In the part one of this post I told you about what my day looks like until dinner time. The rest of the day is pretty uneventful usually, but I just don't want to leave the second part undone! So here is a super short, and pretty boring explanation of our post-dinner routine.
Clean up dinner together. Sometimes we tell stories, often it is Ilija and I reminding and reminding and reminding to keep going until it is done. If we are going to be having dessert the clean up is always smooth and wonderful. If not, they conveniently get distracted quite often (or have to go poop all of a sudden. ;) ) [Learning to finish a job, work together, accept the daily grind, love one another]
Even this little one likes to help (sometimes). She might end up being my best cleaner yet. :)
Usually that is followed by playing with daddy
Or front porch sitting (our effort to know our neighbors better and nab the ones walking around the block. The awesome couple around the corner, they are from Texas, have established front porch sitting with great success. I think everyone I know has stopped to talk to them!)
Then we have teeth, jammies and off to bed. Once the baby is in bed, and we pray with the boys I get to have my favorite part of every day. Family Read Aloud! It is an essential element to any TJEd home, and I have found that when they are all in bed is the only time that I can keep them from interrupting me every 32 seconds. Usually the 4 year old drifts off to sleep while I'm reading and the other two ask only important questions (otherwise I get too impatient and stop reading, lol). We have read The Little House series this way, half of the Narnia series, and we are on the 3rd book of the Little Britches Series. We also read chapters of scripture on Sundays and any other time I have something I want to read. I won't allow just any book during this time. Only ones that are filled with great examples of hard work, courage, character and any other worthwhile characteristics. I want to fill their minds right before bed with awesome examples. These characters are becoming part of our daily conversation and it is so fun! (No, my kids don't sleep in my bed, I just didn't have a picture of them in their own.)
Finally we are alone and the house is quiet! Finish any projects, have our nightly check-in, do the PM routine and go to sleep! Blessed, wonderful sleep. Lately we have been listening to youtube meditations and they've been helping with anxiety that I was getting. And bonus! I fall asleep really easily.
Part of my PM routine is my "Gratitude, Gifts and Gains" where I thank God for at least 3 things. I write it down in my journal. Gratitude: anything I'm thankful for that day, Gifts: anything that came to me that I didn't need to do something about, it just showed up!, Gains: something that I worked hard for and I'm proud of accomplishing.
Very regularly I thank God for the opportunity that I have to homeschool. I feel fortunate that I don't have to work, I have a supportive husband that allows homeschooling and that I have a community here in St. George of SUPER inspiring, fun and motivating moms that keep me going when it is hard. The only downfall to homeschooling is not having much alone time (although I wouldn't have it anyway since I still have such young kids, and we do have quiet time every day where I get my time, and I take time for my self quite often in the evenings etc.) But it is all worth it. Seriously.
