A Day in the Life of Us {02.05.18}
Wow! Thank you guys so much for all of the encouraging words you left me after yesterday’s post on hormones. If you missed it, you can read it HERE. I don’t know if hormones played a role in our struggle to get pregnant, but as a side note, today was my due date for our first baby that I miscarried. I’m just mentioning it because not a February 7th goes by that I don’t think about that…and I know there are dates on the calendar like that for many of you too. Sending love to all of you ladies today. In fact, I’m going to stop and pray for you as a collective group right now…so many women have painful calendar dates and I’m sorry about that.
Okay…here we go.
I don’t know what it is about “day in the life posts” but I love them.
Any time I see one on someone else’s blog, I get excited….annnnnd…they’re pretty popular around here too 🙂 . Typically, I do about two every year and since I haven’t done one since July, I thought it was time. I really try to pick a random day, but this year, our weeks look the exact same but our days are all different. I documented this past Monday for you today…and then next week, I’m going to do “a week in the life” so you can see how every day is a little different. Nothing spectacular happened this past Monday…it was just a normal, boring old day…my favorites 🙂 .
My alarm went off right at 5:00.
Did you read that FIVE!
I’ve stuck to my New Year’s resolution and have only broken it once (one day, I did wake up at 4:00). I’m feeling FANTASTIC sleeping in the extra hour or so each morning.
Wake up, head straight to the coffee…
…and Jesus 🙂 . I always start my day with my quiet time before doing a little work…
…I headed to my office to check on my blog/answer some emails/etc. On this particular day, I posted Meal Planning Monday and Framily Fun Ideas!
Mornin’!
At 6:00 every day, I stop working and head to the kitchen. I empty the dishwasher, make my breakfast (turkey bacon with avocado toast), and get the kids’ breakfast together.
Thanks to the Super Bowl the night before, I stopped for one more cup of coffee. I only ended up drinking half of it…boo.
Poppy is so chill. She pretty much lays there 24/7.
Good morning, Frenchie! I took her out right before I woke up the kids. She’s a late sleeper (Poppy gets up with Andrew much earlier).
Waking up all the kids. The little girls now sleep together on the top bunk. See their little heads?
Everyone gets breakfast and then I go make my bed and get ready for the gym.
I had the news on and look what they were talking about! Our city just built a $70 million dollar high school stadium. (YES! $70M!) Our kids will all get to use it when they get to high school. So cool!
Kensington feeds Frenchie, the big kids get ready for school and I get these two dressed. They were lookin’ extra cute in their Valentine’s outfits on this morning.
A quick pic with Andrew 🙂 . He was making himself breakfast as we were about to walk out the door (he had been at the gym).
On Mondays, we drop off the big kids at school and then head to the gym…
…listening to The Greatest Showman the whole way there.
Ashby wanted to take off her coat so that you could see her name. I told her it was too cold…thus the face. Ha! Here we are at the gym!
Working out is way more fun with friends!
After my class, I took a quick shower, changed and then went to get the girls for brunch. I’m living in these Patagonia sweatshirts this year! It comes in seven colors 🙂 . I’m wearing one of those tanks under there that I love so much!
The three of us had breakfast quesadillas with grilled chicken, bacon, eggs, onions, bell peppers and cheese for lunch. My sweet friend Ann Marie was in the cafe too and took our pic. I sure do love these girls!
We came home and played before nap time. These two are big fans of the matching game 🙂 .
This one loves her baby dolls!!
Sweet Ashby is doing so good at school!! She was spelling out names with her cards…
…hahaha! I love this girl 🙂 .
Madeley went down for her nap…
…and I shuffled some laundry around.
Then, I sat down at my desk ready to work when Andrew called and told me to head out the front door in 30 seconds…
…a quick check at the time as I waited on the curb…
…for this sweet guy to drive up and bring me…
…fuel for my afternoon 🙂 .
Then, my dad called because he had a meeting in McKinney and wanted to run by and pick something up. I grabbed what he needed along with this that his sweet grandson had made him…
…Smith wanted Lovie and Papa Jay to have a Valentine’s card and pencils too 🙂 .
Love a random visit from my dad on a Monday! He got what he needed and headed right off. Meanwhile, I went back to work…
…I worked on my Valentine’s Cocoa post (while listening to Ashby upstairs playing Barbies!), and then did a ton of travel agency stuff. At 2:45, I shut down my office for the day always making sure I write out the next day’s to do list before I leave…
…this way, the next morning, I’m ready to go and don’t forget anything.
