{the good, the bad & the ugly}

of my extraordinarily, ordinary Monday, Monday.

This post will bore you and is for no one but me, myself and I.  I wanted to remember these blurred days in some manner - so, I think from time to time I will post the events of the day.  Yes, I am to the minute basically, but that is how I've billed for the law firm for 10 yrs + {simply in a different format than minutes though}...naturally, it is now how my brain functions re: all things related to time.

But, as crazy as this will seem to some, it may either be a positive or a negative for me.  I feel like I am constantly running and accomplishing little.  I know that EVERYONE is beyond busy.  This is absolutely not an "I'm busier than you" boat.  If it were, I could probably do better by jumping out and swimming.  But, one, I want to remember.  Two, if there is insight out there on chunks of time I am spinning my wheels on, I welcome the insight.

Today is a very relaxed, somewhat boring day.  I've tried to block off Mondays as none "work" days because I am working so many Saturdays right now.  Basically, a day to catch up.  But, being self-employed, there are still work "fires" I will have to address and put out regardless.  It just feels better to know I don't have to go anywhere or complete a session on this day.  

In other words, I don't have to wash my hair.

So, here goes.... 

6:01 - alarm goes off {the first time}...I actually got UP and walked across the room to reset it x 3 and finally rolled out of bed {running at this point} at precisely 6:45. So tired?? 

6:45-7:30 - kids up/ready, breakfast made, lunches packed, my toast scarfed, book order filled out, snack grabbed - out the door and on the road by 7:30

7:55 - kiss boys goodbye

8:24 - arrive back home, decide that officially joining 4-H tonight isn't very likely, therefore, I will skip the hair wash day...quick shower and sunscreen on face.

8:34 - phone begins ringing for the day.  A new MD appt tomorrow for Scott {I COMPLETELY forgot about}.

8:47 - finished my quiet time, ironically titled, "Sabbath Spaces"

8:48 - 2nd load of laundry in washer

8:50 - 9:01 dogs awake and out for a quick walk

9:01 - coffee on.  PTL.

9:01 - clean kitchen with Air1 blaring.

9:22-9:36 quick sweep of the living room/dust/vacuum

9:36-9:42 sat down at desk in LR to weed through the pile that had accumulated over the weekend, update calendar, highlight lunch menu for yes/no's {there are only 5 days in April that one or both will not be packing a lunch}, cameras, lenses, CF cards, etc 

9:42-10:10  pulled up FB and two email accounts to check for/respond to photography messages, take call re: farm purchase, review paypal acct for new payments/transfer to account, etc.
10:10-0:13 update today's To-Do-List
10:13-10:25  3rd load of laundry in/switched - clean sweep of foyer/office
10:25-10:55 week's forecast checked, confirmation sent to tomorrow's session, scheduled 4 MD appts, peeked in on the blogs of my friends - apparently they are on a hiatus. :(
10:55-11:38 - invoiced and settled a wedding account on new accounting system, deposits readied, contacted 2nd photog re: upcoming wedding and ate an orange while standing at kitchen sink. ;)
11:38-12:04  4th load of laundry switch-a-roo,  both dogs out, chickens fed & watered {no eggs, they are on strike since they've been kicked out of their coop for the little ones}, walk-through barn since the crew is on lunch break. 
12:04-12:25  pull bridal packet to send {out of them, lovely}, print and package bridal packet to mail today, f/u with bride via email that it is being shipped today  
12:25-12:36 conversed with 2nd photog re: upcoming wedding
12:41 - finished a blog update
12:41-1:14 5th load of laundry switch {disclaimer:  some of these loads only have a few items;}, lunch of sandwich & veggie chips, read a chapter of James, took dogs out.  again.
1:14-1:20 farm distraction ;)
1:20-1:25 online order from USPS for supplies
1:25-1:46 online order for AMC
1:46-1:52 decision on studio lighting for order
1:52-2:09 had to move all vehicles to avoid barn paint over spray
2:09-2:24 finish edit of a wedding gallery
2:24-2:31 size and add additional pictures into said wedding gallery
2:31-3:48 leave house, scrap dinner plans: order pizza, get gas, pick up boys/pizza, bank, post office, return home for evening {hmmm...tweaked that a bit - took different car that didn't need gas, decided against the pizza, quick trip by bank and post office, then home}
3:48-5:08 prepare 3 CDs of wedding, package, print/sign releases, instructions for printing, 3 phone calls, etc - boys were having snacks and wrapped up homework.
5:08-5:20 order new CD tins and inserts
5:20-5:34 START.  Yes, I said start taxes.
5:34-6:07 outside to play.  Finally. :)  Until the rain. :(
6:07-7:45 watched a movie with the boys / Noah watched and read a book.
7:45-8:30 boys ready for bed.  Trying to keep E calm as the Iowa Testing begins tomorrow and I am trying to rid him of fretting.  Prayers.
9:20-finally got Evan in bed for the.last.time.of.the.night.
9:30-2:10 taxes.

