A few of my favorite bloggers have done “A Day in the Life” posts lately, and since I have enjoyed those behind-the-scenes glimpses so much, I thought I’d put a similar post together for you. Indulge me. Or forgive me. Or both. This was Thursday, and, for better or worse, pretty typical.
5:45 a.m. My alarm goes off and since I am 86 and went to bed at 10 p.m. last night, I have no problem getting up. I have a big cup of coffee and a homemade protein cookie (I’m obsessed with these) and I truly enjoy my alone time with God. I read my Bible and my devotional (I love Jesus Calling and anything by Joyce Meyer). I try and share something encouraging on Facebook and Twitter (yay for morning fellowship!) and lace up my tennis shoes.
6:20 a.m. I run to my gym. It’s about a mile away and I jog slowly, listening to K-LOVE all the way there. There’s something about being out in the sunshine and listening to inspirational, uplifting music—it’s the perfect way to start my day. Once at the gym, I switch over to NPR’s “Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me.” This and The Colbert Report are admittedly my only news sources. Everything else is too depressing. I do about 40 minutes of weights, chit chat with the other super sweet elderly people who work at at that hour, and then put K-LOVE back on and walk home.
7:50 a.m. It’s chaos. Lulu is still wearing her pajamas, complaining about how hungry she is, even though toast and fruit are sitting at her place at the table where Pea Daddy has lovingly left them. Gigi is simultaneously trying to jump rope, read Little House and stay out of the way of her own awesome bed head. We have about 30 minutes until Lulu has to leave for school, so I quickly get her to eat breakfast, get dressed and brush her teeth. I comb her hair, pack her snack and send her out the door with Pea Daddy. Whew.
8:30 a.m. I have another cup of coffee and tame Gigi’s hair. I make sure she has her lunch, backpack, water bottle, and gym shoes and we walk to school. Hugs are exchanged. I exhale. I am alone.
9:15 a.m. Breakfast, finally. I’m starved. Feeling adventurous, I try these Carrot Cake Pancakes that my friend Tonda tipped me off to. They are insane, and that’s a good thing. Normally, I’d finish breakfast and use this time to cook something for the blog, but since I’ve cut myself a little slack lately, I use this time to return emails, shop online for Gigi’s birthday and then do something truly novel: shower.
11:15 a.m. I drive across town to pick up Lulu from preschool. She is in a mood. Her lips are chapped, she’s hungry, she wants to watch a TV show, she wants to play Angry Birds, she just wants to be anywhere but the car. We stop at our local health food store where I restock our yogurt supply, buy Lulu some chapstick and get her some Barbara’s Baked Cheese Puffs, to hopefully alleviate the constant begging I’ve been getting for Cheetos. She complains that the chapstick makes her lips feel worse. I pull out the big guns to cheer her up. (Click on this link at your own risk. Trust me, I spared you my version from the driver’s seat. Yeee.)
12:45 p.m. We are finally home. I make Lulu lunch, a sandwich with cheese, hummus and pickles, with a side of cheese puffs and fresh strawberries. I pack Gigi’s lunch at the same time so I only have to do the job once. I make myself a Hugh Jass salad and I follow it with a cup of green tea and another homemade protein cookie.
1:35 p.m. I clean up from lunch and read a few stories to Lulu, who is in a slightly better mood. I flip through this month’s Cooking Light for some inspiration (Veggie Grilled Pizza? Yes, please!) and start a menu plan/grocery list for next week. Lulu and I head outside to draw with chalk, hula hoop and ride bikes until it’s time to pick Gigi up from school.
3:20 p.m. We walk to school to get Gigi, bringing Lambie and Blankie with us. We chat with friends who have girls the same ages, one who has Gigi’s real name and the other who has the exact same Blankie. And they have a dog who tolerates Lulu. This friendship was meant to be.
4:00 p.m. We’re home and it’s snack time. I make Cake Batter Green Smoothies for us all and my aunt comes by for a quick visit. We talk about American Idol, Dancing With the Stars and other crucial current events while the girls put on a gymnastics demonstration. They’ve never taken gymnastics, so it’s brief.