I really try and spend the last 10 to 15 minutes of the day before all of the kids are home gearing up. I have a snack and read for just a minute.
Then, I went upstairs and woke up this cutie to go with me and Ashby to get her big siblings. #bedhairdontcare
Kids start piling into the car 🙂 .
On Mondays, this one has volleyball right after school, so she ran inside to change. Meanwhile, Smith started on his homework and I went to the garage refrigerator to get their lunch stuff for the next day…
We make all of their lunches (or as much as we can) every Sunday afternoon, so I just run out there and grab what we need, repack lunchboxes for the next day and we’re done.
I just love this kid. She was outside practicing and waiting for her dad to come and pick her up for practice.
Meanwhile, back inside…
…Smith practiced his violin.
These two were patiently waiting for me to let them in the house. 🙂 They had run out to potty.
And then, Smith and Ashby walked each dog up and down the street for a bit of exercise. Poppy went first.
I put up laundry until it was time to make dinner…
…and then, I don’t know about you, but I would kill for a cheese board every night of the week. Since that’s not possible, I got a few crackers and some cheese and had a little bite as I cooked.
Back from walking the dogs, these two asked for hot tea. Here they are picking out the kind they want.
I marinaded some salmon…
…and then made their tea.
Sweet potatoes and cauliflower roasted away…
…and she stood there anxious for me to drop something on the floor.
Dinner success! I photographed it for my blog (recipe to come!).
After dinner, Smith and Andrew played outside a bit while Kensington worked on her homework and I cleaned up the kitchen.
Then, it was time to do more laundry.
Kensington asked if she could bathe Madeley and Ashby and they, of course, loved the idea. Off they went…
…holding hands. 🙂
After I emptied the laundry basket, I took a shower and did my “wet bun” trick. (You can see that HERE.)
Then, I sat down and read until people started showing up all nice and clean…
…like this one…
…and this one too. 🙂
Like mother, like daughter. She was over there reading too. We put the kiddos to bed at 8:30 and then…
…I read some more. Around 9:00, we ate a brownie (because a weird fact about us is that we eat a brownie every night) and watched a little Vanderpump Rules on TV…
…before I crawled into bed at 9:23. Side note, I changed my phone’s wallpaper during the day on this day. I got a new phone last week and it wasn’t until this day that I realized my old wallpaper didn’t really fit on my new screen. So, new wallpaper happened on this day too 🙂 .
And I read in bed until about 10:00.
That’s a day in the life of us.
To see days from years past, look below…
I love “day in the life” posts too, Shay! Your family really packs a ton of activities in just 24 hours – puts my boring 9 to 6 desk job life to shame! 🙂
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Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog
http://charmainenyw.com
Shay-where are your cute pink shoes from in the gym picture? I think you posted them before, but I can’t find the post.
Oops! They’re from Nordstrom. I think the brand is Vince.
I cannot wait for Smith to lose that tooth!! It looks as if it’s barely hanging on!!
Your day in the life posts are my absolute favorite!!! Love getting a peak into what goes on every day!
Love these posts!! And I always have allllll the questions. 😂 I’ll only ask a few…😉 1. Awhile back you said you tried to eat vegetarian during the day, is there a reason you don’t now? 2. What do you drink from Starbucks these days? 3. What is your brownie recipe? Is it the Betty Crocker one still? Apparently I’m really curious about your diet!! 😂😂 Thanks, Shay!
I still try to a lot! Some days though…a girl wants her meat 😉 . And I either drink tea of their plain Pike coffee (which is what he brought me that day). Hahahaha! And yes, on this night, I used that (with butterscotch chips!).
These are by far my favorite post!!
FAVORITE posts! Absolutely love getting a peek into your day 🙂
I love these posts!
And do y’all eat that many eggs?!
We eat a lot of eggs! We all pretty much eat eggs for breakfast…and sometimes lunch too.
We are a family of 6 as well and I never buy less than 36 at a time! It’s easy to use a dozen or more for one meal! So…the eggs! I understand!
haha I was thinking the same thing. That’s a lot of eggs.
These are my favorites! It makes me see my own life in a new way. I love how you show the positive side of being a wife and mama. We all know there are hard, hard days, but going over the highlights reminds me what a beautiful life it is to have these precious ones! I need to document one of our days over here, too. 🙂
Love these posts! I’m sure you’ve answered this before, but do you do anything in particular to whiten your teeth? You have the prettiest smile!
Just your basic Crest White Strips 🙂 .
