Susie-2011: 2012

Mommy Diaries: A Day in the Life of Jennifer Carr

6:30AM Wake up.

6:45AM Actually get out of bed.

6:50AM Wake my two boys—it’s always an adventure walking through their rooms in the dark.

6:55AM Make coffee. Make lunches. Make breakfast.

7:10AM Wake boys AGAIN!

7:30AM Boys are eating breakfast and Jed takes his medication (he takes Focalin for ADHD). Jed’s meds are not covered by insurance because they are considered a mental health drug and our insurance provider has decided not to cover mental heath anymore. So, we are spending $120 per month on the Focalin, which helps him pay attention at the school that is costing us an arm and a leg … I digress! Jed complains about taking his meds, as he does every morning, and he reminds us that it is not fair that he has to take medicine and James doesn’t.

7:45AM Scott takes the boys to school (just one of the many benefits of having a husband who works from home). I sit down at my computer, check my calendar and try to get ready for another crazy day. Three years ago, I started my own business …. I am thrilled that my business has steadily grown.

7:50AM Grab another cup of coffee and wrap my head around today’s project: taking pictures of my new designs and products and sending them to my Web designer so she can begin loading the images onto my Web site. Taking these photos is just one of the many tasks I need to complete in order to launch my spring line next week.

8:30AM I’ve finished setting up my studio (tables and walls draped in black felt, a few mannequins and a digital camera) and begin taking pictures.

10:45AM 10 photos down, eight more to go! I realize I’m not going to get these photos done before my 11:30 meeting. I have a bride coming over to finalize fabric choices. She is choosing fabrics that coordinate with her wedding colors and I’m making custom aprons for her to give as bridesmaid gifts. I have not showered, and am thinking I will just have to skip the shower today. Wait a minute, I skipped the shower yesterday.

11:15AM As I am getting out of the shower, the doorbell rings—the bride is early! Breakfast dishes are still on the table, beds are not made, my “studio” is set up in our dining room, my hair is wet and I’m not dressed. I yell at Scott to get the door (he hates when I ask him to do stuff like this). I finally come to the door, apologize for the mess but do not apologize for making her wait because she’s the early one!

12:30PM The meeting was a success; she picked out some adorable combinations and I think her bridesmaids will be thrilled with their aprons.

12:35PM Eat lunch (a Diet Coke and leftover chicken spaghetti).

12:40PM Doorbell rings; the guys are here to install our new chimney cap. I completely forgot they were coming and am so glad I’m home! It took a bird flying into our family room, via the chimney, for us to realize our chimney cap, original to our 60-year-old house, needed to be replaced.

12:45PM Resume photo shoot.

2:35PM I’ve finished taking the photos but because I have to leave the house in 10 minutes to pick up my boys, I do not have time to upload, crop and e-mail the photos.

3:10PM Get Jed from school.

3:30PM Get James from school.

4PM The boys are “STARVING.” I clear breakfast dishes from the kitchen table to make room for them to do their homework. While they are working, I get them a snack (Girl Scout cookies and milk).

4:45PM Homework completed, the boys go next door to play. I begin photo upload and check e-mail.

5:15PM I put on my favorite Hot Mama Apron and begin dinner. Tonight we are having chalupas, rice and beans. I try my best to cook dinner for my family every night. My mother cooked for us when I was growing up. I now realize how much time, effort and organization goes into making dinner every night!

5:45PM The boys are back and are “STARVING” again.

6PM We sit down in the dinning room, amid the black felt and mannequins, and eat dinner together.

7PM I clean the kitchen (breakfast dishes included). Scott makes sure the boys get a bath and brush their teeth.

7:55PM I plead with the boys to go to bed … We aim for somewhere between 7:45 and 8 p.m., but this never happens.

9PM I finish cropping my pictures and e-mail them to my Web designer.

9:55PM Scott and I watch last Sunday’s episode of Big Love and an episode of Arrested Development.

11:30PM Lights out!

SIDEBAR

All About Jennifer

What she’s reading: A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
Favorite indulgence: Snuffers’ cheese fries
Nicknames for sons: Jedder and Jameser
Can’t-miss TV show: I just finished watching The Wire on DVD and I am looking forward to David Simon’s new project TremeMeal she’s known for: Creamy chicken enchiladas
Favorite family outing: Port Aransas
What’s in her handbag: Wallet, dog leash, Darth Vader action figure, calculator, receipt book, BlackBerry, Purel, a package of Wet Ones, an envelope full of coupons I never use and car keys
How she spends her “me” time: Sewing and decorating my house

Robin always says this when we are having the most fun, "Wonder what the poor folks are doing" It always makes me laugh so hard.

Rusty and Jennifer Woodland let us use their river house this weekend (August 19, 2012).

As we drove into Rusty and Jennifer's river house in Utopia, I noticed the temperature, see below. There was an axis deer in the yard to greet us.

The next day, Byrom put up the flags and we had a full breakfast. We payed games and got ready to go to the Frio River. There is no t.v. and I believe they just recently got a phone. We were really roughing it.

I can't think of the name of this game, but it is the one with marbles and you win by only having one marble left . . .

Between my turn at cards and Yautze, I finished Presley's toe blossoms. I never would have gotten this done at home.

The river trip on Saturday was great. Miranda jumped off every rope swing and off a 25' cliff. We only had to wait 45 minutes for her to get her courage up to do it.

It rained several inches on Saturday night and the Sunday float was even better. The Frio was really flowing.

Thanks Rusty and Jennifer, we had an awesome time.