A Day In The Life...

 

So in case you have ever wondered what it is like to be a stay-at-home-mom (or parent-- I know there are some dads that do this job as well!) Here is a little run-down on one of our recent days. Things change from day to day of course, but this is just an example. I know the stereotype that SAHM's have so much time to themselves, sit around watching tv and eating baked goods, and look like a wreck, but that is just not true (aside from the looking like a wreck part.. I never know what I am going to have layered on my shirt on any given day. Dirt? throw up? juice? marker stains?) Anyway... this was our day this past Monday.




6:30 AM- Alarm clock rings, signaling our long day is starting

6:40 AM- We finally get up, after hitting the snooze button.

6:45- Make kid's lunches for school. Throw in icepacks, sandwiches, snacks, a dessert, and a juice pack. Also make sure to throw a "healthy" snack in their bookbag for later.

7:00- Track down bookbags, make sure homework is in there, make sure their planners are signed by us, make sure library books are in there to be returned.

7:15- Brush Brooke's hair and put it up. Go on a scavenger hunt for a lost shoe. Make sure the kids are dressed and presentable. Give the kids breakfast. Take a minute out to calm Rachel down from her tantrum.. she is always distracting me in the morning.

7:35- Give the kids kisses goodbye. Make their way out to the car. Arnold takes them to school on his way to work.

7:45- Change Rachel and get her in clothes for the day. Give her something else because she is already begging for more food.

8:00- Get online and check email and FB to see what's been going on. Print a few Ebay labels for stuff I have sold and need to ship out.

8:30- Distract Rachel with a tv show and a few toys while I go take a shower and get myself dressed and ready for the day.

9:00- Feed Molly, our Cat. Thanks for meowing and reminding me, girl! :)

9:15- Get Rachel into her carseat, get into the van, and leave the house.

9:30- Go by the bank and pay a bill, post office and pick something up, Water tower and pay a bill, and other random things.

10:00- Stop by a new park that is just down the road from us, get out, and let Rachel play on the playground for awhile. Encourage her to talk to the "Park Ranger" guy when he says Hi to her. Get on the bottom of the playground "boat" as she calls it, and endulge Rachel in her pretend play.

10:30- Fight Rachel to leave the park. Bribe her with the promise of a sucker if she leaves now, and does so peacefully.

10:45- Stop at the Dollar General down the street and pick up a few things we need.

11:00- Get home, put up stuff we bought, and give Rachel something to play with.

11:30- Start boiling water for some pasta for lunch. Color pictures with Rachel.

12:00- Eat our lunch together

12:30- Play outside in the yard for awhile. Draw pictures with sidewalk chalk.

1:00- Let Rachel watch her favorite show ever, "Cailliou" while I wash the dishes and put up some laundry I had washed earlier.

1:30- Show is over, Rachel is bored again. Give her a snack. Try to convince her she is a big girl and try to get her to go to the potty.

2:00- Go outside and check the mail. Do a few random things around the house.

2:30- Leave the house to head to the Elementary school. Wait in the car-rider line for about 20 minutes. Listen to Dora play on the van dvd player. Answer a million questions that Rachel asks. Pick up books and toys she throws on the floor repeatedly.

2:50- Finally get the kids, they get into the van, and tell me about their day.

3:00- Arrive over at Mcdonalds. Everyone gets an icecream cone for an afterschool snack. Special treat every once in awhile.

3:15- Get home, put backpacks up, finish our icecream.

3:30- Do 20 minutes of reading for Brooke's nightly "reading log." Help her with all the words she stumbles on. Praise her for doing so well.

3:50- Supervise Brook and Caleb while they do their homework worksheets. Make them erase and do-over if their words aren't neat enough.

4:00- Put something in the oven for dinner

4:45- Arnold gets home from work. Kids go crazy jumping all over him and telling them all the little details of their day.

5:00- We eat dinner. Talk about our days. Yell at the kids for dropping food on the floor or acting silly and not eating.

5:30- Get Brooke dressed in athletic clothes, take her down the road to her school for Cheerleading practice.

5:30-6:30- Watch Brooke practice with the girls. Encourage her to pay attention and do well. In my little bit of spare time I read a new book I just got and can't put down.. it's so good! Make small talk with the other moms.

6:35- Get home from practice, kiss hubby goodbye. He leaves for band practice.

7:00- Get the kids showers, in Pajamas, read them 3 or 4 stories they pick out themselves. Get in a circle and say our prayers. Brush teeth with the new "Halloween" toothpaste. The bottle actually glows in the dark and they love that :) Go to the potty.

8:00- Lay the kids down in bed. Give them a glass of water. Tuck them in and give hugs and kisses. Brooke wants a lullaby. Caleb wants a nightlight. Rachel wants just one more kiss. Make sure they have all their favorite dolls and stuffed animals tucked in beside them. Wind up the musical snow globe for the girls. Say I love you and leave the room.

8:15- Start some laundry yet again. It's never-ending with a family of 5!

8:30- Settle down in the chair with a snack, and my book. read until I fall asleep.

10:00- Arnold shows up at home after practice. He wakes me up. I get up, get on PJs, and get ready for bed.

11:00- After talking for awhile to Arnold, I settle in and go to sleep. Sweet dreams!





And that, my friends, is a day in the life of a Stay-at-Home-Mom. Want my job?!