a day in the life

Many people wonder and some even ask what life looks like inside a large family, how meals work, bedtime, laundry... Well, pretty much like any home with children, only in bigger quantities or more often maybe a bit louder but maybe not.  We have squabbles, tantrums, stories, booboos, hugs/kisses, chores, whining, laughter, lots of love! I thought I would just give you a typical day for us. One of the differences for us is that my hubby is a fireman so he is only gone one out of three days. We have often struggled with this schedule finding our rhythm and we still do sometimes depending on the season.
One of the older children are in charge of breakfast rotating every third day, with mama filling in when one over sleeps or they "just forgot" or I just feel like it(if I actually get sleep). Dishes are also set up on a daily rotation done by one of the older children, with the littles helping out with what they can do and mama helping if they are gone for a meal or sometimes the day or just because I really enjoy washing dishes.
Granola with raisins for breakfast, to be eaten after the morning chores of milking and animals fed. Devotions are normally done after breakfast where we sing along with dad playing guitar then bible and prayer. But today breakfast was eaten sporadically, while conversations were being had over the phone about plans for the day and why we are even having a conversation over the phone and not in person.
Hubby has been home once and back to town again for materials and tools for working, also to pick up ordered peaches...a very last minute decision and my canning supplies from storage.
The eldest has been picked up by a fellow fireman for an all day weed eating job. With him being gone hubby chose a helper in training to go with him to work at the cottage. Laundry is done ~ an almost everyday chore, baby nursed and naps off and on all day. He is in a season of very short naps forgoing any long naps, making the day feel longer without any down time. I do have to sneak away sometimes for a short rest.
Lunch was just peanut butter/jelly sandwiches and cucumbers. Pickle juice was spilt bu a certain three year old, all over him and the floor, smelling the house up quite pickly. He needed a shower of course(he gets an average of two per day) and the floor mopped. While mopping and keeping him checked on, he had the shower curtain twisted up like a rope swinging on it. Oh where does he get these ideas for crazy shenanigans!
This afternoon more laundry, chocolate chip cookies were made, bedrooms organized, nap for cutie baby, and lots of playing and building Legos.
All the men folk returned in the late afternoon just in time to spend some time with baby S while I started dinner(at about 4 o'clock). BLT's with our grass fed pork. It was the best bacon I have ever had!  To make things quicker I cried some and baked some on the stone at 400 degrees for about 15-20 minutes. *the baked pieces were the best* we have been looking forward to the saved bacon greese to cook with later(it makes green beans quite yummy)!
After dinner we went outside for some ball and the children taking turns mowing the yard with our newly given to us self propelled mower. A knitting project was started. Pebble(Henery's Manly Cobblestone vest) with my most favorite yarn ~ Peace Fleece in wild mustard. The pattern is for one size baby using size 4us needles, but with baby S wearing mostly 18months, I went up to a size 6 needles. This will be his fall vest, for it takes me that long to to complete anything knitted.

Off to bed to rest up for another day tomorrow!
JM