While eating lunch, my oldest daughters, 13 and 11 narrated aloud to me. DD13 narrated from Fearfully and Wonderfully Made and then told me what she studied in Apologia Physical Science. DD11 narrated from her geography book, The Occident in the style of the author and told me what she learned from The World of Chemistry. Lessons are officially over for the day.
After cleaning the kitchen together, we did our Zone Chores together. Today, Flylady said we were supposed to deep clean something in the main bathroom, so the two older girls washed all the tile on the walls while DD8 wiped down the outside of the bathroom cabinet. DS3 cleaned the bathroom door. I deep cleaned the trashcan in the bathtub. This took 20 minutes.
At a little after 2pm the children went to their bedrooms with literature selections and free reading books or journals. Even DS3 had to stay on his bed for the next 50 minutes. He looked at his books for awhile, played with his knights on his bed and fell asleep. My kids look forward to these times. They can even nap, if they wish. There are only two rules: stay on the bed and be quiet.
I went downstairs and made myself a cup of coffee making sure to drink it from my favorite cup (Life is too short to drink from an ugly cup.). This is my quiet time and I've kept it for 13 years. I do whatever I want to do during this hour! I wrote a blog post and proof read the next few chapters in my eldest DD's literature selections. Proofreading is relaxing and enjoyable for me.
The girls started trickling downstairs a little after 3pm. They disappeared outside with a clipboard and pen, telling me that they were going to the Secret Meadow to work on their latest play. They have decided that they will perform the classic, The Princess and Curdie for our term play. This is the first time I am letting them do everything themselves. It should be very entertaining this winter. They will make invitations or little programs, make costumes and hang a large sheet curtain in the family room. We will invite our English speaking friends to enjoy it with us and DH will video. Afterwards, we will roast chestnuts on our coal stove and drink hot cocoa. It will probably be performed on Thanksgiving evening. (We try to have two or three plays a year. Our children spend many enjoyable hours preparing for them.)
This was my mending and repair day, so I sewed up some rips in my husband's shirts, glued some broken porcelain, and downloaded instructions for the Elven cloaks my daughters want to make for their handicraft project this winter.
I woke up DS3 and we went outside for a walk and visit with the neighbor next door. My daughters were not in sight, but I wasn't worried because they took our huge Turkish Dog (Anatolian Shepherd) with them. She is formidable- looking and very protective. (Someone left her on our front porch during a snow storm when she was just a few weeks old.)
At 4:30 the girls returned. One practiced on the keyboard while the other two girls folded and put away clothes and DS3 caused trouble. I finally told him he couldn't play with his toys until he had folded five washcloths perfectly. He listened.
At 5pm the girls switched. One practiced the keyboard while the other helped me make supper. Meanwhile DD8 practiced her recorder for 15 minutes with the timer. DS3 played in his bedroom and begged DD8 to hurry up so they could play castle together.
We ate supper when DH came home. The kids told him about their day and narrated a little bit more for him. Two children cleaned the kitchen, but DD11 helped me make supper so she only had to clear the table. DH and I took a walk down the road and back.
Our family's favorite game this year is SNATCH. It is a word game and you have to be quick. Tournaments have been going on just about every evening this month so this night was no exception. Fun, fun, fun.
At 9pmish the kids began to get ready for bed. It was DS3's turn for a bath. He was one happy camper splashing in his little lake. Everything ran a little late tonight because of the excitement of the game so they didn't have a chance to read before lights out. I soaked in a hot bath before bed and read beside dear husband. Would you like to know what brand of toothpaste I used? : )
There you have it; a typical school day in our home. It doesn't always go this smoothly. In fact, the following day, DD8 cried during her Shakespeare narration because she wanted the paper dolls to look perfectly 'Shakespearean.' Her colonial dolls would not do. I was at my wit's end trying to convince her to be more creative in her thinking. In the end, I demonstrated how to narrate with 'slightly insufficient materials' which she called 'grossly' insufficient but she caught on and it ended happily. However, I was emotionally drained and took a thirty minute nap with son after lunch on the couch!
