A Day in My Life: March 17, 2011

So I have been a longtime lurker of A Day in My Life (over on my other journal site) and I finally decided to do a post of my own! Basically the rules are to take pictures from the time you wake up until you go to sleep. The posts are generally fascinating and voyeuristic (without being creepy) as people post from all over the World. Well, here is what I prepared for my little post. Enjoy!
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I am Kelli, 26 years old, full-time mom and part-time professional photographer living 25 miles south of Washington, D.C. in Woodbridge, Virgina and this is my first ADIML post. This is my St. Patrick's Day, March 17th.



This is much earlier than I would prefer to wake up



...but this little one kind of runs the show. My 17 month old daughter Autumn has decided it's time I get out of bed.



A double dose of bedhead.



We make our way downstairs for breakfast. I fend her off with cheerios while I question the logic behind a 7 minute toast cycle for an English muffin for the two of us.



After lunch I check up on the internets - email, Facebook, Live Journal and most importantly [info]ohnotheydidnt  for my celebrity gossip. Evidently Joe Jonas and Ashley Greene broke up.



My nephew is here! I watch him on Thursdays for my sister while my mom has a day off. Yes, he's holding the Christmas lights I just took off my outdoor bushes last week.

 

Time to get prepared for the day. Green shirt on St. Patty's Day: Check.



Hmm. I think she's trying to tell me something.



The three of us walk down the street to the park. It's one of the warmest days this year. Apparently no one else got the memo - we were the only ones there.



About an hour at the park - 10 minutes of which was trying to coax Autumn back up the hill, away from the playground, back to our house. It was a battle - but I won. Huzzah.



The wee ones retreat to the deck for more playtime while I make up some lunch.



Today's Menu: Sliced hot dogs, bananas, and shredded cheddar cheese.



While the kids eat lunch I make use of the time (and the currently high-chair restrained 17 month old) and start my dinner. A stew. I know that seems odd as it is the warmest day of the year, but it seemed very fitting for the holiday. Plus, it's always a good day for stew.



Beef. It's what's for dinner.



Plug? Check. Ernie? Check. Naptime.



I take a few minutes and work on some client orders and return a few emails. For most moms naptime is a break - for me, it's when my other job begins.



Send out a reminder for Girls Night. Thursday is the best day of the week.



Opps. I forgot to eat. I do that a lot. A salad - don't worry. It's not healthy. It's full of egg and cheese and slathered in home made (aka Hidden Valley) ranch. With a coke on ice. Yum.



Only a few hours into the morning and it already looks like this.



Much better.



While my nephew is occupied with dolls and Dora, I get started on my treat for Girls Night. Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles. Once that's done, we'll put it in the fridge until we're ready for the next process.



Crap. I absolutely hate emptying the dishwasher (it's 1 of the 2 chores I make ask my husband to do) and I've been putting it off all morning but it's not looking good.



My sister's come to pick up her little boy and it seems Autumn has awoken from her nap. Almost 2 hours - the usual.



I've got to run some errands, so we pack up shop to head over to my parents house. Anytime you utter the words "Nana" or "Grandpa" she runs to the door. I guess she likes it there.



After dropping her off I head out to the store to pick up some hair color for my friends hair that I'm doing tonight at Girls Night. I cut and color hair as a hobby. Normally I'd take Autumn with me, but when you see the image below you'll know why I didn't.



These isles are a toddlers dream and a mom's worst nightmare.



Success! Back to my parents to pick up the little one and hang out for a bit.





Time to take a "rest".



Dishwasher: 1. Kelli: 0.



I turn on some TV to make the process more enjoyable. I've also got to get working on my dessert again and my nephews will be over any minute. I watch my 2 nephews while the oldest is at Cub Scouts.



Roll the dough into balls and dip into the chocolate. Leave them to cool.



