I think if you read my blog, or have talked with me lately, you know I go pretty much non stop. Whether it is blogging, sewing, cooking, teaching, playing, running, or spending time with J.Tom, there really isn’t any “down time” in my day, by normal standards.
(but I do consider cooking and playing in the kitchen, sewing, or blogging after the kids are in bed downtime.)
I do want to be clear, there are priorities for my routines and life in general. Anything you do “extra” can take away from your responsibilities as a wife and mother. So, here are my priorities:
God
Husband
Children
Home
Everything else
I first try to make time for God, even if that means talking to Him in the shower on a morning I have over slept (which is more often than not these days..).
J.Tom’s needs take precedence over mine and the kids’. At least that is how I try to go about my day in general. Sometimes it probably doesn’t seem that way for him {ehum …”what are you doing home? Oh, it’s 12:05 already? Give me 5 minutes and I will have your lunch made!” is spoken quite frequently on my part}. And it is hard with little ones to put their needs third on a “list,” but J.Tom is an amazing dad and husband, so he makes it very easy.
The children come next. My mom was here the past week, so I let her do a lot of the playing, reading, spending time with them, etc. because she doesn’t get a lot of time with them living 12 hours away. But a normal day involves a lot of time spent playing with the kids. Whether it is learning time, playing on the floor, talking, reading, teaching Max new words and skills through play, etc.
If there are chores that must be done, I include Lexie (and Max when appropriate) in them. They are part of our daily routines- emptying the dishwasher, making beds, and they do generally come before “play.” But obviously within reason.
Also, keep in mind- both kids have been on a schedule since they were 8-12 weeks old; their schedule fits our family’s lifestyle. So while they are in independent play, I may do my Bible time, get a shower, get bills paid, the kitchen cleaned, etc. But their schedules fit my day at home with them. Not my life to their schedule; there are some days that it would be easier if Max didn’t nap from 9:15-11:00, but the boy needs sleep, I need him to get sleep, and if that is when he sleeps best, then that is a priority for me. Have you ever been home all day with over-tired, exhausted babies that haven’t had adequate sleep? Well, if so you know why it is a priority for our family that they have sleep! But for the most part, their schedules fit our family needs. We like that our kids have early bed times- it gives us time together at night. I am with them all day, J.Tom is with them several hours of the day, then they go to bed and we get time together, which is a priority.
Then comes the house and other duties. There are sometimes those days when I need to get dinner cooked and it takes time away from the kids. And while some would argue that it is better to put a quick (and mostly boxed/processed) meal on the table and be with the kids, vs spending 30 minutes in the kitchen while they entertain themselves, I would disagree for my family.
It is very important to me that my family eat real, healthy foods. That is a priority for our family in the “home” section of the above list. I do from-scratch crockpot and freezer meals a lot, but some days I start dinner at 4:00-4:30 and let the kids play alone while I get dinner going. But, I have had to learn to let the house {and other things} go a bit to keep a healthy, real food kitchen.
I find time to deep clean when J.Tom travels for work. That is also when I do my blogging; I write several posts that are not time sensitive (like this one) and schedule them throughout the month. Unlike all the instagram models I am blessed to be able to take my time with blog posts and not have to chase the latest trends. I do any sewing I have planned at night, when he is traveling. That way when he is home I can spend time with him and the kids, as a family. I do slack off on cooking when he travels, but on the nights I do cook, I double up and freeze left overs for later in the month, which makes dinner easier later when we are in a time crunch.
Because his travel schedule changes at any given moment, I may not get the house deep cleaned (meaning bathrooms scrubbed, everything dusted, floors steamed with the best steam mop, etc) but once in a 3-4 week period. I do get everything wiped down during the week, but not necessarily scrubbed. That is not my idea of house keeping, and it often times drives. me. crazy! {Because I am a bit OCD} But sometimes that is reality.
The kids and I do include picking up toys, vacuuming (at least the kitchen), and laundry part of our daily routine though. I think it is good for them to clean up after themselves, and to help in the home. They’ll have to do it themselves one day when they grow up and move out, so why not start them early? They’ll be experts before you know it. I think their favourite household chore is the vacuuming, as they always want to be the ones who do it. I doubt it will be long until we need to get another one though, as this one is old now, and I’m almost sure that it can’t cope with the increased use. I think we may decide to try a battery operated vacuum cleaner next, as my friend has one and she’s told me that it’s the best vacuum cleaner she’s ever had. Anything to make the household chores easier I say. But I’m just glad that we have our own little effective system going at the minute, and I love that the kids want to join in too.
They live here, they make a mess here, they are blessed to have a roof over their heads, they can help keep it orderly. Even Max at 13 months cleans up his toys when asked (and helped…).
So typically the house is in decent appearances; I like J.Tom to come home to an orderly house when he gets home from work.
While I do a lot of extra (from scratch cooking, cloth diapering, etc), and YES, extra can take away from your time with God and family, I do it in such a way that we feel good about it. We include the kids in chores and routines, and I move things around so it doesn’t take away my time with J.Tom. Some weeks it is really challenging, and I don’t do as well. But I keep a conscious mind about the intentions for my day.
I wrote before about my priorities vs God’s priorities for my day. He lays it on my heart where I should be in my home. Some days I listen much better than others. =)
The point of this post, is to say I am not a self proclaimed “super mom.” I still have 20 (some odd) pounds of baby weight to lose (and I am working very hard to lose it, but dang it man!), my house is not always clean, my laundry is not always done, and the kids are not always sunshine and rainbows. But we are all happy, healthy, learning, and trying to live for God and that is what is most important in our home.
How do you not get everything done? Or do you get it all done? (and if you do, please tell me how?)
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