Letter A says aaa!

How are you doing today?  Here we are moving along in our day.  All three kids are down for a nap, and I have a moment to breathe.

Picking up where I left off yesterday, we have started a new routine in our house.  After my husband gets off to work, the big kids are fed and the baby is fed and either playing happily or napping, the big kids and I are doing what we call "Mornings with Mommy".  Basically it all began when my oldest, Buddy, asked me why I never wanted him to do anything fun.  It seems that since Tiger was born, I have not been able to get my feet on the ground and my head in the game again.  I have felt swamped and constantly drowning.  I never had time to really play with my kids, or let them go down and play in the basement where the big fun toys are, and the art easel.  I was talking to my husband about it, and we came up with this idea.  After bellies are filled and baby is otherwise entertained, the big kids and I spend the whole morning together.  We are playing in the basement, cooking, going on scavenger hunts, digging in the dirt.  Once I get a car again we will go to the park, the zoo, the mall...basically, I have set aside that time, barring any intruders such as doctor's appointments and unavoidables, to spend solely with my kids.  It is turning out to be quite effective, though we have only been at it since Monday.  I don't feel so pulled between what I need to do for the health and well-being of our household, and what I need to do for the emotional and physical needs of my children.

Buddy will be 4 at the end of May, so we are starting Preschool.  I am using the curriculum Learn Your Letters, Learn to Serve, and Buddy is really taking to it!  I am only loosely following the curriculum, since I am doing it with my 2 year old daughter in tow.  We are having fun!  Even Baby Girl is singing the songs!  Today was a fun day in the cycle.  we made Apple Brownies, and watched Alligator Pie.  I got so much more accomplished over the last two days, so I hope that this continues to work for us.

So my question for today is this:  What are you doing to invest in your children today?  How are you trying to improve, or what have you done in the past that has helped the flow of your life?