Hi Shay! I love your Day in the Life Posts! So much fun! I saw you mentioned on one of your repairs that you use Crest White Strips. Do those work okay for you or do you get a lot of sensitivity after using? If so, I have to tell you about this amazing whitening toothpaste that works wonders…it removes stains, totally safe for kids (6+), tastes great (vanilla mint), protects your enamel, brightens your teeth and doesn’t cause ANY sensitivity (which I love because my teeth are SO sensitive!). I would be happy to send you a couple tubes for free so you can try it. I know you, Andrew, Kensington and Smith would love the results. Safe for braces too! Let me know if you’d like me to send you some!
Some of my favorite posts!! I would love a cheese board every night too 🙂
Right?! Hahahaha!
I heart these posts!!! Thanks for sharing!! What new phone did you get?! I’m thinking if trying the iPhone Plus. Hugs!
The iPhoneX :).
Love these average, normal days! And Love your idea about a week in the life!
MeetTheShaneyfelts
These are my absolute favorite posts! Madeley’s bedhead is pretty much the sweetest thing ever!
What a perfectly normal and wonderful day!
So sweet I love seeing these posts! But I’m from the Noth so I guess I don’t understand the 70M stadium for high school??? Wow. Couldn’t even fathom that for a local school district up here.
Love these posts! I can’t believe you still get up so early…5 is still early for me! lol
x Sydnee | Life Lately 💗
So glad to know I’m not the only one who eats a brownie every night! 😃
One of my favorite kind of posts! I can’t wait to check out that salmon recipe, it looks delicious! What a great normal day 🙂
Amanda @ Cupcake N Dreams
Your avocado toast….why do you put on it? Looks yummy!
Trader Joe’s Everything But the Bagel. SO GOOD!!!
My very favorite posts are shadowing you around !! Loved the girls’ V-day outfits!!!
Have you heard of the song “A Whole Lot of Jesus and a little Caffeine “?. I think of your morning routine everytime I hear it! https://youtu.be/W1H72TaUQQs
You look great with and without makeup!
The regular days are the very best in my book! Also, my older step-daughter loves doing baths for my smaller girls….they giggle, tell sister stories, and she lets them play in the tub/shower a lot more than I do…so, I’ll take it! I love a fresh, clean kid!
Looks pretty similar to our days! Nonstop with the kids but I wouldn’t change it for the world! I try and go to the gym every day (doesn’t always happen). What do you do with your youngest while you are at the gym? Good idea to read throughout the day. I save it for bedtime and it makes me so sleepy that I don’t get very far 😝
I LOVE these posts . . . us women are all so nosey! So I’m curious – are you an alarm “snoozer” or do you pop right up? Dang, 5 a.m. is early and you used to get up earlier! Insert big eye emoji!!!
I pop right up…if I don’t, I might never get out of bed!
Love these posts. I am not as good as you about turning off my computer screen at 2:45pm. Some days I have more to do than allows. When do you squeeze in extra work if it needs to get done? I am always looking for tips and ideas 🙂 xoxo ERIN
Shay, I know in a post awhile ago you mentioned painting your nails nightly……do you still do that? And how do they dry before bed????
I paint them at night about every 5 or 6 days!
Love your day in the life posts! Also I’m thankful for your sweet words in the beginning about days on the calendar that some women think about. I too have one of those days. I’m sorry for your loss. Please know that you give me such encouragement by seeing your beautiful family.
LOVE THIS SO MUCH, and looking super forward to your week in a life. Good job making time for all the important stuff: Jesus, coffee, reading, exercise, kids and family, and some work 🙂 You work hard, and get a ton done. I’m that way, too. I make lists and power it out, and reward myself with reading (and chocolate) each day.
These are my favorite, we have very similar lives. When do you do your daily straightening up? Making beds, cleaning house? I am struggling to fit that in with taking care of littles and working from home.
I feel like I’m constantly doing it. Beds get made first thing in the morning and then all day, I’m cleaning as we go.
Can you link those adorable pink/blush slip ons you are wearing in the gym/patagonia picture? Thanks!
Love your day in the life posts!!!! 1. Wow the number of eggs in that fridge! 😂 2. What time do y’all eat dinner? It looked like it is still light out. I wish we could eat earlier but we wait until my husband is home which is usually 6:30. And I’m starving by then. My kids have a sizable snack after school so they can make it until 6:30. But they are teens so they can handle it. It is worth it to have everyone at the dinner table together! Thanks for sharing a day in your life!
