Our typical day in pictures

Wake up, eat breakfast, get dressed. And sit together on the stairs.. Okay not really. 

Read books and then play with what we've got. 

Eat a snack, go outside, play with our neighbors if they are home. 

Katelyn is starting to walk a little more each day. Still not a big fan of it.

While Katelyn and Liam nap (usually there is a small overlap) Troy and I do his reading book, writing letters, counting, shapes, etc. Definitely not everything everyday.

Happiest girl in the world when she wakes up.

We usually go on a walk in the afternoon. Our complex looks like a resort right by the main area. We come here sometimes, if no one is here. 

I don't have the rest of the day because it's much more hectic between 4-7. But they do like to watch Daniel Tiger, Super Why, or Jake and the Never Land Pirates while I make dinner. Katelyn sometimes takes a second nap, but her schedule changes every day to be honest. Not because I don't try to keep her on a schedule, but she is happier if I follow her lead. 

I don't have any pictures of things that are not so pleasant. Like all of the potty training accidents. The dishes. The spills. The cleaning up. Repeat 50 times. The endless dirty clothes and towels. The whining over wearing pants if its cold. The fighting, time outs, and apologies. Repeated 10 to 40 times each day. The gradual louder sound of my voice when they don't listen. The word no! don't! stop! With a distraction for Liam and sometimes an explanation for Troy. The handprints on recently cleaned windows. But it's real. Real growth in my children that I get to watch everyday. I can't really explain it. It's SO frustrating at times and patience literally feels like it runs out and I am a bad mother until Ben gets home. But I'm seeing progress. Progress in my expectations of myself and of my children. Each day I try harder to be close to the Lord. Family scriptures and prayers have been a great joy in our night time routine. I leave feeling grateful for the day and for the chance to improve the next. Well, after my personal study, prayer and a bowl of ice cream, that attitude is more apparent. ;)