A (Winter) Day in Pictures

Poor Mattie has been away from home since Monday, which is no fun for anyone.

I decided yesterday morning to document the day with my camera, as it was being lived.  It would give me a bit of a much-needed diversion and it might make Matt feel more at home as he sits in his hotel room all by his lonesome, reading my blog.

He does that, you know.

Thus, a day in pictures:

Up at 6 am to beat the garbage man to the curb.   Only two teeny bags this week!

 

 

Get the woodstove blazing...

 

 

I started reading to one child-but the children have radar when it comes to story-telling and eventually there was a pile of them.

 

Judah's turn to help with breakfast.  He thinks EVERY morning is his turn, so you have to be careful with him.

 

Half with ketchup, half without.  Me?  I am a ketchup on eggs kind of girl.

 

Big kids head out to do chores...

 

 

 

Time fer some lernin'.

 

 

Need to add wood to the fire

 

 

Lunch time- swipe the table free from papers and books, just enough for some eating room.  I read, they eat.

 

The littles go down for a rest, the biggles finish more schoolwork and then read/play quietly while I eat my lunch and work/play on the computer.

 

It's cold on these bitter days, no matter how roaring the fire down cellar.  Sunspots are prime learning spots.

 

 

swept and cleaned the mudroom

 

cleaned my bedroom while listening to this.

 

more wood for the fire...

 

Time for evening chores...my job when Matt is away.

 

Meanwhile, there is a ball going on inside

 

Chores sure are more pleasant with lights in the barn!  (A recent improvement!)

 

When chores are done...where did the sun go?

 

The children surprised me by clearing and setting the table and getting in their pj's while I was doing chores.  I think it was a BIG HINT that they were hungry. 

 

 

making yogurt

 

 

Before bed story time

 

After the childer were tucked in, some vacuuming needed to be done...

 

...because I had a boatload of laundry to fold.  Which I did, while watching a chick-flick.  (Miss Austin Regrets)  I had been storing up the clean laundry for three days so I could do this!

 

At 11:30, the movie was over and my folding done.  One final load up of the woodstove to get us through the night...

 

Checking in on the children before heading to bed myself.  Sweetlings.

 

Then it was to bed with me.  I read until 12:21am and then- lights out. 

 

 I probably don't need to say this but I will anyway...not all days are like this.

Some days include things this day left out (exercise! a-hem) and some days do not include what this day did (making yogurt).  Some days are more productive than others.  Many days it is miraculous to get school done well and meals on the table...

 This was a productive day, mostly because Matt was away and I can never go to bed at a decent time with him gone.  Instead, I stay up until my eyelids finally give up, usually about 1 am.  This means, that while I have several extra hours in which to be particularly productive...by the end of the week, I am usually also a bit growly. 

I know which one I would choose.