We try and eat around 5:30!
I would LOVE a post on how to put together a good cheese board!
Love these posts!
Love these posts! One question–what have you had to take out of your morning routine now that you are getting that extra hour of sleep?
I’ve had to be even more focused on my work stuff during the day and not drift off into other things.
Info on your pink shoes in your gym pic, please! They are adorable! (As is your family, but shouldn’t even have to say that 😜).
Random question but do you have a cleaning company/person come once a week? In my perfect world I would have someone come multiple times a week. 😂. I love a clean house (which you clearly have in the pics) but maintaining that takes so much time!
We do have someone come do the big cleaning once a week and then we pick up and maintain throughout the week.
Love these posts, and so impressed with how you do your kids school lunches.
Day in the life posts are so much fun! Would you consider doing an updated diet post. What are you & Andrew eating these days to stay fit & healthy? I’m guessing he still does tons of eggs! 😉
I love these posts!! What nail polish color did you have on??
OPI Let’s Be Friends!
Love this post – thanks for sharing! What does Ashby do the whole time you are working? You mentioned barbies at the beginning, but does she entertain herself that whole time or do you have to stop and help her start new activities? I can’t imagine my 5 year old doing that, and I need your secret! 🙂
She does entertain herself! She sometimes watches a movie (always a princess one!), and she loves to play, color, Play-Doh and such too!
Love these types of posts! Would you ever consider doing a closet tour? Your closet is beautiful and looks so organized! Also, I always see your LV bags and wonder why you never mention them? I love my LV bags and love to hear why others love theirs or why they chose the styles they did.
These are my second fave posts…..your birthday posts are my faves. Thanks for sharing!! I love these days to. I have to get better at organizing my days like you!!!
Love this post! As Catherine mentioned in her birthday post for you… you get more done in a day than Beyonce! Where did you get those pink slip on shoes?
I always love these posts too….loved the surprise appearance by your daddy – such a precious man.
He IS!!!
LOVE these posts! Also, what book are you reading in this?
Love this posts! They are my favorite. I wish you did one once a month! 😉
Quick Question- I know you have mentioned before that you do the books and such for Andrew’s business, is that not the case anymore, or was there just not any to do on this particular day?
I do not do that anymore. When the travel agency took off, I had to resign my post there 😉 .
Love it! I just love getting a view of a day in the the life with your family.
what’s wrong with a cheese board every night? ha! Love these post!
Where are your pajamas from?! So cute!
Hi! Can I ask what gym it is that you go to? It looks so nice!
Hi Shay! Do you have a special brownie recipe that you make? I thought that years ago, I’d read about one…just curious. Thanks!
I could do a cheese board every night too! Smoked gouda….yum! We eat chocolate covered almonds before bed. Where is your rug from that the girls are playing cards on? We have a navy couch and that rug is calling my name!
I came across a blog post that Nancy Ray did on emails. I remembered your post about what to do with all the emails. You may have found a solution already, but if you haven’t hope this helps! https://www.nancyrayshop.com/collections/free-resources/products/how-to-be-an-email-ninja
7 hours of sleep! Go girl! 😉 Super excited about your new recipe!!!
Love these posts!! I documented my first “day in the life” the other day. I still haven’t posted it. Maybe tomorrow. My daily life is not very exciting. haha That Inspired Chick
The biggest thing I took away from this is the amount of laundry you must have for 6 people! Good lawd, girl! 😉
And I love love love these posts too. It’s always fun to see how other people live life.
Ok Smith practicing the violin in his little glasses is the cutest thing I’ve ever seen!
I just moved to McKinney from Colorado and have loved reading your blog! Where did you get that rug in your closet? I need to order all of the rugs for our house!
They’re from Joanna Gaines’ collection!
I noticed your post-its on your computer screen – I do that too! But I also have a habit of putting them on my laptop on either side of the trackpad. Have you ever used the full stick ones? They changed my LIFE. Feels like something you’d be in to 🙂 Happy Hump Day! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B009DIOQ7S/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_uRXEAbGA5SD94
I was mixed up it wasn’t a blog post it is a free resource! 🙂
I’m exhausted!!!! Looks like a great day! And can we talk about the number of eggs in your fridge?!?!
Curious…what time do you all eat and the kids go to bed? They all look always so well rested and ready for the day. These are always my favorite posts to read! I too, would LOVE a cheese board, I can eat cheese any time of the day.
We eat around 5:30ish or so, and then they go to bed around 8:30ish.
