A Detailed Look at Our Schedule

Here it is...our somewhat unusual new schedule.

By 10am...Morning Chores & Breakfast done
By this time, morning chores and breakfast should be completed. Mika's morning chores include getting dressed, brushing hair and teeth, making her bed, putting away last night's clean dishes, and getting the bread started in the bread machine. Sam morning chores include getting dressed, brushing teeth, making his bread, feeding the dogs and cats, and watering the animals. My morning chores include showering, getting dressed, brushing my hair and teeth, making my bed, getting a load of laundry in the washer, washing any dirty dishes, starting dinner (defrost or crockpot), and checking my email.

10am-12pm...Errand time
Calling this errand time is a misnomer. I do my Safeway grocery shopping on Mondays (for the next several weeks it is art class time for Mika), Albertsons grocery shopping on Tuesdays, and other errands on Thursdays. On Wednesdays, we have a trash day cleaning routine. Mika scoops two litter boxes, brings two trash cans to the kitchen, and takes out the recycling. Sam scoops one litter box, brings two trash cans to the kitchen, crushes cans, and cleans the outsides of the washer and dryer. My job is to clean out the inside of the fridge and get all of the trash to the outside can. Fridays will be my desk day; my day to pay bills, update the checkbook, and start grading school work.

12pm-1pm...Lunch and Quiet Time
We eat lunch together at the dining room table. Afterwards, the older kids read from their assigned independent reading while I put Josh down for a nap. So far, he's fallen asleep with just enough time for me to also fold and put away a load of laundry.

1:00pm-2:30pm...School Time
This is when we get what I consider the most important school work done. Mika does her spelling, grammar, poetry, vocabulary, MCT writing, penmanship, and math done. Sam does his spelling, phonics, language arts, writing, penmanship, and math done. A lot of their work for the year is done already so they are getting their work done with plenty of time to spare. We are waiting for new curriculum to arrive. I give spelling tests, answer questions, and do my weekly cleaning: Monday-vacuum upstairs, Tuesday-vacuum downstairs, Wednesday-mop kitchen, Thursday-mop bathroom, Friday-dust & water plants.

2:30pm-3:00pm...Break
Sam gets to spend 30 minutes doing PE (Fit, DDR, or Sport) on the Wii. Mika has free time.

3pm-3:30pm...History
We work on history all together.

3:30pm-6:30pm...Taekwondo
Sam changes into his taekwondo gear and heads off to class for two hours. Meanwhile, Mika and I stay home to get some things done. Mika uses this time to do a quick pick up of the main rooms, do her Wii PE, do her IEW writing, and have some free time. I used the time to clear some "hot spots", finish up any other chores, and cook dinner. For the next several Mondays, this is my Safeway shopping time.

6:30pm-7pm...Dinner
Dinner is ready soon after Sam and Scott get back from taekwondo. It's ok if this spills over the next time slot.

7pm-7:30pm...Science
The kids and I do their science school work together. If we start late, we just keep going since the next time slot is free time.

7:30pm-9pm...Free Time
Everyone gets free time for the next hour and a half. Meanwhile, the kids take turns taking a bath...but not every day. We often have a TV show that Scott and I like to watch at 8pm which is why free time is scheduled now.

9pm...Bedtime
I read our current literature selection out loud to the kids either in their bedroom or in my bed. After about 30-45 minutes of reading, it's bedtime.