Simply Tuesday

I have been reading a book by Emily Freeman called "Simply Tuesday".  Freeman's challenge in the book is to seek out "small-moment living in our fast-moving world".  I've appreciated the reminders to embrace what often feels very ordinary and unimportant.  A few years ago, I took photos throughout one day in an effort to document what felt "normal" during that season (that post is here).  I decided to do it again.  Following with the idea of the book, I chose Tuesday.  And as it would happen, the Tuesday I decided to take photos ended up not being as "ordinary".  But the unexpected is always a part of our days, so in a sense this was still a very normal day for us!

5:00am - alarm goes off.  Ryan and I head out to the garage to do a tabata exercise routine together (usually two mornings a week).  I wouldn't do it without him.  Ugh.  These are early mornings.

6:00am - showered, dressed, and ready to pour my coffee to sit down with my Bible.  Baked oatmeal for breakfast (with another cup of coffee, please).

7:00am - Sleepy heads come out of bed.  They have clocks in their rooms and are supposed to stay in bed until 7:00.  It usually happens!  

8:00am - Ryan has left for work, breakfast is almost done, and we are ready to finish our morning jobs.

8:45am - we begin our school days with "Circle Time: a combination of singing, looking at the calendar and talking about what's coming up in the day, practicing our memory verses, reading through a rotation of books like this one, or this one, and prayer.  The extra blankets and pillows are not normally a part of our circle time, but it was an easy "yes" to give them on this particular morning.

10:00am - snack!  Math work and piano practicing are finished, and the big kids are working independently while Bridgette and I do "Mommy and Me" time.

11:00am - revisiting some math corrections, doing a language learning lesson, and finishing up the rest of our reading and school work.

12:00pm - the animals are having a tea party while I make lunch. 

1:00pm - we've eaten lunch, cleaned up, and are headed in to the gym to meet up with another homeschooling family for P.E.!

2:00pm - "Let's go, kids!".  Time to put away the skates and scooters.

3:00pm - normally we would have been back at home, wrapping up our quiet time.  But I called early in the morning to check on an appointment with the doctor for a strange rash on Bridgette's leg that won't go away.  We were able to get a 3:00 appointment.  So we ran a couple errands and then went to the doctors' office.

4:00pm - still in the office, waiting for a prescription to be filled.

5:00pm - throwing together a quick dinner while the kids watch a show.

6:00pm - The kids and I have eaten, cleaned up (mostly!), and are ready for our evening activities.  Ryan walked in the door from work just in time to grab a couple bites of food and then take Bridgette and Rooke to Rooke's basketball practice.  Gretchen and I leave at the same time to go to her music class.  Everyone out the door!

7:00pm - half-way through music class.  Gretchen is doing great!  It's a special time she and I share each week.

8:00pm - Rooke and Bridgette have showered and are just finishing up evening devotion time when Gretchen and I arrive back home.  We join them for our catechism review and then it's off to bed!

9:00pm - kids are sleeping, toys are picked up, Ryan is reading for work, and I'm enjoying a cup of tea while catching up on some emails.

10:00pm - kitchen is clean and we are headed to bed.  

10:30pm - lights out

Good night!