Typical day

I was trying to think what a "normal" day is like for me. 3 days this week have been pretty much the same, so I'll call that normal and try to give a run-through.

2:00am Bob comes to bed, and though he tries to be quiet, I wake up. Sometimes we talk a bit, sometimes I have to use the toilet.

5:30am William makes noise and wakes me up. Sometimes he is fed and put back to bed.
I try to sleep more.

6 - 6:30 I wake up. Sometimes William is also awake, so I get him and change and feed him.
I sneak out to the bathroom, wash and dress, and tiptoe to the living room.

6:30 - 6:45 Cedwryck gets up and checks if I'm up yet. If I am, he comes in the living room, says he is cold, and curls up in the blanket.

6:45 Riah gets up and takes the blanket from Cedwryck. They fuss, and I threaten to send them back to bed. I check email.

6:50 Naysha or Taryn and Ella get up and try to find a seat on the love seat (already full of boy).
Everyone reads a book or tells their dreams.

7:10 I've had enough of the fussing over seating, and almost finish my emails/blog/online shopping/banking, so announce breakfast. Everyone piles around the table. Sometimes Taryn and/or Naysha help me get things out. 6 bowls, 2 spoons (unless someone wants a spoon, and then everyone else does, too), 4 cups, 2 kinds of cereal, 2 kinds of milk. At least one of the cartons will be emptied and have to be crushed and trashed. Then I notice the trash is full, and so empty the can. I eat my cereal quickly.

7:20 William wakes up, so I feed and change him. The boys see that I'm occupied so they start to throw cereal/pour milk/take Ella's cereal/want juice. The girls finish up and go get dressed.

7:45 Ella and boys are finishing up breakfast. I wash Ella and tell them to pick up the mess. Taryn is reminded to put her milk away.

8:00 Children watch a movie to keep them quiet while Bob sleeps. I start laundry, fill the dishwasher, and try to think of lunch.

8:30 Children watch another movie. I feed William and think about lunch.

9:00 I change some diapers. Children play "David and Goliath."
I rotate laundry (or force Taryn to do it), shake out the dishwasher, and start fixing lunch.

9:30 I feed William; he goes to sleep on my lap. Bob gets up. Children get annoying/go outside/are sent to their rooms to put away clothes.

10:00 1 hour til lunch time! I get cracking in the kitchen. The girls vacuum the breakfast mess, wash the table, set the table. The boys ask if it's ready, and want to pour something into a bowl.

10:30 William is hungry again, so lunch gets turned down to simmer.

11:00 We eat.

11:20 Bob and I are done, but the children want more. A typical meal includes 1-2 lbs of meat, bread, rice or noodles, a hot vegetable and a salad. There aren't usually leftovers.

12:00 the children are done, and I explain that we aren't having dessert after every meal anymore. So they wash up and clean the table while I feed William and visit with Bob.

12:30 Bob gets ready for work. The children "ping."

1:00 Bob goes to work. I put Ella to bed and convince the others that we need to do school.

2:00 the little ones are bored with games/books/coloring and Taryn is decorating her paper instead of doing the problems. William dozes off.

3:00 Taryn has finally finished something and goes to play with the other children. Ella wakes up and so does William. I change diapers and feed William. Someone gets hurt and comes for a hug.

3:30 I go to clean the kitchen and everyone is hungry/wants to make something/ is hurt or fussy. I send them outside/to the play room/to work.

4:00 I feed William and read to Ella. Taryn wants to read or get on the computer. Someone needs a drink or makes a dirty diaper.

5:00 supper time. I hand out food and they scarf it down.

6:00 they are finally full. I make them clean off the table. I try to put away my clothes and the children run races in the hall. Someone gets hurt and needs a hug. William is hungry so I leave the clothes.

6:30 I feed William while the children climb on the furniture.

7:00 We all pick up the toys/clothes/food/shoes/trash/books that have been scattered all over the house.

7:30 I vacuum while the children run and scream.

8:00 We gather for Bible time. We sing, read, and talk. Unless they are too tired and fussy, in which case we more or less skip it.

8:30 Change diapers/put on night clothes, brush teeth and children to bed.
I feed William and Taryn reads or talks. I put William to bed.

9:00 Taryn goes to bed.
I exercise, clean the kitchen, get online, play computer games, read, put clothes away, pick up what was missed, or otherwise relax a bit.

10:30 I tell myself I should go to bed.

11:30 I go to bed.

It's 10:38 now and I'm telling myself I should go to bed, but I haven't exercised yet, didn't finish mending Taryn's skirt or putting my clothes away, and I know there's something I need to do but I can't remember what. Bob just called and he's hoping to get out of work by midnight, but it might not be til 3:00am. My mousepad isn't working right. I wonder what I forgot.