Children’s Schedule

I had several emails after posting my schedule, asking what our chidren’s days look like.  Here’s their schedule.  There are little things that are changed each day, but for the most part, this is how their days flow.

Daily Schedule
6:15 am – wake up, get dressed
6:30 am – Bible and prayers
6:45 am – breakfast
7:15 am – morning chores

a) wash face
b) brush teeth
c) make beds
d) put laundry away
e) household chores
1) sweeping – Pat
2) vacuuming – Jake
3) laundry – Liz

7:45 am – station play
a) Jake – piano practice 15 mins
9:00 am – schooltime
10:30 am – morning snack
10:50 am – morning chores check
11:00 am – outside playtime
11:50 am – clean up, prepare for lunch
12:00 pm – lunch
12:45 pm – storytime
1:00 pm – quiet time
2:00 pm – wake up
2:15 pm – afternoon chores

a) make beds
b) put laundry away
c) behavior practice

3:00 pm – afternoon snack
3:20 pm – chore check
3:30 pm – outside playtime
4:00 pm – outdoor chores

a) sweeping walkways
b) weeding flowerbeds
c) garden work
1) weeding
2) watering
3) harvesting
d) empty compost
e) animal care
1) feed/water
2) collect eggs
3) clean pens

4:45 pm – clean up, prepare for dinner
5:00 pm – dinner
5:40 pm – evening chores
a) put laundry away
b) put toys/books away
c) set out clothes for next day

6:00 pm – bathtime
6:20 pm – bedtime preparation
6:30 pm – evening worship
7:00 pm – bedtime

Granted, as with all things children, chaos can ensue quickly. 😉  However, having a schedule in place can help get things back on track very quickly.  If we don’t take the time to put clothes away in the evening (say, if we had a surprise visitor for dinner), we have the opportunity to put them away the next morning, without too much piling up too quickly. This has been a Godsend in keeping the house picked up – with 6 people living in 850 square feet, it can be crazy quickly! 🙂  If a day gets away from you, keep in mind that you can always start anew the next day (or even in the next hour!  Stay the course – you WILL see a benefit.

Teaching our children how to be frugal

I’m over at Keeper of the Home today, sharing about how and why we teach our children to live a frugal lifestyle.

Hop on over and take a look!

“He is Risen!”

“He is not here; He has risen, just as He said.”
Matthew 28:6

Christ has arisen, alleluia!
Rejoice and praise Him, alleluia!
For our Redeemer burst from the tomb,
Even from death, dispelling its gloom!
Let us sing praise to Him with endless joy!
Death’s fearful sting He has come to destroy!
Our sin forgiving, alleluia,
Jesus is living
ALLELUIA! 

Many blessings to your family on this wonderful Resurrection Sunday!

Early Morning Blessings

I’m over at Keeper of the Home today,
sharing my ways of finding the joy in an early morning relationship with God.

Head on over and take a look!

Called to Cover interview

I was interviewed by Lina, at A Set Apart Life, recently about my journey to headcovering.
Head on over and take a look!

Titus 2 Thursday: Called to the Home

This morning’s post was written by Melissa Keen.  She is a home-school graduate who lives at home with her parents, serving her family and her church community through hospitality, calligraphy, sewing, and caring for young children.

The propriety of Christian, Bible-believing women having careers is a controversial subject in the modern church. However, I believe that God has something to say about everything, even if it is simply a subtly stated principle instead of a direct command or explicit explanation. When tackling any subject, it is vital to use Scripture as the basis for all points of discussion. Following are my personal thoughts and beliefs on the subject and the interpretation of this matter that God has laid on my heart.

In Proverbs 9 Wisdom is personified as a woman who is skillful, industrious, and resourceful. Amazingly enough, she accomplishes all her tasks from her home — “Wisdom hath builded her house… whoso is simple, let him turn in hither” (Proverbs 9:1, 4). She has built her house, decorated it, and furnished it. She has prepared food for her guests, using what she has at her home. Not only is her home fully functioning and productive, but she is also able to invite strangers in to enjoy and benefit from her well ordered, exemplary home.

As Christian women, we have the responsibility to look not only to our God-given realm of the home, but also to expand our ministry to those outside of our home. There are so many possibilities with the skills we are given! First, we are to use them to benefit our family and home. This is where our priorities and loyalties should always lie. Second, we are to extend the boundaries of our home to include others in ministry and hospitality. “Come, eat of my bread, and drink of the wine which I have mingled,” cries this wise woman (verse 5).

Read more here.

Join me each Thursday as I share a devotional that has encouraged me in my walk as a wife and mother.

