What does a homemaker do all day?

What does a homemaker do all day (besides the obvious of watching soap operas and eating chocolate)? Here is my typical week:

Over the weekend, I make a menu plan. I write the menu on one half of the paper and the grocery list on the other. In the margins, I write what needs to be done in advance. I basically pick foods from my Nourishing Traditions book – a poultry dish, red meat dish, ground meat dish, a bean/legume dish, and any repeats of the above.

This week’s menu:

Monday: Breakfast burritos with turkey bacon (Phil’s request)

Tuesday: Moroccan chicken, salad, beets, cauliflower

Wednesday: Potato leek soup………..this turned into pizza night instead

Thursday: Potato leek soup……….this will turn into chicken barley soup using the chicken bones and leftover meat from Tuesday, salad, and croutons

Friday: Mom’s b-day celebration (I am playing hostess). I have a big menu planned but can’t say what it is in case she decides to read this.

Saturday: Lamb shanks, potatoes, salad

Sunday: Jamaican beans and rice with cut up veggies

I don’t assign days until after I do my shopping so I know what meat to use first.

Ok, back to the week, kids wake up anywhere between 7 and 8. Evie is up first and I feed her while Phil gets ready for work. Then it is breakfast time. We usually have pancakes (soaked oats, buckwheat, and other flour), banana muffins (soaked oats, bananas, raisins), or oatmeal. I am in a major breakfast rut!! Phil has a shake made with a banana, 2 raw egg yolks, ½ a can of coconut milk, and then a flavor like frozen fruit or lime juice with zest (peeling). You may think this is gross (actually it is delicious, I make it for me and the kids sometimes, too) BUT he lost 8 pounds in 2 weeks.

While b-fest is cooking diapers are changed and kids get dressed. While the kids eat, I empty the dishwasher, load up b-fest dishes, and eat my breakfast as well (much can be accomplished when kids are busy eating). I do any dinner prep that I can like make marinade for meat, cook beans or rice, make stock, etc. Evie is either down for a nap or watching in her swing (I LOVE swings!!)

9:00 – 12:30 is my most varied time of the day. Every Monday, we grocery shop (our favorite produce store and a local grocery store). Occasionally, we may make another town trip on a different day. Tuesday, for instance, I needed nighttime diapers for Jubilee and new blades for my rotary cutter, plus I had a big bag of clothing to take the used clothing store. If we stay home, we do activities…mat time (various toys – most are toys are in storage containers and we get out 1-2 containers at a time), games, puzzles, story, art, etc..

12:30ish is when we have lunch. Usually we eat PB and J, omelets, or leftovers. I unload and reload dishwasher at this time. Then it is nap time. I try and put everyone down around the same time. We do keifer with stevia drops for “juice”. Evie often has trouble sleeping longer than 45 minutes (in fact she is crying now, I am hoping she will go back to sleep). I eat my lunch when everyone is in bed. This is also my computer time. I check out my favorite blogs sites, email, research, etc while I eat. I try and fit Bible reading in here as well. Once Evie is up, she nurses and then I start dinner. I get everything prepped – veggies cut, spices mixed, dressings made, etc.

Big kids are up anywhere between 1 ½ - 2 ½ hours. Sawyer takes a nap about 1/2 the time but is still required to be in bed. He plays with legos or looks at books. Then we hang out and wait for Daddy to come home. They cuddle with me or play. Occasionally, we will watch a Bob the Builder.

Then Daddy comes home!!! This is a highlight for everyone!! Daddy takes over with the children and I go straight to the kitchen. They wrestle and play or watch some t.v. depending on how Daddy’s day was. I bustle to get dinner ready (usually need an hour or so). We eat between 5:30 and 6:30.

After dinner varies. The kids either play with Daddy or take baths. Evie always takes her bath with me. I get in and take a quick hot bath first and then add a bunch of cool water before she gets in with me. She nurses and is in bed by 7:30. Most evenings Daddy does jammies, “juice”, and stories while I clean up the kitchen and work on other chores. We try and have the kids in bed between 8:15 and 8:45. I try to be “done” for the evening between 9:00 and 9:30 (doesn’t always work). I soak grains, make keifer, fix Phil’s lunch, put food away, do dishes, general house clean etc..

Then Phil and I sit down and watch t.v. together (and eat grapefruit). We ought to do laundry folding at this time but that doesn't happen very often!! I am always playing laundry catch up. We have a few favorite shows that we record and then watch when we get a chance to commercial free.

Before bed, I try and read for about 5 minutes by holding my book up so it catches the light from the hallway. I need a reading light!! I go to bed between 10:00 – 11:00. Evie nurses 1-2 times before she gets up in the morning.

My mom will often take the older two for the day on Thursday. I use this time for a big houseclean and/or sewing my quilt squares for my quilt class. If the weather is nice, I will garden.

The weekend is a lot more spontaneous. I try not to plan or clean too much (I play catch up on Monday) so we can just hang out as a family, work outside, go somewhere fun, etc.