New Schedule

We decided to rework our current schedule this weekend. We wanted to add in a little time for exercise and some other things so we had to move our day back by half an hour. We also decided that we needed separate schedules for Saturday and Sunday since we have different things to fit in on those days.

Weekday Schedule:

5:00~ Wake up, Morning Prayers
5:30~ Exercise
6:00~ Shower, Get dressed
6:30~ Prepare Breakfast, Wake Children up, Breakfast
7:15~ Morning Prayers as a Family, Daddy leaves for work, Boys Get Dressed, Start Laundry
8:00~ School
10:00~ Big Boys Play Time, Rock Baby
10:30~ Baby’s Nap, Big Boys help with Cleaning and Chores
11:30~ Boys’ Lunch and Clean up
12:00~ Mid-day Prayers
12:15~ Children Play, Mommy eat lunch
1:00~ Craft Time or Outside Play
1:45~ Story Time
2:00~ Children’s Nap. Iron Laundry, Fold and Sort into Baskets, Finish any Cleaning
3:00~ Task (this varies from day to day depending on what needs to be done)
4:00~ Begin Dinner Preparations
4:30~ Boys up from Nap, Afternoon Snack
5:00~ Supervised Play Time, Straighten House
5:30~ Cook Dinner, Set Table
6:00~ Dinner
6:30~ Family Worship Time (bible lessons with an activity, studying the catechism, reading about saints, etc..)
7:00~ Family Rosary
7:30~ Get Children Ready for Bed, Read a Bed Time Story
8:00~ Children’s Bed Time
8:15~ Clean Up
8:30~ Wind Down Time, Evening Prayers
9:30~ Bed

*Friday Night Bed Time is one hour later.

Saturday Schedule:

6:00~ Wake Up, Morning Prayers
6:30~ Exercise
7:00~ Shower, Get dressed
7:30~ Prepare Breakfast, Children Wake Up, Breakfast, Morning Prayers as a Family
8:15~ Daddy out to do Yard Work, Children and Mommy Play Time and Help with Chores
12:00~ Lunch
12:30~ Children’s Nap, Relaxation Time
2:30~ Afternoon Snack
3:00~ Run Errands
5:00~ Dinner Preparations, Children and Daddy Play Time
6:00~ Dinner
6:30~ Family Worship
7:00~ Family Rosary
7:30~ Haircuts, Children’s Baths
8:30~ Children’s Bed Time
8:45~ Clean Up
9:00~ Wind Down Time, Evening Prayers
10:00~ Bed Time

Sunday Schedule:

5:00~ Wake Up, Morning Prayers
5:30~ Shower, Get Dressed
6:00~ Children Wake Up, Breakfast
6:30~ Children Get Dressed
7:00~ Leave for Mass
8:00~ Mass
11:00~ Lunch
11:30~ Nap
2:30~ Afternoon Snack
2:45~ Study Time/Play Time
5:00~ Prepare Dinner, Children and Daddy Play Time
6:00~ Dinner
6:30~ Family Worship
7:00~ Family Rosary
7:30~ Get Children Ready for Bed, Bed Time Story
8:00~ Children’s Bed Time
8:15~ Clean Up
8:30~ Wind Down Time, Evening Prayers
9:30~ Bed Time

+ A.M.D.G.+

Happy Homemaking!

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Happy Birthday Jacob!

My little Jacob is becoming not so little anymore. Yesterday was his third birthday. “Three” sounds so little, but when I look at him he doesn’t seem “little” to me.

It seems like three years has gone by so quickly and yet it also seems like Jacob has always been here, always been a part of our lives. He is so amazing, and I am so thankful to be his mommy.

This is the first year that Jacob has had any anticipation of his birthday. He knew it was coming and was just so excited. When we were talking about his birthday coming his eyes got really big and he said in the sweetest voice “When it’s my birthday I can sleep on my decoration pillow (the decorative pillow on his bed)? I will sleep on my decoration pillow, I will!” So of course we let him. I thought it was so sweet that of all the things he could ask for that was what he wanted.

