A Week in the Life - Sunday

Sunday. Ahhh Sunday. My only day to sleep in all week. Oh how I love Sunday.

Sunday is also the day I do meal planning and go grocery shopping. Like clockwork I am usually at the grocery store just before lunch every Sunday.


Today we also happened to have tickets to the Royals game. We have a partial season ticket package of 20 games. It was a little cool today.

The kids entertained themselves by shelling and eating peanuts.



We left early to go to Alex's birthday party. He is turning three.



He had insisted on a blue cake with scooby doo and a spider.


My kids quickly found the noise makers.


Afterwards we came home and I put away some more laundry and gave the kids baths before dinner since we were full of cake.

Then I made tacos. Sunday is mexican night whether it be tacos, enchiladas, fajitas, etc. we always have mexican with my homemade guacamole. Carter threw a fit and spent about 20 minutes in timeout while I did the dishes.

I packed Anna's lunch for Monday and got the backpacks ready. Carter's with a sheet and blanket, Anna's with her signed agenda and emptied and signed folder. Her agenda said that her teacher is letting her borrow a chapter book at school.

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I forgot to write on Saturday when my parents met me at the mall to drop off the kids my dad said he had bought some flash cards with words for Anna that were labeled 5 and up. She got them all right the first time through. He decided he needed to buy some harder words, lol.

I also forgot to write on Thursday that when Carter was throwing a fit while the air conditioning repair man was at our house he was fighting with me about going potty. He said he needed to go but wouldn't pull down his pants and was just standing in front of the toilet in the upstairs bathroom. So I pulled his pants down and he peed all over me. Not sure how I forgot to write about that. He got his bare bottom spanked and I left him upstairs. He got new underwear and pants and seemed over it after that. I think that's when I did a load of laundry and took a nap.

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All in all I think I successfully documented my week. It seemed a little NOT like my usual week in that I didn't work in the evening at all (something I have been trying to be better at lately - leave work at work). So in past weeks I spent most of my time on the couch watching tv and working from 8-10 at night, but not last week. I realized it allowed me to keep up better with dishes and laundry.

It also seemed NOT like a regular week in that I didn't go to the Starbucks drive through at all. But I did go to a local coffee shop drive through twice so I think it's evident I'm addicted to good mochas.

I did not really take any videos like I had planned, but I have taken a lot of others lately so I'm okay with that.

I'm not sure when I'll get to putting this into a scrapbook, but hopefully in the next few weeks! I have a few other items to put onto the blog from before A Week in the Life including Anna's birthday. Hopefully I will get to those tomorrow.

A Week in the Life - Saturday

Saturday mornings Candi and I usually run with a group but today's group run was far away and we needed to be done early so we decided to run a route around her neighborhood which is about 5.5 miles to get in at least 10 miles. This will allow us to stop and get a drink half way through.

We start at 5:30 am. It is really humid and a rather tough run. There are a lot of bugs. Candi had some knee pain around 8 miles. We are glad to be done.

Afterwards I get some coffee. Shower. Go get a pedicure and manicure. 10:30 am I call my mom to see when she wants to meet up to hand off the kids. I head over to a mall to finish the items on my shopping list that I didn't get to on Thursday. I meet up with Candi.

Noon my parents and my brother Ben meet us at the mall and we all have lunch at Nordstrom's Cafe. Yum. They have the best tomato soup. I am starving because I haven't eaten anything since my banana at 5:15 am so I have pasta with chicken and asparagus. Anna gets grilled cheese with tomato soup. Carter gets a turkey sandwich and mostly eats the fruit, bread and chips.




I find another hat at Macy's for $27. And clutch at Banana Republic that I use a gift card to buy.


It is raining again now. We leave and get wet. Again. We've had over 2 inches of rain.

We all head to Michael's to get ribbon and flowers to decorate our hats. Then Candi takes Alex to head home. I take the kids to Target to get a birthday gift for Alex. I find the cutest hot pink patent leather clutch to go with a dress and pink shoes I have. $16 what a deal. We get a snack on the way out.


We come home and wrap the gifts. 4:15 pm - I put on a movie and tell the kids it is "rest time." I lay down to rest and end of falling asleep. Kevin is off helping Sam replace all of the appliances in their kitchen.

5:45 I wake up to the phone ringing. Kevin is still working on the appliances but they are about done. Candi suggests we order pizza. They all head over and I order pizza. I discover Carter rinsed his teeth upstairs when I fell asleep. Then he sprayed some room spray. Reminder to self - do not leave Carter unattended. I let my fatigue get to me and feel like I was a horrible parent by falling asleep.

