A day in the life

Hi 'The Domestic Wannabe' readers! My name is Kelley and my blog is called 3 Cowboys and a Mommy.  I work full-time as the marketing director for a large John Deere dealership, my husband (Tyler) is a real life cowboy and runs his own farming/cattle business in southwest Kansas and we have been blessed with 2 little cowboys (Keeler age 4 & Kallahan 20 months).

This is how a typical day in our life looks likes - just 3 cowboys and a mommy.  

5:30a:: My alarm goes off and I work at convincing myself to get out of bed to go work out.  I stayed up too late last night watching a few shows off the DVR - I'm obsessed with The Client List right now.  I managed to get up knowing I have a 10K race on Saturday to train for.  This is my last tempo run before the big day.  I lace up my shoes and head out the door for a quick 2.5 mile jog around the neighborhood   It's getting so hot here mornings are the only tolerable time of day to run.  It's a beautiful morning and made for a perfect run.

6:10a:: When I get home I go to the basement for a quick free weight and ab session.  After a good stretch I get in the in the shower.  By the time I get out and start putting on my makeup Keeler walks into my bathroom and asks for his breakfast.  He wakes up between 6:00am and 6:30 every day.  This boy is our early riser!  After a quick hug, I obliged and walk with him to the living room.  I turn on Disney Jr, make him a cup of chocolate milk, put a banana and a Special K Bar in a bowl and he is good to go on the couch while I finish getting ready.  Yes, parents of the year here - he eats on the couch in front of the TV.  

7:20a:: I'm now dressed and ready for work. I make a cup of hot green tea, throw myself a banana and a bag of Kashi Autumn Wheat cereal into my work bag.  When I get a box of cereal I go ahead and prebag a serving into little baggies so I can grab them on the way out the door. I run back to our bedroom and kiss Tyler goodbye.  By now he is getting around and heading to the shower.  I then run back up to the front of the house and kiss Keeler goodbye.  I give him a run down of his daily schedule so he knows what to look forward to - Bible School, lunch (yes, I'll be able to eat with you) story-time and then blastball after I pick you up.  Baby Kallahan is still snoozing.  Tyler typically wakes him as soon as he is about to leave to take the little cowboys to the sitters (Granny).  On weekends he'll sleep until around 9am.  #amazing!

7:32a:: By now I'm running late to work as usual so I dart out the door. 

7:40a:: I arrive at work.  I go through emails and catch up on facebook while I drink my green tea and eat breakfast.  I justify this because facebook is part of my job - since I'm marketing I manage our companies' business page. ;)  Fellow coworkers pop in and out of my office and visit about this and that.

8:40a:: I meet the other location managers in the conference room for our weekly meeting

10:30a::  After our meeting I return to my office.  I have some missed calls to return and some equipment changes to make.

11:45a:: I leave work to pick up Keeler from Bible school (VBS).  He is having such a good time.  Today they send him home with a CD of the theme songs so we listen to it on the way back to Granny's.  My heart smiles when I hear him singing about his love for Jesus!  

We pick up Granny and Kallahan and get a quick bite to eat at Subway.  I seriously could be the next Jared ya'll, we eat Subway for lunch more times than not.  We live in a small town and our options are slim so Subway is the only quick healthy option.

1:00p:: I drop the little cowboys and Granny off at her house and return back at work.  The little cowboys typically take a nap right after lunch.

....until 5:30p::  I complete various tasks at work.  The afternoon typically goes pretty slow but today I had a few extra projects since we have a merger in the horizon.  I was working on getting updated price quotes on promotional materials.  At 3pm I eat a cup of strawberries as my afternoon snack.  I am a definite creature of habit and have to eat at 3pm everyday.  Since I'm tracking calories with myfitnesspal I stay away from the vending machines and just pack some fruit to tie me over.

5:37p::  I pick up the little cowboys!  This is always the best part of my day.  I love opening the door and hearing both boys running up to me saying "mama mama!"  Kal is 20 months old and has just started talking.  I think since he's been such a late talker I appreciate it so much more.

