Coming Out of Survival Mode

We are slowly but surely returning to "normal" life around here.  Normal being relative with four kids and two college students that live with us.  :)  Here is what we have been up to...

We are getting more into a routine with our days.  Of course, I say that heading into the holiday season where everything is a little nutty.  Last week was Thanksgiving, this week we had two days of doctor appointments.  Usually our days "start" at 9am with breakfast at the table with Daddy.  Then he goes to work and the girls get dressed.  We either do school now or after naps, more on that in a minute.  Then we play and sing and dance.  Lunch is at 12pm and naps at 1pm.  After naps we either do school if we didn't do it earlier or color/draw/create for awhile.  I get dinner going.  The girls eat around 5pm.  We all eat together if Daddy is home, otherwise they eat early and I eat later at 7:30ish with him when he gets home from work.  Then we have some family time and it is off to bed for the girls.  The boys usually fall asleep around 10 for the night - give or take an hour.

School is around 30 minutes per day.  I am not a great planner (or a great crafter) so we are following the guidelines at http://allinonehomeschool.com/ and doing "Getting Ready 1" which features one letter per week.  There are also review weeks with colors and I believe numbers.  Grace has been enjoying it and is currently singing "B is a consonant, a letter in the alphabet".  Abi has been doing it with us but I care less if she gets it all :) 

I have also been meal planning and cooking dinner 3-4 times a week.  One of the other nights we usually go out and the others we do leftovers.  It has been going pretty well.  I've had a couple "eh, we don't need to make that again" nights but for the most part the dishes have been good.  My husband is an awesome cook so I prefer to leave the cooking to him, but he likes a hot dinner after working all day.  I guess he has a point :)  It's been fun and I think with practice I'll do better at it. 

My goals are to starting doing Thankful Thursdays again and also do a week in review of what we're doing, cooking, learning, etc.  We shall see!  I have big goals but that doesn't always mean they work out.

Hope life is treating you well!