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I'm Shay! I’m a cookbook author, lifestyle blogger, travel agency owner, wife and mama who loves making every day special for my family.

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Mix & Match Mama

Everyday Life, Life Lately ·

A Day in the Life {01.12.23}


Good morning, friends!

THE MOST requested blog topic this year is once again DO MORE DAY IN THE LIFE POSTS (with tell us about your house in Nantucket at a close second 😉 )!

You know me, I aim to please 😉 .

Same schtick as before…you ask for A Day in the Life post, I randomly pick a day and put it on my calendar, when the day comes, I document and then share it with you.

This might be the most normal/boring/plain old day right here…literally nothing exciting happens…but honestly, those are my favorite days 🙂 .

Let’s go…

I slept in 😉 .  Ha!  Instead of 4:10, I woke up at 4:30 on this day.

I grabbed my coffee and headed up…

…to do my quiet time and Bible Recap!

I had a few minutes to sit at my desk, answer some emails and get a little work done before…

…jumping on my Peloton.  Full disclosure, I was going to run on this morning but it was SO WINDY outside that I decided to do this instead.  I didn’t love this class.  It was one of my least favorites.

After my 45 minute Bike Bootcamp class…

…the morning rush hour began!  I got breakfast together, emptied the dishwasher, etc, and these two cuties came down…

Mades’ new go-to breakfast is one piece of turkey bacon (not crispy!) with a scrambled egg.

Mr. Shull came home from the gym, and I grabbed a hug!

People were running around getting all of their things together, so I helped and whipped up some PB & Nutella sandwiches.  This bread right here is a go-to for us!  We buy it right there at our normal grocery store.  (Please note, I have Madeley’s hairbow attached to my shirt 😉 .)

I went to make my bed and found…

…this.  Bahahaha!  Me too, Mades.  Me too.

After I made my bed, I came back through the family room and found…

…Miss Kensington reading a book with her pup.

I asked Smith for a pic, and this is what I got…

…the 13 year old boy walking off with his bowl of cereal in hand.  I said “I’m going to post that” (joking, of course), and then he said “Please, I’ve never looked better.”

So here you go 😉 .

Time for school!  It was super windy, so I drove them to school instead of walking…but…

…as soon as I got home, I had to take these three for a quick walk.  It would have been longer but geez, it was windy.  Have I mentioned that yet?!

Back inside with coffee #2 and look who stopped by for a picture.  I love this boy.

Andrew dropped off the two middle schoolers, I did about an hour more of work, took a quick shower and then…

…it was time for my dermatologist appointment.  I hadn’t been since October when I had a bad reaction to a peel, but this time…

…I came out looking normal.  Ha!  Believe it or not, this is “normal”.  I had an Aqua Gold facial should you want to try it too.  It’s my favorite.  I only do about two a year, and that’s it.  I used to do chem peels and microderm more regularly, but now that I do this, I don’t do any of those things.

I was back at my house in less than 30 minutes and then…

…time for my random lunch.  I pulled together a salad with anything I could find in my pantry and fridge, two Middle Eastern Stuffed Meatballs from Trader Joe’s (I love those) and some jalapeno chips.

And then…

…back to work I go!

Around 3:00…

…it was time to walk to school and grab my little girls. I LOVE walking home with them and chatting about our day.

Earlier that morning, I had washed and dried Madeley’s sheets (I randomly take turns with their sheets).  I plopped them there to remind me to take them upstairs.

Kensington had a basketball game that night, and I knew we would be getting home late, so I went ahead and started dinner…

…I made my Sloppy Joe Stuffed Spuds but kept the sloppy joe portion warm in the slow cooker while we were gone…

…and started the potatoes in the airfryer.  Here’s my tip!  I think potatoes take about 1 hour and 15 minutes in the airfryer at 400 degrees.  I put them in for one hour and then pulled them out.  When we got home later that night, I popped them back in just to warm and finish up for about 15 minutes.  This works like a charm if you need them to be ready at a certain time but don’t want to wait the 75 minutes.

Dinner in the slow cooker!

Smith arrived home from school and, of course, Mades was drawing.  She’s always drawing!

Off to the next town over we go for Kensington’s basketball game, but we left a minute early…

…to stop by Sherwin Williams and confirm the paint colors for the new house in Nantucket!

Next…

…we arrive for her basketball game!  I love watching basketball!

After the game…

…Andrew helped me get dinner together.  Sloppy Joe Stuffed Spuds for four Shulls and then…

…two of us decided to heat up a bag of frozen rice and make ours bowls instead.  This bowl sums up my life.  Rice, Sloppy Joe mixture, jalapenos, spicy truffle sauce, smashed avocado and a few random Fritos.  Amen.

After dinner…

…I put the sheets on Madeley’s bed.

