A Day In HER Life- Alison

A friend once said to me, "what do you stay at home moms do all day?"
That friend was a male, and had probably never spent an entire day alone with his children, so I forgave his ignorance ;) But the truth is, my days are not super exciting. They look quite a bit different than I thought they would when I was young, but I wouldn't change them for anything in the world. I honestly wouldn't. We have bad days, just like anyone else. My kids bicker, and I raise my voice more than I should, and some days are long and mundane, but I love that I am able to be at home with them while they are young.

When my oldest was in kindergarten we homeschooled, but my boys now attend a small private school, so mornings are pretty busy and a little bit crazy trying to get everyone out the door. My husband and I always marvel at the fact that even though we have the same morning routine every single day of the week...get dressed, eat breakfast, brush your teeth, comb your hair...the boys never seem to know what comes next. I'll find them back in bed, or playing on their tablets, or just wandering the house like they aren't sure what to do or where to go. It would be comical if it wasn't so maddening. We do this every single day children! Once every one is ready, and every shoe has been found, and every cheek has been kissed "just one more time", my husband and the boys head out the door for work and school.

Every morning, after the boys are out the door, the girls and I can be found cuddled up on the sofa, under our favorite quilt, coffee (or in their case, milk) in hand. I find that the older I get, the more I crave slow days at home. I love that we have the freedom to snuggle up together for as long as we'd like. I love that our days include tea parties and puzzles and books and movies. Sure, there are dishes to be washed, and laundry to be folded, and every other household chore imaginable. All of those things are woven into our day, but usually at an easy pace.

Afternoons are full of school pick up lines, naps for the girls, homework, outdoor play, and usually a little bit too much tablet time for the boys. I try to give myself a bit of downtime while the girls nap to read a book, or watch an episode of Parks and Rec, or just drink my afternoon cup of coffee and do absolutely nothing for 10 minutes. I recharge by being alone, so this bit of time is necessary for me to make it through the evening with my sanity in tact. Evenings always seem to be a bit of a blur. I'm sure many of you can relate. There's dinner and baths, finishing up homework, and bedtime routines that seems to drag on forever. I have seen other mothers talk about how much they miss their children when they are asleep. The times that I have missed my children while they are sleeping are few and far between. Don't get me wrong, I love them all dearly, but bed time is a gift. My husband and I (but mostly my husband) run a little Etsy shop, so evenings are dedicated to shop work and then a bit of relaxing and recharging for the next day.

When our children are young it seems that every waking hour is somehow dedicated to them. Even the times we are relaxing, we are doing so in order to face the rest of the day, or the next day, as better parents. There are times that the responsibility of parenting can seem daunting and overwhelming, but what a great privilege we have, raising these amazing little people.

"Children are not a distraction from more important work. They are the most important work." 

- The internet could not agree on who to give credit for this quote, but I love it all the same.

Thanks Alison!

Instagram - @our.littlehouse

Website - Green Cove Collective