A Day In The Life

A few bloggers I read - Margery at Margery and the Man, Stingray at Verus Conditio, & Sigyn at His Lordship's Domain - have written posts about what a typical day looks like in their home. I enjoy reading these, so I thought I would join in with a post of my own.

We usually wake around 4:30. Bill likes to go to the gym before work and leaves early enough to beat most of the traffic, so he is a very early riser. He usually goes straight to the shower and I get him a cup of coffee (thank God for coffee pots with built-in timers) and start breakfast while he showers and gets dressed. I put away the dishes from the night before, pack his lunch, and fill a Thermos with more coffee for him to take to work.

Breakfast is usually pretty simple - scrambled eggs and toast with sausage or bacon. I sit at the table with him and sometimes I'll eat. Other days, I just drink a glass of juice or milk and eat breakfast later, with out son. We talk some, but he is out the door by 5am and I usually go back to bed until 6:30. Sometimes I read, but usually I sleep.

At 6:30, my alarm goes off. I get up and start the day with prayers - the Daily Offering, the day's Mystery of the rosary, and sometimes personal prayers as well. Then I take a shower. I usually leave off makeup until later in the day, other than tinted lip gloss, and leave my hair damp and braided or in a bun (this makes it wavy when I take it down, which Bill likes, and is less damaging than using hot rollers or styling gels). I dress for the day, put a load of laundry in the washer, and wake up our son.

I fix my son's breakfast and, if I haven't eaten already, then I will sit and eat with him. If I have, I will sit at the table while he eats and drink a glass of lemon water.  I wash up the breakfast dishes, wipe the counters, sweep the kitchen (we have a dog and cat in the house, so it has to be done daily), and set the table for the next meal. I also check the calendar and to-do list on the refrigerator to plan my day.

I try to take care of outside chores like gardening, weeding the flower beds, and sweeping the porches in the morning, while it is still cool. This is also when I scoop out the cats' litter boxes and give the toilets a quick scrub with the toilet brush. I do any other bathroom cleaning that needs doing at the same time, but save most of it for a deep-clean on Wednesdays (other days have other areas they are focused on). My son usually follows me around and helps as much as he can outside, or plays blocks or legos while I clean inside, and then we take the dogs for a walk.

Once that is finished, it is learning and play time with my son. He is not school-age yet, but we still spend 20 minutes or so working on colors, numbers, the alphabet and things like that, alternating with 20-30 minutes of play and creative times. Since this is our "school" time and will transition into more learning once he is older, most of the play is educational - building, sand & water table, painting or drawing, or reading books.

The schedule adjusts here depending on what day it is and what needs to be done. I try to fit most of the non-perishable grocery shopping, errands, doctor's appointments and anything else that requires driving to town in the morning. Other than that, I use the time for daily chores or hobbies, or spend more time with my son. We both have a snack at some point around 10-10:30. If we are going to the park in the afternoon, my son takes a nap after this. 

We go to church at noon for Mass, which means either leaving home around 11:30 or planning our in-town trips accordingly.  We eat lunch after Mass, either at home or in town, if I have money to and if it fits into the day's plan. If I need to buy perishable things like meat and/or dairy, I buy them after lunch and then go home, or pick up lunch in the grocery store deli while shopping.  

We get back home in the evening around 1pm or so, unless it's a day we got to the park, and my son goes down for a nap. His nap time, which can last anywhere from 1 to 3 hours, is my "me" time. Sometimes I use it for extra housework or productive hobbies but, usually, I spend it online or reading. Now that I am doing some work from home, I am using much of the time for that.

Around 4pm, or earlier if my son wakes before then, I run a tub of warm water and let him take a bath while I fix my hair and put on makeup. Then I give the house a final once-over and pick up toys or other clutter and vacuum if it is needed. My son puts on clean clothes and I try to set him up with coloring or a project that will keep him somewhat calm until Bill gets home and can unwind, and then I fix our evening snack.

Bill usually gets home around 5:30 and expects a small snack ready. When he gets home, I greet him and take his Thermos and lunchbox and things. I get him a  drink and a snack and bring it to him in the living room, and make sure he has the remote so he can turn the television on if he wants to. I usually read Munchkin a story at this time, to help him calm down and keep him from climbing all over his daddy and bothering him while he tries to relax. 

Then I go back into the kitchen. On a good day, I already have most of the meal prepped or in the crock-pot and am just putting on finishing touches. On a normal day, I am scrambling to get everything cooked so dinner will be ready around 7pm. After we eat, Bill usually drinks another cup of coffee and watches TV or reads and we send Munchkin to brush his teeth and change into his pajamas while I wash dishes and wipe up the table.

We try to have the little one in bed around 8, following evening prayers and bedtime story or two, and then we go to bed sometime around 8:30 or 9. I give a brief account of my day to Bill - what I got done, what I didn't, how I can improve, and take any discipline or advice for how to do better. After that, we may snuggle, talk for a bit, or do some of those other things husbands and wives do.