Loving Today
Today was our Discovery Day, our co-op, our day to spend with friends. It is a day that we "do school" with our good friends, whose kids almost mirror ours in age and in gender (until the last two).
The purpose for this day is to study Spanish, writing, science, and art. For most subjects the kids are separated into 3 groups - the oldest four, the middle two, and the younger two (the youngest two, are just babies so they don't count, yet). For art, we combine the two older groups, leaving the youngers to continue to play. Besides the intended intellectual goal of the day, we also see the day as a time for the kids to run and play, and us moms to enjoy some adult female company. It is a day that we all look forward to.
Today was a good day. A typical day. Nothing special about it. I know, though, that if I do not record the typical, ordinary days, I will forget them. And I do not want to forget today.
We got a late start, as usual. The kids needed time to go run and enjoy the beautiful spring weather. Amanda and I needed time to catch up and figure out what the plan for the day was. Although we usually have a long list of things we want accomplished, and we've been ending later and later, we're never in any rush to get started.
Livvy and Hannah went off the back bed room to work on dioramas for AWANAs. Sammy and Isaac got to work taking down the fort built into the fence to make the work of utilizing the fence easy for Daddy. Ben and Nathan, Natalie and Jon immediately got caught up in some make-believe world of their own creation, roaming from front yard to back yard, sand box to chicken coop. I cannot say enough how much I love these kids!
When we couldn't put it off any longer, we called the kids in and got to work. We schooled, let them loose to play, fed them, schooled some more and let them loose again. And so went the day.
A little after 5 pm, we finally called school accomplished and play was had. The friends left, we scrambled to put the house back in order, Tom came home from work, and then we, of course, had pizza for dinner (it's tradition).
After dinner, Tom took Livvy out for her date (one parent takes one child out each month for a date - a cheap date consisting of dessert at a local fast food joint, a travel game, and/or a trip to a dollar store). I ordered all four boys into tubs for much needed baths. Sammy and Ben took a bath together while I gave Jon and Danner a bath in our tub.
Once all were clean and pajama'd, I put Danner to bed for the night. With three boys left awake, I built a fire to take the chill out of the air and sat on the couch to read A Door in the Wall (a read-aloud for school...I'll let Livvy catch up on her own tomorrow). Sammy and Ben snuggled closer to me on the couch as the story got exciting. Jon, being so worn out from the day of play and no nap, tried to make it upstairs to his bed. He didn't make it. After we got to the end of the chapter and bedtime was announced, we found him lying on the bottom steps, fast asleep. Scooping up Jon, we all headed upstairs. I tucked them all in and sung them their song.
Tom and Livvy got home from their date just a little bit ago - Livvy twirling and retelling how she beat Daddy at Qwirkle. She kissed me goodnight and bolted upstairs - even the nicest of dresses can't take the Tom-boy out of that girl.
Now my honey and I are going to settle down and watch a movie together.
It's been a good day. A really good day.
The purpose for this day is to study Spanish, writing, science, and art. For most subjects the kids are separated into 3 groups - the oldest four, the middle two, and the younger two (the youngest two, are just babies so they don't count, yet). For art, we combine the two older groups, leaving the youngers to continue to play. Besides the intended intellectual goal of the day, we also see the day as a time for the kids to run and play, and us moms to enjoy some adult female company. It is a day that we all look forward to.
Today was a good day. A typical day. Nothing special about it. I know, though, that if I do not record the typical, ordinary days, I will forget them. And I do not want to forget today.
We got a late start, as usual. The kids needed time to go run and enjoy the beautiful spring weather. Amanda and I needed time to catch up and figure out what the plan for the day was. Although we usually have a long list of things we want accomplished, and we've been ending later and later, we're never in any rush to get started.
Livvy and Hannah went off the back bed room to work on dioramas for AWANAs. Sammy and Isaac got to work taking down the fort built into the fence to make the work of utilizing the fence easy for Daddy. Ben and Nathan, Natalie and Jon immediately got caught up in some make-believe world of their own creation, roaming from front yard to back yard, sand box to chicken coop. I cannot say enough how much I love these kids!
When we couldn't put it off any longer, we called the kids in and got to work. We schooled, let them loose to play, fed them, schooled some more and let them loose again. And so went the day.
A little after 5 pm, we finally called school accomplished and play was had. The friends left, we scrambled to put the house back in order, Tom came home from work, and then we, of course, had pizza for dinner (it's tradition).
After dinner, Tom took Livvy out for her date (one parent takes one child out each month for a date - a cheap date consisting of dessert at a local fast food joint, a travel game, and/or a trip to a dollar store). I ordered all four boys into tubs for much needed baths. Sammy and Ben took a bath together while I gave Jon and Danner a bath in our tub.
Once all were clean and pajama'd, I put Danner to bed for the night. With three boys left awake, I built a fire to take the chill out of the air and sat on the couch to read A Door in the Wall (a read-aloud for school...I'll let Livvy catch up on her own tomorrow). Sammy and Ben snuggled closer to me on the couch as the story got exciting. Jon, being so worn out from the day of play and no nap, tried to make it upstairs to his bed. He didn't make it. After we got to the end of the chapter and bedtime was announced, we found him lying on the bottom steps, fast asleep. Scooping up Jon, we all headed upstairs. I tucked them all in and sung them their song.
Tom and Livvy got home from their date just a little bit ago - Livvy twirling and retelling how she beat Daddy at Qwirkle. She kissed me goodnight and bolted upstairs - even the nicest of dresses can't take the Tom-boy out of that girl.
Now my honey and I are going to settle down and watch a movie together.
It's been a good day. A really good day.
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