Thursday, January 24, 2019

Day in the Life - "Day Off" Edition

When I did my little reader survey back in December, "Day in the Life" posts quickly rose to the very top of the requested posts list.  I love reading them as well and decided to document my day on Tuesday since it looked a little different than a "regular" day that I've documented before.

Earlier this week I got a sub and took a day off of work to chaperone a field trip and get caught up on a few things.  I requested off weeks ago and it worked out PERFECTLY because I was still recovering from an awful sinus infection and really needed a day to slow down.

Thankfully I had taken a shower earlier (seriously the only thing that was giving me any sense of relief while sick!) and so I was able to eek out every last minute of sleep on Tuesday morning.  My alarm went off at 6:30, but I think it was about 6:50 before I actually got up.  The kids alarms go off at 6:30 and in this time they'd all made their way downstairs and got themselves dressed.  We lay their uniforms out on the floor of our bedroom at night so they each have clean clothes (down to socks and underwear) accessible and there's no searching.  It's easier for us to keep ALL the uniforms in one central place than 3 separate closets.... their regular clothes they keep in their rooms.



They put their pjs in the washing machine and have been making their own breakfast.  We don't stress breakfast... Mason rarely eats breakfast (his class eats lunch at 10:30), Luke makes his own and Dave (or Luke) will help Griffin make what she wants... but sometimes it's just a string cheese and we're fine with that).  

REAL LIFE MOMENT... I started cleaning my bathroom earlier in the weekend and then didn't get it done because I thought my head might actually explode and there were just other things that needed to get done.  So yes... this was my actual counter and no... it doesn't normally look like that.  ;)

A little after 7 the kids all came into my bathroom and this is where/when I fix their hair and do a quick check to make sure everyone has shirts tucked in, do a breath check (hahaha), etc.


At this point all three kids got their bags and headed for the van while I did one final check and met them there.  Dave typically packs their lunches and makes sure that their folders get in their bags before they walk out the back door.  This was also when Mason fed Jack Bauer and Luke fed Jelly Bean.


We weren't in a rush to get to school since I wasn't working and wasn't trying to get there early to get in my classroom - so we left home around 7:20 and I dropped them of around 7:35.  Typically it takes less than 10 mins to get to school... but when we leave after a certain time there's more traffic.  Boo.

After I dropped the kids off I headed to Starbucks because I didn't have to report for chaperone duties until 8:20.  I ordered a tea and the turkey bacon sandwich (YUM!) and had a few quiet minutes with my kindle.  This is a luxury that I don't typically get and it was lovely!


Back at school and loading the bus with kinder around 8:30 - this was their first time on a school bus (and first field trip!) and they were SO EXCITED!!!


Griffin and her sweet little seat mate were PUMPED!!!


We arrived at Dallas Children's Theater and settled in for a performance of The Snowy Day and other stories by Ezra Jack Keats.


About an hour later and back on the bus ready to head back to school...


... all that excitement wore these girls OUT!


I was getting ready to head home after the field trip and decided to swing through Dilla's first.  I got home a little after 12, lit a fire and got settled in for an afternoon of getting caught up on some calendaring things, eating my quesadilla and just having some "nothing time".  It was HEAVEN.


I watched some Bravo...


... finally had a chance to put  tabs on my Bible and MAY have even snuck in a 45 minute nap.  


Around 2:30 I got dressed (as in I put a jacket on with my leggings)...


... gathered up G's dance clothes, made a hot tea (I reused my cup from that morning because I love how much they hold, that they fit into my cupholder in my van and that I can rinse and reuse them a few times and then recycle them) and headed out to pick up Luke for an ortho evaluation.


Quick stop for gas and a quick car clean out (I can't be the only one who has to do this DESPITE there being trash bags for my kids to use!)...


... and then I swung through my classroom to check out the notes my sub left and pick up the papers kids had turned in that day while I was out so I could grade them.



I picked up this cutie from class and we booked it over to the orthodontist.  Luke had an evaluation in the summer that prompted a tooth extraction and so we were there for a 6-month follow-up.


I wasn't really sure how long the appointment was going to take (in the summer they took x-rays and did a few other things and it was close to an hour) so I left Mason and Griffin at after school care.  Turns out we were in and out in about 15 minutes (YESSSSS) with another "see you in 6 months" farewell.  We'll take it!


Back at school...


