second try

Sunday, September 11, 2011

Fall Schedule! Meals, Fun, Pre-School and Chores!



I am a big planner. I find it makes my life run smoothly and I don’t function well without lists and plans. Not at all. Really. Now if I could stop losing my lists my life would run as smooth as butter! After needing to come up with a new plan for at least two months, and endless fantasizing about when I would actually be able to give time to creating a new one, today surprised me with being an incredible day to do just that.

Why do I need a new list, a new schedule when I have already made so many? Because family needs and schedules change like seasons, and ebb and flow like tides. My last schedule consisted of family times in the mornings and almost immediately my husband’s working hours shifted again. Scratch that morning thing. This summer Eden, turned three… and well, her needs have changed too. She isn’t getting the interactive time with me that she needs, nor are her creative and intellectual capacities given the attention they are begging for. So I have been needing to make a new schedule, but was stuck at the process of how many days and weeks it would take me to research and figure out what in the world I need to do with a pre-schooler who wants to learn her letters, numbers, pretends to read, would paint every day if she could and likes to cut with scissors. A lot. Child scissors, that is. I was overwhelmed at the idea of coming up with craft and art and letter ideas to keep her busy and engaged every single day, even for just half an hour to an hour. And she needs that kind of time, and structure. And that is where is stayed… stuck and overwhelmed, with a little one who is constantly asking me about when she will get to go to school.

Last week, I decided I must get unstuck and get something on paper. And so, when I pulled up this new blog at Passionate Homemaking written by my favorite blogger in the world, Lindsay Edmonds, I think my whole being was singing glory, hallelujah! One of the learning resources she mentioned was on my to buy list already, and others that I looked into looked like great investments. So, I did some online shopping for bargains and got to work on what would work for Eden’s age range and present interest and abilities. Now I get to go to sleep one satisfied momma, looking forward to mail deliveries this week and next. Yay! All of this without having to spend days or weeks figuring out what in the world I should be doing during our days with a budding learner... in just one day, I love what I have. Thank you for the help, Lindsay! That blog entry saved me weeks and ended months of mental anguish.

Here is what I came up with. Some has been on many of my prior schedules, but most of the educational type things are new. I know it will change again in about four months when we have a newborn, but I expect that in that timeframe we can work some kinks out and have a solid foundation to go off of even with adjusting to the new demands of a tiny little bundle.

General Weekly Schedule

5 am Mom time: Get showered, dressed and ready for the day.

Filling Time: Eat a protein and fat rich snack, listen to quiet music, read: my beautiful Bible, Blessing Your Children Every Day, devotional (currently Jesus Calling) and Supernatural Childbirth (for this pregnancy and to prepare spiritually for an amazing childbirth)

At our church service tonight Mark Baxter said, “Because I choose to make God first in my day I can love my wife and my children the rest of my life.” That’s almost verbatim, and it really hit me. I can’t do what I want to do or need to do empty and dry. I must not choose to disconnect from the One who is love, else how can I expect to love, cherish and serve my family the way I was meant to? It can be so hard as moms of little ones to sit in stillness, but even if all I can muster is five minutes, five minutes Living water will fill my soul with glory and light which does not quickly fade. Being focused on Christ’s presence and nearness is the very thing which empowers me to love the ones who require everything of me. Being focused on Him makes me love pouring out for the smallest. I used to be better at just being with God and I am choosing this path again even as I seek out the how in this demanding season of my life. It is different, but all things are possible.

5:45 or 6 am Emails and Messages: 10 minutes tops

Morning Routine (can be done even if I missed the mom time)

Breakfast Prep
Last minute kitchen clean up if any
Laundry folded, ready for rooms and sorted- Start 1 load each morning
Make our lunches- pre-pack in cooler if going out that day
Prep dinner if desired

7:00 am Get Eden (3) dressed, make bed, open curtains and make sure room is clean
Mom and Eden time (put muffin batter into cupcake papers, etc., feed and water the chickens, collect eggs, have her stir the eggs on the stove)
Set the table for breakfast

8:00 am Wake up Iris (17 months), change her night diaper, put her on the toilet and dress her

Eat Breakfast
Clean up: Load dishwasher, put away food, wipe counters and table
Remove Iris’ diaper if staying home so she can use her toilet
Make sure rooms are clean, including the nursery
Put outgoing mail in the mailbox

Discovery Time in the Nursery

9:15 am Gather in the nursery for a comfy (it’s carpeted) discovery time. Give Iris her own book or doll to hold. Read the kid’s Bible, look at the world map and pray for each other and the world,  read another story, and sing a song if they like. Learn about animals and other interesting things.

Pre-School in Eden’s Room

9:45 am 10 minutes: Seat Eden at her desk and do one lesson from Language Lessons for Little Ones. (She loves practicing her letters already!) Give Iris blocks or stacking things.

