A typical day for me starts at 4:00 am...(?!?!?) Call me crazy, I know... but I must say I've always been a early riser, and being a mom has made me an even earlier one.
What do I do at that hour? Well I have my homemade paleo cereal, a cup of coffee and some bible time. Depending on the day I either head to the pool for a swim or I hit the road for a run and do some strength exercises. I try my best to get my fitness done before Maryellis is up & before Matt heads to work.
Maryellis is up most days between 6:15am-7:00....we try to keep her in bed until 7:00, but some days she is ready to go! We start our day with a little time with dad before he heads out the door for work, then its breakfast time! (and mom's 2nd cup of coffee!) I try to provide a well balanced diet for all Maryellis' meals. Breakfast can consist from eggs & sausage, homemade pancakes/waffles, yogurt & blueberries and mixed fruit. Along with a big cup of hemp milk to wash it all down and shes one happy girl.
-This is also a time I can do some food prep & unload the dishwasher, or hand wash dishes.
For the next hour or so we play with her toys, race in the kitchen, read some stories, work on flashcards, sing songs and enjoy one another company. Then the dog starts to get a little crazy herself and she is ready to get out for a walk! We take the dog every morning, (rain or shine) for a nice long walk. Maryellis seems to enjoy it most of the time, sometimes she tells me to run, or other times we stop and look for the ducks, geese and cows. Once we are home the dog is tuckered out and Maryellis is usually ready for a snack...perfect timing so mom can get herself "ready" for the day.
Depending on the day, depends on how "ready" I get. I am a blessed women who gets to stay home to raise our daughter. But if its a day that consists of running a few errands & being at home, I will remain in some sort of athletic wear for the day. We are in a stage where I am busy chasing a toddler, playing on the ground, outside, daily chores, etc. I see no sense in ruining my "nice" clothes.
-Every morning I start a load of laundry, some days 2 loads if its a "towels day". I try my best to have it switched into the dryer before we go anywhere.
Late morning until lunch time is a different activity everyday!
Mondays we go to mom's group & Wednesdays we have "Mommy & Me" dance class.
The rest of the days can be filled with play dates, baking, running errands such as; Costco, Trader Joe's, Target. Most weeks we make a trip to the pool, art activities, park days, Bounce, playing outside (this is often!) Library, drawing, bike rides, hikes, visiting Great grandma, or just a simple day at home.
We have lunch anywhere from 11:30-12:00. I would say no every day we are at home to eat, but I always plan ahead and bring her lunch along with us. Again, another well balanced meal.
She likes quesadillas, chicken, meatballs, fish, beans, cheese and there is always sauteed mixed veggies, cucumbers & avocado. Her treat for after shes finished her main meal is a "squeezie", She has a fairly good palate and I'm thankful for the good eater she is. (for the most part)
After lunch we have more playtime, try to keep it more on the mellow side.
We read stories around 12:30-12:45 and she is usually down around 1:00.
This is where I currently get a 3 hour gap! (I know its only a season.)
During this time I take clients for hair appointments, fold the laundry, the daily sweeping of the house, (dog hair and toddler crumbs, oh-my!) make phone calls/paperwork/e-mails, work in the garden/yard, chicken care, dinner food prep, projects around the house and on a "lucky" day I take a little time to read, or take a short nap.
Nap time is over around 4:00 and I love when she wakes up because she is quite the cuddler at this time. We get cozy in the big chair, have a snack and some milk and talk. :) Depending on the day sometimes she will go outside to play other days she loves to watch a "ABC" video on the computer while I finish cooking dinner. Matt gets home most days anywhere from 5:00-6:00... she cannot wait for him to get home! Once I get the phone call of when hes on his way, were at the window waiting!
She is so so excited when daddy gets home, its the sweetest thing, she is the best greeter I know!
We enjoy a dinner together as a family, not all dinners are pleasant, we are dining with a toddler. She usually eats what we do, but some nights her meals are altered a little bit.
After dinner I do the dishes and that gives Matt and Maryellis time to be together!
Depending on the night and time of year, it seems there can be something most nights.
From family dinners, friends dinners, community group, bible studies, Matt's basketball or softball games, meetings, church events, etc. We try to have 2-3 evenings at home, and either Friday or Saturday is "family night"...just the three of us we have it a no "chore/project" night, but one that we do something together.
Then we have the end of the day of our bedtime routine! Bath time, pajamas, brushing her hair...then her favorite milk & raisins bed time snack. Matt is in charge of brushing her teeth at night, its my saving grace, by 8:00 I'm tired and its the last thing I want to ever have to battle through. We read a bible story and some other books of her choice. Then its prayer and kisses and goodnight.
Matt and I have a solid hour to spend time together, before my head hits the pillow at 9:00pm.
If you ever try to reach me after 8:00....good luck, its rare that I will respond, I need that free time from the connection to the world.
We try to keep a well balanced life, seems a though it never really slows down. We are blessed with the family we have and try to do life in a way that is honoring to the Lord.
blessings to you!