For his birthday we went to the park. The boys had so much fun on the playground. I love my cautious little Jakers. He wanted to hold one of our hands every time he went down the slide. We finally convinced him to try it by himself, but he still prefers if we will hold his hand. Joshua on the other hand kept trying to go down the slide head first. And then he would try and climb back up the slide, which of course was driving Jacob crazy. “No Joshie! That’s the wrong way!” Joshua was so brave about going up the steps of the slide. I kept wanting to hold him back, but sometimes you just have to let go. I just know we’re going to end up in the emergency room with that boy…

We had a farm cake, as tractors are still high on his list of favorites. Jacob loves tractors and trains, but we had a train cake last year and he decided that he wanted a tractor cake this year. He loved the cake! It had a little barn, and a farmer, and animals, and of course a cute little red tractor. He had more fun playing with the decorations than actually eating the cake. Joshua just really liked eating cake. I’m not sure if he likes anything more than cake… We also had chocolate ice cream.

Jacob got to choose what we had for dinner and he decided on Mexican. He loves to “eat Mexicans”. So we went to the mexican restaurant in town and had taco salads. He loves taco salad.

We also went for a drive where we knew we would see trains. He loves to go looking for trains. We live in a rural area where there are a lot of trains. We came up on two different trains where he could see them right up close. He really enjoyed that.

It was a nice birthday, and a nice way to end our week of vacation.

Happy Birthday Jacob, we love you so much!

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A Different Sort of Life

I don’t have to look to hard to find ways that our lives our different than most. I think that sometimes I start to forget, but then something always happens to remind me.

Last week there was a “Dessert Day” at my husband’s office where everyone brought in a dessert for a pot-luck style gathering. My husband asked me to make an apple pie. I gathered all the supplies and ingredients that I needed and put on my apron, and Jacob asked me “What are you going to make today, Mama?”. I told him that I was making a pie, and he said “Oh with apples?”. “Yes sweetie, an apple pie.”

My husband works with quite a few younger people, and most of the people there are very career driven. There aren’t many family men there, and certainly not others with “large” families or wives who are homemakers. It made me think, “I wonder how many of these people have ever even had a homemade pie?” I don’t mean that in a judgemental way, I just mean that the world has changed so much and that it seems that homemakers in aprons are a dying breed. It makes me realize even more so how different our children’s lives are than most. My sons see me in an apron all of the time. Jacob knows what a rolling pin is used for, and that flour usually means that something is about to be baked. When he sees bread or cookies or anything else of that nature he assumes that I made it. He probably has no idea that you can even buy bread at the store. He doesn’t know about television commercials and every time we hear “secular” music at a store or something he asks “What is that sound?” He doesn’t know that there are mommies who go to work, or that some children go to day-cares or public school, and while some may say that we are sheltering them, I think that it is sweet. Our children know that everyday I will be here with them, I will be here to change every diaper, wipe every runny nose, kiss every owie, and teach every school lesson.

When the boys woke up from their nap yesterday, Jacob asked if he could play with one of the bins in their room.( all of the toys are organized into bins under the beds, and they can play with one bin at a time. this helps to keep the mess to a minimum) I told him that he could and he said “Thank you mama for making these bins for me. It is very nice to have my toys in bins.”

And last week we were in school and I had the boys coloring pictures of the cross, and I asked Jacob if he knew what the cross meant. And he said “Of course, it means Jesus loves me!”

We get comments nearly every time we go anywhere, and they range from the simple “wow you have your hands full” to “well aren’t you lucky to get to stay home” to “your family is really neat” to “so you’re done having kids right?”. We have received sweet smiles, looks of absolute disgust, kind comments, and outright snotty remarks. Most of the mean looks tend to come from other women, as if my being a dress-wearing homemaker and mother of little blessings is personally offensive to them and I am personally trying to turn back the clock a few hundred years. (although that would be nice….) I have learned to not let these bother me (ok, well I am still learning, but I am much better about it).

