Mondays Are My Favorites

So secretly (or not so secretly now) I love Mondays.  Now nothing compares to the full family fun of the weekends, but of the "regular  ole work days" Monday is just the best.

I realized pretty quickly into our homeschool journey that it was best for me and the boys (and now girls - still not used to that) to block out our Mondays completely.  We have no activities, no friends over, and no mandatory errands.  The idea is to just dive into the week's curriculum and maybe even catch up on some laundry. I found that if we went anywhere on Monday, it threw my whole week off and I felt like I was playing catch up all week.  Falling behind on a Tuesday doesn't feel as overwhelming to me as it does on Monday.  So our Monday's have become this calm stay home day with no pressure to rush around and I love it.

I guess I should acknowledge that really our Monday's start off right, in part because Sunday nights I have my small group with my girls. There is nothing quite like talking Jesus, praying and hugging my ladies to start off my week right.

This week Monday morning started slow.  New letters, new verses, new books, and new lessons. Of course it isn't all peaceful and serene (less you get a false image of what it is like with 4 kids home all day). This one would have for sure had a parent conference planned due to behavior, if well you know I wasn't totally aware already and such.

(not her letters, not her book, not her chair)

There was outdoor science, math and art.  The covered patio is quickly becoming my favorite classroom.


Look we have even grown some plants from seed, like actually had success and not had to go buy another plant already grown to continue the experiments!



There was baby napping and quiet reading.

There was a quick and easy dinner at home.

And after the 8 under set went to bed, there were cheap reality shows and intense good dramas on TV for momma and daddy with a bowl of ice cream.

And the day ends with happy feeling that we have started the week of right and we can handle another week of all-the-things that need to happen.

Summer 2014

A photo documentary of our first Alabama summer in four years.

We kicked things off with Colin jumping headlong into five. It suits him well.


There was much backyard play


Popsicles in pajamas.


And VBS here and there


And lots of swimming


There were date nights enjoyed by mommy and daddy and children left to relish in spending time with the grandparents.


Days out with friends


And park days in familiar spots






And more backyard play


And more popsicles


And months of days filled with enjoying our time together with our favorite people in the world.