My Winter Routine

I think as wives and mother we are always trying to be as efficient as possible.  I know I am.  I think that is why I love reading about the days of others......it helps me think through the way I do things and fine tune anything that needs work.  So I try to share the things that I like to read from others, not because I think I have anything figured out, but because maybe my day can be a help to someone else :)

Wouldn't it be nice if I could just do this in bullet style and you could go on to something else?  Not going to happen.  I ramble.  Be prepared to make it to the end or get out now :)

And we being....
I get up at 6:00 a.m.  Every day.  There are cows to feed - 3 steers, named Larry, Mo and Curly - and they like to maintain a schedule.  In the evening that isn't always possible so I try to stay to the same morning time as much as possible.  So I get up, wake Lee if it is a school day,  add more clothes over my pjs if the temperature requires it (although anymore I sleep in so many clothes unless it is severely below 0 I am good) and then don my rubber boots, hat, double wrap cowl, sweatshirt zip jacket with hood up, then heavy brown cowl, barn coat with hood up and gloves.  I fill the woodstove up and then venture outdoors for my walk to the barn/pasture.  I keep a small flashlight in my barn coat pocket that Greg gave to me and sometimes I have to use it to find a path through the snow.  I check the water first.  It is all the way over on the far side of the pasture but we are very blessed to have automatic heated waterers for the cows.  We have had a little trouble with them this winter but I am so grateful every day that they work.  So I make sure that they are working then back-track to the barn.  I give the cows grain, check their bedding and make sure they have hay.  Norman does the straw and hay but I always check it so I can tell him if there are problems.  I call the steers in, make sure they are eating, lock everything back up and head back to the house.

Now I'm good and awake.  I unbundle myself and give the cats new water, milk and scoop their litter box (they will give you no peace until those things are done), move laundry from washer to dryer, start a new load in the washer and make coffee.  I sit down with my Bible and read my Sunday school lesson portion and my chapter for the day and pray.  Greg usually gets up about now.  Then I check facebook, eat breakfast and talk to the boys about their upcoming day.

Abby is usually up by now (around 7 a.m.).  Some days she wants to watch cartoons, some days she wants breakfast immediately, sometimes she wants to snuggle and read a book.  I go with the flow.  The big boys leave around 7:20.

I reboot the laundry and get a shower.

By 8 a.m.  I'm usually ready to tackle the day.  I will be honest here and say that if I'm not planning on going anywhere I put on new pjs.  My pajama pants are heavy fleece and I wear leggings under them.  They are honestly the warmest thing I own so that is what I wear if I'm going to be home.  On top I wear a t-shirt and sweatshirt...socks and slippers.  I get started on chores.  I try to do dishes the night before but if I didn't I start there, fold laundry and sweep the downstairs.  I usually have a "daily" chore like cleaning the bathrooms, dusting, mopping or something.  If I have time I do that now, if not later.

School starts at 9.  Usually Bear is up by now.  Usually Norman is too.  School takes about an hour.  Please remember that I have one in kindergarten and one in preschool.  We have a good routine and it doesn't take long if everyone is cooperating.  Next year will take a little longer.

School is usually over by 10.  By now, Norman is moving.  He waters the chickens, gathers morning eggs and does any cow chores for the day.  I fix lunch.  I either fix a big lunch and we have the leftovers in the evening or we have a big supper with the leftovers for lunch.  I try to know what this will be the day before.  It is a work in progress.

Lunch is usually around 11.  Norman and I visit.  I finish any house chores I had.  He gets ready for work.  He leaves around 1:30.  After that the littles and I read together, play, I bake and sometimes we run to town for errands or the library.  Often I can get some sewing or knitting in depending on how the day is going.

The big boys get home from school at 4 unless Greg has basketball practice.  That gets over around 5 so either Lee or I run back into town and pick him up then. I gather the evening eggs and feed the cows their supper sometime in between 4 and 5.   I fix  our supper (the difficulty being in a whole new meal or leftovers).  I start a load of laundry in the washer (you can see why in my long hard winter post).  After we eat I clean up the kitchen and we settle down for the night.

Abby and I like to go lay down around 6.  She watches TV.  I read a book.  She usually drifts off around 7.  I usually crash around  8.  I know that is early but I check on the woodstove at 10, 12, 2, 4 and then get up at 6.  So I need the sleep.

Norman gets home around midnight.  And the new day begins :)

In the comments link up your day.  I really do love to read all about it!!!!!

THIS WEEK ONLY

This week only you can purchase Cindy Rushton's Organized Mom Super Set for half price! This is a fabulous resource and an incredible value, at $49.95. Click HERE for the special price. It is not at this price on the website....you must use this link.

