A day in my life: Link Up

I am linking up today with Leslie Sisti over at A Blonde Ambition to share what a typical day in my life is like. 

For those of you who don't normally follow my blog welcome!  I am a 32 year old working mom of two (Lilly-3 and Tommy-1).  I have been married to my wonderful husband Tommy for almost 5 years.  I live in North East Maryland but grew up in the suburbs of Baltimore.   I love spending time with my family, taking pictures (I won't call it photography), and sharing recipes through my blog along with family stories and updates.  Your typical 'mom blog'.

Most days in my life are pretty consistent.  During the week we have a routine and often stick to it.  We like to whoop it up on the weekends and we are rarely home which helps 1. keep the house clean (or to not focus on the mess) and 2. allow us to focus on our kids rather than getting stuff done at the house-we're creating memories and being spontaneous which is deviant from our normal week days.  Because of this our weekdays are routine based which helps me stay sane.  Ask my husband what happens when he changes dinner up on me about 2 seconds before he/I/we start preparing it (Love him!). 

So let's get real for a minute...while we are a generally happy and fun family we have our moments.  Most parents can nod their head in agreement after I say just three words:  3 year old.  We have TONS of crazy moments.  I am type A and that doesn't always make for some happy moments with unpredictable toddlers.  BUT I am learning to let it go (Thank you Elsa for my new mantra).  I picked a random day this week to show case...so here is my typical Wednesday which could also have been my typical Thursday or Monday.

5:25 am- Alarm goes off-I usually ignore it/hit snooze.  Little Tommy (my 1 year old) has been stirring and I turn down the monitor and hope he nods back off so I can get ready for work without him tugging on my leg.  JOY-he's away for the day. 

5:45 am- Finally I venture down stairs and warm a bottle for him and get him up.  I plop him next to my husband and make my way to shower and get ready.

5:55 am- Little Tommy gets off the bed (did my husband really fall back asleep!?) and he's banging on the shower doors.  I finish showering while saying-No Tommy leave the toilet paper alone-don't play with the plunger etc. etc.  My husband is awake now and comes and grabs him. 

6:00 am- Husband showers and I manage to fix my hair and put on my make up and brush my teeth while balancing a 14 month old on my hip-man I am talented.  Big sister awakes and seems to be in a good mood (of course that will that change in .2 seconds). 

6:10 am- I dress Tommy and get Lilly's clothes.  Tommy finishes up getting ready and takes the kids downstairs while I finish doing my hair. 

6:20 am- I am downstairs and we get the kids some breakfast snacks (they eat a larger meal at day care) and I help get Lilly dressed/shoes on/hair done-toddler tantrum ensues.  Meltdown city. 

6:40 am- Somehow we manage to have it together eventually.  I hate starting mornings off like this-I know we often are doing and saying the right things but there is nothing like starting the day off feeling like a bad parent-I can't help but feel the guilt after every knock down drag out.  Especially when 2 seconds later your 3 year old is kissing you bye and smiling-as if to purposely make you feel the guilt.  My internal voice saying: "oh man she's so sweet-why did I loose my cool again-maybe I need to take a calmer approach next time-next time I VOW not to loose it.  I need to be a better mom".   Oh! my internal voice!

6:45 am- I am waiving as my husband pulls away with our two kids in the car and some days I feel relieved yet miss them like crazy all in the same moment.  I go back in the house to finish getting ready.  Off goes Chuggington and on comes the TODAY show.  Man I can't stand Matt Lauer-oh good he must be on vacation. 

7:15 am- I am dressed, lunch is made, coffee in hand and I scarf down some cereal or fruit and am out the door.  My commute has just recently changed.  I went from a 45 minute to hour long commute to 10 minutes on a bad day.  This has been crucial for making the working mom thing work and for me to get a little sanity back. 

7:30 am-I am at my desk (gosh I love this new commute).  Since I just started the new job I don't have TONS of work, work yet-just learning everything and getting organized for the school year.  Man this is fun-I love my job and I miss my kids-I can't wait to pick them up.  (Being a parent is crazy right!?)

10:00 am-I usually have a healthy snack. 

12:30 pm- LUNCH-sometimes I look forward to this all day.  If I had been at my old job I probably would have some more exciting things to have for this portion of my day but like I said I am doing a lot of just reading and researching and organizing-nothing too crazy! 

3:00 pm- Closed up shop at school and I head home to do a 30 minute work out. 

3:45 pm- I head to the grocery store to pick up some items for dinner.  Looks like a huge storm is coming-I better hurry. 

4:00 pm- Pick the kids up from daycare just as the rain starts.  I love this part of my day.  HUGS all around and the kids usually are in a good mood.  Got word that Tommy bit someone today-GREAT he's the biter!  He's only 14 months so the teacher and I think a good solution would be to bring him in a teether since he's been biting everything!  Today they got to play in the moon bounce.   

4:10 pm- We get home and by now it's POURING.  We tried waiting it out but I managed to get both kids and all of our stuff PLUS groceries in the door-we are drenched so we go dry off and change into pj's. 

4:30 pm- Tommy calls and tells me he's on his way.  I start dinner tonight.  Some nights Tommy cooks so I will do what I can to help until he gets home.  We plan our meals pretty well and this Sunday Tommy grilled up chicken and cooked chili so most meals this week have been easy.  This is necessary because we never really know how easy it will be to cook with 2 kids underfoot. 

5:00 pm-Dinner is prepped and ready (home made Chipotle tonight) and I sit down with the kids to play or read until Tommy gets home.  Sometimes we play a game to see who can hear/spot daddy first when he arrives.

5:15 pm- Daddy's home! 

5:25 pm- After Daddy changes and cuts up the lettuce (I hate cutting veggies) we are eating.  Dinners are so unpredictable.  Will they eat? WHAT will they eat?  Shoot we forgot to get the fruit out.  Some days they will only eat fruit.  By the time the kids are done we give them a popsicle in hopes we will be able to finish our meals. 

5:45 pm- Tommy cleans the dishes while I clean up the kids and the table. 

6:15 pm- Since we are done eating early we take a family walk-man it's muggy out-gotta love MD weather.  Glad that storm is over!

6:45 pm- Back from our walk.  Bath time.  Lilly usually tries to get out of her bath.  Sorry kid you sweat it up in the moon bounce pretty good. 

7:30 pm-Baths are done and kid #2 (Tommy) is in bed.  Relief.  We usually read or some night relax with Doc McStuffins with Lilly.

8:00- pm- Lilly bedtime.  WHEW!  While Tommy takes Lilly to bed and sings her a song I go toss in another round of laundry all while sipping on some box wine. 

10:00 pm- We are up late-we watched some DVR shoes and now it's time for sleep.  I hope both kids sleep all night...

Lather. Rinse. Repeat until the weekend.  :)  God I love weekends!