The simple things

John going to night shift has led us to create a new routine for the day, especially on the days he works. John gets home to wake kids up with me and most of the time even eats breakfast with us unless he is super tired and needs to go straight to bed. This is a rough estimate of how our new schedule looks.

7am..wake kiddos up (most of the time it is more like 7:15 :)

7:30 John gets home

7:30-7:45 breakfast, get dressed, and teeth/hair

7:55 prayer (hopefully this happens!)

8:00 take Emily to school and John goes to sleep

8:15 finish getting J.D. ready on the days he goes to school

8:25 I get a shower

9:00 take J.D. to school

9:15-12:45 chores, errands, feed molly, and sometimes take a nap with molly

1:00 pick J.D. up

3:00 pick Emily up and John wakes up

3:30 homework, playtime

5:30 prepare dinner

6:00 dinner

6:30 John leaves for work

The evenings have not been bad at all and that is what I was the most concerned about!!! Me and the kids started a new tradition. It is very simple but fun. I have to confess I am not great about "playing" with the kids. I don't like getting in the floor and playing barbies or whatever. I do like cooking with them, reading, playing outside, and I love taking walks with them. This is our new tradition. When Daddy leaves for work, we have been taking off and going for a walk around the neighborhood. They either ride their scooters, bikes, or just run/walk while I push Molly in the stroller. We have three different ways we go and I let them choose. They always like to stop and play by the lake at Pimlico Park at the end before we walk up the hill to our house. They named the hill on our street tonight Cotton Hill. Molly likes the stroller ride too! I sometimes b/c of my personality feel guilty about leaving the kitchen dirty, clothes on the couch etc. but the time we have had enjoying the nice breezy weather and each other's company makes it so worth leaving the house! When we return home, everyone gets a nice big cup of water and then the big kids jump in the bath. Bedtime is at 8:30. I need to fit nigttime reading in there as well but haven't accomplished this every night. Our walk a simple thing that has become our little sweet distraction while Daddy is at work. The greatest nights for me is after everyone is in bed, John sometimes comes home to check on me and makes a cup of coffee. That is always nice. I guess John being a captain does have its perks!