Included in this set are:
Homeschooling the Easy Way Vol. 1
Let's Get Organized
Make Your Own Brain in a Binder
The Ultimate Mommy Menu Planner
Getting Back to God's Design for the Godly Home
Homeschooling the Easy Way Vol. 2
Christ-Centered Christmas
PLUS:
6 of Cindy's audio workshops
AND
2 of Matthew's audio workshops
AND
Organization 911: Help for the Messy Mom Seminar Set
AND
Let's Get Organized for the New School Year Seminar Set (Cindy's newest seminar)

This set is normally $99. You are getting this for HALF price! If you are looking for a little help in the organization department, then this set is what you are looking forward. Remember to use THIS link.....the website does not reflect this special "friends only" price.

Please share how this set has encouraged you!
Enjoy!

The Schoolhouse Planner

I am pleased today to be reviewing The Schoolhouse Planner. As a confirmed planner "junkie", I have waited for the release of this planner with baited breathe. Honestly, I own almost every planner on the market for homeschool moms. In all of them, there are features that I like, but there does seem to be something missing. I am thrilled to say that this planner has everything that anyone could possibly need......and more.

Contained inside this e-book are informational sheets (such as states and capitals, weights and measure conversions), copies of great American documents (Declaration of Independence, American Constitution and others), household planning sheets as well as school planning sheets. The school planning sheets cover everything that you could ever need for school, all the way through high school. I especially like the 12 year curriculum tracker.

Monthly calendars are included along with holidays and listings of other important days for that month. Many educational opportunities are tied in with each month and resources for the study of those items are hyperlinked through the Old Schoolhouse Store. Shopping and planning couldn't be easier! It is my understanding that there are also monthly modules available (as e-books, the cost is around $8) that expand on the monthly educational topics. I am interested in seeing how these might fit into our homeschool.

The household forms look to be fairly standard. There are chore charts for mom and the kids (some with pictures rather than words for the non-readers) and things like packing lists and gardening layout forms (thank you!).

The best thing about this planner is that you have the ability to type your information onto the pages before you print them out. All of the forms can be personalized for YOUR family. I can't express how much this feature excites me! My planner will look professional from now on!

This planner is absolutely perfect. The creators took great pains to make sure that everything a homeschool mom could ever need is included. I feel that this planner is a great value for all the tools that it contains. I did have a problem with the downloading, as the file is rather large. However, The Old Schoolhouse Store's customer service department was fantastic in getting me an attatchment of the planner.

If you would like to see what the fuss is all about you can view the planner at The Old Schoolhouse Store . The cost of the planner is $39.00. This is an e-book so there is no shipping and you will be able to immediately have your planner to make this new school year the best ever.

My Home Management Binder

I am working on my Home Management Binder (HMB) and thought that I would share how I have mine set up.

Cover Page
Picture of the boys taken in 2004.

Front Pages
Emergency contacts. The first page is a list of emergency numbers, mostly fire, doctors and hospital. The next page contains our address, directions to our house and names and numbers of family/friends to contact in cause of emergency. This is basically a "babysitter" page with all the important information in one place.

Home Section
This section contains all of the home making stuff.

Routines
all routines are works-in-progress :)
Before-Bed Routine
shine my sink
lay out clothes for tomorrow
brush my teethc and remind the kids to do the same!

Morning Routine
get out of bed
get showered and dressed
while in the bathroom, swish the toliet, wipe the counters and put things away
scoop cat liter box (not while I am pregnant - that is dh's job)
empty the dishwasher
check calender
made sure the assignments are ready for the boys
start laundry
bible study
set out lunch to thaw

Afternoon Routine
decide on supper
clean as I go
deal with mail
check on laundry
check the daily duties or target zone for cleaning

Daily Duties
Monday - Errand/grocery day
Tuesday - Zone cleaning
Wednesday - Office day
update planner and HMB
mail cards, letters and bills
declutter desk area
Thursday - Project day
clean out purse and van
outdoor work
Friday - Kitchen Day
mass cooking, bake bread and desserts
clean fridge
update menus and make grocery lists
Saturday - Weekly Cleaning Day (ala flylady)

Zone Section
This is where I keep my checklists for my zone cleaning, ala flylady. I will be doing one zone each week with most of the cleaning for that zone to be done on Tuesday and Thursday.

Menu Lists
I made up these menu list a year or so ago. I chose 6 meals for each week with a 4 week rotation. Then a made up a grocery list for each week (including everything needed for those meals). That way I can look at my menu list and the check the grocery list and see what is needed that week. I also have an extras list with things like household goods, dog food, kool aid, etc. I try to have a variety of foods each week.

Here is a sample from week 1:
Day 1: chicken and noodles, mashed potatoes
Day 2: meatloaf, mashed potatoes, green beans
Day 3: tenderloin steaks, mac and cheese, carrots
Day 4: grilled/broiled chicken breasts, diced/baked potatoes, broccoli
Day 5: tacos
Day 6: sausage/bacon, eggs, toast

I am out of time this morning. We are having our last Fabulous Friday for the summer! Have a great weekend!
Blessings,
Carie