We all eat pizza. 7:40 pm I put Carter to bed. I rock him but afterwards he still fights going to bed.


Candi and I decorate our hats. Craft project. I've never bought so many fake flowers and we agree we haven't used a hot glue gun in at least three years.



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one of the cool things about this project is that other people start to pick up the camera. kevin took several of these and candi took the one of me rocking Carter. I am so thankful for this. I have been much better about appearing in my Week in the Life documentation this time around. I am working on getting over the fact that I don't think I look my best in some of these, but this is the everyday me so I tell myself I need to let it be :)

A Week in the Life - Friday

I have about 15 minutes of peace in the house in the morning between when the kids leave with Kevin and when I leave for work. Sonar settles in for his nap.


Part of my morning routine before I leave to keep Sonar from causing trouble (and peeing) upstairs when he wakes up from his nap.


I stop at the dry cleaners on the way to work to drop of Kevin's shirts so we can get them back on Monday next week. They pick up and drop off at our office so I will take these home with me from work on Monday.


My first meeting is at my "office" at Starbucks by our building. Because I do not have a door I have any semi-private meetings here. Today I am meeting with one of my Email Marketing Account Managers about her recent presentations with two clients.


My desk as I've known it for the last few months and for the last day.


I have a new associate starting on Monday who will sit at my desk. We are out of desks now and waiting for our new construction to be done upstairs in our additional space. This won't be for a few more weeks. I put all my stuff in boxes, clean out my desk and will work from another associate's office next week while he is on vacation. After that I'm not sure where I will sit. I am sort of a nomad until the new space is ready.

We usually spend our Friday and Saturday nights with our best friends Sam and Candi and their little boy Alex. On most Friday nights my parents keep the kids, as they do tonight. We go out to dinner at Ted's Montana Grill.


Sam and Candi have their little boy Alex with them tonight.


Afterwards we go back to Sam and Candi's since they have Alex so they can put him to bed. We have a drink and play spades. It's rather uneventful but I love our predictable weekends with our best friends.

A Week in the Life - Thursday

My earliest wake up call of the week: 4:30 am. I actually think I somehow hit snooze in my sleep because I didn't hear the alarm until 4:39. Crap! I hurried to get my running clothes on and head over to Candi's house. I left Tassie at home because I was super grumpy this morning and knew she would only annoy me. I let Candi take my picture even though I was not in a good mood and would really rather have been in bed. Super sleepy. Luckily Candi is chatty and talks a lot to get my going. When we finish it is light and the sun is starting to come up. That's nice.



They are having their basement refinished and I went inside to check out the progress. I'm excited and it's not even my house, but we do spend a lot of time there and it will be fun to have another "living" space to hang out.

Afterwards I head to a local coffee shop to get a Zebra Mocha.


Home. No one else is up yet. While I'm showering Anna comes down and snuggles with Tassie on the bathroom rug. It's really cute and I wish I had the camera. Then it's over and she's off to watch cartoons. She can turn on the TV and cable by herself and navigate to the channel she wants now that she can read. It's very handy.

Anna didn't have school today and I'm off on Thursdays. We had planned a girls day but of course when Carter got wind of it he wanted to come. He promised to have good behavior and I gave in, thinking I want to have quality time with my children but fully knowing I may regret my decision. The kids eat yogurt and Carter also has a pancake while I do the dishes from last night.

I check email and work for about 30 minutes to make sure the day goes smoothly while I'm gone. We're ready to go. Anna had written me a sticky note earlier in the week and put it on my mirror. It says "Dot froget adowt Thrsday mommy" translation "Don't forget about Thursday mommy"


8:45 I had a long list of errands and returns to get done. We were ready early so I decided to go ahead and drive to the outlet mall since none of the other stores were open anyway and it takes 45 minute to get there.

9:30 Carter has to potty so we go to Target, take care of business and get a few things. It starts to sprinkle.

10:00 We head over to Banana Republic Outlet so I can return a few things my mom got me for my birthday that don't fit. It really starts to rain. Luckily Anna has an umbrella and rain coat and Carter and I have hooded sweatshirts and I brought the double stroller. We are wet.

Kids are great at BR. We head across to Stride Rite Outlet to look for sandals. They have nothing I want in either kids' size. I find a pair of shoes in a half size larger on clearance ($12!) for Anna for fall. We buy these and now she has to go potty. So we head next door to Gap Outlet where they have a bathroom.

