Happy Wednesday, friends!
It’s another edition of LET’S LOOK!
If you don’t know what this is, once a month, Erika and I do a little link up where we “look” at different aspects of our lives (and then if you blog, you share and link up too!). We have been doing this little linky party for years now, and it’s always one of my favorite posts each month because most of the topics are YOUR suggestions!
So far in 2023, here’s what we’ve “looked at”…
In January, we looked at HOW WE ORGANIZE FOR THE NEW YEAR.
In February, we looked inside OUR MEDICINE CABINETS.
In March, we looked at our ALL TIME FAVE AMAZON FINDS .
In April, we looked at MY PET PEEVES.
In May, we looked at MY MORNING ROUTINE.
In June, we looked at MY BEST TRAVEL TIPS.
In July, we looked at MY FAVORITE SUMMER FINDS.
In August, we looked at OUR WORST HABITS.
And today, we’re LOOKING AT OUR EVENING ROUTINES.
Here’s the deal, I always forget what the monthly prompts are until it’s time to sit down and work on them. Just now when I saw that this month we’re sharing “our evening routine”, I was pleasantly surprised. I love a routine! I almost always focus on our morning routine, so this is a nice change up.
I grabbed some pics to share and have some details on how the Shull six do their “evening routine”.
FYI: I’m going to focus on school nights for this post 🙂 .
Right now, the four kids (who are at three different schools) all get home at three different times each afternoon. Everyone gets home between 2:50 and 4:15 (yeah, look at that gap!) and does any homework they might have, grabs snacks, throws their stuff around my nice clean house…you know, normal “after school stuff”.
If we have after school speech therapy or tutoring, we do those things right after school (my kids do better doing it right after rather than having a break between). Once we’re either done with that/or on different nights, we head off to our sports practices/games. Ashby and Mades both have games *mostly* on Saturdays (with a few exceptions) and practice during the week, so Andrew and I will divide and conquer those practices on those nights.
Three nights a week, as a family, we head off to watch…
…football in some capacity. We watch Kensington cheer at the freshman games…
…or Smith play on the middle school team…
…or we head to the Varsity game. At any of the three games, we’re sure to run into…
…friends 🙂 .
Some nights, we don’t have anything after school and come home and stay home, but right now, it feels like most nights, we have something to do.
When I know my family is going to have a game and either be eating late or eating in shifts (something I try to avoid but do when it’s necessary), I rely heavily on…
…my slow cooker.
I don’t necessarily always make a “slow cooker” supper. Sometimes, I just make my normal dinner and keep it warm in the slow cooker. When we’re getting in after a game and everyone is hot, dirty and tired, the LAST thing I want to do is start making dinner from scratch. It’s so much easier if dinner is already cooked and ready to go.
Do not forget…
…one of my MOST POPULAR POSTS OF THE ENTIRE YEAR is this one RIGHT HERE! These are the easy recipes that are ready to go when my family get home at the end of busy days.
If I’m really on my A-game, before we head out to said activity that night, I’ll make sure someone has set the table for dinner, and we’ll get any lunches made for the next day, snacks packed, water bottles filled, etc. I like to do anything I can so that when we get home, I can just focus on sitting down and enjoying dinner.
Once we’re “in” for the night (whether that’s after a sport or just a normal night), this is when we tackle the laundry. All four kiddos are responsible for their own laundry. We don’t mind helping them get it into and out of the washer/dryer, but once it’s out, everyone has to put their own laundry away. Sometimes, Andrew and I will dump our laundry out on our bed and do it together while watching a show on TV or sometimes, he’ll do it while I’m making dinner, etc. I decided several years ago though that I would stop doing it during the day. Working from home made it easy to do chores during the day, but it started interfering with my work flow, so now, it’s an “after work” chore.
My kids love to run off and be outside any chance they get after school, so before/after dinner, you’ll almost always see them outside with friends
Our family loves to eat dinner outside on our patio table and do any night that the weather is even remotely great (with ceiling fans and heaters, we can use it most of the year!). We also love watching TV outside too. Andrew and I really love those nights when we get a minute to sit down and watch TV outside while the littles are playing on the swing set behind us.
After activities/dinner/laundry/chillin’ out, it’s time for bed.
You know me, I have to unwind with a shower/bath, a bit of TV and some reading. It doesn’t matter if I get home at 5:00 PM or midnight, I must do those three things before I can go to sleep.
And that’s a bit of our evening routine. It’s much less structured than our morning routine, sometimes a little crazy and chaotic, but I know for a fact that one of these days, I will look back and miss it.
If you also blogged Let’s Look, make sure you link up below. I want to hear about your EVENING ROUTINE!! Please comment and share!
