What DO You Do?

Today, I decided to get in on a fun link-up called What DO you do? As a stay at home mom, people honestly ask me that ... a lot. I've been asked by random strangers, when talking at the grocery store. And by family members. And sometimes, even though I know he appreciates what I do, my husband doesn't really have a clue of what goes into my day, and he's commented, too. 
So why not dispel the curiosity, and give a little more insight into my day! 


This week's questions are: 

1. What is your typical daily routine/schedule like? 2. What thinks do you do weekly/monthly in addition to daily? 3. How does your spouse's schedule impact your daily routine? 4. How do you balance having a clean home and making memories with your children?

1. Our "typical" routine is pretty standard as far as most SAHM schedules go. At least, I think so. I wake up early {ie. 4am} to get some quiet time before the house erupts. I use the time to read, blog, and get any preschool activities that we are doing prepped. The kids are up by 730/8am. We get breakfast, do a few chores, and get ready for the day. While I am showering or cleaning, the kids are working on some kind of school activity -- whether its shape puzzles, writing letters on the chalkboard, or simply coloring a page based on the day's theme.  The kids play, watch a movie occasionally, or run around creating chaos most of the morning. And me? I spend that "chaotic" time throwing in loads of laundry, folding three-day clean piles of clothes. Vacuuming. Picking up clutter. Or cleaning messes as they happen. The kids love to help -- which can be a great thing, or not so much, depending on the mess.  Around noon, I make lunch, and after we clean up any big toy messes that were made during the morning. At 1pm, they go down for naps, and are usually GREAT nappers, not waking up most days until 4pm! After naps, we play, do some more craft activities and school work, and then they get to pick an arts and crafts "project" to do at the table while I start dinner. Markers, play-doh, scissor practice, stickers, you name it. After dinner is clean-up, bedroom pick-up, baths and an evening cartoon before bed at 730pm! 

2. In order to keep on top of things, each day of the week I tend to do the same "assigned" chores. Once a week, we change all the bed sheets and wash them. Mop the kitchen floor. Wipe down the kitchen counters real good {moving EVERYTHING in the way!}. And at least once a week I make sure we deep clean the play room -- put all the toys exactly where they belong, and not where a 4 year old thinks they should go. We also scrub all 4 bathrooms weekly -- washing mirrors, sinks, scrubbing showers. Once a month I try to wipe out all the shelves in the refrigerator, and change the drawer liners in there. And I wash the cupboard doors in the kitchen -- they are white, and tend to get covered in finger prints and bits of kid mess pretty easily. 
3. M is off to work before the kids are awake. Most days he leaves at 630am ... but some days it can be as early as 445am. He's home by 330pm most days, while the kids are still napping. So really, his schedule doesn't affect much of our day. The only time our routine gets thrown off is if he has an extra day off in the middle of the week -- and then we completely throw the schedule out the window and spend time with him. 

4. Lets be honest ... my house is surface clean, but don't get too crazy with a white glove inspection. The laundry gets done, because we do a load a day, every day. And its a chore that the kids enjoy helping with -- loading and unloading both the washer and dryer. It teaches them a little responsibility, as well as how to sort! We bought a new dishwasher when we moved to this house -- so most of our dishes go in there. If they cannot be dish-washed, I try to clean them as soon as we are done using them {pots and pans}. The rest of the household chores get split up and done one or two things each day. Vacuuming, mopping, cleaning bathrooms. We do them in the morning after breakfast to get them out of the way. But anyone with young kids knows -- almost immediately after getting something clean, there is a new mess waiting for you. I try not to let it get to me -- and only get stern about the messes when we are expecting a lot of people over for events {like S's birthday party a few weeks ago!} 

So ... what about you? Are you a stay at home mom? Do people often wonder what you spend your day doing?  Why don't you tell them -- and link up with the rest of us moms!!