Day in the life post . . . (yesterday)

7AM - woke to the sounds of L calling my name over and over and over. Since she's only about 3 feet away, I finally stumbled over to her and her cries turned to "nurse! nurse! nurse!" I nursed her for about 10 minutes and then the wailing started when I told her we were finished. She brightened up quickly at the mention of oatmeal, though!

Made oatmeal and L ate while I emptied the dishwasher. Made her a 2nd bowl of oatmeal. Cleaned her up.

Checked email and noted a couple things I need to follow up on today. Read a page of the software manual I'm prepping to teach tomorrow. Changed a dirty diaper and handed her off to DH for a shower.

Checked facebook. Proofed and made some editing changes to 4 articles I wrote yesterday and outlined another article very roughly. Started this post.

While DH dressed L and brushed her hair (which, I should mention, he has no problem getting her to sit still and look up while he does. Maybe it's because he tells her how pretty her hair is 40 times. Maybe he is more gentle with the hairbrush than me. But, most of the time when I try to brush her hair? She runs away, or throws herself on the ground and covers her head with her hands.) I showered. DH made our bed and turned on Elmo for the tiniest one.

I dressed, threw in a load of laundry, put away the laundry that was in the dryer, checked email again (hoping for a payment from an assignment so I can go to the grocery store later.) Wrote out the boys' assignments for today and considered writing them out for the rest of the week, but decided to do that later.

Woke N and C. Toasted freezer waffles, served with juice and fruit. Looked over today's to-do list and added a couple more items. Added syrup to the grocery list. Ate a bowl of cereal.

N & C made their beds. Got started on schoolwork. I threw in another load of laundry (behind again lately, but trying to catch up. Tuesdays usually mean 2 loads anyway, but thinking it'll be 4 today to catch up.) Redirected N multiple times from coloring books, lego magazines, and shadow play. Thinking again how much I'll miss homeschooling C next year, but not so much with N. It's always a struggle with that boy.

Read books to L. She's at that wonderful age where you have to read the same board book 20 times in a row. Boys still schooling. L tired of William Wegman Puppies Book so I set her up to draw at Little Tykes table. Checked completed schoolwork. Review grammar pages with C. Help C with cursive writing. Listen to N read aloud.

Checked books coming due at the library at the library website. Checked email (still no payment!) Realized we need to make a library run, so find shoes for baby and brush hair and put some make up on. Ask the boys to get their library bags, find books to return. Read 5 pages in software manual while waiting for C to finish a lesson (he hates to stop in the middle of a lesson.) Change diaper, fill water bottles, get into van.

Checked mailbox and found that expected check not in box. Happy to find new dvd to review, though!

C reads his religion chapter out loud in the van. We discuss the chapter. Listen to StoryNory podcast on my iPod with the kids. Visit library. Struggle to get L to stay in stroller so I can help boys find books. Let her play with bead maze while boys bring me books for review. Give up thoughts of looking for books for myself. Check out. Listen to more StoryNory.

Find emergency $10 bill in van for diapers and milk. Grateful for coupons.com $5 Huggies coupon! (see link to coupons.com to the left!) Drop off outgoing mail at the post office. Realize I forgot some of the mail that needed to be sent.

Come home and prepare lunch of soup & crackers. Clean part of kitchen while kids finish eating. Nurse L down for a nap. The boys ride their bikes out front, and since I have the office window open I can hear them and watch them play while I sit down to work. Update this post.

Review to-do list and panic a little. Read 20 pages of software manual and test some things out on Access. Review a reference book for another viewpoint on advanced queries. Jot down notes. Write rough drafts of 2 articles about healthy eating. Write post for momsloveshopping.com. Get a glass of ice water and wonder how long before L wakes. Check email and respond to one that potentially will earn me a fee.

Lydia wakes from nap. Snuggle her for a few minutes on the couch as she finishes waking up. Read Busy Bunnies to her. Put in a new Baby Einstein dvd I received to review and bring laptop to living room while we all watch it. Jot a few notes about her reactions. Work on outline for workshop on Pivot Tables and jot notes about structure. Research potential reference books to get more information. Update this post. Finish outline for workshop and send to client. Continue email conversation about potential class. Research potential handouts / manuals for potential class.

Empty dryer, fill dryer, fill washer. Dump load of dry pants in basket. Run errand while sister watches kids. Chat with DH on phone. Return home and visit briefly with sis.

Time to prepare dinner. Mac & Cheese and mandarin oranges. Check email. Kids go in backyard to pick up mess the dog has made AGAIN. Consider searching again for another home for dog.

Bathe L (yes, again . . . she's a grimy child) Pull out work clothes for tomorrow and put everything on hangar. Find work shoes. Dry off L and put her in pjs. Think again how I need to find her some spring pajamas because her thermals are getting too warm. Decide house is much too warm for pajamas I put on her and switch them for a onesie.

Send boys off to bathe. Empty out their backpacks from last week and review as needed. Put fresh water bottles in their bags and hang on chairs in kitchen. Check L's diaper bag and add her cup. Pack a lunch for L.

Encourage boys to set out their clothes for tomorrow (they attend their enrichment program.) Boys and L play while I finish up rough draft posts and publish. Check email, facebook, bloglines. Read a few blogs. Update this post.

8PM: DH comes home and has made no sales. He tucks boys into bed and I nurse L while watching a little tv. DH goes out in the dark to replace the thermostat in the van, while we hope that is the reason the engine has been overheating.

Put L down for the night. Go and say prayers with the boys and tuck them in again. Yell at them as they get out of bed because they're hungry. Remind them that snacks happen BEFORE they're tucked in, not after! Allow them a drink because I'm a softie. Answer multiple questions as they pop out of bed. Wonder again where I've gone wrong with bedtime.

Outline 2 more articles in "healthy" series. Read through software manual for class tomorrow from start to finish again. Make notes. Realize I'm not going to have time to write for Demand Studios tonight, so release 2 articles I had claimed. Write more articles in healthy series, but realize I will not finish tonight like I wanted to. DH fills up my water glass and makes my lunch for tomorrow.

Pack work bag for tomorrow (I'm teaching a class.) Put out travel mug for my tea in the AM.

Work through exercises in manual a 2nd time for class tomorrow. Make notes.

1AM - Get ready for bed. Set alarm for 6AM. Climb into bed. Get out of bed because I forgot to email friend who is picking up boys tomorrow to remind her. Back into bed. Headphones on and NPR podcast playing as I fall asleep.

What I didn't do: Finish healthy articles series, prep for new client meeting on Thursday, prepare 7 blog posts for clients (due later in week, but would have been nice to be ahead), clean bathroom, finish cleaning kitchen, put away 2nd load of clean clothes, do any marketing work, prepare schoolwork for remainder of week, file my nails, pluck my brows, clean off my desk, begin prep for next week's 2 classes (both new to me), prepare a mailing, start & complete an important piece of paperwork, work on review posts for this site, work on taxes, exercise, sort through growing pile of mail, make 3 phone calls that need to be made, read to the boys, have meaningful conversation with DH, spend time with DH, eat dinner.