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Wednesday, January 30, 2019

A Day in the Life

I haven't done a Day in the Life post in FOREVER, so I'm well overdue for one...

Presenting: A Day in the Life: 3 Kids Edition!

3:45 AM 

Why, yes BENNETT, I am starting at this point because you decided to wake up at this time!


So usually Bennett will make it until 5 AM before waking up, but I guess he got hungry this night and wanted to get his breakfast party started early. I feed him quickly, then put him back to sleep.

5:00 AM

This is usually what time I will get Bennett and feed him, but since he's already just eaten an hour ago, I sleep in (!!!) until 5:15. I quickly throw on some makeup, yoga pants and a sweatshirt before heading downstairs...


Time to teach some Chinese kids! I teach 5 classes pretty much every morning: 5:30, 6:00, 6:30, 7:00 and 7:30. I'm done by 8:00! In between classes (I usually get 3-5 minutes depending on when I finish), I make coffee, drink coffee and set up for the next class!

8:00
Time to head upstairs. Ella's clock has turned green at 7:30, so that's when she comes in our room to watch a show. Travis usually goes to get Lucas if he hears him around 7:30, too. I keep the baby monitor downstairs with me and will get Bennett if he wakes up, but usually he stays asleep until 8:00. 


Anyway, at 8:00 everyone brushes their teeth, turns off their sound machines, and B & L get diapers changed.

Then we head downstairs for breakfast! 


Our mornings are absolutely insane, especially on Ella's preschool days (Monday-Thursday), so we started putting everything we needed from upstairs in that basket Ella is carrying. Clothes, hair brushes, extra diapers, etc. The less trips we have to make back upstairs, the better...and the more on-time we will be! I also put everyone's pajamas in the bin to take back upstairs later, which is nice so pajamas aren't strewn all over.


While the kids eat breakfast, we say bye to Trav as he leaves for work and I feed Bennett on the couch!

9:00

Preschool drop-off!


Beyond grateful that Ella's preschool has a car line because I look pretty much homeless every day at this point. My 5 AM makeup has worn off and I am still in my random tutoring clothes! 

9:30

Back at home with the boys! I put Bennett down for his morning nap, while Lucas joins me in the bonus room! He plays while I run.


Well, this day, Lucas decided he wanted to watch the Bachelor with me. There were pirates, helicopters and roller coasters on this episode...what's not to love?!

10:15-ish

I run between 3 and 6 miles every day (currently following this training plan...no, I'm not training for a half marathon! I cut the distance of the long runs in half, ha!), so this time varies. I take a shower while Lucas gets to play on his new tablet he got for Christmas!


10:45

Bennett is up from his nap (he usually wakes up the second I get in the shower!) and I feed him. Then we go on our daily adventure...this day, we went to my friend Tammy's house to try on clothes from the new Shrimp and Grits Kids line for spring/summer!



12:30

Preschool pick up! 


By the time we get home, it's closer to 1:00 so Lucas finally gets some lunch!


I eat lunch too, while I also do my feedback for tutoring from that morning. We are required to complete feedback for parents on each child's lesson within 12 hours of the lesson or our pay gets docked! 

While I'm doing that, these 2 hang out and play :)


1:45

Nap time!!! I also feed Bennett again and put him down for his afternoon nap!

Then, I do ALL of the things while my kids are asleep! 

Today's task: laundry!


And Bible study homework!


Some days, if I don't get to my run in the morning, I will run during this time instead. But I prefer to run in the morning! 

4:30

If my kids aren't up yet, I always wake them at this point. They get to watch Peppa Pig while I feed Bennett.


5:00

We usually don't run errands in the afternoon, but this day I HAD to return some things to Old Navy that I kept putting off....so we finally just went!


I had every intention of not buying anything, but we saw this dress and Ella had to have it! 


We also stopped at Buy Buy Baby next door to get a sound machine....for my husband! Ha! I apparently am very loud when I tutor at 5:30 AM that it wakes him up (our bedroom is directly above where I teach). So being the good wife I am, I decided to get him a sound machine that hopefully drowns out my loud voice! 


6:00

Once we get home, Ella helps me set up and pull props for the next day's tutoring classes! This is probably her FAVORITE thing that she gets to do all day! Seriously!


