These are my 9th annual (can you believe it?) day-in-the-life photos! I've been taking photos of one ordinary day in May every year since 2013. I still cherish those very first photos when Jed was just 3 years old and refer to those past blog posts often because so much changes in just one year!
So welcome to Wednesday May 5, 2021 -- our 14th anniversary! I chose our anniversary because, why not? I love my Honey Buns. But I also chose it because I've been taking the big boys to swim team every Monday and Wednesday since the beginning of February. It's become a part of our routine.
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Jed and Levi's alarm goes off at 6:50AM. They are the world's best kids at getting themselves up and ready for the school day. It makes me feel like the world's laziest mom, but hey, I give myself some credit for teaching them this kind of discipline. Lol. Levi comes out to the kitchen wrapped in a blanket to grab some breakfast while Jed hops in the shower. Then they switch.
I roll myself out of bed a few minutes after 7:00AM to come say good morning, make sure they've got their backpacks together, and most importantly, kiss them goodbye. The bus picks them up promptly at 7:30AM.
I've been trying to get myself into a morning exercise routine. Some days I don't fit it in til nap time, but on this particular morning, I'm able to fit in 20 minutes of kettlebells. Kettlebells have been helping to strengthen my back and core. I feel so much better after swinging some weight around, it's crazy!
It's also our anniversary, so I place a little card I've signed on the kitchen countertop next to some sushi I bought the day before; sushi is one of Bron's favorite food.
Then I help Conrad pour some cereal... from a box that he ripped open like an animal.
I can hear the baby has been fussing through the monitor for several minutes so I go to his room to greet him.
Words will never adequately express how much I love nursing! There's nothing quite like holding my baby close, saying a silent prayer, and simply taking a moment to relax first thing in the morning.
Bron comes in and kisses me goodbye before leaving for work. After nursing, Ezra gets his diaper changed and the little boys play for a few minutes in the nursery.
^^Conrad being diplomatic and trading Ezra a book in exchange for a toy.^^
Then it's time to make my bed and hop in the shower! We don't always shower together, but Ezra has a stuffy nose and cough. I know the warm steamy water will help him feel better.
Ezra didn't enjoy the shower as much as I'd anticipated. But I dried him off, lathered him lotion, and soon he was his happy curious self again. He emptied my bathroom drawers while I dressed, put on a little make-up, and threw my hair into a second day bun.
By now it's a little after 9AM and time for second breakfast (first breakfast for me). Conrad beat me into the kitchen, had an accident, and spilled the cottage cheese all over the floor. Breakfast felt like a whirlwind from that moment on. I got Ezra set up in his high chair with some sliced strawberries. I dished Conrad up the rest of the cottage cheese and added part of a can of fruit cocktail that he brought out from the pantry. I started pressure cooking six eggs. I cleaned up the spilled cottage cheese. I buttered some toast for both boys. I served Ezra some fruit cocktail. I answered some text messages. I consulted my planner and wrote in several items to accomplish from my master weekly to-do list. (Note: Only one of those items got crossed off. I wound up accomplishing other tasks instead! Lol. Typical.) I ate a couple of strawberries myself and two boiled eggs. I tried feeding Ezra some cottage cheese but he was uninterested.
While I cleaned up the kitchen, switched some laundry, and other menial tasks, Conrad slipped out the back door to play on our rock mound. Our yard is nothing but dirt and rocks right now, but it's a little boy's dream playground. Then the boys played with toys in the blue room and we read some library books together. I also got a few more things done around the house between playing and reading.
^^Their little relationship is so fun to watch blossom. Conrad and Ezra are always putting their heads together and wrestling. Ezra sure adores his big brother!^^
By now, it's around 10:45AM and Ezra is ready for a nap! I turn on Conrad's favorite cartoon: Curious George. Then I snuggle up with Ezra in his room and nurse him to sleep.
During nap time I talk with Bron on the phone and change my to-do list plans for the day. I go outside to turn on the pasture water. I spend a half hour dealing with a scam that reared its ugly head in my inbox. Whew! Dodged a bullet. I killed some weeds with chemical. I struggled to turn the water back off at the riser. This wanna-be farm girl has a learning curve to overcome! And then I tried on my brand new pretty dress that arrived in the mail for family pictures. It's so flowy! I also scroll through Instagram for a few minutes.
