My Life - a reminder to me

I am writing to remind myself what my life is like these days.   My apologies if this is redundant or boring to those who are reading.  There are really just a few main things that take up my time over and above the completely full, overwhelming schedule of a stay at home Mom.

1. As most people are very aware, I am homeschooling my five children.  Well, technically only 3 are IN school, but I still have the other 2 doing many of the activities with us etc.

2. On top of that, I have over 20 piano/theory students which take up more than 10 hours a week of my time in class, and even more of preparations etc.

3. Over the past 6 and a half weeks, I've been doing a triathlon training class at the YMCA.  I've been at the class at 6am Monday, Wednesday and Friday.  "Why?" you might ask.  Well, because I've signed up our whole family (except for Benson who is only 2) to do a triathlon on June 1 - and instead of making a fool of myself there in front of hundreds of people, I decided to do it 3 times a week, in front of a much smaller crowd (10-15 people) where I can get coaching and hopefully get in better shape because of it.

4. Although this doesn't take up much time, it still counts as mental effort and involvement.  I joined Weight Watchers online.  After a month of taking the "drill sergeant" class, I had lost a mere 1.5 lbs.  Yes, I know that you gain muscle and muscle weighs more than fat.... blah, blah, blah.  When you are almost 50 lbs overweight, you just want some fat gone - regardless of how much muscle weighs.  So, I joined just over two weeks ago and I'm down about 6 more pounds.  Much more encouraging - and I know that I'm losing it in a WAY healthier way than if I did some sort of crash diet.  It has been fantastic.

Basically, my week looks something like this.

Monday
Up at 5:30 and head to the gym.  Be in the pool by 6 to do as many lengths as is humanly possible (averaging about 60-70 lengths these days) in an hour. 
*side note: when I started this class 6 weeks ago, the teacher was encouraging me to try to swim with my face in the water and figure out side breathing.  This past Monday, my teacher stopped me to tell me that my swimming had improved so much it was "phenomenal".  I had a proud moment.  Sometimes it pays off to be the "class project".

After swimming, I get ready and go home (usually arriving around 7:30).  I shower, get changed, make my bed, clean up my room and wake up the kids to get started on their day (usually between 8 and 8:30).  After they are dressed, make their beds and have their room clean, we all head down for breakfast.  (I'm now eating a much healthier breakfast at a much better time).  We read scriptures either during, or just after breakfast.

Home schooling takes place after breakfast and usually lasts until around noon.  We're probably wrapping up home school on the 31st of this month, but it's full steam ahead until then.  We cover Math, Reading and Writing every day followed by the days focus.  Monday covers spelling and "Story of the World" readings.

Music practice happens after lunch (which happens after home school).  At 4, I teach my niece and nephew piano and then get into high gear to get my kids to their swimming lessons at 5.  (This week was Parent Week at swimming lessons and I found out that all my kids are doing great in their classes - two might even cover two levels during this session.)

After that, we race home to have dinner and Family Home Evening.  Jarett then puts the kids to bed while I teach three of my nieces piano from 8-9:45.  I then collapse into bed because I've been up for over 16 hours.

Tuesday
Sleep in until 7 today.

Home school get done at high speed today because we have our music lessons.  10:30 - violin for Kaia and Saryn.  1 - Cello for Kienna.  Thank heaven that my mom is nearby, she serves as home base for "music day" as I haul my kids every which way.  My poor boys would die of boredom otherwise.

Once we're done all the running around, we come home and get Kaia and Saryn ready for their "sport night".  I drop them off at the YMCA and Jarett works out while they're there and then picks them up to take them home.

I teach, once again from 8-9:30.

Wednesday
Up at 5:30 again, this time for spin class.  Once at home, the morning is similar to Monday.  I frequently do a play group in the morning here and have my kids run or bike to get them trained up for the triathlon.

I start teaching at 3 and stop at 6.  I have an evening to catch up with laundry and basic cleaning.

Thursday
Sleep in until 7

Typical day until 2:30 when I start teaching.  I teach through to 6 (except from this week on it will be 5) and then I go to Enrichment or just chill (depending what week it is).

Crash in bed.

Friday
Up at 5:30 and do running for an hour.  (They usually start with a 10 minute warm up run - lol.  That is my maximum right now.  I can't run for more than 10 minutes without wanting to die.  This should be my main set, but it's just what we "warm up" with.  Just an example of how humiliating/humbling this whole experience has been).

Once home, I have a free day.  Kids don't do school on Fridays, I don't teach on Fridays and life is good!  Usually a fairly productive day.

Saturday
Jaymesons turn to take his class.  He does his craft and climb and is SO excited to come home every week and show me what craft he made.  He was upset the first week because it wasn't just climbing.  Now, he'd be okay if it was just crafting.

Shopping and getting ready for the following week day.

Sunday
The day of rest (maybe?)
Church is at 9am.  Has any ever gotten 5 kids ready for church at 5am?  Not particularly easy.  In fact, for mother's day, Jarett brought me breakfast in bed, I mean, the bathroom, because I had 6 heads of hair to get done and ready to go.  No time to lounge around in bed.  Church for 3 hours, then home and "family time" (usually nap time too).  We try to have dinner with a family each week (lots of the time at a family members house).  Then head to bed early and repeat.


Of course, these are only the things that I do daily that AREN'T on the calendar.  Frequently we have doctor's appointments, play dates, rehearsals, visiting/home teaching etc. on top of it all.  I also teach Relief Society one week/ month.  Of course, I do things like read my scriptures, brush my teeth and all that kind of stuff on top of it all, but I also don't bother writing that on my calendar either.

Today was off to a great start.  Because it was Wednesday, I woke up at 5:30 and just didn't feel like going to the class.  I pushed myself through it and got into the car.  I drove about 3 blocks and discovered that I had a flat tire.  I parked the car on the side of the road and walked home.  I walked upstairs, told Jarett that he had to fix that before going to work and climbed back into bed.  First class I've missed in 6 and a half weeks, but I think it was a good reason.  I hope to take the kids on a good bike ride later today instead.  Here's hoping...