Then, Bennett gets a bath....


...while the big kids eat dinner!


I also feed Bennett again while they are eating. 

6:45

Night, night Bennett!


7:00 

It's now time for the older kids' bath! If Trav is home from work, he will give them showers, but usually that only happens on weekends.

Then Lucas gets a story while Ella reads independently in her room...


...then after I put Lucas to bed, Ella and I read together! Right now we are working our way through Love Does for Kids, which is a super sweet book!


7:45

After both kids are down, Trav and I eat dinner (he usually comes home sometime while I am putting them to bed). Then I clean up the kitchen, prep my coffee for tomorrow, and pack Ella's lunch.

I end my day the same way I started it...


I usually don't tutor at night but right now all of the Chinese kids are out of school for Chinese New Year. Since China is 13 hours ahead, it is morning there when it's night here, and since they don't have school, they are able to take English lessons during this time! 

9:45

After I'm done teaching, I head upstairs and get ready for bed!
I aim to go to sleep by 10:00...but that usually doesn't happen! If I get more than 6 hours of sleep per night, I am doing well! 

Whew! And there you have it! I think we stay pretty busy!!

{For previous Day in the Life posts, see here!}

Monday, January 28, 2019

Life with Bennett [week 22}


Hi friends! I totally flaked on posting this last Friday because I had to do Bennett's 5 month update! Anyway! Here's what we've been up to!

Friday:

Always a fun time in Target!


Ella seriously wanted these glasses. I had to tell her no.


And this little joy boy was ecstatic to get more fruit snacks!!! He would live solely on fruit snacks if we let him!

Friday night, my parents were in town and wanted to take Ella out to dinner for a (very early) birthday celebration. She chose hibachi (after we vetoed Chick Fil-A and Viva Chicken)! 
It was Bennett's first hibachi experience and he wasn't sure what to make of it!


Lucas thought chopsticks went on his head, naturally.


He loved the big flame! He did not love when the chef squirted him with water.


Ella got a birthday treat! They sang to her with a big drum and she danced!


Bennett just snuggled with Nay Nay!


Saturday:

I had to work at the Y and came home to this hot mess. 


Please ignore the mess of toys behind her!

We also had lots of rolling practice with Bennett. He is SO close!


Sunday:

Our friends in Ohio got A LOT of snow, so Ella pretended we did too. I think it's funny she finds snow such a novelty...I can't stand it! 


We had a very boring day doing laundry, organizing clothes and cleaning the house! Oh and playing with Anna and Elsa ;)


Monday:

Confession: I check Ella's teacher's lesson plans that she emails out every month and try to dress Ella accordingly! This day, they were learning about outer space, so of course she had to wear her new space dress!!


More rolling over practice....



....followed by playing with big brother and sister's toys!


Tuesday:

It was cold so B got to wear the cutest little sweater!!!


He also kick-started his modeling career! I am having a Shrimp and Grits Kids trunk show with Elizabeth again this year, so my boys got to go over to our rep, Tammy's house to try on pieces from the trunk!


There are so many cute options this year!!! If you want to order something, feel free to reach out to me, or enter code 70024 at checkout! ;)



Lucas was not as cooperative...we finally got him to stand still by letting him hold the dog's toys!


Wednesday:

I finally made it to the dentist!! I was originally supposed to go in October and completely forgot....rescheduled for 2 weeks ago and I showed up at the wrong time. Third time's a charm, and my teeth looked perfect!


After the dentist, Lucas got a much-needed haircut!


And we stopped by Trader Joe's...this boy couldn't get enough of the oranges they were sampling!


Our Wednesday evenings got more chaotic, because after Ella's dance....


...it was the first week back at Avondale Adventures! At least they eat dinner there, so I don't have to clean up at home!


Thursday:

Ella had Donuts with Dad at her preschool! She was BEYOND excited for Travis to come to school with her!


While those two were at preschool, the boys and I went to Ashley's for another week of Bible study!

These two boys and the hand-holding is just the cutest!


We concluded our week by taking 96 pictures of Bennett during his 5 month photo shoot. I am not even exaggerating that number! He is the cutest age right now!

Have a great week!