We get a few things here as well including a gift for Anna's teacher who is having a baby and some shorts for Carter. Carter starts to whine. I think he's hungry. It's 11:00 so I decide we can eat and we are probably done at this outdoor rainy mall. I run in the rain pushing the stroller to the nearest restaurant Chipotle and we eat.

Carter eats little and drinks a full drink of orange soda. Then he has to potty again. We are done around noon. I have an appointment to get my bangs trimmed at 1:00so we go ahead and leave. We are soaked by the time we get in the car what with all the unloading and loading of the stroller and bags, etc.


12:30 We're early but it's ok. Bang trim goes wonderfully. No charge.

We head to regular Banana Republic because I need to exchange some shirts and I have two pair of BR Outlet pants I want to get altered. The lady tells me they can't alter the BR Outlet pants. "Not even if I pay you?" "No. They are a completely different store" she says. "Owned by the same company" I think. Whatever. Carter gets really fussy. We go back and forth and back and forth. Do you want to go home? Do you want to go to daycare? Do you want to stay and have good behavior and get a treat? He thinks about it. We go outside and he thinks some more. He decides to have good behavior and seems to pull himself together. He's tired I can tell but he won't lay down in the stroller.

I try on one skirt and decide there isn't anything I want. I only have 30 days for returns so I decide to just get store credit so we can leave. Waiting in line Carter starts to mess with some contraption on a manequin. I pick him up and hold him while he begins to throw a fit while I wait for the one lady in front of me to checkout so I can get my store credit before my 30 days expires on my receipt.

Finally.

We leave. I didn't get to half of the things on my list but I can tell this is only going to get worse. We drive home. It pours. Both kids fall asleep. I owe Anna a treat for her good behavior so I go through the Dairy Queen drive through.

We get home and Carter wakes up and throws a fit.


The heating and air conditioning repair guy arrives (long ongoing saga). I move some laundry around.


3:00 I decide to try to take a nap. The kids keep coming in every five minutes. The thermostat is right outside our bedroom door and the guy keeps talking loudly to Kevin as he's fixing stuff.

I actually think I fell asleep for awhile.


4:40 The kids are begging me to get up to play babies. Eh. "I'm serious" Anna keeps saying.

I play babies by sitting in the chair in Carter's room and watching them play with the baby toys I'm planning to sell in an upcoming garage sale.

5:15 make dinner. Carter helps. Homemade margherita pizza.


Anna opens another present from her birthday party last weekend and I teach her how to make a pot holder.



Carter wants to do everything his big sister does. He gives it a try. I check email and make sure the day went smoothly and there aren't any issues for tomorrow. Find out I probably need to hire another person for some new work we are expecting. Post a job on Career Builder and in Facebook and LinkedIn hoping to get some resumes ASAP.

While Kevin does the dishes I give baths, brush teeth and put both kids to bed. I read "Froggy gets dressed" to Carter. Anna reads me a story from a new Curious George book she got for her birthday. She's never read it before and reads the entire thing. Carter won't stay in his bed. A pretty typical night.

Anna reads Curious George from Cara on Vimeo.

Anna reads Curious George and Carter won't stay in his bed.

8:30 Kevin and I watch a DVR'd episode of The Office while we eat our DQ I got earlier. Tassie gets raw hide because it's her fourth birthday. Happy birthday Tassie.

Blog. Bed.

A Week in the Life - Wednesday

Alarm: 6:10. Up: 6:35. While I am in the shower Carter comes in and says he wants to watch cartoons. Then decides he needs to take his pull up off and put underwear on. While we are upstairs doing this Anna gets up. Carter puts his pajamas back on over his underwear instead of putting on the clothes I picked out. Whatever. They go downstairs and watch TV while I get ready.

They eat pancakes and head off to school. 8:00 am I head to a class on Hiring and Interviewing to learn some tips for hiring new associates at my job. One of my associates texts me that her baby is sick and she won't be in. Okay. 8:25 am Before I get to the class I get some Hazlenut coffee from Panera. 8:30 class. I don't learn anything new at the class.

10:30 am. Check email on iPhone. Realize there is a fire to put out at work already. Head to work. Get text from my brother who wants to go to lunch with Anna some time in the next week. I call him and chat about what day would work better. He says I have too much personal information on my blog. But it's cool he says.

Work was full of unanticipated problems or issues or opportunities or whatever you want to call them. It leads me to need two of these when I get home.