Titus 2 Thursday: Thoughts on hospitality

Today’s post was written by Hannah Hagarty.  She is happily married to Sean for twelve years, mama to five, foster mama to whomever God sends their way. Homeschooling, little bit crunchy, handcraft fiddling, Jesus-loving, garden dirt digging, retired nurse, messy baking sort of gal striving for a quiet contented heart that honors her Lord. You can visit her at Cultivating Home.

“I want you to share your food with the hungry and bring right into your own homes those who are helpless, poor and destitute. Clothe those who are cold and don’t hide from relatives who need your help.

If you do these things, God will shed His own glorious light upon you. He will heal you; your godliness will lead you forward, and goodness will be a shield before you, and the glory of the Lord will protect you.

Then, when you call, the Lord will answer. ‘Yes, I am here,’ he will quickly reply.”

Isaiah 58:7-9 Living Bible

“If you have never done any of these things, or things of this nature, if you have been married for years and years and have had a home (or even a room) and none of this has ever occurred, if you have been quiet especially as our culture is crumbling around us, if this is so – do you really believe that people are going to hell? And if you really believe that, how can you stand and say, “I have never paid the price to open my living place and do the things that I can do”?

Read more here.

Join me each Thursday as I share a devotional that has encouraged me in my walk as a wife and mother.

Titus 2 Thursday: The Real Women’s Liberation Movement – Christianity

This morning’s post was written by Stacy McDonald. She is the wife of Pastor James McDonald of Providence Church and Family Reformation Ministries. She is the mother of ten precious blessings, and the grandma of one treasured cuddle bug, so far!
Surely, she is and does other things, but these are the most significant to her.
Stacy is also the author of Raising Maidens of Virtue and co-author of the popular new book, Passionate Housewives Desperate for God

“Despite the anti-Christian prejudice evident in much of the feminist movement, it is to the teachings and example of Jesus Christ that women owe most of their freedoms. The advent of Christianity raised the dignity, freedom and rights of women to levels never before known in any other culture or religion. Indeed, as one historian put it: ‘The birth of Jesus was the turning point in the history of women.'” – Dr. Peter Hammond

On our way home from church this evening, I glanced over at my tired husband who was driving our large crowd home. Today he delivered a sermon (The Christian Husband, Leading and Loving) that made me realize just how completely Jesus “set the captives free.” Yes, He set free the captives of addiction, of prostitution, of despair, of hopelessness. He broke the chains of perversion, hatred, and bitterness. He set us free of sin – the cruel master we so willingly served – and so desperately hated. Now we gladly—and thankfully—serve the King of Kings.

But, ironically, as women, He set us free in another way too. Many feminists rant about the oppression biblical teaching places upon women; but, Christianity is what freed us from that oppression! Why then would we want to place upon ourselves newly forged chains of egalitarianism?

Read more here.

Join me each Thursday as I share a devotional that has encouraged me in my walk as a wife and mother.

Titus 2 Thursday: “Overworking” our children

This morning’s post was written by Kelly Crawford from Generation Cedar.  Kelly is the helpmeet to Aaron, and mother to 8 precious blessings.

I heard it again…quite a typical comment about grown children of large families:

“She was the oldest of six and felt like her mother required too much of her….so she doesn’t want a large family.”

Size of family debate aside…the issue here is not the number of siblings or the work load, but rather a fundamental lesson of the Christian life that the parents failed to transmit.

The conclusion that “I had to work too hard...” does not echo the perspective of a follower of Christ.  The first misunderstanding is that life is somehow not largely about work.

Read more here.

Join me each Thursday as I share a devotional that has encouraged me in my walk as a wife and mother.

Titus 2 Thursday: Motherhood or Moanhood?

This morning’s post is written by Serene Allison, daughter of Nancy Campbell, founder of Above Rubies ministry.  If you haven’t scrolled through the articles, devotions, and stories cataloged on the site, I would encourage you do so.  Often.
I have found SO much encouragement through them.

~~~~

“Who can find a virtuous woman for her price is far above rubies.” Proverbs 31:10

As mothers and wives we often spend wasted brain space mulling over just the opposite. Do these words sound familiar? “I can’t do it anymore!” “I don’t have the energy!” “I’m drained! I have nothing more to give.” “I’m too tired! I’m completely exhausted and wasted. I can’t do one more thing!” We talk ourselves out of any last vestige of energy, and by the power of our minds we feel even more tired than we really are!

I am often drawn to this text as I pray for God to mold me into the woman He desires me to be, no matter how much against the stream of normalcy it seems.

My Interlinear Bible, which is translated directly from the Hebrew, inspires me when I read, “Who can find an able woman? For her value is far above jewels.” The word “able” hit me with a giant thud. I wasn’t as pricked by the word “virtuous” as virtues seem to abound in the feminine sex! I’m only being slightly sarcastic! But “able”! “Able”?

Read more here.

Join me each Thursday as I share a devotional that has encouraged me in my walk as a wife and mother.