Also, don’t forget, you can check out OUR MORNING ROUTINE too 🙂 .
Don’t forget, coming up this year…
…next month, our biggest fears. That sounds light and happy.
See you tomorrow, friends! xx
Elspeth says
I love reading and learning about other peoples evening routines. Mine is less structured than my morning too! Thanks for sharing!
http://www.elspethsdaybyday.com
Erika Slaughter says
One thing I’m realizing about our Tuesday routine…I’m REALLY tired on Wednesday mornings! haha!
Lindsey Thomas says
Any chance you can switch your October, November, and December topics so that you do stocking stuffers in October or November?? Then if someone likes your idea we can purchase for our families for Christmas?? (I hate waiting till last minute)?
Mix and Match Mama says
Maybe?!
Lisa N says
That would be great! I know a lot of people give great book recs…we could get lots of ideas from others also. I know I’ve already bought a few:)
Josie says
This is super random. I remember a couple of years ago you said one of your goals was to hang out w neighbors more. Did that ever happen? It seems like the kids are always hanging out w neighbors kids so wondering about the parents.
Mix and Match Mama says
YES!!!!! I actually just went on a long walk this morning with one! It truly was transformative for us to be proactive in getting to know our neighbors better. Andrew and I now count three couples here as dear friends. We have met others, but these three in particular are very dear to us, and it really did stem from us just getting out and making an effort.
Sheaffer says
Headed to check out the slow cooker posts! I need some new meals in the rotation for sure!
Tina says
Your routines are always so inspiring! I’m wondering…Do your kids ever ask (beg) to go out to eat dinner with friends/teammates after games/practices? It seems like so many go eat afterwards and my kids beg to go. I feel bad making them miss out, but much prefer we all eat at home and get to bed earlier.
Mix and Match Mama says
I would say that no, but maybe that’s just not happening in our community? After games on weeknights, it so late and the kids have to be back so early, that I don’t think anyone is going out after. On weekends, I feel like all of the families are just going from one thing to the next, so it’s not really even an option.
Faith says
Oh the memories this brings back! I remember leaving a middle school football game that my daughter cheered at to get her to dance class! I do think of those days but maybe miss them less now that I remember how crazy it was lol
Beth Valenta says
There is no better feeling the crockpot having dinner done! I am dinner planner for the week and we go out every Wednesday or order. I am working on better sleep environment right now. Uggg I just get so restless. Have a happy pumpkin day!
Sarah Shaneyfelt says
I love Madelyn’s hair cut on her! So cute! And the crockpot is the best invention ever during the school year 🙂
MeetTheShaneyfelts
Tara says
Love all your routines you share. Question for the elementary kiddos (since I have 3 currently in 1st & 4th) is there a general bedtime you have that the kids have to be upstairs getting to sleep? I struggle with that and having a certain set time that I stick with.
Mix and Match Mama says
With kids #1 and #2, it was between 8:00 and 8:30. With kids #3 and #4, it’s very, very flexible. Sometimes, it’s 8:30…sometimes, it’s 9:45. They seem to be thriving and LOVING being a part of the middle/high school things, so I don’t stress out it.
Shelby Williams says
What about homework? I have an 11th, 9th and 7th and homework takes up a huge portion of our night! They are at private school so I’m not sure if there is a difference but I was surprised you didn’t mention it bc that is the most stressful part of the week for me!
Mix and Match Mama says
I think I mentioned that they do it right when they get home. My littles don’t have homework, but my big kids finish their homework as soon as they get home from school or home from our nightly activities or on the weekend. Rarely is anything ever due the very next day, so it’s easier to budget their time.
Tricia says
Using the crockpot to keep a non-crockpot dinner warm?! 🤯 please spill how & any tips. This sounds like a game changer.
Mix and Match Mama says
Yes! Anything you make in advance that you want to keep warm, you can almost always do that in the slow cooker (on the warm setting). Whatever you have on the stovetop, stick it in there. Many oven meals work too as long as you don’t mind transferring.
Alexa says
What does Kensington usually pack for on the go meals or snacks, and/or what does she have at games? I’d love to know more about gluten free ideas!
Mix and Match Mama says
Last night, she had a Kind Bar…so things like that plus trail mix, those popcorn chip things are big around here, pepperoni/cheese/nuts…things like that.
Lauren says
We have an outdoor tv and I love the idea of watching it outside during the evening/night, but it seems to get so buggy! (We’re in MA) How do you guys handle the mosquitoes?! Or maybe they’re not a problem in your area?
Mix and Match Mama says
They are definitely a problem here, but (at least at our house), they hangout down closer to the creek/back part of our property and not around our house.