A Typical Day

I am terrible about pictures. For a long time we have not had a camera and now that Alex has one, I keep forgetting to use it. I need to get into the habit but until a picture can offer a thousand words, I will just have to do a lot of typing. I thought a look at the typical day (is there such thing?) in the Knight house would be somewhat interesting in a few years.

6:30-6:45am--Addison gets out of the shower and tries to wake me. I either get right up so I can check the email or beg for 5 more minutes.

6:45-7:00am--Carter takes a bath and gets dressed while Addison yells at him that he doesn't have enough time. I grab clothes for Colin and attempt to dress him while he burrows deep under the covers. 80 percent of the time I give up and figure Nelson can take him to school. The other 20 percent I wrestle clothes on him, send him into the bathroom and put him in the car. Today I bribed him with the choice of snack if he would just get up and get on the bus. I offered brownies, donuts and french fries. He chose hamburger helper.

7:00am--7:15am--Carter, Colin and I head out the door and play chase down the bus. We start with one stop and then have three or four more depending on the time. Usually we pull up behind the bus and I give them the "you can make it!!" cheer and watch their cute little bodies run for the bus with their backpacks bobbing up and down. I really don't make them late on purpose just so I can see the cute scene every morning (I promise!)

7:15am--7:45am--Back to the house to get Alex and Addison. There is decidedly less of a flurry in getting them out the door. They grunt at me, grab their backpacks and go. Once in the car, I attempt to engage them in conversation about the day, the information on the radio, their future, etc. They are always happy to talk about any and all of those topics and we get in some great bonding time before they begin their day (hahahahahahaha) I monologue all the way to West to drop off Alex and then head to the bus stop to drop off Addo. 4 down, 2 to go.

7:45am--8:00am--Back at the corral Nelson has been getting himself and the P brothers (and probably Colin) ready for the day. I dash in to grab clothes, make a lunch and then head upstairs. Nelson gets everyone out the door and off for round 3 of the school drop offs.

8:00am--2:30pm--4 boys at school (hopefully making good choices), 2 at daycare, Nelson reviewing tax projects and me making call after call after call. In between calls, I throw in a load of laundry, unload the dishwasher, wipe a bathroom--the stuff in all the good movies.

2:30pm--4pm--Everyone home from school and throwing coats, backpacks and papers all over the house while rummaging around for food. I put a snack on the table, pull out their homework and tell them to get started while I do a call.

4pm--4:15pm--I am talking to a student. Addison starts shooting aliens in his video game. Alex is downloading something to make the computer "better" and the C brothers sneak upstairs to watch t.v.

4:15pm--4:30pm---I come downstairs to find no one doing homework (the snack, however, is completely gone) so I start talking very loudly and get the Cs back to the table. Colin manages to do about three problems in the middle of telling me stories and finding shiny things on the floor before I have to head upstairs again.

4:30pm--4:45pm--Repeat 4pm-4:15pm

4:45pm--5pm--Go pick up Paxton from Jody's. Bring him back home. Throw him on the couch with a peanut butter sandwich and turn on Yo Gabba Gabba. Gently remind the boys to get back to their homework.

5pm--6pm--More calls for me while the boys alternate between trying to "quietly" come in to tell me how someone is hitting, yelling or ruining their game or being eerily silent which means I will come downstairs to one of Carter's creations. It is a toss-up as to what is preferred.

6pm--7pm--The witching hour (I know I am a witch every hour--I set myself up for that one). I am trying to get dinner going while carrying Paxton around and alternating between asking for help and cheering on the homework once again! We get homework wrapped up and dinner in some form and manage to get everyone to the table.

7pm--7:30pm--Nelson comes home and gets to eat with Paxton on his lap because I like the share in the joy of having Paxton constantly be a helper. We try some dinner conversation and sometimes get more than one or two word answers. At some point there is a guaranteed full sentence, though, from every one of them--"can I be excused?"

7:30pm--8:30pm--Parker goes around asking everyone to play Lego Rock Band. He can usually at least get dad to play. The rest of the house is in a hum of evening activity.

8:30pm--I start saying we need to do scriptures and give everyone a 5 minute warning.

9pm--We finally start reading scriptures and have family prayer.

9:30-10pm--Bedtime negotiations. Colin is tired but can't sleep without Carter in the room. Carter feels that he should get to stay up later because he is older and does not have trouble waking in the morning (true). This is usually resolved by Colin and I begging Carter to go in the room with Colin but not going to sleep. Carter finally gives in and storms upstairs.

10pm--10:30pm--Puttering around to get ready for the next day

10:30pm--Say uncle and head to bed. Try to watch a show to decompress but fall asleep within 5 minutes.

11pm--12pm--The A brothers start their homework.

Okay, next time I am just taking a picture.