Thursday, September 1, 2016

Day In The Life - Back to School Edition

It's been a while since I've done a "Day in the Life" post so I decided to take a TON of pictures yesterday and share with y'all today.  5:21 came EARLY yesterday morning and I'm really wishing that I had screenshotted my lock screen instead of my home screen so you wouldn't see all my unread emails and texts :)  If I could insert an emoji right here it would be the monkey covering his eyes.




Jack Bauer shared my sentiments about being up early :)


And see my note on the counter? hahaha  


Told y'all he stayed close!


Showered and ready to get  blow dried and caffeinated.


My makeup routine... if you can even call it that.


We woke the boys up around 6:15 and once they get their uniforms on they can play on their Kindles, read, do Legos, etc.  Luke jumps right up, gets dressed and gets to the business of playing while Mason takes a little longer to get moving.  He get's it from his mama!


Dave is a morning ROCKSTAR and he does lunches and makes the kids breakfast and does all of that.   I'm a lucky lady.


Zucchini bread for breakfast.


Easy peasy linen dress and wedges for the day.


 We typically let GG wake up on her own since Dave takes her to Miss Lisa's after we leave.  Most mornings she's up to eat with the boys and kiss us goodbye.  



Every morning she asks me if she can come to school with us and yesterday was no exception.


We're on our way to school...


... with what seems like all of my possessions in tow.


We were at school around 7:15 and Luke goes to the multi-purpose room to hang out with his friends (so big!)...


... and Mason came to my room with me to get in some coloring time before heading to class.



My middle schoolers are SO SO SO sweet to him!  I love how special it makes him feel to get to hang out with the big kids.  He even gets escorted down the deck to his class by some big boys on occasion :)


A whole swarm of middle schoolers and nothing phases him ;)


I sent Mason off to class and got to work on prepping for my first period class.  I teach 6 classes back to back from 7:45 - 1:15 every day.  Two seventh grade math classes, a 7th grade Pre-Algebra, two 8th Grade PreAlgebras and an 8th Grade Honors Algebra 1.



While kids are taking quizzes, working independently and during passing periods I chip away at my daily to-do-list.  Answering emails, prepping lessons, etc.


Mid-morning the kids have a 15 minute passing period (opposed to their normal 5 minute one) and it's the best .  All the middle school teachers grab our snacks and gather in the workroom for a quick little break.  I work with amazing people and we laugh A LOT in those 15 minutes!


I also got my Happy Morning picture from Dave during break :)


Back to Pre-Algebra...


... and this class requested music so we listened to the "Beats for Studying" station on my Pandora One account and they loved it.   It's instrumental versions of songs they know and I've had several tell me that they' listen to it at home when they study.


Making use of passing period by uploading videos for my kids to our Google Classroom.  

(If you have no clue what I'm talking about, Google Classroom is an app where teachers can create classes and add students to them and then post announcements, assignments, host discussions, etc.  I use it to post notes and homework as well as links to videos I make and/or other helpful videos and games.)


 I taught  2 more classes and then popped by the lunch room to see Mason.  His lunch time matches up with mine and it's been so sweet to pop by and give him a hug mid-day. 
(Lots of moms stay and eat... as of now he hasn't asked me to stay... so I'm taking his lead on that)


Back to my classroom to eat my lunch and make an answer key for a practice test.


I have one more class after lunch and once they left it was time for me and my monster cookie to tackle some grading.


... with the help of the seven million pens I own.  Seriously though... I cleaned out my bags and purses this weekend and rounded up all my pens... it's crazy.


Lessons prepped and copied for a couple of classes for tomorrow...


... and desks and chairs all Lysoled :)


I packed up all my stuff (including the cute shoes that I ditched for flip flops pretty early on in the day) around 4:00 and headed out to pick up Griffin.  Luke had his first STEM (Science, technology, engineering and mathematics) meeting after school and Mason wanted to stay at ESS because they were planning on going to the big playground :) 


Griffin and I had to pick up some produce and so we headed to Sprouts after I picked her up from Miss Lisa's house.


And OF COURSE she brought in a huge foldable animal book! #duh


We grabbed the fruit we needed (hello, Honeycrisp apples!) and also grabbed some of THE BEST gummy bears on the planet!  If you haven't ever tried gummy bears from Sprouts you need to ASAP! They're the absolute best.  


We picked up a pound for us and a pound for a friend who had been extra brave that morning :)  


After dropping off one package of the gummy bears Griffin and I headed home to get dinner started... but first I had to wait for Jack Bauer to bury himself in all of that ground cover back there. hahaha

Our plan is to rip out all the ivy stuff this fall, but in the meantime Jack goes back there and disappears for EVER.