I know that our lives our different. We don’t plop down in front of the television at the end of the day, or all go our seperate ways to each do our own thing. We like being together as a family, we like talking with each other, and singing together. And when we all sit together on the living room sofa and sing and cuddle, I know there is no place that I’d rather be. I love that when I wake the boys up in the morning they tell each other good morning. And l love that when baby Joe cries both Jacob and Joshua want to kiss or hug him or do something to help. And I love who Joseph smiles the biggest at his brothers, and how Joshua looks up to Jacob as his hero. I love how Jacob wants to be just like Daddy. I love how my husband thinks that I am at my most beautiful when I wear a bow in my hair, and how Jacob always tells me that I am beautiful when I wear pink. I love that Jacob races to open the door for me and how all of the boys will put their faces up against mine when I sing to them. Joshua will watch my mouth so closely when I sing to him, as if he is studying every little movement. And Jacob has always loved for me to sing right into his ear. I love that the boys have seen yardage of fabric being cut, pieced and sewn into a dress, or a ball of yarn become a knitted blanket.

Our world may be sugary sweet for some, but I can’t imagine it any other way. I don’t want the life that “everyone” has. I have a life where I am cherished for being in the role that God created for me, as help-meet, mother and keeper at home.

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"Busy"

Every time I go anywhere someone always feels the need to tell me that I must be busy. It always feels a little strange because I know so many people that have much larger families, or wilder children, or a million other reasons that they must be “busier” than me, but I suppose they are right. My boys do keep me busy, each in their own unique way.

Joshie, Joshie, Joshie. What more do I need to say? A friend of mine recently said that it seems that the wildest, most awnry ones also seem to be the sweetest, and that God must have done that on purpose! That sums up Joshua in a nutshell. I have never seen a child so full of trouble and yet so incredibly sweet. It’s not that Joshua misbehaves per say, it’s just that he is so full of endless curiosity and rambunctious energy that he just can’t help himself. He sees something new and interesting and he just has to touch it. He sees a closed door and he just has to open it and see what is on the other side. And he does everything at full speed, so everything is loud and fast. He is just all boy. My husband commented yesterday that he even takes large strides when he walks. It’s as if he is in such a hurry to get where he’s going that he doesn’t have time for short strides. He keeps me constantly on my toes, every time I blink I think “Uh-oh, where’s Joshie?” He disappears every time I turn my back and I find him eating cat food, or emptying the kitchen cabinets or climbing on something. I can’t even tell you how many times a day I feel like he’s going to give me a heart attack by doing something wild and crazy. (This morning I turned around to see him put a handful of carfood into his mouth, ick!) On the other hand, I have never seen such a sweet child. No one gives as good of hugs as our Joshie-Bear, and he is so unselfish (which is so unusual at his age). He is so sweet to his little brother, and he looks up to Jacob with such adoration.

Jacob keeps me busy as well, but in a completely different way. He is so bright and observant, and he likes to talk about everything. Every little detail of everything he sees and hears. And he wants to know why. He doesn’t just want to know that the food is on the table, he wants to know how it got there and where it came from. And he remembers everything. He constantly will recall something from many months ago in perfect detail, and I have try and think about what he is referring to. He constantly amazes me!

And my little Joe. (He’s such a little guy to be called Joe. Joe seems like a grown up name, but Jacob is just absolutely insistent on calling him Joe.) He also keeps me busy, but who could possibly complain? He loves to be cuddled and kissed, and he will laugh at just about anything. Changing his diaper is apparently hilarious. So is getting dressed, and picking him up, and anything Joshua does. Even just talking to him cracks him up. He must have some sense of humor. His laugh is unbelievably contagious, and his smile could light up the whole room.

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Cat Food is Non-Toxic, Right?

