The Life & Times of a SAHM

I'm sure 99% of you will not be interested in this ridiculously long post.  However, I've been asked (in one way or another) what a stay at home mom does all day.  So folks, here you go.  This is an account of what I did yesterday.  This is not a "toot my own horn" kind of post or a "stay at home moms are awesome" post - this is just simply an account of what happened.  Sometimes, at the end of the day, I even think, "What did I do today?"  I have lots of SAHM friends and I'm sure their day looks exactly like this.  We're not always this busy, but on average, this is a typical day in our household...

6:45 – Wake Up & make coffee

7:00 – Open Bible & read from Proverbs; pray for friends who’ve just become mothers for the first time; pray for single friends who I know are searching; pray for friends who are just going through a tough time; pray for my little family of 3 and pray for my extended family

7:30 – Turn on computer & work (so thankful for this job), try to figure out what’s wrong with my printer; check emails, FB, read blogs
8:00 – Tripp wakes up, snuggle time, get sippee cup and granola bar for him, refill coffee cup for me; turn on dryer to fluff clothes; call Allen about Tripp biting his toenails (yes, it’s as gross as it sounds. Are little boys just born with a gross gene?), and Meme, whom I beg to help me finish a sewing project I’m stumped on & ask her if she received my Thirty-One email. Did you?! If not, click here!
 8:15 – restart my computer to see if that will fix my printer. It does, but now I have 20 things trying to print. Cancel. Back on track with the 2 things I want to print.
8:30 – Decided to write out an account of the day. Look at consignment sale that starts at 9AM (I hate paying retail/full price for anything!!)

8:35 – Make up our bed, and groan at the state of our bedroom. How bad is it you might ask? My “unmentionables” are stored in a brown paper bag right now. That’s how bad my friends. I’m reminded to:

A) Look for long, low dresser. I can envision one with those two “not-ichoke” lamps on  either end.

(btw, all three of the following pictures are from Emily A. Clark's house.  Ironic considering I'm hoping to ask her to help me with my next big project!)

B) Take step climber to Kim &Allen’s house. It made it back from Greenville, but not quite back to the right house.


8:40 – Make up Tripp’s bed and rejoice about the state of his room! Consider for the umpteenth time purchasing that euro sham from PBK. Get clothes out of dryer, and put new load in dryer. Fold clothes in bedroom while watching Zac Brown Band on Today Show and looking for my friend Kasey (saw on FB she was there).


9:00 – Get dressed. Eat breakfast. Load dishwasher & start (w/ Tripp’s help, of course – one of his favorite jobs.), clean kitchen and pick up living room. Let Max out. Fold 2nd load of clothes. Start another in washer. Realizing that it’s 9:00, and that sale is starting now!


9:30 – Get Tripp dressed. Let Max in. Tripp tries to lock me out, but this mama’s too fast. Realize my shirt has something on it. Change. Tripp locks Max in bedroom and proceeds to chase him around with an iron & board holder (that’s never been hung). I open the door and Max bolts down the hallway with Tripp chasing after him. I hear Tripp scream from the living room. Separate them. Tripp in bathroom with me as I brush my teeth. He has a Q-tip shoved up his nose and tells me he’s getting out a “boogy”. (Remember that gross gene?)


9:50 – Out the door (get Rango movie to return to Red Box! Get hardware to return to Lowe’s!) Where’s my cash? Wait –run back in to put clothes in dryer and card in mail to friend. Check to see if paycheck has come. Look for T’s sippee cup.


10:00 – NOW out the door.

10:20 – screaming kids and hot warehouse do NOT make for the best shopping conditions. But our trip was worth it. I found this for 10 dollah…hollah!

Can totally wear it next year for the 4th (he might even be rocking it this year for Veteran's Day, aka my birthday {insert gut-wrenching sobs}). Although I practiced restraint when passing by numerous yard sale signs, I could not resist Alyssa’s. We were already in Pace anyway. But let me tell you, it was hard to walk away from these beauties. $20 for the pair. 

I could totall envision a room around these.  Like the following - this has by far been my favorite living room inspiration.  Those Chiang Mai pillows...I don't know what to say, other than I really want them.

12:00 – Stop by house to see if mail has come & see postman on our street. Check emails and find pictures online for lamp inspiration, while we wait on mail.

Start to fold clothes in dryer & realize I forgot to put them in the dryer before I left. (Even after I ran back in to do it.) Put clothes in dryer and fix lunch (leftover calzones). Try to stop Tripp from shoving his rolling golf bag in between Max’s legs. Mail came – hello check:-) & hello bills:(

Can hear thunder in the distance.

12:30 – fix lunch and call Tripp to table. He comes pushing his rolling golf bag. Max runs. Tripp shrieks with delight. I cry a little on the inside as they run into every piece of furniture in the dining room. Tripp gets in his chair where he proceeds to drink his marinara sauce from his dipping bowl. I take it away and he has minor meltdown with food. I get him out of his chair and tell him to go to his room for time-out. I unload the dishwasher as I eat my lunch. Tripp comes back in the kitchen & tells me he’s sorry for playing with his food, gives me a big hug, & says, “I forgive you, mommy.” I laugh & say, “No, buddy, I forgive you.” He laughs & replies, “Oh, da’s wright!” And this is it folks! This is the moment where this seemingly mundane life of mine makes total sense. This baby boy, (who’s so much closer to a boy than a baby) is learning about forgiveness & sweet redemption, about love and mercy. It puts a grip on my heart and a sting in my eye – what a responsibility to have! To be the one day in and day out who shows this little boy the love that God has for us. It’s overwhelming and humbling and requires me to “get over” myself on a daily basis!  Then I find him on the floor apologizing to Max for hitting him.