... and picking up (literally) these cuties.  Mason had been at homework club and Griffin was playing with friends.  (sidenote - no uniforms this week because it's a spirit week - woo hoo!)


We got home and did the "unloading" process... folders go on the counter, yum boxes go in a sink of soapy water, lunch boxes go back in the pantry and backpacks go back out to the rack outside.  I HATE "school mess" and so this works for us. All three kids changed and threw their uniforms in the washer and I got Griffin changed for dance (I wasn't sure whether we'd have time to go home since I didn't know how long Luke's appointment would be which is why I brought her clothes with me). 



Dave wrapped up his day a bit early so the boys were able to stay home with him instead of tagging along to hip hop and while Griffin and I were out Dave washed their yum boxes, the boys put away a bit of laundry, etc.


While Griffin was in class I read a couple of chapters and chatted with a few of the other moms.  


And when we got home (around 5:45) Dave and the boys had dinner ready.  It was one of "those" nights and a mashup of leftovers were on the menu in an attempt to clean out the fridge :)  Spaghetti pie, tomato soup, chili, salad, etc.  After my quesadilla and queso from earlier I was at dinner for conversation only because I wasn't hungry. :) 


We wrapped up dinner around 6:30 and then I went through folders and filed some school work in the kids storage bins...


... Dave and Mason reviewed some homework (look how happy Mason looks - hahaha)...


... the kids loaded the dishwasher, I got the lunchbox notes for the next day ready...


... and then the kids and Dave headed upstairs to pick up their rooms and play a couple of rounds of Farkle while I started the laundry and popped some cookies in the oven.  Friends of ours have been having a ROUGH go of it in the sickness department and sometimes fresh cookies are needed :)


Cookies out of the oven and reading time starting.  I'll post more details about reading time in an upcoming "screen time" post, but in short, we have 30 minutes up here on the couch together reading every night.  Jazz on the speaker, blankets piled, books out.  It's my most favorite time of the day.


The kids all brushed their teeth and washed up before reading time since Griffin has been known to fall asleep ;)  (sidenote - our kids don't take baths/showers every night... they'd all taken showers Monday night and so nobody needed one on this night)  We all read for about 30 minutes and we did the whole tuck-in, prayers, etc. routine and then Luke read in his bed for probably close to an hour and Mason and Griffin were OUT fast.


Once a month Dave has to do inventory at work after hours (this always cracks me up because Dave doesn't drink but can look at a bottle of alcohol and tell you how many pours are left in it) so after we cleaned up the kitchen a bit (ran the vacuum, started the dishwasher, wiped counters, etc.) he left to deliver cookies and head to the country club and I set about a few hours to get things done.  First up was getting a few things done on the computer... I answered a few emails from school, sent out emails to kids who had been absent that day and worked on a couple of upcoming blog posts.  

After my computer time I washed my face and y'all...  I LOVE THIS STUFF SO MUCH!  I mentioned it a while ago after Sheaffer introduced me to it in NYC and literally every night I get excited to use it.  I love that I can rub it right over my eyes to remove makeup and it doesn't burn, that water doesn't get everywhere when you take it off and that my face feels clean but also super moisturized.  



Clean counter and clean face :)


Because it's winter and my skin has been extra dry (plus all the awful dryness from blowing my nose CONSTANTLY for days) I doubled up and finished with  this moisturizer.  It's lightweight, non greasy and doesn't irritate my hypersensitive skin.


After washing up and cleaning my bathroom counter (finally!) I hung up a few things that I had drying in the laundry room, switched laundry from the washer into the dryer and picked up where I left off earlier in the afternoon except with grading papers added in as well.


I knocked out my daily Bible reading (I'm doing  this plan with a friend) and read another chapter in Educated. 


I did some late-night Etsy shopping (my kids have been LOVING the lunch box notes and I think they're going to flip out over  these scratch off ones!)  And yes... I do the regular ol' sticky note with a smiley and heart on it too BUT there's just something fun and special about something a little fun and special ;)



I was laying on the couch watching some Real Housewives when this teary girl came down after waking up from a "bad dream".  I knew that Dave was probably close to being finished so I turned off the tv and snuggled her on the couch until Dave got home around 11:30.  He carried her up when he got home and then it was bedtime - out cold right before midnight.


So there you have it!  A day "off" in the life :) 

Happy Thursday, friends!!!