Love, Love, Love A day in the life posts. I did one on Instagram stories once, and it was so fun! Can’t wait for the week in a life post!!! 🙂
Hi Shae!
What kind of camera do you have?! It looks amazing! Also, you should make a post about how to plan for a baby, kids schedules and/or where you got your cute baby names! I’m envious of how scheduled you are! Waiting on Baby #1 has me all planning 😉
Love your blog!
Congratulations!!! You’re going to love being a mama 🙂 .
Shay* 😉
Love this!! You are so self disciplined!! This was a little kick in the pants for me. My baby just turned 8 months and doesn’t sleep great, but I’m going to buckle down and start getting up earlier. It definitely sets a better tone for the day, instead of rush rush rush.
I love these posts! And nearly every night I pull out my crackers and cheese to nibble on while making dinner. I love me a little appetizer while getting lunches ready and setting the table 😉
My first thought was “Is anyone going to say anything about the eggs?!” I guess with a family of 6 you will eat a lot of them, we often have 2 cartons on the go with our family of 4. They are so easy!
Do you make your brownies or buy store bought ones? I love that little treat at the end of the day; if you know it’s coming, the you’re less likely to indulge during the day.
If we don’t have anything sweet in the house already, then just a basic box mix :).
Whew I am feeling very unaccomplished after reading this!! LOL Your boring day is my goals! Also, that meal looks AMAZING – I can’t wait for the recipe!!!
I’m anxious to hear about what you put on your cauliflower when roasting!
Just EVOO, salt and pepper!
Can we talk about that turkey bacon?! I’m always looking for a good one! 🙂
What do your kids eat for breakfast? We are in a major rut over here…would love new ideas!!!
They eat a mixture of things: eggs, turkey bacon, oatmeal, Greek yogurt, cereal and frozen waffles.
where are the two chairs from in your family room?
Restoration Hardware
I love you day in a life posts, and I love your fridge full of eggs. Everyone always laughs when they see our garage fridge. It houses eggs and drinks. Our family eats so many every week, it’s insane!
I just have to say I’m totally WORN OUT just reading what you do in a day!!!
Shay these are my favorite posts!!! What kind of bread do you use for your avocado toast? Also what brand are those cute pink shoes?! I think I need them!
Ezekiel 🙂 and they’re Vince at Nordstrom.
I LOVE LOVE LOVE these day in the life posts. I love getting to peak into other mommas lives and see their day to day. It also helps to me reflect on my days and try and be more productive when I have a little down time. I will have to order me one of those Patagonia sweaters. I got a similar version for Christmas and love it. We have had a really cold winter in East Texas. I cant wait to read you week in the life posts. Thanks for sharing your day with this crazy internet world. I look forward every morning to reading your blog. Your family is so precious and Madeleys bedhead is the best!
Love day in the life posts! Can you please link the pink slip on sneakers you are wearing from the gym? Love them!!!
They’re Vince from Nordstrom!
My due date would have been Feb 14. Still praying for that rainbow baby though!
What brand is Ashby’s purple sippy cup in that picture in the beginning of the post?
What a busy (but fun) day! Does it feel like your days fly by, or drag on? Or a mixture?!
Fly by!!
I have always loved these posts. Question that you may have answered before but I’m gonna ask anyway. I love me some bacon but I am trying to eat better and that means trying turkey bacon. I haven’t found one I’m just crazy about yet. What brand do you like? And, how do you cook yours? Stove top, oven, microwave? I love hearing how folks cook their bacon.
I use Butterball’s turkey bacon and cook it in the skillet. When I’m cooking pork bacon, I cook it in the oven on a baking rack on top of a baking sheet (so the fat drips and it gets crispy), but turkey bacon on the skillet 🙂 .
Where did you purchase those kids lunch boxes from & are they leak proof?
Yes and Amazon! They’re called Yumboxes 🙂 .
I love day in the life posts! They are my favorites, next to your travel posts. 🙂
I adore day in the life posts! Especially yours! What are you currently reading on your kindle?
The Wedding Date 🙂
Silly question but where’s the rest of your gang—looks like Smith is only one in the car?
Erika’s car was there too, so my peeps jumped out to say hi 🙂 .
Love these posts! Cracking up at the $70m high school stadium part….only in Texas! 😉
I think we can all agree, we love a day in the life posts. It seems the tv is never on in the day time— I would get so much more done if I practiced this. Is this true everyday?
Yes! I listen to music instead (or sometimes, I “listen” to movies I love on repeat like It’s Complicated).