Next up, showers, kisses, cuddles, goodnights and then, I took my own shower…

…hopped in bed and read.

And that’s a day in the life.

See you tomorrow! xx

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Comments

  1. Sarah nienhuis says

    I’m tired just reading this! Lol
    I’m curious why your potatoes take so long in the airfryer. I do baked potatoes in there at 400 for 35-40 minutes and they come out beautifully!

    • Mix and Match Mama says

      I don’t know? Maybe because I’m using six large potatoes? Do you use a drawer-style airfryer? Those are my favorite…but alas, we use this kind instead.

      • Sarah nienhuis says

        Yes mine is a drawer 🙂 I can do up to 5-6 potatoes. I cover them in EVOO and salt, so yummy with crispy skin!!

  4. Mandie says

    I would to see your morning broken down into each activity and their time stamps. Have you done that? I don’t know how your get so much accomplished in the morning. Also, do you ever scroll social media for fun? When do you do that?

    • Mix and Match Mama says

      I have done that on Instagram before when I’m posting live during “a day in the life”! I do scroll IG a bit for fun and I’m always on Pinterest (I love Pinterest!), but other than that, no. I deleted my Twitter account years ago, I have a TikTok for creating random videos to post on Stories but I don’t follow anyone, and I only post on FB for Mix and Match Travel and Mix and Match Mama. So, I’m on social media but not a ton for leisure. There are certain friends/influeners/etc that I love seeing every day on IG though!

    • Mix and Match Mama says

      It depends on the vacation, but most of the time, no. We were waking up at 4:45 in Park City to workout before skiing though.

  7. Margaret says

    Did I miss the post about you getting a home in Nantucket! So excited to hear this. We brought a home on a lake about 24 years ago( I’m 66) and it was one of the best things we did ! There have been years where we went just a week,4 weeks , not at all. Now we get to spend 6 months a year in retirement. Our children and grandchildren love it as much as we do! Wishing you many great memories in Nantucket! Would love to see pictures.

  9. Margaret says

    Be prepared ,our son and his family have now moved to Maine full time. They are loving it and we can’t be happier for them.

  11. Kelli says

    These are so fun! Post idea: what do y’all’s school morning breakfasts look like? I’d love a list of new, easy ideas for busy mornings! Also, do you shop at Costco/Sam’s at all? If so, what’s a run look like for y’all?

    • Mix and Match Mama says

      Great ideas! I haven’t shopped at Costco/Sams in about two years. The more I shop Trader Joe’s, the less I shop there.

  12. Sara says

    You bought a house in Nantucket? How did I miss that memo? That’s great! I am so excited to hear the details!

  13. Shelly says

    This is the first I’m hearing about your house in Nantucket! I must have missed something?!? I’m not surprised though, I know how much y’all love it there! Can’t wait to hear more!!

  14. Lori Whittington says

    A couple of things: Have your tried the Hawaiian Rolls by CB? They just came out last year and I haven’t been able to find them in any grocery store yet, but I hear they are amazing as well. Is the MMM gluten free page still active on FB?

    • Mix and Match Mama says

      It is! I don’t think it’s super active, but yes, it’s still there and people comment from time to time! I haven’t tried the other rolls though. We need to!

  15. Sandi says

    Congratulations on the Nantucket home. My grandparents had a lake house that now belongs to my parents. We have been going since I was about five years old (I am now 55). My grandfather purchased three lake front lots for $500 each in 1970; my grandparents lived on one lot and the other two were for my mom and her brother. The lake is small, surrounded by a wildlife preserve, and only has 34 houses on one side. The closest Walmart is an hour away, there are zero restaurants and the closest grocery store (a Piggly-Wiggly) is about 45 minutes away. After dinner we drive back in the wildlife preserve and can see bears, deer and lots of other creatures. Even after all these years there has been very little change to the lake, which is what makes it amazing. So many family memories are tied up in those houses and the plan is to keep passing them down to future generations.

  16. Kristin Lyngaas says

    Good morning from Phoenix! This was so fun and the best part is seeing your gorgeous face with no make up on. My boys are 21 and 19 1/2 now but I totally remember those awesome days. It goes by so fast!! Pretty soon you will wish for those long 12 hour baseball tournament days. God bless you and your family. Have a great day!!

  17. Denise says

    Congrats on the house on Nantucket! We all knew it was just a matter of time but how did I miss the announcement??? Lol, or is this it? Pretty please, share more!

    • Mix and Match Mama says

      I mentioned it on Instagram and then in one blog post in December. We’re really excited! More info to come…when there’s something to share. Right now, there’s not much to say.