I didn't take any pictures during the day. In fact I didn't take any pictures until after dinner. I made a new stir fry recipe. I wouldn't make it again. It just leaves me with this mess.



After dinner I do more laundry.

Always with the laundry...

laundry to sort

laundry to put away

laundry to wash

laundry in the wash


The best thing about today is that is was a Merry Maids day. So I come home to a clean house. The only times all month the beds are made.





(note more clean laundry to sort)

Carter gets into the picture-taking and we find his camera that Santa brought for Christmas so he can snap some shots. He takes one of Kevin "Gotcha!" He takes one of me "That's a keeper!" He has me cracking up.


Then I find him flossing his own teeth.


Yes, you can count 7 toothbrushes in this picture. Why do we have 7 when we only have 2 kids? What can I say. We are REALLY passionate about brushing our teeth with all the cavities and crowns they have had.


Where are Kevin and the dogs in all of this? Their usual spots.

A Week in the Life - Tuesday

Tuesday is an early day. My alarm went off at 4:40 am. Candi arrives around 5 am and we run.



I take Tassie. She is a little crazy. Ok a lot crazy. In this picture I am laughing because she is hysterically jumping and grabbing the leash in her mouth. She is ready to go - what are we waiting for? She likes to carry the leash in her mouth. I really think she is trying to walk me and pull me along.



Candi remembered her Nike watch today which allowed us to track how long the route is I've been running the most. It is 5.5 miles which is just a little less than I thought it might be but that's ok. When we finished it was actually light outside. This is the first time all year this has happened and it was so nice.

I get back around 6:20. Chug some Powerade Zero. I think I'm addicted. Then shower. The kids are up at 6:50 on their own today. I turn on cartoons. They watch Martha Speaks and Curious George when they get up this early.



Notice they are in matching "pajamas." They think it's cool to wear the same jammies on the same night. I need to find some real pajamas (not kids running shirts from toddler trots at 5K races) that are matching.

Today they ate yogurt. Anna decided to buy her lunch. I forgot to write that on Monday when I picked her up she immediately told me she had lost her lunch box. Luckily it had her name on it so I figured it would turn up today. She was pretty concerned. Oh, to be six again and have these as my worries. Well she decided to buy her lunch since she didn't have a lunch box. She told me she was hot in her long sleeves yesterday but she wanted me to pick out her clothes so I picked capris and a short sleeved shirt.



7:45 and they're out the door. I don't have to pack my lunch today because I am taking my two newest hires out to eat. For this reason I plan to skip Starbucks again (another addiction) and I take a double shot light and a banana which I eat and drink on the way to work.

I have hired about ten associates in the last year. My two newest started last week. Today we all went to lunch at Houlihan's with one of my other associates, Andrea. I love their Heartland Grilled Chicken Salad.



On the way out we see a goose on a nest in the middle of an island in the parking lot! Random.



I get out of work a little late - 5:25 and decide to try an old route back home that I haven't taken in awhile. It was under construction but now that's over and after yesterday's traffic I decide maybe it's time for a new (or old) route. I arrive at daycare 5 minutes late.

Carter runs out of the daycare to give me a picture he made me. Anna had left her lunch box on the school bus and she got it back. We get home and they run outside to play while I make dinner.




I added chicken to the recipe. I'm trying some new healthier recipes this week. It turns out ok but I almost forgot about the chicken so we didn't eat till 7:00 pm. The kids eat some Easter candy afterwards and then they go pick up their rooms while I do the dishes. Kevin dries.

Then they come downstairs and we pick up all the toys in the "dining" room. Tomorrow is Merry Maids day so we pick most things up off the floor so they can clean the floor. Trust me, the house is still a disaster everywhere else.

By now I'm running a little behind. It's 8:00 pm and I realize it's Tuesday. It's bath night. Bath schedule is Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday. Although in the summer we have to do almost every night (this is really a pain).





Carter gets the Mickey Mouse towel and Anna gets the elephant towel (and pretends to be an elephant). Carter picks the zipper pajamas (me: won't you be hot? carter: no) and gets dress ALL BY HIMSELF. Anna gets her pajamas on and comes over. Carter: Anna, I have the zipper pajamas. Anna: I don't want to wear those, they make me too hot in the spring and summer. Carter doesn't care.

Floss and brush and rinse teeth. Books. Anna reads me an entire book called A Snowy Day. I haven't read this one before and she's cute asking me what I think will happen as she goes through it. (he puts a snowball in his pocket and goes inside).

I go through Anna's back pack and find this which I think is cute.



Blog. Bed.