Our day begins with the early risers (Dad, the toddler Frank, and the four year old Hew) going downstairs first and putting coffee water on. The baby, Robert, and I move a bit more slowly but follow soon. After taking care of immediate baby and toddler needs (Frank always needs his warm bottle of milk first thing, and diapers are changed.) Jordan brings our tea and coffee into the sitting room and we snuggle up with the youngest ones to sip our hot drinks and discuss what the day holds. As soon as Jordan finishes coffee, he’s off to milk the cow while I wake up any kids that are still sleeping and get breakfast on the table. A typical breakfast is a big batch of scrambled eggs and then some type of sourdough accompaniment – toast, bagels, or biscuits, with milk to drink.

When Jordan returns from milking we all sit down to breakfast.  We try to combine this table time when everyone is gathered with our daily family worship. Just a simple routine of prayer (all the kids contribute requests), reading a chapter of Bible and discussing (questions from the kids can be sometimes difficult but also hilarious), then ending with singing a Psalm or hymn.  We try to have all this finished by 8am. Many days it stretches out longer, but that’s the goal at least.

Jordan heads out to the shop to get to the day’s work, and the kids start tidying the kitchen. Right now we have the older four split into ‘teams’- one team takes the job of clearing and cleaning the tables (dining table and work table), and one team washes and puts away the dishes.  I’m usually rocking Robert to sleep, as he will already be tuckered out and ready for his first nap of the day.  After that I remind the boys to take care of the outside chores - feeding Maggie the dog, the flock of chickens, and filling the cow’s water.

Right now we are very flexible as to what time of day we fit school in. Sometimes it works best in the morning, or some days it’s better to do it in the afternoon. Other tasks of my morning involve at least some tidying up of the house, sweeping, putting away toys, etc. , also making sure any necessary ahead of time prep for lunch gets started, and keeping the laundry moving along.

When school time happens, I have two ‘classes’ - the two oldest, Marian and Alan, and then the next in line, Elsie and Travis. (although an exception is currently we read history  all together) Right now the kids take turns either keeping Frank playing safely outside or doing schoolwork under my supervision. With everyone in elementary grades, it’s fairly simple with reading/writing/phonics/spelling, math, history, nature studies/science, typing & piano being our subjects.

By mid-day, Frank is completely exhausted and ready to retire to his nap with another ‘milky bottle’ and his favorite stuffed gorilla. After that we try to get lunch on the table by 12 noon.  This is something I’ve been working really hard on – getting lunch on at a consistent time. With so much going on during our mornings, and the unpredictable needs of small people, I was finding it challenging to get a big lunch on for two very hungry working men without it being very late! I have finally settled into a good meal prep routine which has helped so much with meal timing each day (more on that another time!).

Most days I do try and serve a hearty lunch – something filling like pot pie or a stew, many times along with a fresh baked loaf of sourdough. We gather everyone around the table again and enjoy hearing from Jordan and Elijah about what has been going on out in the shop.  After lunch is a coffee break to give the men some time off their feet before returning to work. Sometimes it involves lots of discussing and ideas for the Axe and Anvil future, sometimes it takes a turn into history or theology. Always guaranteed to be interesting and include lots of laughs!

If it hasn’t already happened in the morning, then for me the afternoon usually involves some type of “office” work on Axe and Anvil, such as updates to the website, ordering shipping supplies, or if it’s a Tuesday or Friday, packaging up orders and printing shipping labels.

Usually I also have some type of special household cleaning or outside project that I want to get done that day, above and beyond normal maintenance.  Recently it’s been spring cleaning tasks such as getting the front porch cleaned off after winter and setting it up for summer sitting, or deep cleaning the little bathroom window which had collected an unbelieve amount of bugs over the winter. (hello, country life!) The kids and I also visited a local greenhouse recently and purchased just a very few vegetable plants. I am purposely not catching garden fever this year, or being too ambitious with what we plant. I do want fresh tomatoes all summer though, can’t miss those! So some days we have been tending to a few garden tasks as well to get our new plants settled in and growing.

Later in the afternoon when all the littles are awake and full of energy again, some days the kids and I like to take a walk down the dirt road the quarter-mile to the mailbox. It’s a good time to drop off any packages that need to be shipped as well as time for me to get some fresh air and take some slower time enjoying the kids. If it’s warm the kids of course beg to stop by the creek on the way back and splash and shout until they are shivering from the icy cold water and are happy to get back home and change into dry clothes for the evening.

By the time evening is coming on, around 5:30 or so it’s time to start thinking about supper. Usually supper is our most low-key meal. Sandwiches, leftovers, or even popcorn and smoothies are frequently on the menu. When supper and evening chores are over, the kids are rushing around doing their bedtime routines before it gets too late to have a story time with Dad. We always have at least one read-aloud book going as a family, usually a piece of classic fiction. Right now we are listening to Jordan read ‘A Girl of the Limberlost’ , one of my very favorite books from childhood. The kids greatly look forward to story time and gather around in the sitting room, listening and laughing until someone (usually Travis) starts to get too sleepy and begins to nod off. Then it’s time for everyone to make their way upstairs and get tucked in. Ideally this happens by 8:30pm, but often it goes later. After all is quiet in the house, I usually have a bit more kitchen tidying to do or perhaps some sourdough baking to start in preparation for the morning. While I’m busy with that, Jordan sometimes reads aloud a book to me, (right now we are finishing ‘Paul Revere’s Ride’ by D. H. Fischer) or if he’s too tired and already up to bed, I enjoy catching up on a favorite podcast while finishing the day’s work.  

And that is a very normal week day  in our current season!