PS - this post contained affiliate links... thank you so much for reading and supporting my blog!

44 comments :

  1. Love your Bible tabs! Where did you get them??

    Lauren
    www.allaboutthatmommylife.com

    ReplyDelete
  2. I love that face moisturizer- but I use it in the morning right after my shower. At bedtime I use the overnight mask. The combo of both really keep my dry skin amazing and soft! I also started using the eye cream to stay ahead of lines arounf my eyes. You might also love this face mask I use from Lush. It stays in your fridge and I use it once a week. It is the Rose one and is so moisturizing! It is like heaven in a little jar!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Even your "days off" make me tired! :) And now I want a Starbucks breakfast sandwich.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I love seeing your day in the life - you packed it all in even on a "slow" one! And I just have to tell you that IG video of G doing the free dance made my day yesterday!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Oh my goodness I love those bible tabs! Where cab I find them?! Thank you 😊

    ReplyDelete
  6. I love these posts so much!! They're my absolute FAVE!!

    ReplyDelete
  7. I'm with everyone else who wants to know where the Bible tabs came from...and on a totally different note, you convinced me I needed one of those bracelet key rings back before Christmas and I LOVE MINE!!! Thanks for the info xo

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Amazon! I'll add a link to the post. And YES to the keyrings!! They're essential!

      Delete
  8. Your days definitely have more hours than mine :) loved this post!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Great post! Love your New Balance shoes.. what "number" are they and where did you get them? Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I believe that they're 574's and I got them at Nordstrom a few years ago

      Delete
  10. These "day in the life" are my favorite! So fun to see an "out of the ordinary" day for you. I love how you manage to get so much done and still have some time for yourself.












    ReplyDelete
  11. Sounds like a great day. I love the notes you leave so cute.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I didn't realize exactly how much they would love them but they LOOOOVE them!

      Delete
  12. It must be a day for day in the life post, I just posted mine from Tuesday as well! I teach kindergarten, and totally get all the excitement about the bus ride. Hahaha! The kids flip out for it. What a great day!

    ReplyDelete
  13. I got those Bible tabs for my daughter this year and they are the cutest ever! It makes me want some too. And I am following the same 5 day plan. Makes it so easy and gives you days to catch up if you need to.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Love this day in the life post!! You are so productive in a day.. it's like a well oiled machine!! You're some serious "mom"speration! haha

    ReplyDelete
  15. Ha ha....we do breath checks at our house too!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's the only way to know if they ACTUALLY brushed! :) hahaha

      Delete
  16. Can you share the link for your blue light readers again? thanks

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The ones I'm wearing in this post are actually my prescriptions... I've been wearing those any time I'm doing "near work" including looking at a screen

      Delete
  17. Thank you for saying your kids don't take baths/showers every night. During the summer my kids need it but since they're not playing outside as much now because it's been cold and raining a lot in TN I don't feel like they need a bath every night. Also, I finished the book Educated last week and it's so good. Very eye opening and very sad too.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Luke's eczema used to get SO BAD in the winter when he took a bath every day. It's so much better without him having to take them and it works well for the other two as well!

      Delete
  18. Seeing Luke in the orthodontist's chair--he is looking so BIG!!
    And Mason's writing for his age is spectacular, as is he!
    Love reading your blog everyday! :) pam

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Right?!?! I thought he looked big too! And THANK YOU!!! I think he's a fantastic writer as well :)

      Delete
  19. Love your Bible tabs! Where did you get them?
    Thanks,
    Becky

    ReplyDelete
  20. I am a teacher at my kids' school too. I love those little moments on days off when the kids still have school - like your tea at Starbucks break. Educated is sooo good. It blows my mind to think that life could be like that right now in America for someone, but what a great eye opener. Have a super day!

    Sarah
    http://www.sunshineandbooksblog.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. YES!! I keep reading and then rereading going, "no way" in my head - it's mind boggling!

      Delete
  21. I loved this day in a life post. How do you get your kids to get themselves ready in the morning? Mornings are such a struggle for me.

    ReplyDelete
  22. What a fun post! I LOVE those Bible tabs. Which Bible do you use (I love Bibles too)? :)

    ReplyDelete
  23. In your classroom, what does the saying in the chalk and yellow frame say?

    ReplyDelete
  24. Love Love Love posts like these! Thanks for always being real!

    ReplyDelete

Blog design by Get Polished | Copyright 2016