Family Friday
Yesterday was a joy.
I woke up with absolutely not one item on my calendar. Nothing framed our day, not even Daddy's work schedule. And I milked it for all it was worth.
We didn't even have a proper breakfast. Instead as soon as kids had their chores done, they were allowed to fix themselves a pancake left over from last night's dinner. As I made large, whole-grain-apple-and-cinnamon pancakes that the kids piled peanut butter, applesauce, and homemade syrup on top, this was more filling than one might imagine.
Once everyone was awake I sent the big girls off to do their independent school work while I discusses triple bunk bed plans with Daddy. We're building the green ones, only switched so the doubles are on the right with the single on the left, and we're modifying them slightly using these plans for inspiration.
H4 asked if she could do school, so we did. She read her first 4 words--at, fat, mat, rat. We called Grandma to read them to her over the phone. H4 read for Daddy, for sisters, for me, for herself. It was one of those moments when the whole world simply sparkles for joy.
I made some pumpkin bars for a snack and had devotional some time in the middle of the morning. Once older kids were turning in their school work, I pulled on my work clothes and put another coat of paint over as much of the 2nd basement bedroom as I could before we ran out of paint.
Then I worked outside. I'm creating a border along our front walkway. I'm eventually going to fill it with native flowering plants (and probably a few bulbs), but I'll take my time about it.
I allowed boredom work its wonderful work. Any child that said, "I'm so bored. I have nothing to dooooooo," was acknowledged, but not helped.
There was much complaining for an hour or so.
A7 fell on the floor in desperation.
I stepped over her and went about my work.
E14 followed me around for a while, asking me to solve her boredom problem by taking her somewhere else.
I just kept on working.
Eventually I noticed that everyone was busy doing things:
--E14 had gathered tools and scrap lumber and was banging away in a tree.
--M12 helped me paint and then bathed the cat.
--S11 pottered about outside and helped M12.
--J10 read books, played board games, and pottered with S11. She also made quesadillas for us when we got hungry.
--A7 sulked in the hammock until she got up and put on her roller blades.
--H4 helped me dig in the front yard.
--I2 swung on the swingset, dug in the dirt, drew with sidewalk chalk, played Legos, and managed to cross the street into the soccer field without me seeing him even though he was standing right next to me 5 seconds earlier! (I sent J10 after him.)
Daddy headed to the hardware store to buy wood for the bunk beds and paint for the bedroom walls, then to Aldi to grab take-and-bake pizzas for dinner. He took the three oldest girls with him.
I was still working in the yard when they got home, so M12 took the initiative to oversee the pizzas while S11 got the card table out of the garage and took it up to the deck. We ate out pizza outdoors--the first picnic of spring!
Daddy took everyone but I2 over to the soccer field to play while I bathed a very dirty, very tired, small boy.
As the sky turned purple in the twilight, we gathered together for family reading and went thankfully to bed.
Family days are the happiest days.
I woke up with absolutely not one item on my calendar. Nothing framed our day, not even Daddy's work schedule. And I milked it for all it was worth.
We didn't even have a proper breakfast. Instead as soon as kids had their chores done, they were allowed to fix themselves a pancake left over from last night's dinner. As I made large, whole-grain-apple-and-cinnamon pancakes that the kids piled peanut butter, applesauce, and homemade syrup on top, this was more filling than one might imagine.
Once everyone was awake I sent the big girls off to do their independent school work while I discusses triple bunk bed plans with Daddy. We're building the green ones, only switched so the doubles are on the right with the single on the left, and we're modifying them slightly using these plans for inspiration.
H4 asked if she could do school, so we did. She read her first 4 words--at, fat, mat, rat. We called Grandma to read them to her over the phone. H4 read for Daddy, for sisters, for me, for herself. It was one of those moments when the whole world simply sparkles for joy.
I made some pumpkin bars for a snack and had devotional some time in the middle of the morning. Once older kids were turning in their school work, I pulled on my work clothes and put another coat of paint over as much of the 2nd basement bedroom as I could before we ran out of paint.
Then I worked outside. I'm creating a border along our front walkway. I'm eventually going to fill it with native flowering plants (and probably a few bulbs), but I'll take my time about it.
I allowed boredom work its wonderful work. Any child that said, "I'm so bored. I have nothing to dooooooo," was acknowledged, but not helped.
There was much complaining for an hour or so.
A7 fell on the floor in desperation.
I stepped over her and went about my work.
E14 followed me around for a while, asking me to solve her boredom problem by taking her somewhere else.
I just kept on working.
Eventually I noticed that everyone was busy doing things:
--E14 had gathered tools and scrap lumber and was banging away in a tree.
--M12 helped me paint and then bathed the cat.
--S11 pottered about outside and helped M12.
--J10 read books, played board games, and pottered with S11. She also made quesadillas for us when we got hungry.
--A7 sulked in the hammock until she got up and put on her roller blades.
--H4 helped me dig in the front yard.
--I2 swung on the swingset, dug in the dirt, drew with sidewalk chalk, played Legos, and managed to cross the street into the soccer field without me seeing him even though he was standing right next to me 5 seconds earlier! (I sent J10 after him.)
Daddy headed to the hardware store to buy wood for the bunk beds and paint for the bedroom walls, then to Aldi to grab take-and-bake pizzas for dinner. He took the three oldest girls with him.
I was still working in the yard when they got home, so M12 took the initiative to oversee the pizzas while S11 got the card table out of the garage and took it up to the deck. We ate out pizza outdoors--the first picnic of spring!
Daddy took everyone but I2 over to the soccer field to play while I bathed a very dirty, very tired, small boy.
As the sky turned purple in the twilight, we gathered together for family reading and went thankfully to bed.
Family days are the happiest days.
Comments
Post a Comment