Did you explain why you have different kindles for you and your kids? I’m wanting to get one for me AND a couple for my kids, but not sure which ones to purchase!
Also, can you give details on the rug in your kitchen next to your stove? LOVE!
Me, Kensington and Smith all have Paperwhites but with one Amazon account. This way, I can see what they’re reading and how much they’ve read. It’s been such a good gift for them! And I bought my rug at a store called Andersons, which is now, out of business.
I, too, could eat a cheese board every night!
I love these posts and the comments!! 🙂
Love reading about ur family. Thank you for sharing these adorable kidos with us thru pics. I really enjoyed reading about your adoption process too. GOD bless you and ur hubby for adopting these darling babies
I would love for you to have Andrew do a guest post! I remember you mentioned once he picks up all his eggs at the store but seeing it makes me laugh out loud! How long will 10 dozen eggs last him? And he has the best complexion! Have him share his skin care routine! I love these posts, makes me realize my hectic world is normal after all!!
So many questions, ha!;) Proof that inquiring minds want to know:) Love a good Day In the Life post and yours are so fun to read. Happy Wednesday, Shay!
Love reading about your day in the life – there is so much joy in the little things and I love getting so see the sweet Shull family live each day to the fullest 🙂
These were my favorite posts to do when I used to blog and they’re my favorite posts to read still! Your day was jam-packed!!! I was exhausted just reading it!! Lol Please let me know where your housecoat/robe in the first pics is from. I work from home and comfy things are my staple!
It’s from Barefoot Dreams 🙂 .
Shay. I know you and Erika do a lot together with work and the kids but, how do you spend quality time with Andrea and Narci etc? Do you guys meet up for lunch or so? Trying to find a good “activity” to do with my girlfriends and spend quality one on one time with each. Any ideas welcomed!!
We do! Sometimes, we do lunch, but mostly we do Girls Night Out things since so many of my friends work during the day.
Hi Shay! Is that granola on your yogurt store bought, or homemade? Would love the recipe sometime!
It’s the brand Bare Naked :)!
Love it! I’ve been wanting to try avocado toast – do you put anything in the spread or just plain avocado?
That’s just smashed avocado with “everything but the bagel” seasoning from Trader Joe’s!
Love the day in a life posts! Do you work out at the gym on certain days each week, and/or work out at home sometimes?
I do! I try to work out at the gym twice a week and then at home twice a week.
Love your day in the life posts! Was wondering how you house broke Frenchie? Puppy pad or crate? Do you put her in a crate at night? I have a 9 week old Yorkie and need some tips!
Crate!! We read so many books before we got Poppy and crate trained her too. We swear by the crate!!
These posts are my absolute favorite! I always get some inspiration! I have 2 questions: 1.) Does Smith lay out his own clothes for school like Kensington does? I’m kind of afraid of what my 7 year old boy would put together, but it would be nice to mark that off my to do list. 2.) Do your kids do homework pretty easily or do you have one you have to stay on top of? We struggle with homework bc my son hates it. I feel like I spend the first two hours after school just hounding him to get his homework done. With a toddler and a newborn, this struggle is becoming more complicated….especially since the toddler is so excited to see him and just wants his attention.
Smith has gotten really good at getting himself dressed, so yes, he does that on his own. As for homework, my kids’ school hands out homework on Friday and you have until the following Friday to complete it (that’s the school rule). So, they get to spread it all out over the week and do a little at a time. This helps them out tremendously. If there is just one day they’re really not wanting to do it, they don’t have to (but understand that the next day, they’ll have to do more).
I would love to know your system for when they pick out their clothes! I have to check my weather app every single night to know what to lay out, due to our crazy, flip-flopping temps.☺️ I love that school rule!
It’s not really a great system. Ha! I just say “hey, it’s cold today” and they put on something appropriate. I spent YEARS fighting with Kensington daily about her wearing the wrong clothes for the wrong season (she would sob that she couldn’t wear shorts when it was 20 and Uggs when it was 105), but thankfully, we’re past that phase.
Hahaha! Mine will still argue about wearing a jacket when it’s 20 below. He finally puts it on, but then I find it in the backseat after I drop him off.😁🙄 Thanks so much for taking time to respond!😊
Hi Tina, sorry to butt in.
But I have a 7 (almost 8) year old son and I let him pick out his own outfits. I don’t battle my kids on clothes unless it is a picture day or we have something nice to attend (LOL!). If my son wants to wear the same styled pants (nikes, joggers, etc) 3 days in a row with a different shirt each day, than that is his choice. I just like to make sure they are clean (hopefully!).
