Summer Loving Schedule

Well, Parker has officially moved to one nap (at the same time as Ashtyn!) and it's definitely summer and we're loving it! I'm pretty sure my kids would live outside if they could. Of course our routine/schedule has changed with this. I don't think there's a perfect schedule out there, because life is constantly changing and with that, routines follow. This is what our days currently look like.

Ben and I no longer wake up at six. I was reading a book about being a more peaceful parent and it talked about how if you have to wake up to an alarm clock, you're not getting enough sleep. I've heard this before, but it really hit home to me now. Ben and I changed our streak to be a bedtime streak. We're in bed by ten and try to be falling asleep around ten thirty. Then we wake up naturally (this doesn't always work, because ... kids.). We have one streak freeze a week that we can use if we want to stay up later for date night or something. I now usually wake up around six thirty or seven. I still work on my business if I have time and get ready for the day.

The girls wake up between 7:30 and 8:00 (Parker usually closer to 7:30, Ashtyn is usually closer to 8:00). I nurse Parker and then she sits in the high chair and eats her second breakfast while I make eggs and Ashtyn and I clear out the dishwasher. I've also started having Parker watch Signing Time during breakfast most days because I really feel it was beneficial to Ashtyn's early vocabulary growth. It also really helps with Ashtyn clearing out the dishwasher, because then Parker isn't trying to get into it all while Ashtyn is taking forever.

Ashtyn clears out her plates and bowls and all the silverware. It usually takes her close to thirty minutes before she actually starts (she likes to lie on the floor and tell me she doesn't want to do the dishes) but once she starts she finishes in like two minutes. Then she gets to pick out two coins to add to her money and she loves that. That also gives me a chance to work on some math with her (like identifying coins, addition, etc.).

After breakfast, we try to do something fun. Mondays we go to the library for story time and then go grocery shopping. Some other things we do include playing at the park, going to the lake (we got a pass for state parks and go up to Steineker Lake ALL the time; the girls love it), go out in the trees at Ben's parent's house, play in our kiddie pool in the backyard, or play at Melissa's house.

Then we have lunch and I put the girls down for their nap. Ashtyn sometimes sleeps and I might get two to three hours of kid free time. If she doesn't sleep, she has a "quiet time" for an hour. I try to use this time to market my blog and get other  things done. If Parker is still asleep when Ashtyn comes down, we sometimes read together on the couch and then she either plays outside in the front or does stuff at the counter (playdoh, paint, markers, puzzles, those sorts of things).

When Parker wakes up, we usually have some time to kill before Ben is done with work, so we have dance parties or check on the mail or go into the backyard or read together.

Ben usually finishes work around five or five thirty. We have dinner. We've been trying to have lighter dinners (salads, soup, smoothies, etc.) earlier and then not eating until breakfast the next day, but having nice big breakfasts and lunches. We have really liked it so far.

After dinner, we do something as a family. We'll go out to the creek, go to the lake, hang out with family, go for a walk, or watch a movie (we've started a Friday movie night and it's so fun so far!). Then we do our normal kids in bed at 8:30 and have Ben and Charly time until we go to sleep.

We're loving the summer so far!

My Favorite Things about Ben's Business

Today I was talking with a lady at the library about what Ben does and how he works from home. It reminded me of how much I love him working from home and how grateful I am for it. I wanted to share some of my favorite things about his work schedule and flexibility.

I love that he can eat whatever meals he wants with us. If he wants to work through breakfast or lunch so he can finish earlier or because he has a lot to do, he can. I don't have to prepare a meal beforehand, I just take some of whatever the rest of the family is having up to him. Most of the time, though, he eats breakfast, lunch, and dinner with us and I love it. I love that we can all be together for meals so often.

I love that he can come down to talk to me about his business whenever. When he worked at TestOut, I remember emailing back and forth all day (and we still message each other often throughout the day when he's upstairs), but it's so nice to be able to just talk with each other in person when we want to. If he's frustrated with how something's going, he'll come down to vent. If he gets exciting news or finishes a big project, he can come down and share it with me. I love being connected to his life in that way and I love his frequent visits to see us.

I love that he can help with the kids when I need it. This was especially nice right after Parker was born and I had two such little ones. I feel that I need his help less often now that both girls are older, but it's still nice. When I put Parker down for her nap, Ben can watch Ashtyn. If one of them gets hurt or there's a spider that I'm too wimpy to kill or anything happens, Ben's right upstairs.

I love that I can leave while the girls are sleeping. Because Ben's office is right next to their rooms, I can run errands or leave the house if I need to while they're asleep. This was especially useful before Parker went to one nap, because it meant Ashtyn and I could still go wherever we wanted in the morning while Parker was asleep or I could take Parker on a nap during Ashtyn's nap.

I love that his schedule is more flexible. We can do date night in the afternoon during the kids naps if we want. We can go to the lake as soon the kids wake up. We can go on vacation whenever we want. Ben can take as long as he wants for holidays (or not take holidays, like Labor Day) or as long as I need after having a baby. We get to decide his schedule and that has to be my favorite part of his business.

I love that we feel like a team. I don't run his business, but I feel that I contribute to it in ways that I might not be able to if he worked somewhere else. And because he's home, he can help me and be a big part of our family life. I honestly wouldn't trade that for anything in the world.