Notice the weapon of choice in the bottom left corner...

1:00 – I hear Tripp telling Max to come in his room. Max doesn’t go and I secretly don’t blame him. Then Tripp finds his new outfit and says, “See my new outfit, Max? Come look at it in my room.” Max still doesn’t go. Tripp says, “Mommy, Max doesn’t like my outfit!” (I love it!) More thunder & I contemplate running errands. I hate running errands in the rain, with a 2-year old. And I have on white shorts. Tripp is looking sleepy, but I decide to chance it.
1:30 – In car & I’m keeping Tripp awake by giving him apple slices and singing like a crazy woman. He laughs at me all the way to Lowes. Return hardware (AV bought $15 worth of black hardware for my black cabinet – I wasn’t feeling it. So I bought a $3 can of silver spray paint).  An employee calls Tripp "big guy".  Tripp then proceeds to yell to every man we pass, "Hey big guy!"  Some laugh and some lookat me like a mom who has no control over her son.  I then contemplate lighting for Tripp’s room. I realized last night that he definitely needs a lamp above/beside his bed. Kind of hard to get him to wind down with the overhead light on. You know what I mean?


2:20 – At the bank.


2:30 – Tripp is asleep in car seat. I pass people at bus stop, & see parents pushing baby strollers on the sidewalk. I thank God for a car, and money for gas, and air conditioning.  Drop off RedBox movie (so thankful I didnt' forget.)


2:45 – Back home, Tripp in bed. Respond to work emails, FB (I can’t help myself!), & read blogs. Amanda’s is totally echoing what I’ve just written.


3:15 – Start another load of laundry - my least favorite of all household tasks. However, if I had this laundry room, I’d probably start taking on other people’s laundry, just for the fun of it!

3:45 – Lay down.  I can't help it.  It's the heat, or it's the rain outside.  Or maybe it's the fact that I know there's a long night ahead of me.  I just need a nap.

4:30 – Wake Up. Fold clothes in dryer. Put another load of clothes in dryer. Try to figure out what to eat for dinner and looks like leftovers might be the winner.


4:45 – Tripp wakes up and I get all kinds of good after-nap sugar. It’s about the only time he’ll let me love on him. He’s just too busy the rest of the time.


5:00 – Uncle Will calls and we catch up. Now that he has a real job and has entered the real world, we don’t get to talk every hour, on the hour. :-(


5:15 – Go outside to paint hardware. Tripp & Max in tow. Tripp tells me he wants to “relax in the grass” so he hauls his chair to the back yard.

This lasts for about 2 minutes and then I hear him chasing Max. It’s all fun & games until Max starts chasing Tripp. Separate them.


5:45 – Tripp has been playing in the sand box and it’s stuck to the bug repellent I sprayed on him. Decide it’s time for a bath. He decided differently and kicks sand on me. He gets a spanking in return – he knows he’s not supposed to do that. Get him in bath and I clean bathroom while he plays with toys.


6:15 – As I’m getting him out of the bath, slams his head against my tooth. Make sure it’s still there and check for blood. Turn on Benji (another $3 purchase from consignment sale!) while I finish cleaning up bathroom. Make a mental note to clean all bath toys in bleach. Return Mitchell’s phone call and tell him & Kristin the toe nail story. Check on a tail-less Chance. :-(


6:30 – Wishing I could take a shower to rinse off inch-layer of sand. Check on status of drying hardware.


6:45 – Turn on Wheel of Fortune and vacuum living room and dining room. I yell out an “R” and Tripp runs though yelling out an “E”. He literally stands in front of the TV, jumps up & down, and yells for an “E”. A boy after my own heart – I love Wheel of Fortune. I daydream about being on it and landing on the million dollar wedge. I’ve applied to be on the show. I say this with no embarrassment whatsoever. Finish vacuuming & put down clean rugs.


7:00 – Warm up leftovers and Allen calls wanting to know if we want to “picnic” at his office. I fix him a plate of leftovers, & clean kitchen while Tripp eats.


7:20 – Tripp is watching nick jr. while I hop in shower.


7:30 – Out of shower, dress, check on Tripp, bring in hardware.


7:50 – Out the door.


9:30 – back at home. Mom calls as we’re walking in door. Let Max out.


9:45 – PJ’s, brush teeth, allergy medicine.

9:55 – 1st attempt at getting Tripp to bed. Then realize Max is outside and will bark when Allen pulls up. Let Max in and refill water/food bowls.

10:00 – Lie down with Tripp and read books with the help of Flicker.

We read Berenstain Bears Bedtime Battle. Appropriate, don’t you think. Say good night to Tripp. Clean kitchen from dinner and load dishwasher. Install hardware. It totally looks like chrome, not silver. Questioning the choice but too tired to really care. And I kind of like the retro vibe. I mean it is a cabinet from the 70’s? Officially marking that project off the list.

10:45 – Hear Tripp talking to himself.

11:00 – Allen walks in door. Tripp is still awake. I’m sleep walking.

11:15 – Tripp yelling, “I done fweeping in my bed, mommy!” Allen says he’ll go lay with him. I play Wheel of Fortune on my phone and wait for Allen to come in living room.

 

11:30 – assume Allen has fallen asleep with Tripp. Go to wake him up and find them in OUR bed.

Move Tripp to his bed. I’m asleep before my head hits the pillow.  Last thoughts as I drift off to sleep... everything I didn't get accomplished today and should I go back in the morning and get those lamps???  :-)