Welcome to Beyond the Books. This post was inspired by Lexxie @Unconventional Bookviews' Up Close and (Un)conventional, who was inspired by Cuddlebuggery. It's meant to be a way for y'all to get to know me better on a personal level - Beyond the Books. ;)
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I recently described myself as a stay-at-home mom who rarely stays home. As I thought about that description, I realized how accurate it is. As y'all know, I'm a mom to 3. And each of my kiddos are involved in various activities requiring me to drive to various places. Add to that the fact that we live rurally and have an hour round-trip drive just to and from school? Yeah, I'm not at home a lot during the day.
My typical day looks like:
- Up at 4:30 a.m. to comment on friends' blogs OR get ready for work
- 6:00 a.m. - get kids up and start breakfast
- 7:00 a.m. - get kids out the door and drive them to school
- 8:00 a.m. - I'm either back home working out or at the rec center to do a class
- 10:00-2:30 - I'm back home where I'm either commenting on blogs, responding to email, doing blog posts, or reading. Depending on the day, I also am cleaning, grocery shopping, cooking, etc.
- 2:30 - I leave to pick up kids. Depending on the day, I pick up one kid from school, get them fed (dinner) before running said kid to a rehearsal or lesson, and then running back to pick up the other kid from rehearsal or lesson. Depending on the time of year, I am sometimes running dinner to at least 2 of my kids because they have after-school practices which prevent them from coming home for dinner. My oldest is now driving so I no longer have to drive her to her lesson/rehearsals but I still take dinner to her on certain days.
- 5:30 or 6:00 p.m. - I'm back home and start dinner...make sure kids are working on homework
- ~8:30 p.m. - I have a little time to work on my computer - either blog stuff or writing
- ~10:30 (sometimes later, if a kid needs me or I'm reading a good book) - I head to bed to rest so I can do it all over again the next day.
Now, if I am working, this adds an extra hour+ drive to my day. There are days where I spend 5 to 6 hours in the car. Since I live rurally, I have a 20 minute drive to the grocery store...and at least a 45 minute drive 'down the hill' to doctors' offices, malls, etc. It's a lot of driving and I try very hard to group all my errands 'down the hill' so I don't have to make multiple trips.
This also doesn't take into consideration any meetings and/or school related events we might have in the evenings. The last few weeks, our evenings have been packed with orchestra rehearsals and concerts (down the hill) and high school information meetings. (both my youngest kids start high school next year. Yikes!)
All this being said, I must say that I LOVE where I live. Yes, it does mean that I spend a ton of time in the car. But I'm 3-10 minutes away from hiking, depending on what trail I want to take. I get to see deer, elk, foxes, etc., on a daily basis. Plus, the peace I feel when I am at home is something I wouldn't trade. I am definitely grateful to be able to stay home with my kids! ;)
What about y'all? Does your day include a lot of time away from home? I'd love any tips you might have to offer in keeping me organized. ;)
I swear my days are long like that too. Blogging takes a real chunck out of my days. God help me if I get a job! I will have to cut back on stuff!
ReplyDeleteNaomi @ Nomi’s Paranormal Palace
DUDE. You're like Wonder Mom. And no, no tips, LOL. You've got it covered, and covered well. *stares in awe* And I'm a hermit. My time outside the house is mostly comprised of shopping (mostly of the grocery variety) and lunch will a girlfriend or two, once a week(ish). DH and I do stuff on the weekends, but yeah, I'm pretty lame ;)
ReplyDeleteSounds like domestic bliss to me although I don't know how you do it with less than 8 hours of sleep. I get cranky when I don't get 7-8 hours at least.
ReplyDeleteI don't exactly consider my area rural but living in TN, it's far cry from a big, bustling city. I love it! I used to live in CA and though I loved it there, I enjoy the laid back feel of TN more. It's all about the quality of life for me (now that I'm older) and I love that I find it here.
You're amazing, Brandee. I don't think you need a lot of tips, looks like you got it figured out.
Oh my goodness, Brandee! You have to get up at 4:30 am?? I could NEVER do that! I have trouble getting out of bed between 6 and 7, it seems I really need a lot of beauty sleep ;)
ReplyDeleteI can understand enjoying the quiet surrounding your home, though, that is something that is priceless, and having to drive more than if you lived somewhere more central.
Are you going to be more or less busy with your two youngest in high-school? will it be easier with the after-school activities?
Coming back to the getting up at 4:30 am point... are you going to do that in Dallas, too? (I'm a little afraid now...)
I love learning more about you this way, Brandee, and you seem to have it all figured out! My days are different from yours, and each day is also different from the other days. On Mondays and Wednesday, I bring my youngest to her speech therapist, so I have to pick her up from school, wait for 45 minutes while she has to work, then bring her back to school. When I teach, I usually go to school a couple of hours before my lessons start, just so that I can make photocopies or print transparent or prepare other things I need to teach. Of course, I also have my own classes at Uni... and then there's grocery shopping, making food, driving the girls to their circus, sometimes driving one of the boys to hockey practice. And then the me-time, reading time and blogging time :D
Have a wonderful Wednesday, my dear! *BIG HUGS*
Wow I never realized how much away from home you would do as a stay at home mom. I think it woudld rive me nuts to have such long drives whenever I want to go, but on the other hand it sounds like you live in a beautifull spot. Being so close to nature and hiking trails sounds amazing. Now i am imagining a hosue high in a hill surrounded by trees and hiking trails. Okay I think that almost makes up for the long drives.