  19. SS says

    Shay,
    Teen boys and pix…it’s like catching Bigfoot!! Lol. Smith reminds me of our sons… They went through that (no pic phase)and our son was also the comedian (still is). Lol
    Love the post. I need to send you pix I take. Your screen pix looks like pix I took during our Christmas blizzard. Lol. Pine trees and all!!! I keep telling hubby when I grow up I am going to be a photographer. Lol
    I caught the house in Nantucket as well… Good for you.
    Have a good week!!!

  21. Carla says

    Love this! And you’re reading The Rose Cose, one of my favorites that I read last year. Read it and then visited Bletchley Park a month later — highly recommend!

  22. Julie C. says

    I absolutely LOOOVE these posts!!!! You inspire me to get more done throughout my day 🙂 I must have missed something…I had no clue you bought a house in Nantucket!!!! I can’t wait to see it & hear more about it!!!!

  23. Traci says

    Love it!!! And ekkk! Can’t wait to hear more about your new Nantucket home!! So excited for y’all!!

    • Mix and Match Mama says

      So many people do! I love being awake. I love “doing things”. It fuels me and makes me happy…but I know a lot of people like their sleep!

    • Sarah says

      Shay- do you have a post about favorite places to see, eat, stay in Nantucket!? Any tips for new travelers? I’d be traveling from Michigan.

      • Mix and Match Mama says

        I don’t have one post, but you can look back through the Nantucket tap (I’ll link it below) for all of my content including where we eat in each one. We always stat at The Nantucket Hotel & Resort. What part of Michigan? I lived in Dearborn for a year and loved that area so much!
        https://mixandmatchmama.com/posts/nantucket/

  25. Nicole M. says

    Hi Shay- I’m not sure if you and Erika are taking topic ideas for the podcast, but one that I’d love to hear you both speak to is how you ensure a high level of productivity in your jobs when you have only an hour or two to work at a time. I’ve always been intrigued by the idea of a career that allows me flexibility in my work schedule (I currently work an office job from 8am-5pm, 5 days/week), but at the same time, the idea of having only an hour to get a significant amount of tasks done at once is kind of daunting! Do you have email and website systems in place to help manage all that comes at you throughout the day? Do you dedicate certain times or days to work on your blog vs. the travel agency? And how do you track and manage your employees’ hours and workloads, if they also all have flexible schedules? You and E seem to be pros at the whole “get an hour of work done here, 2 hours of work done there,” so I think you’d have a lot to share! And I think a lot of your mostly-female audience would appreciate the insight, since this is something a lot of women struggle with 🙂

    • Mix and Match Mama says

      Nicole, you always bring the best questions but wow! These are REALLY good questions! I literally just took a screenshot of your question and texted it to Erika. Perhaps this should be a podcast topic…should we ever get our act together and podcast again…thank YOU!

  26. Jessica says

    I would LOVE to see parenting/schedule tips like how you managed naps, bottle transitions, potty training, all the things! I have one 12 month old and I can’t imagine 4 kids!

    • Mix and Match Mama says

      Head back to the archives, Jessica!! You can either search in the search box words like “kensington potty train” or you can go to the archive drop down menu for LOADS of posts from when I had babies. Look back to 2009-2013 in particular. Also, having four kids that are 8-14 is way easier than having one 12 month old 😉 .

  28. Kay says

    I love love love these posts! I’m always inspired by what a fun, cozy home you work hard to create for your kids. I’m on the same page over here-though it’s even colder/windier/snowier in Boston ;).

    Thank you for sharing! And this MA girl can’t wait to hear more about your Nantucket home! Sorry Andrew, but only Red Sox paraphernalia allowed in Red Sox Nation! He may want to go ahead and box up his Yankees things now? Just a suggestion.

    • Mix and Match Mama says

      Hahaha! He should totally go ahead and box that Yankee stuff up now. I could not agree more! Enjoy Boston today!!!

  29. Toni :0) says

    Fun post, always interesting to see how much is jammed in a day and your days are long! Whew! Just curious and not a snark at all so please it’s not intended that way at all, why you don’t use harnesses on the dogs when you walk them? When we rescued our pup, our neighbor saw us walking our dog with just a leash and collar and suggested to us a harness as it is gentler on their necks when walking them so you don’t choke them. Also, another curiosity, what is that silver thing on your wall above the dog bed the right of your fireplace? Is that a sprinkler of some sort? I’ve noticed it before but never think to ask it on IG when you do Ask Me Anything boxes 🤣. Have a fabulous Monday!

    • Mix and Match Mama says

      You are totally allowed to ask questions without it appearing as snark! We used harnesses when they were puppies but now that they’re all older and well behaved/trained dogs on leashes, we don’t as they don’t pull any more (they walk right by me). If I tried to put Poppy in a harness right now, she would roll her eyes at me 😉 . We do have a fire suppression system in our house (sprinklers!) but what you’re seeing in that photo is where the key goes for the gas for the fireplace.