It had been a busy day and we had a busy evening planned so I kept dinner simple and made tacos.


I've had housekeepers for the last few years, but when we moved we didn't hire them to start cleaning the new house (mainly because we knew it was going to be kind of a mess this summer getting moved in) and as of right now we don't have plans to hire them back.  That said, I sneak in cleaning as often as I can even in the little moments like when the taco meat is simmering :)  It can be hard to find big chunks of time to clean our house top to bottom all at once, so I do it bits and pieces throughout the week and the system works great for us.


Dave picked up the boys and then they got to do their favorite chore - trash can duty!



Taco time...


... and then folder time.  



Homework time!!!


And then baths for the littles and getting to see her bubble face in the mirror ;)



While Mason and G bathed and he waited for his shower, Luke helped sort laundry (read: put on my fuzzy socks and laugh at everyone's underwear).


While I brush her hair she likes to put on chapstick :)


I tutor the SWEETEST little girl (not a student of mine) on Wednesday nights and she and I hunkered down in the office (with the gummy bears!) while Dave and the kids tidied up their rooms and watched some Star Wars before bed.


After tutoring Dave and I brushed all the teeth, read all the stories and gave all the goodnight kisses.  I sat down to work on this post and answer emails for a bit...


Around 10:00 I went to bed and worked on grading papers until almost midnight.  Dave and I watched Big Brother and the RHONY reunion :)


Hope you enjoyed the play by play of our day - it was a busy one!!!  See you tomorrow for Friday Favorites!

64 comments :

  1. I'm a teacher and mom of a 4 month old and I loved reading this!!! I have to ask, how do you get by on so little sleep?? I feel like a zombie every day after sleeping around 5 hours a night

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I need the answer too! Mom tired + teacher tired = haven't blogged in ages!

      Delete
    2. I agree! Do you catch up on sleep on the weekend?

      Delete
    3. I typically catch up on the weekends on on a random low key weeknight. I'll go several days with minimal sleep and then crash at 8pm ;)

      Delete
  2. I'm impressed that Mason was I phased by a room full of middle schoolers. That would have made me nervous!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. First of all, these are my FAVORITE posts!!! And second of all, those gummy bears are INSANE! I could have eaten the whole container. Ashby was so pumped to get them from her friend GG!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Have y'all tried the licorice from sprouts??!!?? BEST EVER and in so many flavors.

      Delete
    2. I haven't tried the licorice! The peach rings are next on my to-try list, but I'll add licorice as well :)

      So glad that Ashby loved them!!! There's not a whole lot that a handful of gummy bears can't fix!

      Delete
    3. I KNEW those bears were for sweet Ashby. So thoughtful!

      Delete
  4. Ah, the life of a teacher :) I'm right there with you! I teach 7th grade English.
    Sarah at MeetTheShaneyfelts

    ReplyDelete
  5. I love seeing your day!! What a great post!!

    ReplyDelete
  6. So fun! I love the gummy bear idea...we will have to borrow that in the future. Thanks for sharing a slice of your life with us. Happy Thursday : )

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Awww! Yay! We just kind of threw it together on the fly, but it's the thought that counts!

      Delete
  7. Wow! That's a busy day!! I'm wondering the same thing as Jen. How do you get by on so little sleep? Lol. It's amazing how much you get done after you come from work. I used to be so tired when I worked when my kids were younger. It was a major accomplishment just to get dinner on table, homework done and my kitchen cleaned. Kudos to both you and your husband! I love the fact that he helps out so much. What a great example to show your boys. I really enjoy your blog. I don't mean to take anything away from stay-at-home Mom's who blog about their day in their life posts, but, it's so refreshing to read a blog from a Mom works outside the home. It gives a different perspective because a big part of the day isn't spent at home. Not as easy to get things done around the house when you aren't there.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm so much LESS productive when I'm home all day :) hahaha
      I'm glad you're enjoying my blog and as far as sleep goes I crash every few days and catch up when I can :) And YES!!! Dave is the BEST!!! He'll often drop GG off at her sitter and then come home and run the vacuum - seriously.

