen time.

4:30 Tell Lena to be done with screen time.

4:40 Surrender Nash to Lucy, clean the chocolate off Levi, change his diaper, and get him dressed for the day.

4:43 Text conversation with Kelly about homeschool crafts

4:50 Help Lena hold Nash.

5:00 Remember Lena needs to take a bath before dinner. Start water. Respond to a text from Justin about getting Qdoba for dinner. (I never say no to fast food.)

5:06 Tell Lena to get in the bath. Refill Levi's drink. Lena calls from the bathroom, “Levi's getting in the bath with his clothes on!” Run into the bathroom, pull Levi out, remove his clothes, help him climb in the tub.

5:08 Tear a ponytail out of Lena's hair and remember I haven't started pre-heating the oven for the kids' dinner. Set oven to 425.

5:11 Lena begs me to stay in the bathroom with her. I climb on the washer and check facebook.

5:16 Levi dumps a cup of water on Lena's head. I take the cup away from him. They're both crying. Wash Levi, get him out. Lena starts whining that the water's too cold. Turn on hot water.

5:20 Take Levi to the family room, get him dressed. Lena starts screaming for me to turn the water off. Libby does it since I'm still dressing Levi. We all say “bye” to Libby and Nash.

5:23 Put frozen pizza in the oven.

5:25 Help Lena rinse her hair, dry off, get dressed.

5:28 Brush Levi's hair.

5:29 Look up craft supplies for tomorrow's art project. Add them to my grocery list.

5:35 Print my grocery list, oven starts beeping.

5:36 Take pizza out, make my bed (be sure to brush out the crumbs from Lena's breakfast before Justin gets home)

5:38 Cut pizza for kids

5:40 Justin gets home with Qdoba, I pour myself a glass of Dr Pepper

5:42 Brush Lena's hair

5:46 Pull my burrito bowl out of the Qdoba bag. Levi takes one look at it, his eyes light up, and he exclaims, “Cake?!”

5:47 Eat dinner

5:59 Help Lucy with her Awana lesson (#procrastinator)

6:04 Shimmy into freshly washed jeans over my leggings. It's a very tight fit. Grab a piece of candy on my way out of my room. My jeans are already too tight. What's one more piece of candy?

6:08 Read to Lena and Levi while Justin helps Lucy with her Awana lesson.

6:20 Harangue girls to get their shoes and vests on. Peel Levi off my legs as he screams, “Mommy not leave Levi!” Leave him with Justin and herd the girls into the car.

6:23 Leave the house

6:27 Get to church. Pop a piece of gum in my mouth as we walk in just in case I need to talk to anyone. Lucy says, “Um, I never brushed my teeth today.” Lena chimes in, “Me neither.” #facepalm Give them each a piece of gum, fish a quarter out of my wallet for Lena. Walk Lena to her class.

6:30 Run into Kelly as I'm leaving church. Stop to chat for a second.

6:31 Open a snapchat from Niki of an airport that says, “Made it to Denver!” She's on her way to Vegas.

6:32 Leave church, head to Meijer

6:34 Detour to see a house for sale that a friend told us about.

6:37 Back on track to Meijer. Worry for a minute about the smell my heater is emitting and how hard my van is pulling to the right. Panic for a split second that Levi isn't in his carseat before remembering he's at home with Justin. I'm talking to text into my phone to record these thoughts. Make sure to set my phone down as I pass the Sheriff station.

6:46 Pull into Goodwill. Grab some pillowcases and random decorations for art tomorrow. Can't resist checking out the books. Buy a few . . .

7:07 Check out

7:10 Leave Goodwill

7:12 Pull into Meijer. Speed shop as best as I can, but get hung up on finding gluten free spices – the ingredient list just says “garlic.” But there's no label that specifically declares it “gluten free.” Decide the gluten free friends I'm cooking for will be fine and throw it in my cart. ;-)

7:50 Leave Meijer

8:03 Pull into Dollar General. Search for fabric paint (couldn't find it at Meijer). Settle for paint markers. Also get a good deal on candy corn. Question the cashier when the candy corn rings up double the price that it's marked. Wait for manager. Get price adjustment.

8:14 Leave Dollar General

8:15 Pull into church. Pick up Lena. Chat with Kelly some more while I wait for Lucy.

8:27 Leave church

8:31 Home. Unload groceries. Levi meets me at the door with a huge smile and hug.

8:35 Levi and Justin help put away the groceries.

8:39 Grab myself a Diet Snapple to quench my sudden thirst. Drop it on the floor. #facepalmagain It doesn't break!

8:40 Change out of tight jeans and back into yoga pants.

8:41 Watch Lena and Levi do some crazy gymnastics moves while responding to some texts from my sisters.

8:47 Change Levi's dirty diaper. He covers his eyes, then throws his hands off and shouts, “Surprise! It's super-hero Levi!”

8:51 Tell Levi it's time for bed, agree to lay with him in my bed for a minute.

8:52 Levi says, “Be back in minute. Need green truck.” He doesn't come back.

8:54 Go get him (and his green truck). Lay back down in bed.

8:55 Levi says, “Levi get sumping, Mommy. Need white car.” Runs off. Comes back with white car. Lays down for one second, says, “Need get black truck. Be back in minute.”

8:56 I call shenanigans and drag him upstairs.

8:57 Read two books, sing three songs, put him in bed. He screams as I walk down the stairs.

9:08 Clip thumbnail that got snagged yesterday and is ripping worse and worse.

9:10 Pick up family room.

9:16 Turn on bathroom heater so it can start warming up.

9:19 Herd the girls upstairs. Pray, hug, chat for a minute. 

9:24 Come downstairs, get in shower

9:40 Out of shower, brush hair

9:43 Start typing up a bunch of this stuff, Facebook, email.

10:03 Snapchat from Niki "Made it to Vegas!"

10:14 Girls are still talking and playing. Levi is shouting, “Lena! Lucy!” over and over.

10:15 Read all my old "Day in the Life" entries.

11:05 Take a screenshot of some of the snaps Niki is sending me of her hotel to show Lucy in the morning.

11:10 Copy and paste this Word document into my blog. Edit. Add pictures.

11:25 Write tomorrow's schedule on the whiteboard.

11:30 Check facebook again because I'm addicted and have no self control.

11:38 Check the weather on my phone. Hope I have better luck with the fire tomorrow . . .

11:39 Take pills (Zoloft, multi-vitamin), take out contacts. Check off the few things I actually did on my to-do-list today.

11:43 Turn off lights, hit publish on this bad boy, and get in my bed!