      • Toni :0) says

        Ahhh, thanks for replying!! Makes sense and glad the dogs don’t pull. They are all so cute! Little fluff balls. Oh gosh, a key for the fireplace!! Hahaha had no idea and now that I look closer it does look like it fits some kind of key. ☺️

  30. Debbra Weber says

    Thank you for the tip on the baked potatoes! I am using baked potatoes for dinner Wednesday night so will give your method a try. Also, please more info on the Acqua Golden Facial!!! I’m intrigued.

    • Mix and Match Mama says

      My dermatologist’s office does them. I love it because you get a big “bang” for no downtime. It helps with lines, wrinkles, hydration, firmness…it really does it all.

    • Mix and Match Mama says

      If it’s going to be longer than like 30 minutes, I do. If it’s less than 30, I just keep them in the air fryer.

  32. Christie says

    Love to read these posts!
    When do your kids get their homework done? And how do you do it when they need your help? This is our daily struggle with activities/all the things needing to get done before a decent bedtime…sigh

    Thanks!

    • Mix and Match Mama says

      My big kids do it all independently when they get home from school/between things/in the evenings. Ashby’s teacher is a “no homework” teacher this year (score!), and Madeley only has about 15-20 minutes each night that we do as soon as we walk in the door.

  33. Taylor R says

    I am intrigued by the book you are currently reading — I know it will be in your monthly book review but it looked good by that half page sneak peek! What is it? Are you enjoying? Maybe I can get ahead of the game and get my library hold placed…. 🙃❤️

    • Carly says

      If it is Rose Code like it looks like ;), I actually rated it 4.5/5 Stars! I’m not sure what turned Shay off, and I’m intrigued to read about it in your post later this month, but I LOVED it! (It also has a 4.46/5 rating in Goodreads). All that to say, you might like it…

      • Kelly says

        Yes, I’m surprised! I enjoyed it as well. Looking forward to seeing what turned Shay off of it;).

    • Mix and Match Mama says

      I do typically eat breakfast! On this day, I had turkey bacon and some scrambled eggs too!

  35. Maryellen says

    When that alarm rings how do you find the motivation to get up so early? Do you want to stay in bed later? How do you push past that desire? I give you a lot of credit! I am retired now but worked for forty years and I think I drug myself out of bed all forty years haha

    • Mix and Match Mama says

      I totally could hit snooze and go back to sleep, but I know that later in the day, I would be so mad at myself. Once you add a few extra hours to your day…it’s hard to give them back. That gets me up…and coffee 🙂 .

  36. Beth Valenta says

    Whew, you have energy! I love these posts. I cannot wait for Nantucket house posts and new podcast girls, I so miss you.

  38. Ashley says

    This was a fun post! I’m still a little new here, but I can see why others would want more of these posts! Your sloppy joe bowl looks amazing, I will have to try that sometime. Really elevates things compared to a sloppy joe sandwich!

    Hope you have an amazing week! 🙂

    Make Life Marvelous

  39. Tammi Creed says

    Do you only sleep 6 hours each night? I couldn’t survive. I also have 4 kids and one with very special needs. It’s exhausting.

    • Mix and Match Mama says

      I can’t imagine. I’m not saying sleeping 6 hours is for everyone. It certainly is not.

  40. Kim N says

    I love Day in the Life posts the most! Where did you get your flannel sheets on your bed (with the houses). So cute! And I bet I look like Madeley getting up early tomorrow morning after this three day weekend where we got to sleep in a bit!

  41. Megan says

    Hello there! Would you mind sharing where your bedding/comforter is from? I’m in the market for a quilted spread/comforter and like the looks of yours. Thank you!

  42. Katie says

    Silly question about the bacon 🙂 – How do you manage the single piece of bacon in the morning? Do you make a big batch and then warm a piece each day? Do you make a single piece every morning? What method do you use for cooking?

    I love bacon but hate making it. What is the secret?!

    • Mix and Match Mama says

      I just put however many pieces we need (that day it was three) in our nonstick skillet. Easy as that! It only takes about 4 minutes to crisp up (Mades doesn’t love hers crispy but Ashby and I do!).

  44. Karah Stracener says

    These are my favorite posts. I am always amazed by how early you can get up and get stuff done. I am such a night owl but starting to try and be better. Im making myself go to bed by 10:30 so I can get up and work out before going into work. I go to a local med spa for a monthly facial but I am going to have to look into this. It sounds amazing!! I am all about keeping my skin looking fresh and young.

    • Mix and Match Mama says

      I haven’t posted really anything about it other than that we bought a house. I’m excited to share more as the year goes on and we visit!

  46. April says

    Have your previously shared info and/or review on your espresso machine that makes an appearance in one of the pics? I’m currently researching different ones, trying to decide which one to purchase.

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