What do you do all day?

What do you do all day? I've heard this question before since I am a stay-at-home-mom by choice. A homemaker some prefer to be called. I stay at my house (most days) and get the chance to shape my children the way I think they should be, I get to take care of my house, I get to make meals for my family without worrying about the wait at the drive through. I get to create my own schedule and not have to report to the boss, except Shane that is, and I get "paid" in love, kisses, and seeing my goals come true. No seriously, what do you do all day?

I hold Lincoln quite a bit, he's into everything but not walking yet.

Oh you mean the day to day fun stuff I get to do. Well the last week or so I've been taking random pictures of the trivial things I do and will share them with you.

Dylan catching the bus at 7:15am

I get everyone in the house up at different times, me no later than 6:30 so I can have one cup of coffee in peace. Dylan up at 6:45 to get ready for the bus, Danielle up at 7. She drives herself so I just have to get her up and make her lunch (school lunches she says no thanks)  and not worry about much else. Dylan likes to ride the bus and get to school early to play with his friends. While the bus stop is right across the street from our house, I still walk him every morning. There's been a little drama in the neighborhood lately and it just gives us an extra minute together too.

 I cut my own hair to save time and money, it turned out ok but not spectacular like I was hoping. Inspiration came from the character Eden in the movie Doomsday. I don't recommend the movie as a family favorite, but I liked her hair.

Lincoln loves making noise with his tongue.

 I goof off and play with my baby while he's still young.

 I created a little home office for myself in our fancy room. not the family room but what normal people would consider a formal living room I guess. Anyway now I feel like the computer has a place and I can keep my stuff more organized (see later picture to see what it used to look like when I was "working") and also be prepared if the perfect part-time work from home job comes along. I refinished an old cabinet that Shane's grandmother had given to him and he didn't want to part with. Who knew a piece of furniture I wanted to get rid of could have turned into something that makes me smile.

 I water the plants, or have a helper that does.

Yay for groundcover that should eventually grow in around the big rocks in front of the house. 

Desert area where nothing usually grows, fingers crossed this year.

Beautiful blooming lilacs

Mother's Day Planter by front door

Welcome to my morning!

 This is what my kitchen table looks like during the day during naps or what not. Books and magazines all partially read, coupons to clip, store ads to go through, my photography homework and who knows what else.

Shane and my retirement house, made by Dylan

 I try to organize my house and figure out where a house built out of paper and love should go. If you notice Shane is laying on the couch and I am in the kitchen ha ha!

 I feed Lincoln bananas while trying to just sit for a minute.

When he was a baby and had borderline colic this rocking chair was a life saver!

 I do a lot of rocking in our rocking chair.

 I help with MOPS leadership and get ready for our final meeting of the year (which was a great meeting and I am so glad to find so many friends there).

 I teach Dylan how to make goofy pictures.

 I catch Shane and Lincoln hanging out like buddies.

I also next year I will help be the secretary of the parent group at the elementary school. Not to mention that I am researching for my final photography project, helping the kids with homework, meal planning, trying to come up with ideas on how the summer isn't going to be wasted, taking a teething grump on walks to get him out of the house, and generally trying to enjoy life. One huge timesaver I've found for me is cutting out tv. I watched way more than I should have or just kept it on to have background noise. Now I am saving energy (which equals money in someone's eyes) and getting more done to take care of this Palace.

Do not do this!

And sometimes I fail. I am not suzie homemaker. I am Shannon, mom to three, mom who loses her temper and yells, mom who lets plants die because more important things come up, mom who lets her kids play and learn from their own mistakes and mom who just stays home all day. I went on a field trip with Danielle a few weeks ago to some art related places in town and one of the ladies leading the exhibit asked if we were all teachers. I replied "I'm just a mom." and they all looked at me and said "without you, we wouldn't have a job. You have one of the most important jobs out there, thank you." Wow sometimes I just need the reminder.