Sometimes I wake up on Wednesday, toss on a t-shirt (this is TX and yes I’m still wearing t-shirts in January), and head upstairs.  At the top of the stairs I will realize that I just put on the shirt that I’ve worn the past two days.  Same story with the pants.  They aren’t truly dirty until the kids have wiped snotty noses on them.  I mean, it’s less laundry for me right?

Ohh and these “outfits” of which I speak – they are t-shirts and yoga pants.  I don’t actually get dressed in real clothes.  And I’ll share my shopping secret with you…..I may or may not have bought every color of the same style t-shirt.  And I just might have yoga pants in the exciting colors of gray and black.  Mix and match and then I have endless outfits, right? 

I cook all my meals (or at least prep them) on Sunday afternoon.  I have a menu plan and I break out all the ingredients and decimate the kitchen.  At the end of four hours I have meals that I stick in either the freezer or the fridge.  During the week I do nothing more than pull out the meal listed on the calendar and put it on the stove or in the oven.  So, our meals are home-cooked but they do see some time in the freezer. 

I have a simple rule – I will only wipe the kitchen counters once in a day.  I usually only wipe them down after the kids are in bed.  They sit there all day with crumbs on them.  I just turn my head and look the other way.  I haven’t seen the benefit of wiping them obsessively all day…..

Ohh and I only do dishes once a day too.  Breakfast and lunch dishes get tossed in the sink to “soak” and then I load up the dishwasher after dinner.  I refuse to take time out of my day to try to load the dishwasher while I’m trying to keep an eye on the baby or keep the toddler out of her next mess.

I don’t do any project that requires more than about 4 supplies.  I am not about to run all over town for project supplies.  And when I decide to skip a project I’m not above using a YouTube video or pictures on the computer for a demonstration.  That’s much less mess for me to clean up, right!?

I often forget to vacuum the upstairs.  I send the kids on scavenger hunts to collect all the big “pieces” of things on the floor.  They race to see who can pick up more things.  And then I call it good.  The carpet is kinda speckled-looking anyway.

If I’m especially tired I call off school for the afternoon and put in a movie for the kids.  Then I crash out on the couch and take a 45 minute power nap to make it through the evening.  Naps are important.  Kindergartners always have their “rest time” at school and on days when I feel like I’m functioning on a Kindergarten level I feel that I deserve my rest time.  So, I take that time without any guilt.

And this is probably my worst confession.  I can’t believe I’m saying this.  But………sometimes I answer my kids’ questions with “I don’t know” or “because.”  And no, I don’t even go look up the answers or justify my response.  I just leave it as one of life’s great mysteries.  They’ll figure it out eventually. 

Further Reading

How Do You Do It All?

Curriculum Confessions

Wholly Tired

Evaluating Your Homeschool Identity

My No Good, Horrible, Really Bad Homeschool Day