He also HATES to do anything school related once he gets home. So I set a timer for 15-20 minutes (2x in the evening, so he gets about 30-40 minutes) for him to do nothing but work on homework and/or read. This has worked wonderful for us. He doesn’t gripe or complain about it anymore.
Thanks, Alice! I let mine pick his out last night and he did a great job. Yay! I guess I’ve been putting it off because it’s currently not a battle and I don’t want it to become one.☺️ He just wears what I lay out and there’s no fight. I just had a third baby. So, I’m learning to relinquish some control.😬 We are still trying to find our groove with homework. I wouldn’t want to do it straight out of school either but, if I let him play first, it usually makes it worse. I don’t think it would be quite as bad if it wasn’t for the loud toddler and crying baby, making it impossible for me to stop and focus with him. He definitely does better with one-on-one attention.
Where are your jeans from?
J Crew 🙂
What happened to your nespresso? 🙂
We still have it! Andrew drinks it every single day…I drink it a few times a week, but most of the time, my stomach prefers basic coffee.
These are my favorite posts ever. I really admire how much you enjoy average “typical” days-I think that’s the key to a very happy life. Also find it adorable that your kids drink tea-so cute! Thanks for sharing. I would love to see more and more ‘day in the life’ posts! 🙂
Shay, I LOVE your day in the life posts. Looking forward to a week post next week. Your boring days make me feel calm about life. Thank you!!
Hi! I love your “Day in the Life” posts. I was wondering if you could post about your nighttime routine with your kiddos. How do you get all 4 in bed by 8:30? Do you spend time with each kid tucking in and all that? Or do you do a group bedtime book and then off they go? I only have two kids and I feel like it takes an hour to get them to bed, not even counting bath time.
Not sure if you’ve done a post on this before, but can you please do a post on how you pack all the lunches for the week on Sunday? I have a friend who also does this and I’m impressed. How/what do you pack so it doesn’t get soggy/brown/etc by Friday? We also use bento-style boxes. Our school offers an amazing, healthy in-house lunch program which our boys love (and is so convenient!), so I only have to pack lunches occasionally. However, summer is quickly approaching and summer camps will require a packed lunch daily. Any tips for packing a variety of lunches ahead of time are welcome!
I have done a post on that! I pack things that don’t brown (grapes, strawberries, hummus, yogurt, baby carrots, chips, gold fish, ham, cheese, etc). If they want a pb&j, I will make that fresh and add it to what we already have assembled from Sunday.
I absolutely loved this post. There is something so beautiful about the everyday mundane. I am excited to read your “A Week in the Life of Us post” that you mentioned above! Thank you for sharing!
What type of tea kettle do you use? I am just getti into drinking tea (trying to quit coffee) and I’m debating whether to do an electric kettle or a cast iron tea pot. New to the tea club and have no idea which to go with.
Le Creuset! Love it!
I really like these posts and pictures. Reminds me of when my family was young and I was so busy all the time. Bless you all.
These are my favorite posts! Please tell me how you do not have a single wrinkle on your beautiful face! I’m struggling with forehead and frown lines and they are driving me crazy!!!!
I go to the dermatologist a lot 🙂 . And thank you!
Love these posts! Would love a good cheese board recipe/list…they intimidate me but are so yummy! And avocado toast is life!
Shay how in the world have you not posted about packing weekly lunches for everyone?! Have you ? And I missed it!? I’m always trying to pack for the week ahead and it typically does not go as planned. Please share your tips and secrets with us!!
I did! I believe it’s a Friday Favorite (or maybe one of Erika’s monthly link ups). It is like the best thing EVER!!
What brand is your cute marble phone case? And are you liking/loving/struggling with the iPhone X??? Debating an upgrade!
I bought it off of amazon (search rose gold marble phone case and it will pop right up!). I love the x! I love that the battery lasts all day and that the screen is the same size but the actual phone is smaller.
Random… do you decorate for Valentines Day? I see you have a mug, was wondering if you deck your home the way you do for Christmas;)
I have a few little plates, mugs and such, but nothing big. 🙂
Love all the K-State I saw!!