Every time I go anywhere someone always feels the need to tell me that I must be busy. It always feels a little strange because I know so many people that have much larger families, or wilder children, or a million other reasons that they must be “busier” than me, but I suppose they are right. My boys do keep me busy, each in their own unique way.

Joshie, Joshie, Joshie. What more do I need to say? A friend of mine recently said that it seems that the wildest, most awnry ones also seem to be the sweetest, and that God must have done that on purpose! That sums up Joshua in a nutshell. I have never seen a child so full of trouble and yet so incredibly sweet. It’s not that Joshua misbehaves per say, it’s just that he is so full of endless curiosity and rambunctious energy that he just can’t help himself. He sees something new and interesting and he just has to touch it. He sees a closed door and he just has to open it and see what is on the other side. And he does everything at full speed, so everything is loud and fast. He is just all boy. My husband commented yesterday that he even takes large strides when he walks. It’s as if he is in such a hurry to get where he’s going that he doesn’t have time for short strides. He keeps me constantly on my toes, every time I blink I think “Uh-oh, where’s Joshie?” He disappears every time I turn my back and I find him eating cat food, or emptying the kitchen cabinets or climbing on something. I can’t even tell you how many times a day I feel like he’s going to give me a heart attack by doing something wild and crazy. (This morning I turned around to see him put a handful of carfood into his mouth, ick!) On the other hand, I have never seen such a sweet child. No one gives as good of hugs as our Joshie-Bear, and he is so unselfish (which is so unusual at his age). He is so sweet to his little brother, and he looks up to Jacob with such adoration.

Jacob keeps me busy as well, but in a completely different way. He is so bright and observant, and he likes to talk about everything. Every little detail of everything he sees and hears. And he wants to know why. He doesn’t just want to know that the food is on the table, he wants to know how it got there and where it came from. And he remembers everything. He constantly will recall something from many months ago in perfect detail, and I have try and think about what he is referring to. He constantly amazes me!

And my little Joe. (He’s such a little guy to be called Joe. Joe seems like a grown up name, but Jacob is just absolutely insistent on calling him Joe.) He also keeps me busy, but who could possibly complain? He loves to be cuddled and kissed, and he will laugh at just about anything. Changing his diaper is apparently hilarious. So is getting dressed, and picking him up, and anything Joshua does. Even just talking to him cracks him up. He must have some sense of humor. His laugh is unbelievably contagious, and his smile could light up the whole room.

So yes, I am “busy”, but who wouldn’t want to be busy with all this fun?

Blessedly Busy,

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Beautifully Frugal

Many times frugal equals simple. But it doesn’t always have to. One example of this can be our dining room table.

For instance paper napkins are obviously not a frugal choice, but sometimes cloth napkins can get pricey (especially if you are having to purchase enough for a large family and use them at every meal) So why not make some? It is a very simple project even if you have limited sewing skills. One thing I have done is to look for bed sheets at thrift stores and garage sales that are the right colors or patterns to match my dining room. I just cut them into squares ( i used a purchased cloth napkin to get the size) and then hem around the edges. Even just one sheet makes a ton of napkins.

Another frugal yet beautiful touch are pretty serving trays. I have found pretty silver look trays at the dollar store, or even garage sales and thrift stores. They may not be high quality, but they look pretty on the table. I arrange fresh fruit or vegetables on them and it makes for a beautiful breakfast or lunch table. Also look for pretty glass pitchers or bowls. You can mix and match your finds and create a gorgeous table for very little cost.

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The Family Table

Jacob loved watching me unpack and set up the rooms in our new home. When I was unpacking our dining room, I pulled out the box of our gold silverware and serving utensils and he asked “What is that Mommy?” It occurred to me that he probably had never even seen it before. We only used it at holidays or special occasions, and we really hadn’t used it much in quite some time. This made me think. Why do I have this beautiful set of cutlery and yet it just sits in a drawer of the china cabinet? What is the point of having it if we are not going to use it? So now we use it every evening for dinner. Which then inspired me to make the rest of dinner beautiful as well. Why not use the nice cloth napkins? Why not light some candles? Why not set an atmosphere with soft classical music? Yes, we are a family full of little boys. And boys can be rambunctious and messy, but boys can also learn to be polite little gentlemen and they won’t learn if they are not taught.

