I'm trying to come up with a workable schedule for us for the week.. I've tried this so many times it's not funny, but if I really set my mind to making it work, I know we can do it. Like for this week the plan is as follows:

Monday - Up at 8, do 1 hr AM cleaning routine, check email/boards, everyone dressed and leave house by 11 to get to global culture/geography homeschool event, leave hs event by 3, drive J to dance (3:45), pick B up from train (4:30), drive to work by 6, drive home at 9, drop off B and kids at home and get to gym by 9:45, get home by 11, do a 20 minute pick-up and kitchen wipedown, shower, check email/boards, and get to bed by 1.

Tuesday - Up at 8, do 1 hr AM cleaning routine, check email/boards, do group activity with the kids (science experiment, art project, game, etc), do 1-on-1 academics with each kid for about 30-45 min (this was requested), get everyone dressed and get to library by 2, get kids to dance by 4:45, home by 8:30, do 30 minute pickup and kitchen wipedown after American Idol (lol), shower, check email/boards, bed by 12.

Wednesday - Up at 8, do 1 hr AM cleaning routine, check email/boards, everyone dressed and leave house by 10:45 to get to science lab homeschool event, leave hs event by 2, home by 2:30, cook dinner together, drive to work by 5:30, drive home at 9, drop off B and kids at home and get to gym by 9:45, get home by 11, do a 20 minute pick-up and kitchen wipedown, shower, check email/boards, and get to bed by 1.

Thursday - Up at 8, do 1 hr AM cleaning routine, check email/boards, do group activity with the kids (science experiment, art project, game, etc), do 1-on-1 academics with each kid for about 30-45 min, get everyone dressed and get to supermarket by 12, home by 2, put away groceries and cook dinner together (for reheat later), drive J to dance by 4:30, pick B up from train, drive to work by 5:30, drive home at 9, drop off B and kids at home and get to gym by 9:45, get home by 11, do a 20 minute pick-up and kitchen wipedown, shower, check email/boards, and get to bed by 1.

Friday - Up at 8, do 1 hr AM cleaning routine, check email/boards, do group activity with the kids (science experiment, art project, game, etc), do 1-on-1 academics with each kid for about 30-45 min, cook dinner together (for reheat later), get everyone dressed and get to hs ice skating get-together by 1:45, leave by 3:30 and get J to dance by 4:30, pick B up from train, drive to work by 5:30, drive home at 9, do 30 minute pickup and kitchen wipedown, shower, check email/boards, bed by 11 (and up by 7am for work at 9am on Saturday).

The goal here is to have some sort of "expectation" so the kids don't feel so aimless. I believe many kids do better knowing what-comes-next throughout their day. My kids do. It's a comfortable feeling - especially when they had a part in creating the schedule. I do better with structure in my own life. I know if I was unschooled as a child I would have made schedules for myself all the time. The "academic" stuff on the schedule is based on what the kids asked for. They love reading and workbooks and educational websites, and all sorts of those kind of activities. I left it open for them to choose what they want to do (or not do, that's fine).

Hamster update - There are 5 white/tan ones and 6 black ones (recounted, lol). Their eyes are now open and we are holding them all the time. K's been reading about them so much - what they can eat, how holding them makes them tame for their new homes, how to tell males from females, etc. We decided to keep 2 babies - one we named Goliath because she is the biggest tan one, and one tiny black one born with 3 legs we call "Stumpy", but K has named "Fitch" (after you know what clothing store). We are getting lots of requests for a baby hamster, so finding them homes shouldn't be too hard. But we get to have them for at least another 3 weeks til their weaned. FUN!