Love your day in the life posts! But honestly they make me feel like a little bit of a failure! Your days seem so seemless. I have 2 kids- and another on the way- and work full time. I leave the house around 8 and get home around 5:30-6 so our nights just seem so rushed and stressful and yours seem so peaceful! It also seems like your kids are perfect angels and fit in with every routine perfectly. Do you ever have “off” days?? Days when your kids are totally not cooperating? Would love a post like that to make the rest of us feel a little more “normal”! lol
Well, first of all you have a completely different situation. I’m not quite sure what our days would look like if I worked outside the home all day. I can imagine that they would be completely different. Second, my kiddos are not perfect at all, but the older they get, the easier it has gotten (I’m sure I’ll hit the pre-teen/teen years and it will all start going backwards on us!). Third, my life was a complete mess with both pregnancies. I didn’t clean, cook, get dressed, or get off the couch. I was cranky, miserable and that was not a time in my life where anything was peaceful, organized or fun. I’m sure you’re doing amazing, Cynthia!! I really and truly bet you are!
Thanks for the reply! That is true… pregnant and a 4 and 20 month old is probably a bit different than when they get a bit older. It’s hard not to compare, and I think we’re all a little hard on ourselves 🙂 But I really do love reading your blog. Hank you for sharing so much of your life with us!
How do you get your daily calcium requirements? Also, do you take a probiotic and if so which one?
I do! I take Plexus’ probiotic and also a calcium supplement.
I feel your pain for this day on the calendar. I am so sorry for your loss. My first child was stillborn on February 7, 2002 – 16 years ago (Jake). I visit the cemetery on this day and wonder what he would be like if he had survived. God got me through it. With out Him I don’t know what I would have done.
I love, love your blog and love to see and read all the wonderful things about your family and your activities. Thanks for the post about hormones yesterday. I have developed some anxieties in the past 5-7 years and truly feel they might be hormone related. I will definitely ask my doctor to test me. Have a blessed day!
I’m so sorry for your loss, Terri. Thank you for sharing this with me today. xo
I absolutely love that you had two drive by visitors! How fun! Plus any time we get to see your dad, that’s a bonus! 🙂
I love these day in the life posts! I work full-time outside of the home and I have 2 older kids (18 and 17) and one younger (almost 8, I think our boys are about 1 month apart). Anyway, I feel like our days are a lot alike even though you work from home. However, I do NOT wake up at 5am. Girl, you are crazy!! I wish I could go to bed earlier and wake up earlier but from about 9-11pm is my time to clean up the kitchen and do a load of laundry and unwind and watch a show. Thanks for sharing!
Hi Shay! Where did you buy the curtains in your living room?
I bought the fabric and had them custom made.
Thank you for the fun peek into your family’s day! It always encourages me to see the best in my own crazy mundane when I see others approach theirs with so much gratitude and appreciation. I’m loving your red pj lounge pant leggings– where are those from?
They were Christmas pjs from Old Navy. Ha!
Why do you have so many eggs in your fridge? WOW!
Ha! We eat a lot. Andrew eats a ton, but we all eat a lot of eggs for breakfast.
I adore these posts, even though they make me exhausted just reading about all that you get done in one day! Will you share where Kensington’s jacket is from? I’ve seen it on her before and thought it was the cutest!
Boden 🙂
I love your radio pre-sets :-). They look very familiar.
Hi Shay! Random question…. I noticed that you said that you got the new iPhone X, and was curious if you really liked it so far? I’m in the market and not sure if I should go for the X or 8. I just wondered what your opinion was before I went to Apple. Thank you! Enjoy your weekend!
I love it! The two main reasons are: the battery seems to last forever and the phone is smaller but the screen is the exact same size.
I would love to see a post with kids lunch box recipe ideas and your packing strategy. Lunches for me are a constant struggle!
I noticed the Yumboxes in your fridge and I’m curious what you put in them? I make lunches in our yumboxes for 3 kids every night and I’m always looking for new ideas that aren’t sandwiches or wraps. Pinterest and Instagram have cute ideas but most of them are a little over the top and time consuming when you’re a busy mom. Maybe you’ll do a post on this???
I think I have! I put a lot of things in there that don’t spoil like hummus, yogurt, trail mix, grapes, strawberries, pepperoni, cheese cubes and such. I will put a wrap in there but with no dressing. If they want something like pb&j, I add that the day of so that it’s not soggy.
Oh my gosh, you know you’re a reader when you immediately recognize the book on your Kindle. 🙈🙈 Just finished The Wedding Date too and thought it was adorable. Can’t wait to see your review!
Have you put a post in the past on your Sunday routine for the lunch preparation? I have 4 children 6 and under and only 2 who take lunches right now but already overwhelmed. I’d love to see your strategy.