Folks are always asking, “How do you do it?” Every once in a while, I think to jot day the ins and outs of my day. Much of it is a blur but here are the highlights of my day:

5am Seth woke up, curled up with him on the couch with his bottle, we both fell asleep. Usually, he stays awake and he helps with my work-out then eats a “pre-breakfast snack” while I read my Bible, start laundry, check email and check in on my social networking, etc.  Isaiah and Isabelle are also early risers and keep me on my toes. I have them get dressed  and help me with laundry then start chores. Tuesday is a crazy bad day for me to not be up and at ’em! I have to pick up shop groceries and get specials going. But cuddling with Seth and sleeping a bit (for a change) was refreshing.

8am-ish THAT is sleeping in! At least on a work/school day. I believe it was Jillian who woke me up. We kicked it gear, chores, breakfast, quick devotion, Jillian and Benjamin (with school packed) headed off to get started at the shop. I try to plan ahead but some weeks, like the last, exasperaggravates (my word, feel free to use it)  my O.P.D. (Obsessive Procrastination Disorder). So specials were planned on the fly this morning: Apple Tuna Salad Croissant & Barley Cheese Soup. I threw together a grocery list and flew to Meijer then off to the kitchen. Meanwhile, back at the ranch, Natalie oversaw K.P. and kicked off school.

10am-ish Arrived at the Panache Kitchen and when I arrived, Jillian had the Almond Coconut Brownies done and she and Jacob, “adopted” son who helps at times,  were putting the finishing touches on the Chocolate-drizzled Peanut Butter Cookies (decorated for fall). 

10-ish is pretty late to get started on soup but we don’t have that many folks come in for lunch so we don’t fret about having everything “ready” as much as we use to. They were on that as I left. I took off to drop off a package at the post office, return You Know My Name (starring a favorite of mine, Sam Elliott – I recommend) and picked up some NCIS (For those that don’t know us, we don’t receive any broadcast TV or cable so rely on DVDs for R & R ).

After zooming home, I started laundry, returned some business calls,  then commenced reading lessons for the small fries and did some spelling. After lunch (and more laundry), Natalie, Judah, Autumn, Isabelle & I headed back to the kitchen, picked up Jacob, then went to homeschool art lessons. I enjoyed some wonderful visiting with the other moms.

Art lessons finished, we went home for a “rush meal” of Hot Pockets and carrot sticks. Yes, you read that right, the “homecooked meal” people eats that stuff. You do what you have to do. On Tuesdays when half the clan has art then the other half has Civil Air Patrol in the evening, that’s what we have to do (usually, it’s pizza).  Craig arrived home somewhere around here.

CAP peeps off, we cleaned up, did more laundry,baths, got kids ready for bed, read stories, put small fries to bed, then sat down to NCIS, blogging and now I’m going to crash and burn.

There you have it, a sampling of one of my days.  Let me know if it makes you as tired as it makes me.
Let’s hear it for coffee!!

Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

What’s not shared is lost,

Michelle