Afternoons

Weekday afternoons are a bit chaotic around here. 

I think back to the days when it was just Jack and Riley and I can't believe I ever complained about how busy I was.  Add a VERY mobile almost one year old to the mix and the crazy level goes up a notch. 

I try to have Hadley napping when the big kids get home but sometimes she wakes up shortly after they get home.  

I'll let her hang out on the floor for a little bit but then she gets a snack.  It keeps her contained in her high chair so I can tend to the big kids. 

Jack and Ri get off the bus around 2:10 ish and immediately want a snack.  Some days I have a nice snack ready for them.  Other days they are pilfering through the panty for junk food. 

They always do their 'paper' homework first.  For Riley this means a math worksheet and sorting her weekly word study words. 

For Jack this means math rows, math homework, spelling (sometimes), reading responses.  Occasionally he'll have science or vocabulary. 

Most days after they finish their snack and paper homework both kids go to their rooms and read.  Ri's attention span for reading on her own isn't quite as long as Jacks.  She reads about 15-20 minutes and Jack reads 30.  Most nights Ri and I will read at bed time as well. 

Once they finish with homework they go outside and play or we all go in the playroom for some fun!

Now - this all happens if it's a 'normal' day.   Often on Monday's Riley plays with her girl friends.   She has dance on Tuesdays - but has time to do homework first.   Just about every Friday Jack plays with friends either here or at a friends house.  Sometimes Ri does too.   And most of the time they play with neighbor friends once a week or so as well.  

Whew.  And that's just the afternoons.   Wednesday and Thursday nights are baseball and Wednesday is soccer.  

One more year of this schedule and then it changes up. 

Then Hadley will go to preschool a few days a week from 9-1.  Ri will be in school from 7:30-2:00 and Jack will be in middle school from 8:45-3:45.   

That should be interesting.  

Some pics and a quick video of this afternoon.