So then the other day I was thinking about how lovely it was to have everything so nice for dinner, why not bring some of that to the other meals as well? So i pulled a few of my serving trays out of the china cabinet. At breakfast I arranged a fruit plate, and everyone loved it! The boys even seemed to remember their manners. So at lunch I arranged a vegetable tray, and a tray of meat and cheese, and one of crackers. Again, it was a hit! Breakfast and lunch were both so pleasant that we have decided to continue with the concept of making every meal a little special. No more rushing around, no more throwing lunch together in a hurry. Meals are an occasion to sit down together, have polite conversation, and enjoy the company of our family. Whether we are serving sandwiches or a full course dinner, the table is pretty and manners are remembered. It is amazing how even carrot and celery sticks suddenly seem like a treat when served on a pretty silver platter.

One thing that is important to remember when you have little ones is that children will be children. You can not expect a one year old to not make a mess when he is eating spaghetti, and you have to expect that he will run that pretty gold fork through his hair at some point, and that it is entirely possible that the placemat could end up on the floor. But in time, with the right example, he will learn what is acceptable behavior, and before you know it he will learn to behave like a little gentleman.

We bought a pretty lace table cloth this weekend. ( I must admit that I remove it for meals, I am not entirelycrazy afterall) I love lace, and had wanted a lace tablecloth for some time, but it is hard to find one large enough that is not terribly expensive. I wasn’t ready to invest in an expensive one yet, so this was perfect. I love the mix of masculine and feminine in our home. Our house is a log cabin style, so there is quite a bit of wood, and yet I have used a lot of lace, and vases of flowers, and we have an ornate four poster bed. Our home feels comfortable, and it is our own blend of formal yet warm. It fits our family, for where we are in life right now. We do have little ones so our home has to be child friendly, but I also don’t want to live in a world of bright colored plastic and no knic-nacs. So I think we have found what works for our family.

Homemaking Blessings,

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Homemaking Challenge

Wow, is July nearly over already? How did that happen? I suppose we have been rather busy…

1. Continue adding new inventory to Modest Melly’s.
2. Organize refrigerator. We bought so much fresh produce that it doesn’t fit in my produce drawer so I am going to have to come up with a different system.
3. Wash Jospeh’s laundry, and a load of darks.
4. Do some general clean up around the house.

Happy Homemaking!

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Homemaking Challenge

My husband worked from home Monday and Tuesday, so I haven’t had much internet access this week. But today I am back, and have much catching up to do. I went shopping this past weekend for inventory for our store, so I need to get that up.

1. Add new inventory to Modest Melly’s. Crop pictures, add to database, enter into site.
2. Transfer flour to zip top bags and label. I have been storing it in a large tub, but I think that it will stay fresh for longer if I have it in bags inside the container. So I am transferring nearly 50 lbs of flour into gallon sized baggies. This could take a while, hehe. Then when I finish with that tub, there’s the bread flour, sugar, brown sugar, rice…. And I need to label each bag as well. I need to change the label tape cartidge in my label maker since it is out.
3. After transferring flour I will need to reclean the kitchen as I am sure i will make a mess.
4. Continue working on my new wardrobe book that I am putting together. (Yes, I know. I am obsessed with the whole organizing thing, but it works for us!)
5. Laundry. Washed, dried, folded and PUT AWAY! Somehow clothes seem to get lost between the laundry room and the closets…
6. Organize pantry. We are really dedicating ourselves to eating healthy, so I need to rearrange the pantry to make room for some different things.
7. Dinner~ Leftover spaghetti.

Happy Homemaking,

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