ReplyDeleteI am working from home and actually stay at home the whole day. I only leave the home for grocery shopping or trips to my or my boyfriends parents or trips to the vet when one of our rats is sick. But mostly I stay home the whole day and love it.
I am retired, but even when I worked full time, I don't think my days were as full as yours! I honestly don't know how you keep it all straight. I used to be able to multi-task but that's all over with for me now. You are getting up about the time I go to bed! It was fun hearing more about you!
ReplyDeleteoh my goodness, my days recently look lazy compared to yours! Yea I myself would probably have a hard time getting up so early, but I go to sleep really late
ReplyDeleteWow, I didn't realize you have 3 kids already. I thought you were in your 20s or teens. You have a young voice when reviewing. :) Sometimes I work really long hours that I don't have time except to work, eat, and sleep, but there are times when I can work from home and be a little bit lazy, and I get back to my hobbies, sorta like now! :)
ReplyDeleteThat's crazy! You must be super Mum or somthing! But if you enjoy it then I guess it flys by!
ReplyDeleteI miss living rurally, despite the drive. Both my bf and I would like to move further out at some point. And the more driving I do, the more audiobook time in my mind lol. But wow - I'm surprised you don't have a school closer - that's quite a lot for everyday with kids. For work itd be easier, getting kids out the door isn't always easy :p You're super mom!!
ReplyDeleteI love living rurally, Berls, don't get me wrong. And we chose to live in a place where the drive would be what it is. The drive just gets to me sometimes...but the drive to the middle school is one I only have to do for a few more months. Then all my kids will be in high school - which is another Egads! thing to think about. But my oldest will be driving them next year. What will I do with all that free time????
ReplyDeleteLOL I don't know about that, Laura, but it's something I'm willing to do for my kids (they won't be around forever) and will only complain about minimally! *hahaha* We really do enjoy where we live!
ReplyDelete*haha* I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing, Goldie. But I'll take it as a compliment. :) Yes, my kids are 16, 14, and 12...so I've had 'em awhile. I'm glad you're able to have time when you can relax and do what you want to do after working so much!
ReplyDeleteI think I needed to clarify that I don't pop out of bed raring to go at 4:30...I trudge directly to the coffee pot. *haha* I get up early just to have a few hours to do things online since I don't have those hours later in the day.
ReplyDelete*haha* Lorna, some days I don't know if I'm coming or going. But we moms do what we have to do, right? Next school year, my life will change dramatically since all my kids will be in high school. My oldest will drive everyone. It's just the beginning of big changes. My hubs says they'll be weaning me! *ha*
ReplyDeleteI'll post a photo of my house sometime, Lola. I did stay home more when the kids were younger. But it is a myth that as kids get older they take less time. They don't take as much time for things like wiping noses and tying shoes, but they take just as much, if not more, needing to be driven to lessons, etc., help with homework, etc. Next year though, things will change for me as all my kids will be in high school and my oldest will drive everyone there. It makes me sad to think about. *ha*
ReplyDeleteI'm sure your days are a lot like mine, Naomi! And yes, being online takes up a huge hunk of the day. I'm grateful that my hours at B&N are done until the holidays. It was really hard to balance everything. :)
ReplyDeleteNo, no, not lame! I just do what I have to do to live where I live. :) My hubs was joking (maybe not so joking) this week about moving me to a remote place in Oregon when the kids are gone...a place where we'd need 4x4s to get to, far, far away from civilization...just so I don't have to deal with people. bwahahahaha! I'd really prefer to be a hermit.
ReplyDeleteLexxie, I happen to know you go to bed later than I do!! So there is that. And I'd prefer to sleep til 7 but I need those few extra hours to do things, like comment on your blog, that I don't have time for because of having to drive so much when the kids are awake. :) Next year, oh...I don't know what I'll do with all my free time. Just kidding...I totally know where that time will go! ;)
ReplyDeleteI promise to sleep in at RT...I'm sure we'll need it after staying up too late!
Your days are equally as packed - actually, probably more so, than mine! You may not have to drive as much but you fit in quite a lot into every day. You know I'm in awe of you - I've told you so! **BIG HUGS**
Oh, I get cranky...ask my kids! *ha* I can survive on about 6 hours of sleep though. I can't imagine living in CA - but I used to live in Dallas and that was crazy insane. So many people...ugh! We still visit because my hubs' family lives there. But I'd happily never leave my mountain. :) I'm giggling over y'all saying I've got it all figured out - I so don't. It's a constant balancing act - always juggling the different 'balls' I have up in the air. But I keep reminding myself it's only for a finite amount of time...my kids won't be here, won't need me like this, forever. *sniff*
ReplyDeleteImpressive daily workload. Bravo! I've only got one little boy, so my day is much calmer than yours :) Also, our home, grocer's, school, etc are all within walking distance, and this makes things much easier for us. I'm not sure if I could walk in your shoes... Nice job.
ReplyDelete