A day as a Stay at Home Mom

6:30am  I wake up.  Coffee is the first thing on my mind.  I watch the news, go online, get dressed, start a load of laundry or put laundry in the dryer.  Curtains and doors get opened and I eat some toast.  The dog gets fed and let outside.  The bed gets made and a few random things get put away in the kitchen.  The rest of the house is usually pretty clean from the night before.

7:15am  One of the boys wake up (usually Caleb)  He gets a coffee cup of milk to drink as he sits on the couch and watches a few minutes of TV.  (usually Micky Mouse Club House)  Sometimes he asks for a "nanna"  (banana)

7:30am  Play time for whoever is awake.  Usually, Caleb has been getting art out at this time.  If not, he will ask for cars and blocks most of the time.

7:45am  The other one wakes up.  Art is put away and they sit and play in the living room while we get breakfast ready.  (Daddy usually makes breakfast if he is home)

8am  Breakfast!  Heart shaped raisin bread, half a banana, mozzarella cheese slices and milk.

8:15am  Kitchen clean up time for me.  I start a load of dishes (bottles) and the boys go into the living room to play.  I sweep under the highchairs, wash the trays, scrub the counter tops, and pick up whatever was left from last night.  I have another cup of coffee.

8:30am  Play time!  We usually go outside on the porch to play.  We are really going to miss this when winter gets here.  Blocks, trucks, and balls are our favorites.  I go back and forth between playing with the boys and finishing dishes.

9:30am  Kaysen starts getting cranky around this time.  He only stays up about 2-3hrs in the morning before it's time for his nap.  So I have been getting him his first bottle of the day around now and cuddling with him and a blanket.

10am Kaysen's first nap of the day!  I get special one on one time with Caleb.  Usually we will bring out something messy if the weather is bad.  Noodles and scoops, play dough, beans w/cups and bowls, etc.  Sometimes we play with his smaller cars and make little garages and tracks.  If the weather is nice we will go outside for a few minutes.  I don't like to stay out for long because I know that Kaysen could wake up any time.

11am  This nap time varies for Caleb.  He has been going to bed recently around this time, but will sometimes fight it.  Once Caleb goes to bed I get "Me time" until Kaysen wakes up.  I'll eat a snack, go online, coupon, pick up the house, do my daily wiping/dusting.  I set the slow cooker sometimes for dinner.

11:30-12ish  Kaysen wakes up somewhere around here.  Then I get special one on one time with him.  He gets a small snack (usually a graham cracker or something)  He likes to read books and we have been doing a lot of that lately.

1pm  Lunch!  Caleb wakes up and is instantly hungry so I scramble to fix something for the boys.  Usually it is leftovers from the night before:  Alfredo Pasta w/ chicken and mixed veggies, apple, milk.

1:30pm  Clean up time for me!  I do lunch dishes, sweep under highchairs, spot mop, wash trays, scrub the stove.  The boys watch a bit of TV (usually prerecorded Yo Gabba Gabba)

1:45pm  Outside time!  Swing and push toys usually.  I do chores around the yard like picking weeds or mowing the back yard.  If I have the car, we go out somewhere.  Sometimes for a walk around the lake.  Sometimes to the store.  If it is cooler we go for a walk around the neighborhood.  If the weather is bad we will find a large motor activity to do inside. 

2:30pm  Kaysen starts getting cranky again.  If we are home he gets a bottle and cuddles for bed.  If we are still out at the store he waits for his nap until closer to 4pm.

3pm  Snack time!  Usually a piece of fruit and a cracker/bread of some sort:  Pretzels/peanut butter and grapes!  Kaysen gets settled down for his second nap.  Caleb gets alone play during this time.  He is quite content to sit there and play/read by himself while his brother sleeps.

4pm  Kaysen wakes up.  The boys usually go outside to play on the porch while I prepare dinner.  Caleb usually asks for markers and his coloring pages.  Kaysen has taken an interest in art too, so I will color with him while Caleb does his own thing.

5pm  Dinner!  Chili w/ noodles and crackers, milk.  YUM!

5:30pm  I clean up the kitchen AGAIN!  Sweep, mop, wash trays, dishes, scrub stove and counter tops.  The boys run around like crazy people getting out their energy.  They chase each other behind the couches.

6pm  If Daddy is home, this is wrestle time.  He chases them around the house and wrestles with them.  I go online and check for deals.  I've started going back to the gym now that the weather is getting toward fall.  If daddy is at work then I let the boys run around and I give them something noisy like pots and pans. 

7pm  I'm home from the gym.  Daddy gets the bath ready if he is home and I do my "daily things" on the computer (check email, print coupons, make some money by completing surveys) and then clean the bathroom while daddy gets them dressed in their PJ's.  If I'm by myself I get the bath ready and clean the bathroom while the boys are taking their 'splishy splash'.

7:30pm  Brush teeth, PJ's, books, bed!  Kaysen gets his last bottle of the day (until 5am in the morning) and Caleb gets a cup of water.  The boys will play around usually for 1/2hr or so.  Kaysen will fall asleep around 8pm and Caleb reads books by himself until he gets tired about 8:30.  He usually falls asleep on the floor and we have to move him to his bed.

Bedtime for me is about 11pm.