      Delete
  8. You are a bundle of energy. You get so much done in a day. WOW. Good job. I loved this post.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I have a four month old (my own Baby Beau!) and for some reason what stood out the most to me about this post was when you talked about Luke hanging out with his friends before school.. it brought me to my knees in prayer that my sweet boy will develop precious little friendships in the years ahead. Am I crazy? Hormones raging? Yikes!! Thanks for sharing these details, as a new mama I cherish learning so much from someone farther into motherhood than I am! XO

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Awwww!!! The first time he told me he wanted to hang out with his friends instead of coming to my classroom I kind of got my feelings hurt, but then I realized that that's EXACTLY what I wanted him to be doing!!! Grateful for a wonderful school and great friends for both my boys!

      Delete
  10. You're a rockstar! Reading your blog is so nice compared to some others I've read. You're true. You're honest and you're real. You 100% put your family first and you work like crazy! Love your blog

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This is the sweetest!!! Thank you!!! As you probably realized, I don't have time to be anything BUT real :) hahahaha Thank you so so so much for reading and taking the time to comment!

      Delete
  11. Wow! I don't know how you do it all!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Teaching is non-stop! My days are very similar! I go to bed and wake up and hit the ground running until I go back to bed...M-F! Weekends are awesome, right! :) Loved your post, and now I'm craving tacos at 8:17! :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Already looking forward to crashing EARLY tomorrow night!

      Delete
  13. These are my most favorite kinds of posts and I know they take a lot of work. It's just so nice to see that other families have a crazy schedule and busy lives like we do. Somehow the important stuff gets done. Thank goodness for weekends!! I have that same hair dryer and I like it. I have hair past my shoulder and I find that the high speed setting tangles my hair something awful but it does dry it fast. Does it tangle your hair?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Right?!?! You and your crazy schedule aren't alone :) No tangles for me... but I typically don't brush as I go, I just use my fingers.

      Delete
  14. I'm just worn out from reading that, girl! You're a rockstar!

    ReplyDelete
  15. You are super mom! Those gummy bears are sooooo good! I will never be able to eat any others ever now 😳🙈😂!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Over 8,000 emails?! Lol! I can't imagine!! Love your posts.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ha!!! They're actually emails I get when someone leaves a blog comment (and about half are emails from GAP. hahaha)

      Delete
  17. You are crazy busy girlfriend!! Love these post!

    ReplyDelete
  18. You are one busy lady!!!! Thanks for sharing!!

    ReplyDelete
  19. I puffy heart love this post! You are the cutest!

    ReplyDelete
  20. Holy business, girl!! I love these posts! I'm about due for one as well.

    ReplyDelete
  21. I <3 these posts! THanks for sharing your day!

    ReplyDelete
  22. I love seeing your day! I don't know how you stay up until midnight and still function the next day. I'm exhausted if I go to bed at 10:15 and then teach the next morning. You are awesome! :)

    ReplyDelete
  23. I loved reading this! So fun! I teach Kindergarten and my day looks very similar to that! It makes me feel better knowing I'm not the only one that wakes up at five! :) Loved your classroom the fact you had to take your shoes off! I totally feel your pain :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. YES!!! I try to wear cute shoes, but I am on my feet ALL DAY!!!

      Delete
  24. What type of planner do you use for class lessons???

    ReplyDelete
  25. I've taught for 32 years and my my feet still kill me. We can't wear flip flops so my go to shoes are sketchers. My Kg. Students live the neon orange ones! Your family looks so sweet!

    ReplyDelete
  26. Now that's a productive day. You are one good mama!

    ReplyDelete
  27. Loved this peek into your day!!
    You always amaze me with how much you can get done in 24 hours! :) ;)

    ReplyDelete
  28. Man, you guys are busy! Loved getting a look into your day:) Have a great labor day weekend!

    ReplyDelete
  29. Fellow middle school math teacher here...I teach back to back classes til 1:30, love last period planning!! I don't know how you run on that little sleep. I am normally dead on my feet by the time I get home around 5:00!

    ReplyDelete
  30. Heading back to my classroom tomorrow and I have a 2yo and 9mo old! Ah! I loved reading this because I can SO relate. Thanks for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
  31. When do you have your quiet time/devotions/read your Bible? I'm always curious when other people do it!

    ReplyDelete
  32. Love love LOVE these posts!!! Silly question (because I love food)...do you buy a salad every day to take for lunch? It looks good, but I'd never have time to go pick one up before school! I'm always running late! And...homemade monster cookies? If so, can you share your recipe? They look so soft & AMAZING!!! Thanks Andrea!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  33. What a neat idea! It was oddly fascinating to nosey my way through someone else's typical day to day!! May have to try it for myself...

    ReplyDelete

Blog design by Get Polished | Copyright 2016