The boys are here! Now that it's warm we can finally make good use of the sidewalk chalk and bubble machines my sister in law bought us for Christmas. It wasn't as impressive as we'd hoped and Autumn was more interested in trying to eat the bubbles. Hurray for non-toxic!



Sidewalk Chalk: 1. Autumn: 0.



Another trip to the park and after saying goodbye to the boys, it's time for dinner. Stew!



"Autumn, fold your arms for prayer!"



Yummy stew. It's usually just the two of us. Despite working just 22 miles away, my poor husbands commute is usually 1.5/2 hours long. Gotta love the D.C. area. I check in to see where he's at - not even on I-95 yet. That means it's going to be a while.



Uh oh. The husband calls and tells me he's waiting for the car to cool down. Too much stop and go traffic.



Girls Night starts at 7 and with no husband in sight, we head to my parents. As we walk out the door we check in with the husband who luckily got the car running and is on his way to my parents so my Dad can take a quick look. Another trip to Nana and Grandpas!



Autumn retreats to my sister who has arrived to Girls Night at the same time.



My husband is alive! Hurray! Dads are way more fun than moms. I can't throw that high. :o/



Seems the cooling fan isn't working. Hoping that's the problem. A fan is cheap. Right? Please be cheap.



Grandpa spends a few minutes with Autumn before she'll head home with my husband. I spent all day wearing her out so he could come home and put her right in the tub and into bed - now it's past her bedtime and she's going to be torn away from Blue's Clues and Grandpa - her two greatest loves. The husband takes my car home.





Food! A lot of girls are absent tonight, but we still have pie, punch, some Filipino dish (which was very popular), breads, etc.



Time to setup "Kelli's Salon". A kitchen table, old towels, the upstairs bath tun. Very high-end.



Huzzah! Valerie was a good sport when I asked to take her picture.



People start to clear out and after what turned out to be a stressful evening with the car debactle, I say goodnight to my folks and head home. I've borrowed one of my parents cars and left the Saturn there. My Dad and I will take it to the repair shop tomorrow.



The kitchen is a bit of a disaster. But, it's almost 11:30 and I'm too tired. I'll clean it tomorrow.



I check in with the husband, who is in his usual spot. We talk about the plan for the car tomorrow, I see how bedtime with the wee one went and then I decide I'm going to call it a night.



Then comes the trade off of the baby monitor.



Before I get ready for bed I make sure the baby is still breathing, warm, and has water for the morning.



His and hers toothbrushes.



Time for bed!



Correction: Time for TMZ in bed. I DVR it every night. Hilarity + Celebrities = My kind of show.



Another evening ritual - a DVR rerun of The Office. Oh, this is a good one. Dwight and his "Megadesk".



Well, I'm spent. Better try and get to sleep before the husband gets his snore on. G'night!


4 comments

  1. What a great life and a great idea for a blog! It was so fun to read about your day. I am sorry I missed out on your yummy treats. I also saw Val today and thought her hair looked darker...very cute! (I WILL remember to bring Hunger Games to church for Kelli, has been my mantra all week! I know you are going to love them :)

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  2. Loved going about your day with you. So jealous of a number of things: waking up at 8:39!! Would be a good morning. We usually are up by 7:30, at the latest. Two hour nap! Yeah...I could only dream of something like that. I love the grandparent babysitters that are so close--that would be amazing.

    On a different note, your stew looks delicious! And Autumn's hair is adorable even at 8:39 in the morning.

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  3. Wow Kel! That was really an awesome post. I serioulsy enjoyed reading it! Your sense of humor cracks me up! Hopefully I can make girls night soon...I miss you and everyone!

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  4. I remember the good old days of staying up past midnite. Of course, that might still be possible if I could sleep in until 8:30 the next morning!! =) Just not fair. So, I'm secretly looking forward to either a) child #2 or b) Autumn starting school to shake up your morning routine a bit. =)

    Love following your fun day! Maybe you can have your next ADIML post at Spring Break. =)

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