Ezra naps for a solid 2 -2.5 hours every day. Woohoo! When I hear Ezra awake, I turn off the TV and let Conrad climb into the crib. It's something both boys enjoy. Then while I nurse Ezra, Conrad disappears outside again. He asks if he can feed the cows some grain and I say okay.
Next up, a late lunch! On the menu is cheese, crackers, salami, apple slices, pineapple, carrots, cucumbers, and hummus... with a side of guacamole and chips for me. Gotta eat well to live well!
During lunch, Conrad somehow falls off his stool and hits his head. Four year old spaz problems. I check him out and he's okay, but Conrad insists on snuggling up in his bed for a while. I tuck him in and give him a kiss. He totally falls asleep a few minutes later! The kid runs hot and hard and could use a nap every day.
While Conrad sleeps, I clean and sweep and fold some laundry. I also Marco Polo my sister. While I do this, Ezra keeps himself entertained by emptying my cupboards and pushing a stool around the house. It's really cute to watch him! Finally though, he climbs into my lap for some cuddles while I fold the laundry.
Jed and Levi arrive home from school at 3:45PM. I ask them all about their day while they help themselves to a snack in the kitchen. Then it's time to tackle their daily chores: feed and water the dogs and cows, empty the dish washer, and one other of my choice. On this particular day, they empty some trash cans for me.
^^Jed named his cow Dominoe. Levi named his Pepper Jack. The goal is to have them halter broke by fair time Labor Day weekend.^^
Normally, I like to serve an early dinner before the boys go to swim team. But on this particular day, my friend Stephanie -- who I'd only talked to online and on the phone up until this point -- was hosting free snow cones at the local Soda Barn. So we all loaded up into the car at 5:00PM to get a taste of summer! Bonus, I got to meet Stephanie in person. She's a sweet gem, by the way, and she's going to be taking our family pictures next month.
After eating snow cones, we drove into town where I dropped the big boys off at the city pool for swim team. Then the little boys and I went to the park. (If it's too cold or windy we hit up the park inside the mall.) By the time we got there, Ezra was fast asleep! Poor kid. His second nap of the day seems to be on the go more often than not. Anyway, Conrad woke him up and we played in the sunshine at the park for an hour.
^^Conrad has some rad jumping skills! I really think he might be the most athletic of all my boys.^^
We pick up Jed and Levi from swim just after 7:00PM. Then we head over to the bank to withdraw some cash and I realize how late it is and how tired we all are! Bron went to Utah and back that day and then to activity night with the young men. He wouldn't be hungry for dinner. So I make the executive decision to grab some food in town. And then I spontaneously park beside a grassy median in the parking lot and make it a picnic dinner. Voila. Everyone's bellies are full and everyone is feeling happy. Win!
^^Chick-Fil-A was a no brainer decision since it's delicious and right next door to the bank.^^
^^Ezra's mouth full of fries here cracks me up!^^
^^This had to be documented. I often find Jed pretzeled up like this reading a book. It's so 100% him.^^
^^Ezra has a sweet and unique relationship with each of his brothers.^^
When we arrive home, there's a bouquet of flowers on the table just for me. But they're not just any flowers, they are yellow roses and stargazer lilies and little white daisies; some of my favorites. This is a thoughtful bouqet. Happy Anniversary!
The kids watch some TV, Ezra plays on the floor, and I zone out for a little while. Then it's time for the bedtime routine: pick up the toys, get on pajamas, brush teeth, and say a family prayer. While I sit down to nurse Ezra, Bron arrives home. Ezra is so excited about it that we have to come out of his room for a few hugs and kisses before actually going to bed. Ezra is such a daddy's boy! It's darling. And Jed makes me proud. He can be so helpful. On this particular night, he started reading Conrad a book and Levi joined in. I love seeing them together like that!
The kids are in bed around 9:00PM and that's a wrap for the day. I have over 10,000 steps on my Garmin pedometer. I feel tired but content. It was a full and good day with my four boys.
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