4:50 p.m. I frantically get the girls changed and head out for ballet class. Our Spring Recital is in three weeks and we have all-day rehearsal on Saturday. I’m class coordinator for Lulu’s class. As a result, I’m packing heat. And by that, I mean baked cheese puffs and chapstick.
6:15 p.m. Pea Daddy arrives at the ballet school. God bless him. He stays with Gigi for her class and Lulu and I head for home, hitting the store on the way for the essentials: more lip ointment and dinner.
7:30 p.m. We eat pizza and salad (romaine, apples, balsamic, almonds and blue cheese) and I have a glass of wine (both the pizza and wine are atypical…the salad is not). We make plans for Gigi’s birthday next week. I’ve got some cake baking to do.
8:15 p.m. Bedtime. It goes like this.
9:00 p.m. I return a few more emails, approve and respond to blog comments and check Facebook and Twitter. On a night I’m blogging, I’ll edit photos, write and get a post up. Tonight, though, is an “off” night, so I’m ready to shut down the computer, have a cup of tea and watch TV with Pea Daddy.
9:45 p.m. I usually have a bowl of protein ice cream, write out my workout for the morning and read (my current selection) until I fall asleep. It doesn’t take long. As you recall, I’m 86.
You had no idea it was this exciting. But you know what? It’s my life.
And I love it.
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The winner of the Rudi’s Let’s Doodle Lunch giveaway is Kristen! Congrats! Please email me your address to peasandthankyou@hotmail.com and we’ll get your prizes on their way.
School is almost out for summer.
Gigi has a few more weeks and Lulu only has a few more days.
I’ve been looking forward to summer: no lunches to pack, no homework to do, no praying to dear God that nothing forces me out of my car when I do the morning drop off in boxer shorts, crazy lady hair and bare feet. So far so good.
Then, just when summer can’t get here fast enough, we have a day like today when I foolishly take Lulu bra shopping.
Holy smokes.
Drawers were opening left and right and 32 As through 46 Fs in pink leopard print, electric blue rhinestones and neon green lace were flying.
I’m pretty sure that saleslady never wants to have children now, and not because of my depressing cup size after having breastfed two kids.
(Goodbye, male readers. Like my once ample bosom, It was nice having you around while you lasted.)
It was the perfect afternoon to give the girls an activity and to give you a giveaway.
I almost always make my own bread for lunches, but I also always keep a store-bought loaf in the freezer for emergencies. Rudi’s Organic Bakery is one of the few brands that I feel really good about buying. They use all organic, non-GMO ingredients, no high fructose corn syrup or trans fat. They’ve also recently developed a gluten-free line as well that I’ve yet to track down but I’m excited to try.
Rudi’s is currently holding a Facebook promotion that is near and dear to my heart called “Let’s Doodle Lunch.”
Through the promotion, parents can join the Rudi’s Facebook community, upload their kid’s artwork, and get a FREE sandwich box with that art on top of the lid from now until June 30th.
The idea is to encourage healthy creativity, both on the sandwich box and inside.
The girls were totally into the idea of leaving their permanent mark on, well, anything that they can.
The true sign of razor-sharp focus is the sticking out of one’s tongue.
The true sign of pickle obsession is a pickle bandaid. On an imaginary injury.
Once their designs, along with those done by other kiddos, are submitted, Rudi’s Facebook fans will have the chance to vote on their favorite design. For each vote cast, Rudi’s will donate a $1 to The Lunch Box Project, a non-profit that is devoted to empowering schools to serve nutritious, whole foods to all students.
And to help you and your kids get started, Rudi’s is offering a really fun package to one lucky P&TY reader.
One winner from the comments below will receive:
- 1 art kit complete with paints, crayons, markers, etc., (note: we didn’t receive these art prizes for hosting this giveaway, but we do have this exact art kit and the girls love it!);
- 1 sketch pad for doodling;
- 1 black beret for creative inspiration;
- 1 reusable Rudi’s Organic bag; and,
- 2 free coupons good for any Rudi’s Organic product.
To enter, leave a comment below telling me your favorite sandwich combo. (I do have another few weeks of lunches to pack, after all.)
Winners will be announced on May 18, 2012. Good luck!
*Disclaimer: We got a few coupons for Rudi’s Organic products, but really I chose to participate so you guys could learn about the cool sandwich boxes and get the art kit!
