A Day in the Life of Ralene

Last week, we discussed the steps anyone who wants to be a writer should take. One of the suggestions was to make time in your schedule to write. After all, how will you ever be a writer if you don't get to write?

Now, I know in this day and age we have so much to keep us busy. If you're anything like me, you have everything from work to family to house to writing. Oy! It all adds up!

People keep asking me, both on the blog and in real life, how I do it all. Honestly, I'm bewildered because I definitely don't think I have it all together. There are days when I am stressed beyond belief. Still, I thought I'd give you a peak at "A Day in the Life of Ralene". Then, on Wednesday, I'll offer tips and tricks for carving out a schedule that works for YOU (not me, YOU).


A Day in the Life of Ralene:

5:45-Alarm goes off

5:45-6:45-Quiet time and morning rountine

6:45-8:00-Emails/Blogs/Social Media
7:00-Wake up kids (if they aren't already)
7:30-Breakfast (yes, I'm a horrible mother, I check my emails during breakfast)

8:00-9:00-Misc, sometimes I clean, sometimes I finish up emails, sometimes I help the kids get ready for the day

9:00-11:30-School
9:00-Baby goes down for nap

11:30-1:00-Lunch and cleaning

1:00-3:00-Kids rest time, me writing blogs/reviews

3:00-5:00-Free time to hang with kids/watch a TV show/read

5:00-Start on dinner, we usually eat about 5:45/6

7:00-Hubby takes over with kids, writing for me

8:00-Bedtime for kids

10:00-Reading

10:30-Lights out for me


For me, this is a good balance. It offers time for the things that need to be done (housework, school) with the things I like to do (writing, spend time with family).

Of course, this is an ideal day. I have to keep myself flexible for the needs of those in my life--family, friends, church family. Sometimes I'll have a week that needs to be more writing focused (like when I am prepping for a contest), or one that is more family dependant (like when I have a sick kid or there's a holiday).

The first thing that suffers if things get out of whack is the houskeeping. It's my least favorite, so I have absolutely no qualms with putting off dusting until tomorrow...or the next day, or the next. If that goes on for too long though, I go into cleaning overdrive!

So, that's a glimpse at my day and what goes on. Stay tuned because on Wednesday, I'll offer tips and tricks for making your schedule work for you.

In the meantime, what about you? What do you do to get it all done?

Homeschool Saturdays

In the past, I've made it a point not to post on the weekends. However, as my life takes some more twists and turns, I find three things taking over my life. Writing, of course, but also family (duh), and HOMESCHOOLING.

For those of you who hadn't heard, my husband and I decided to homeschool are kids pretty much from the start. We got all those arguments from family and friends on whether or not we were doing the right thing, but this is the route we feel led to take for a variety of reasons.

Up until now, I haven't talked about it much on here. We've been "unofficially" homeschooling our two daughters who are pre-k age. Alana just turned 5, though, and would be starting Kindergarten in the fall. Time to look at things from a little more official standpoint.

I don't plan to start the Kindergarten curriculum until August, but now is the time that I'm doing my research and making my plans. Believe it or not, I'm actually not procrastinating. And as I do my research, make my plans, etc, I'm going to share my journey with you guys. I figure those of you who homeschool might find some new insight, even if you've been at it for years. Those who don't, maybe you'll get a peek at a world you've not been exposed to before.

Monday through Friday is still all about faith, books, and writing...but Saturdays are for Homeschool Wrap-up!

They Get It!

Wow! They really get it.

By "they" I mean my daughters. As you all know, we began homeschooling this year with a laid back pre-k curriculum. We've been at it officially for a couple of weeks.

It has been such a blessing to be able to watch them learn in a purposeful environment. We are learning our letters (well, they already know most of them) and their sounds through the Letter of the Week curriculum. It incorporates all basic subjects under the focus of that weeks letter.

For instance, this week we are on the letter "B". In addition to learning the sound and how to write, we are also studying bears, butterflies, ballerinas, and bananas. We're lacing butterflies, matching bears, dancing like ballerinas...just having a ball. Reading is becoming a favorite activity--finally.

They love it (most of the time). And I get a thrill when I ask them a question in a review and they KNOW the answer. It's also great to see the differences in the girls--in their learning styles (which are still developing) and in their strengths subject wise.

You know...maybe with God's help, I can do this.