A Day in Our Lives at Rossmont

The Blog Cruise is setting sail again, for second semester of our school year. This week's topic is: What is a day in the life of your homeschool like?

Our homeschool is also a little homestead, as I am sure you've noticed by previous posts. You know we have goats, rabbits, chickens....

So our day....my day....usually starts fairly early. If I'm fortunate, I wake early enough to get my shower taken before hubby needs to be up to prepare for work. Then I try to have my personal quiet time with the Lord.

Most of the time, by the time hubby's had his shower and breakfast, the two younger boys are up, and doing pet chores. They make sure all the animals have food and water, and clean up the "barnyard" area. Usually I spend a few moments checking on the wild-bird feeders (and flower and vegetable gardens when they are producing), and photographing anything that catches my fancy! The two young adults rise later...

Currently we have a dozen rabbits....wait, we think Cottonball has babies; we don't know how many, though; she has so much fur surrounding them, we can't even see them!

Botanist Boy just informed me that Autumn (a pretty little part-dwarf rabbit) apparently had 8 babies. It appears 5 of them were born way too early, were not fully formed yet, and the other 3 are dead as well. I never knew the mortality rate was so high in raising rabbits!!

The boys also have to walk the fence-line of the pasture, to make sure it's all intact, and that the grass isn't grown too high under it, to short out the electric fence. Also, they often hold some branches down on the bushes, so the goats can browse.

Botanist Boy had to repair part of the water line this morning, because it cracked during our last freeze. He's learning to make all kinds of different little repairs like that, under hubby's tutelage. 

Usually we would need to milk the goats, before breakfast, but they are currently pregnant, so are on break from milk-production. So now we need to learn more about goat husbandry, and properly caring for the girls while they are expecting. We'll also have to learn how to properly care for the kids after they arrive!

It's still exciting to collect eggs. It's like a treasure hunt every day! We may attempt hatching a few eggs, to expand our brood by a few more. We'd like to have a dozen hens; right now, we only have 7, and one handsome rooster.

After the pet chores are completed, we sit down to breakfast, followed by clean up, then family worship. Many days, before I am even able to finish eating my breakfast, it is time to take my oldest son to work....It'll be so helpful when he finally has a car of his own to drive (and his driver's license....).

After all the morning routine has been accomplished, we head in to schoolwork....usually math. 

While Teen Girl works through all her classes, I divide my time between Little Bit and Botanist Boy. They seem to take frequent breaks, to go check on the animals; look for eggs. We have one little red hen who keeps getting out of the pen. Since we have so many stray dogs around, we like to keep a close watch on her....And I take occasional breaks, to check email, etc.

We enjoy our Five in a Row and Beyond Five in a Row studies. Botanist Boy seems to be working more independently on the Beyond FIAR studies. 

Before we know it, it's time to prepare lunch, and check to see if the mail has come, etc. After lunch and clean up, we finish up schoolwork, then the boys go spend more time outside with the animals. 

About sundown, the goats and dog are put away in to the pen for protection through the night. They do one final check on the rabbits and chickens as well. 

By now it's supper time; supper cleanup; bath time and bedtime. Hubby usually goes to bed fairly early (usually around 9:00, since has to be up early to get to work; he has at least a one-hour commute, each way), so usually the boys are in bed by then, too.

Little Bit has speech therapy regularly. It is an hour away. So on the days we have to take him there, our schedule is a little different. Sometimes Botanist Boy and Teen Girl will go with us, too. Often, it is just Little Bit and I. We try to make that our grocery shopping and library-trip day as well. 

Teen Girl has to visit the orthodontist periodically, too. On those days, the younger boys have to go with us, if my oldest has to work....which, right now, he is working every day of the week (hunting season does that to him).

So, there you have it! Our life seems to revolve around schoolwork, and the animals, and medical appointments! But, frankly, I think we enjoy our life, for the most part. Pin It Now!