Typical Day

I was recently asked to contribute to an article that will be published on the Etsy Storque about what it's like to be a Work At Home Mom. One of the questions was "What is a typical day like for you? List work and home stuff." I thought I'd post my answer to that very question. It'll be like me interviewing me. That sounds really narcissistic doesn't it??? You know me....all narcissistic and such. The funny thing is that each time I just typed the word narcissistic, I misspelled it. Then that must mean I am absolutely NOT narcisitik.

1. What is a typical day like for you? (List work and home stuff.)

On Monday, Wednesday and Friday, my kids are in school from 9:00-3:00pm. So this is MWF....

7:00am --Awake and getting the kids up and ready and drive them to school while thinking I desperately need a coffee….and a driver

9:30 am --Back from the morning school commute (it’s LA so it’s long) – I’ll either head to the hardware store/lumber yard or I’ll fire up the table saw and cut for awhile if I’m at the beginning of a project,

11:00am --Grab a handful of something to eat and eat while checking email do the paperwork/email part of the job – invoices, shipping notices, respond to inquiries and wholesale requests, creating marketing materials if needed

12:00pm --Only 2.5 more hours with out the kids so I rush back out to the garage to finish building, staining, or whatever needs done.

1:00pm -- Look at the laundry piled up next to the table saw. NOT put it in the washer cuz that would be too much work.

2:30pm -- Get ready to pick up my son. I normally wear what I’ve been working in all day so I’m covered in sawdust and paint and am a general embarrassment.

3:00pm -- Both kids are home and asking for a myriad of things….snacks, tv, art projects. I tell them I have another hour’s work to do in the garage. Noah watches tv, Grace comes with me and asks me hundreds of questions and wants to play wood shop. I end up getting nothing done…or maybe a hinge put on a toy box.

4:00pm -- Frantically clean up the house that’s a wreck and stare blankly into the empty fridge. Plan to eat out or maybe, if I’m lucky, I can pour some red sauce over pasta, add a bag of salad and some green beans that are microwaved and call it a meal.

5:00pm -- Eat dinner and get Noah started on homework. Hubby helps me clean up the kitchen or he does it himself so I can go back to the garage. He’s a keeper!

7:00pm --Play with the kids a bit, explain for the fifth time that the word “damn” can only be used in reference to a beaver’s dam, get them bathed, etc…

9:00pm --Kids go to bed, I do one of the following: a.) go back to the garage, b.) bring furniture in and watch tv with my hubby while I polyurethane or paint.

10:30pm -- Back to the computer to field more emails, order, etc. Pay bills and do personal financial stuff (that sounds seedy, doesn’t it?)

11:30 or 12:00pm --Off to bed. If I’m lucky (and if my husband is lucky), I’ve actually put on pajamas as opposed to just falling into bed in the same clothes I wore while sanding. J

On TUESDAY and THURSDAY

It’s all out the window. I’m trying to keep a 5-year-old engaged and happy so I normally take her to the lumber yard and run errands. And squeeze in some building time when she’s busy playing or watching tv or writing on furniture with permanent marker.