Before school let out I wanted to document a more-or-less typical day in my life during the school year. I plan to do the same thing one day during summer vacation (you're thrilled, right?)
So, here is the day in my life on Monday, June 6th, told in photos and seen through all the dust, clutter, and messes of my life...in another words, I didn't pre-clean anything prior to beginning...
The alarm goes off at 6am but you can see I clearly don't listen to my alarm.
Into the shower I go...
All the normal morning routine. The pencil is there because I think of blog posts, book ideas, or things to tell the kids while I'm in the shower and I need a place to put all those ideas down on paper!
Down and around the hall to wake Harrison up...
WAKE UP HARRISON! :)
And to wake up my darling daughter...you will notice that I did not straighten, dust, or clean anything prior to this project of mine. This is the real life, folks. No pretty photo placement. Hey, don't judge!
I now head down the stairs...
Because it is the end of the year I have gotten lazy with lunches and did not make them at night like I normally do. Also, the chips, which I never, ever buy but I had bought this bag for Memorial Day.
Time check: 7:05, time to take Josh to high school...
The drive to the high school a mile a way.
The embarrassed (that I was taking pictures) firstborn as I drive him up to the school.
School with a beautiful sky backdrop...
Bye bye fifteen-year old.
The time as I head back home.
Driving into my subdivision...
And back home greeted by the doggie who wants to eat...
Opening windows and blinds. (The exciting life I do lead...)
Turn on my computer. (Love the dust and coffee cup ring on my desk. Nice.)
Put dishes away.
Open windows in the nook.
Do the morning dishes.
Getting Harrison out the door for school.
Waiting for his ride to school.
Make coffee. Hurry!
Clean island. (I also straighten around the house at this point too.)
Throw in a load of laundry.
Sweep kitchen and nook.
Time check. Both boys are at school already and now I have a few more minutes to get ready before taking Jennifer to school and doing my crossing guard job.
Today I need to work on an embroidery project for Jennifer's teacher...so I pull some fabric out of my drawer. (Check out my Creative Juices blog for the finished project!)
Clean the guest bedroom bathroom.
Time to get dressed, do hair, put make-up on before leaving for the elementary school.
Lay out ingredients for dinner tonight.
Putting on my crossing guard garb.
Time check: 8:25am. The time we leave to head to the elementary school to drop Jennifer off at fourth grade and for me to do my morning crossing guard job.
I'm standing at my post to do my crossing guard job.
The arrow marks the spot. I stand in this area from 8:30 until 9:05.
Jennifer sits in the car and waits for the time to head into the playground.
Time check: 9:10am. I am back home.
My breakfast...
Time to work. I start, usually, with updating a blog or two.
I will spend the next three or so hours in the office, writing, and filling up my coffee.
Around lunchtime I head out to the garden to pull a few weeds and check the status of the plants.
Watering my garden...
I picked some fresh lettuce leaves for my lunch today.
I think this says it all.
Time check: 12:50pm. My writing work is over and as I prepare lunch I try and enjoy the last few minutes before I have to head back out and begin picking everyone up. Sigh.
My lunch: fresh lettuce from the garden, mushrooms, hard-boiled eggs, and a little grated cheese.
As I eat my lunch I search around online, make notes, straighten desk, organize, google things that I need to research for my writing and other projects, check Facebook, read a few blogs...
I try and sit for a few minutes. You can't really see the clock in the background but it is around 2pm. I have about thirty minutes to put my feet up and read a little bit before I have to go again.
Time check: 2:30ish and it is back to the high school...
I leave a few minutes early (the bell rings at 3pm) because a) I want the good parking spot so I am in prime position to head right out the parking lot; b) the school parking lot is a friggin zoo! c) it allows me thirty minutes to just sit in a quiet car and read...
Normally I sit and read but today I brought embroidery because I need to get this teacher gift finished!
I drop Josh off at home (Harrison walks home from the middle school) and I head to the elementary school...I park on the side street right near my crosswalk...I also get here early, around 3:10, so I can get THIS parking spot (look for a post about my parking spot debacle in the days to come). I began "work" at 3:30 only because one little girl crosses at that time; but my real work begins when the bell rings at 3:45 and for about 10-15 minutes I cross kids until 4pm. But, until 3:45 I have quiet time to read...
I put out the cone and wait for the bell and all the happy little children...
After school we head to the library...
After the library we make a trip to Wal-Mart...
I am cooking ground beef to prep TOMORROW's dinner for Jennifer's birthday request. I figure I am cooking on the stove and I could get this task done so the dinner will be ready first thing tomorrow morning to go into the crockpot.
Our turkey enchillada casserole cooks away in the oven.
And it is back to doing dishes again...
And back to putting more dishes away and taking out the trash.
I now plan to sit, finish the embroidery project, and watch a little Master Chef on TV.
Time check: 7:10pm.
I listen to Jennifer play her recorder and count the minutes until it is her birthday tomorrow. Here she is on her last day of being nine.
I quiz Harrison on science facts for his final tomorrow...(he ended up getting an "A" on the final!)
And I check in on Josh who is building bird houses in the garage (sigh).
I plan to sit for a few minutes and read my book...
...And I let the dog out about a million times as she hears kids, motorbikes, squirrels, gophers, birds, leaves falling, grass growing, wind blowing, flies buzzing outside...painintheassdog!
Head up to bed, finally...brush teeth, wash face, put PJs on...while the dog makes herself comfortable on my comforter.
I blow up balloons for Jennifer's bedroom since tomorrow is her birthday and this is one of our family traditions. On the orange ones (Larry's favorite color) I write messages about how much daddy loves you...
I check the kids, turn off TVs, bedroom lights, lock doors, close blinds and windows, and shut the hall light out...time for bed!
And I turn on my alarm again and call it a day. I am usually up in bed by about 10:30pm. Some nights I sit in bed and read, or I watch Leno, or I crash....
So, there you have the day in the life of me. Thrilling, yes? I lead one hell of an exciting life, I know...