Again, a strange post but pretty much for my eyes only.   Some days my days feel very mundane and the next day feels very much the same, Ground Hogs Day, anyone?  But, many days that is how I get from Point A of the alarm ringing to bedtime. My days definitely do not always look like the day above.  Some days they actually have some fun and other days they can be crazy-frantic. What I am desperately trying to "get" at my ripening old age is...that ALL of the little moments count.  Yes, my family needs clean underwear, but they also need me to keep my spirit fresh.  I can look above and see some definite items missing that direly need to be incorporated, such as some physical activity.  I need to carve and reshapen as much as I possibly can.  I need all of those little moments to count.  Because basically ANYTHING we do - the ink on the calendar or the prayers at bedtime - are testaments to His work in my life.

And, how does the above post have absolutely anything to do with something as monumental as a legacy....I'll get to that in a later post.  I think I'll revisit my activities of the day at random and see what I can glean! 

There is always something to clean {that was an honest typo!} glean isn't there? 

{pretty much perfect}

i.am.savoring.

today.

it has been pretty great thus far.

actually totally great.

after weeks and weeks of stressful chaos,

the skies are parting and i'm beginning to breath.

a bit.

still so much to do, but some major projects have been

tackled and completed. yay! i still have my nursing

license despite the hurricane hitting my testing center last week.

so, i have 40 hours under my belt instead of the required 15.

all is good. 

i had my quiet time on the patio this morning with a wonderful

devotion and a yummy cup of coffee.

while listening to my rooster crow.

laundry on the clothes line.

working in my pj's in the living room. with the

boys playing and reading around me.

music playing all morning.  no television.

a freshly cut lawn.

a sleeping dog.

and, a sleeping husband with a headache. :(

that part is not good at all. 

a playful kitty.

boys i can hear a room away playing legos.

and, giggling.

a pumpkin spice candle burning.

razorbacks with starting quarterback tyler wilson

playing at 6 pm.  WPS!!!!!

family coming over with pizza to watch said game.

heading out early in the morning for a final weekend

with summer.   our last hooray.  the smiles on the boys face will make

the crowd worth it.  {praying daddy gets to go this time}.

my fall calendar looks good. balanced. 

i've learned to say no.

and, i'm proud as terrible as that sounds.

countdown is on for new puppy, savannah.

cannot wait to get my hands on her.

i am feeling overly blessed.

overly happy.

overly content.

and, even though a to-do list that would

make any sane person cringe is still staring at

me.  i know the end is in sight.

my goal for getting everything under control:  to spend

more quality time with my family & friends both near and far. :)

{review mirror}

where o' where has my weekend disappeared to?

i had big plans?

but, few of my have-to-finish-projects got finished for one

reason or another, but the reasons were basically out of my control.

but, today, i want to remember a few tidbits.

*exhausted this morning, slept a little later than i should have, but

scott was up and around, so i planned on help from him to get

us all out the door.

*migraine hit, very late getting out the door.

*BUT, the boys  were kind enough that as soon as they were ready

they loaded themselves in the car and patiently waited for me.

*stopped by wal-mart for cash.  yes, no debit card on me, so my

next best bank is wally-world.  i did have to pick up a bd card as well.

*i gasped when I saw E exit the car at walmart.  remember:  they had loaded

themselves.  he had also dressed himself.  BIG striped, multi-colored polo with 

a huge hole in it with brown plaid shorts, mismatched socks and muddy play shoes.

remember, on our way to church.  as we ran to get a card and cash i zipped through

the boys section and got a new shirt.  dressed in the car.

*to church a tad late.

*WONDERFUL service.

*late service, exited the church in a mad dash as the clock glared 12:08 at me.

i was to have N to the carpool parking lot across town to meet the boys. 

*gathered boys and ran.  sat with my reverse lights on for SIX minutes as no

one would let me out.  traffic jam in GW in the resturant sections. dads were

nice enough to wait on us.  i think they know it will always be me.

*could not make my car go home although i needed to.  to pick up some

things for hospital and on to hospital to see our sweet friends. 

*groceries in heels.  with , E.

*gallon on milk spilled in the back on the vehicle on the way home.

*so, i am trying to figure out what to do next.  

*i'm thinking yoga pants are in order.

*awaiting call to  pick up N in GW, and then we will be swinging to 

a car wash that houses a wet/dry vac. 

*then, I will start working.  

*oh, and, I've gone without carbs today. 

that in and of itself....well, you can imagine......

my white flag is raised.

{my day}

8 am:  Molly @ Dr. Nick's.

Dropped Molly off @ home. 

To the walk-in clinic for me.

Wait, wait, wait.

Pharmacy drop-off.

Pick up boys from school.

Noah to Dr. Udouji for splint re-evaluation.

Errands.

Home again.

And, I wonder why I can't accomplish anything??