5 minutes: Next, spend a few minutes counting on the abacus, or counting obedience beans. (Obedience beans we add to her jar when she does great at obeying. A full jar results in a special award like a date day with mom or dad, picnic at the park, etc.)

10 minutes: Chalkboard easel time: practice recognizing and drawing the numbers Eden was just counting. Give Iris some crayons and paper at the desk if she is bored with blocks, or she can just play with what interests her.

10 minutes: Have Eden draw on her paper at the desk with crayons a specific number of objects she chooses. (Example, five bananas, five dogs.) During this time focus on Iris with identifying animals, foods, etc. in baby books. Once a week during this time do a lesson with Iris from  Slow and Steady Get Me Ready.

10 minutes: Have Eden learn something fun about science from Let's Read and Find Out Why, or another creative source and do a hands on project as much as possible.

Free Time

10:30 am Park, library, play date, back yard or play time in the house while I do some chores or something not usually in my schedule.

Lunch and Afternoons

11:30 or 12 noon: Eat lunch, clean up, pick up rooms before nap time

1:00- 4:00 pm Nap time for Iris
1:00- 2:00 pm Nap time for Eden

During Naptime: Mom time: rest, nap, read, or relax… or clean if I really want to. Get dinner in pots on the stove and ready to be heated, and everything cleaned up and in the dishwasher. Preemptively set the table with water, (which I always forget!) Spend time with husband.

Dinner

Eden: Set the table

4:30 or 5 pm Eat a family dinner, clean up and hang out.

Bedtime Routine

6:00 pm Baths, brush hair, pajamas and a walk
7:00 pm Bed time snack, brush teeth, story
7:25 pm Prayers and bed time song
7:30 pm Down and going to sleep! Pick up a few things, start one load of laundry, relax or read a book and go to bed by 8:00 or 9:00 pm at the latest

Daily Specifics:

Sunday:
            Make one gallon of yogurt with fresh, raw milk, whey if needed
            8 am Family breakfast, clean up
            9 am Family morning walk with dog or outing
            10-12 Occasional alone mom time for planning, etc. if it works with husband
            Lunch, naps and clean up
            Bake or cook dish for potluck if not done during the week
Family morning when possible
            Leave after naps to church service
            Bedtime when we return
            No special chores!

Monday:
            Play date or play at home
            Clean Bathroom
            Afternoon: Movie time for Eden
           
Tuesday:
            Outdoors at home
            Early morning grocery trip with Eden
            Mop floors
            Weed or harvest
Afternoon: Eden- Kumin Workbook on cutting with scissors; measuring out the oatmeal to soak for tomorrow’s breakfast; Iris- Baby Einstein dvd while I mop
           

Wednesday:
            MOPS- 8:45 to 11:15 Mothers of Preschoolers group (including time for child care arrival, etc.)      
            Business phone calls and emails
            Afternoon: Eden working on a scrapbook project
(Once a month evening women’s group; also a monthly morning pick up from our bulk order at www.azurestandard.com)

Thursday:
            Outdoors at home or nearby park
            Afternoon: Eden- painting with acrylic at the easel or watercolor at the table
           
Friday:
            Weed or harvest the garden
            Wash bedroom sheets

Saturday:
8:30 am Special breakfast, family time
Milk pick up at some point
            Family day
            Husband barbecue’s for dinner
            Weekly dessert night
            8 pm Pray for a babysitter for our date night!
            No special chores!
(twice a month: pre-natal chiropractic care and possibly farmer’s market in the am)
            (Once a month free kid’s clothing exchange at 9 am)

Breakfast Meal Schedule:

            Sunday: Eggs, fruit and soaked pancakes
            Monday: Quiche and fruit, maybe soaked muffins
            Tuesday: Mexican eggs, black beans and fried bananas
            Wednesday: Oatmeal, smoothie and bacon or sausage
            Thursday: Leftover- Quiche and fruit
            Friday: Leftover- Oatmeal, smoothie and nitrate free bacon or sausage
            Saturday: Eggs, potatoes and greens, and fruit

Lunch Meal Schedule:

            Sunday: Wild Salmon Salad Sandwiches and green salad, smoothie
            Monday: Nitrate free grass fed hot dogs, watermelon or fruit, green salad
            Tuesday: Soup, grilled cheese and green salad
            Wednesday: Egg salad sandwiches, green salad, pickles and apple
            Thursday: Kipper snacks, cheese, crackers and fruit
            Friday: Lunch meat sandwiches, green salad, apples
            Saturday: Wild salmon sandwiches, green salad and fruit


Dinner Meal Schedule:

            Sunday: Pot Luck
            Monday: Fish or Seafood
            Tuesday: Beef
            Wednesday: Chicken or other poultry
            Thursday: Vegetarian or Beans/Legumes with Beef
            Friday: Fish or seafood
            Saturday: Beef on the barbecue!

1 comment:

  1. WOW this is so inspirational!! I love how organized you are. Something for all of us Proverbs 31 women to strive for!!

    ReplyDelete