A Day in my Life, 4 to 1

I've started several blogs about this, only to erase them. I suppose it's because it's exhausting just looking at the list. Maybe this time I'll actually finish or at least get to nap time. This is my day when all the children are home.

6:30am Get up with Logan. He is an early riser. Some mornings he wakes a 5am. As we walk downstairs I stop in the kitchen and make him a drink. We walk downstairs, I put on cartoons and make my way back upstairs.

6:40 watch as coffee brews. Begin to clean out the sink or put on a load of laundry.

7:00 Vincent wakes up. Go get him and make him a drink, take him downstairs to join Logan. Kiss the husband good-bye as he goes off to pay our bills.

7:15 Make a cup of coffee and drink it down quickly. I never know if Annabel will wake or Arwen.

7:30 Make the boys breakfast, bring it downstairs or them upstairs, depending on what I prepare. Sometimes I have to make different food as Logan's pickiness changes daily.

8:00 Annabel wakes up. Go get her and sit at the table with the boys as they eat. Nurse her and feel like a amazon woman when I have to get extra cereal as I keep her latched on.

8:15 Bring the boys down to the playroom. Change to Nick Jr. Pull out a box of toys. Place Annabel in the office and put up the gate so the boys will not bother her.

8:20 Boys demand more "drink please". Go back upstairs and make it, bring it back down to them. Pull out a puzzle or game to do with the boys until Arwen wakes.

8:30 Logan needs to "poopy the podie", take him upstairs and wait while he goes. Bring him back downstairs and continue play.

8:45 Arwen is up. Go back upstairs and make her breakfast. Check on the laundry or finish up the dishes.

9:15 Bring Arwen to the basement. She is my household moniter. Tell her I'll be back as soon as I can and to yell for me if I'm needed. Rush upstairs to do the morning chores.

9:20 Place Annabel in her bed upstairs. Grab the folded and hung laundry and bring it upstairs. Put it away. Then begin making all the beds.

9:30 Arwen yells so I stop. I hurry down two flights of stairs to the playroom. They want more "drink please". Go upstairs and make drinks, take them back down and go back up the stairs yet again to finish up on the beds. That's 6 trips up and down the stairs right there.

9:50 Finish up the beds and collect any dirty laundry. Hurry into the bathroom and shut the curtain, clean the sink and make sure it's organized. Take the laundry to the middle floor before returning upstairs to get Annabel. Make sure to grab outfits for the day for the boys while I am upstairs.

10:00 Start full force on the kitchen. Finish cleaning up from breakfasts and dishes from the night before. Clean the stove if needed and clean the bathroom. Dump and change the trash cans.

10:15 Return downstairs. Put Annabel down and go play with the kids. Dressing them first.

10:30 Go into the office and play with Annabel.

10:45 Kids need "more drink please". Stop playing with the baby and go make them a drink. Return to playing with the baby.

11:00 Time for lunch. Ask them what they'd like. Take the baby upstairs and prepare the food.

11:15-11:30 Depending on what is prepared either set the childrens table up downstairs or set the table in the kitchen. Feed the kids and Annabel.

12:00pm Clean the children off, take them for potty breaks. Tell them it is nap time. Proceed to wrangle with them for the next 30 minutes to get them into bed.

12:45 Boys are finally in bed, Annabel is crying and Arwen wants a drink, a game she can't find, or something another to make things complex. I try to calm her while feeding the baby. Hear a loud BUMP! Put Annabel down, she starts to scream. Run into the boys room.

12:50 Boys are out of bed playing. Reprimand them, get up and return to room, grab crying baby and return to nursing her.

12:52 Hear loud BOOM! Place baby down again, she starts screaming. Go into room, they are again out of their beds, covers everywhere. Reprimand them again and get them into bed. Return to Annabel.

12:55 Hear the BOOM! BANG! again but finish feeding the baby. Burp her and cut on television and place her into the crib. Check on Arwen and make my way to the boys room.

1:00 Room is destroyed. Clean up the huge mess and get onto my wild children. Place them into the bed and take a seat on the end of Logans mattress. Begin the wait for them to drift off.

1:15 Finally they are asleep. Leave the room and check on Arwen again, go for Annabel, she is asleep.

1:20 Go downstairs and clean the mess from lunch. Start a load of dishes or clean out the dishwasher, whatever that day calls for. Go fold the laundry in the dryer and start a new load.

1:35 Grab a drink and something I can quickly chomp on. Go to the basement and clean up all the toys and messes.

1:50 Go back upstairs, Annabel is still sleeping. Go check on Arwen. She wants my help. I play her game with her for a few minutes.

2:00 Tell Arwen I am going to try to take a nap. I lock the upstairs gate, get the phone and place it next to me and lay down, my eyes drift.

2:30 Annabel wakes. Crawl out of the bed and bring her into the bed with me. Talk and play with her, fight off exhaustion.

3:00 Boys are up. Bring them and Annabel to the middle floor, decide what to cook for the night. If it's a meal that takes a while, cut on television and cut on the Thomas train ride in the living room. Bring Annabel to the kitchen and start cooking.

3:30 Logan needs to "poopy the podie". Help him and try to watch the food.

4:00 Jimbo calls, he's on his way home. Thank.the.Lord.

4:30 Kids are going wild and Annabel is screaming. They are fighting over the Thomas train, a toy, or something. It never fails. I look at the clock and start begging for my husband.

4:40 Set the table and plate food. Get napkins, condiments and whatever else ready.

4:45 Jimbo is home. Grab Annabel and nurse her.

5:15 Take the children up to bath. Get all the kids clothes ready. Jimbo takes the boys, I take the girls.

6:00 Jimbo takes the kids I keep the baby. Tell him I am taking a nap.

8:00 Time for bed. Get up if Annabel allowed me to nap. Get teeth brushed, potties used and clothes set out for the morning. Read bedtime stories, give kisses and settle them down for the night.

8:30 Clean up from dinner. Check on laundry. Decide if I want to fold clothes and start another load but decide I'll do it tomorrow.

8:45 Decide if I want to spend time with the hubs, the baby, cleaning, reading, crafting or go to bed.

This is how a day goes for the most part when my children are all home. Of course things deviate. I get children wanting to watch a movie, play a game, or go outside. I have to make appointments, meet with early intervention, call schools and teachers. Nothing is on a set schedule but these are the things I try to do in my day.

So for those that think I have it easy and I'm lazy since I don't have a job, perhaps now you will have a bit more respect for those Moms who stay at home. It's not easy and there are alot of days when it's hell but I am grateful I can stay home with my children.

So tell me, what's a day in your life like?