The 24 Hours of Lee

I love receiving e-mails from you! Your questions are always thoughtful and thought provoking. I enjoy, and am flattered, that you think enough of me to ask. One question that comes up on a regular basis is how I manage to do “it all”.

Well, I don’t.

I do a lot, but certainly not as much as I probably could.

A typical weekday, during the school year, when the stars align and there are no sick kids, no phone calls, no appointments, no special events:

6:00AM The alarm goes off, I hit the snooze button
6:10AM The alarm goes off again and I turn it off for good. Sit up, look outside, check who is all in the bed with me, look around for slippers, brush teeth, head downstairs and make coffee. Coffee is dripping and dishwasher is emptied. Head back upstairs for a shower.
6:30AM Back downstairs (who says I don’t exercise in the morning!) to get my first cup of coffee. Back upstairs to sit at the computer and catch up on my blog reading. Sometimes I hear Claire starting her morning routine – hitting the sleep button!
7:00AM Claire has to be up, washed and dressed and headed down to eat breakfast.
7:20AM We’re in the car taking Claire to school for 7:30AM. We discuss when I’m picking her up and whether or not there are any after-school activities or if she needs to babysit. This is one of my favourite 10-mintues of the day.
7:45AM Back home and the chaos begins. Caden has been up since 6:30 and is dragged away from the Wii hockey, Chloe and Cole are still crashed. Eventually everyone makes it into the kitchen where all eat breakfast and lunches are made. Louis and I generally go over our calendars and make sure we’re on the same wavelength for after-school/evening activities. The boys are responsible to pack their gear and have it at the front door if one or more of the activities include them.
8:35AM Kids are packed in the truck and Louis takes them to school on his way to work.
8:37AM The first load of laundry is tossed in the washer.
8:45AM My second cup of coffee is poured and I finish reading blog posts and e-mails.
9:00AM While listening to the crotchety Regis and delightful Kelly, I plan my writing assignments, outlines, scrapbook projects, photography ideas, volunteer logistics, online courses, etc. I’m a planner, a muller, I have to have everything mapped out before I start. I feel I use my time more efficiently if I’ve got a plan ;)
10:00AM Sneakers are on, grab the iPod and I’m out the door. An hour walk – rain or shine, though, to be sure I prefer shine, but cool shine! The weather lately has been perfect.
10:01AM Wonder what the hell I’m doing and why didn’t I bring my camera?
10:17AM Body is screaming in pain. Shift brain into idea state and consider upcoming blog posts, photo ideas, kid activities, chores to do, grocery list, etc. Muscles seem to respond well to this.
10:59AM Crawl up the front stairs and into the house. Before body completely atrophies, move wash into dryer and add in new load.
11:01AM Make brunch and write down any ideas that may have seeped into my brain during my walk.
11:15AM Create stuff, write, research, do laundry and if it’s Thursday, grocery shop.
3:15AM Be at school to collect kids. Depending on when Claire is out of school, we either head home or head to her school.
Witching Hour lasts from 4PM through 8PM with all manner of kid activity, except on Monday because I need to ease into the insanity.
8:00PM Somehow the kids have all eaten a relatively balanced meal and the two little people, who are not so little anymore, are getting ready for bed.
8:01PM Someone, bless them, hands me a glass of white wine
8:17PM Someone, bless them again, fills up the glass again
8:30PM Dishes are loaded in dishwasher, equipment put where it needs to go, bedtime routines are completed, homework checked, agendas signed, kisses all around. Round 1 is done.
8:45PM At least one of the two cannot sleep and must go to my bed. I no longer argue.
9:00PM I’m on the computer with the TV on in the background.
10:00PM Cole comes to kiss me goodnight and heads to bed, Claire finds me sometime thereafter.
10:37PM I’m in shut-down mode. I’ve moved upstairs and settled in for the evening. Sometimes I’m on the computer, sometimes with the TV on, sometimes both. Whatever prime time show is just coming to its climax and the news is about to start with whatever ‘big crime’ or ‘drama’ of the day.
11:01PM I’ve listened to Lloyd introduce the first story and my head has hit the pillow and I’m immediately asleep. Louis is always amazed that I can be asleep so fast. It wasn't always this way, but I'm glad I no longer toss and turn.
2:53AM Yup, I’m old, up to use the bathroom. And maybe, maybe, remember a kernel or two and write down a few notes.

And there is the typical 24-hours in my life.