6:00p::  We arrive home.  I know I need to get the little cowboys and myself fed pretty quickly since Keeler has blastball tonight.  This is our first week at taking this little class and he is really enjoying it.  Blastball is what our recreation center offers for 4-year-olds before t-ball.  I heat up the boys left overs and I make myself a big salad.  I love that it's summer and Tyler is grilling on the weekends so I can throw a grilled chicken or steak salad together in minutes.  I hate to cook and hate the mess so our meals are always pretty simple.  

At dinner I ask Keeler about his day.  He reports that he didn't enjoy story-time very well.  I tell him maybe it was just the story and let's see how the next session goes.  I signed him up for various rec activities throughout the summer to keep him occupied while preschool is out.  As always, Kallahan manages to scream throughout the meal and I repeatedly tell the boys to eat so we can head to blastball.  Why is mealtime always such a struggle?  

6:45p::  After dinner the little cowboys 'help' me clear the table and get the dishes to the dishwasher.  We change Keeler into his tennis shoes and go on a ball glove hunt.  We find it in the garage.  Then we load up and head to the gym.

7:00p::  Blastball starts.  Kallahan and I sit in the stands and watch Keeler play.  Kallahan and a few of the younger siblings play down around the front of the bleachers.  I start thinking about all the hours I have ahead in my future of sitting in stands watching my little cowboys play sports.  I'm not a big sports fan by any means but I could watch my children all day.  

I'm so proud to by their mommy,

7:45p::  Blastball is over.  Keeler did very well and hit the ball each time when he went up to bat!  I wish Tyler could have been here to see him but summer on the farm means long work days.  Keeler was getting tired and ran back over to me a couple times and asked if we could leave.  Once they're dismissed we load up and head back home.  Both the little cowboys are exhausted so it's a pretty quiet ride home.

7:55p::  As soon as we get home I give the boys their baths.  I add their clothes to a load of laundry and get it started.  The washer and dryer is in the kid's bathroom so it's made laundry a lot easier since it's right there.  

Tyler gets home as I'm getting the boys out of the tub.  He takes Keeler and I take Kallahan and we get them in their pajamas.  Well he gets Keeler into his underwear.  All the sudden Keeler doesn't want to wear pajamas and just sleeps in underwear 'like his daddy.'  We take the boys into Kallahan's room for a book and prayers.  After kisses we lay Kallahan down into his crib and then go tuck Keeler into his bed.  It's been a long day and both little cowboys fall right to sleep.

8:25p:: Tyler and I go into the kitchen and he heats up a leftover steak.  He eats dinner and I decide I need a coconut fruit bar since I have 200 calories left to meet my 1200 goal.  He gives me a recap of the day.  It's pretty much always about what has broke down and how we need some rain. #farmlife  

8:55p:: I take my bath after I throw the load of laundry in the dryer.

9:30 - 10:30p::  Tyler and I go the living room and watch a recorded Law & Order: SVU.  A lot of nights we watch separate shows but a couple nights a week we can agree on a few.  Midway through my dryer chime goes off and I fold my nightly load of laundry.  

10:35p::  This girl is beat.  After a quick pick up around the house we're off to bed.

And then we'll do this whole thing over tomorrow!

 -What is the most surprising thing to you about being a mom?  
The most surprising thing is how much you love your children.  It was this immediate love for them.  I love everything about them from their button noses, their smiles to even their imperfections like how my youngest is pigeon toed and my oldest stutters when he gets really excited.  I love everything that makes them unique and wonderful.  I was worried when I was pregnant with my second that I wouldn't love him as much since the love is so extreme but somehow your heart grows.
-What advice would you give to new or soon-to-be mamas?
I would say don't sweat the small stuff.  It okay if your baby is still taking a bottle past the recommended one year point.  It's okay if they have dried boogers on their face at the grocery store,  And most importantly when you are overwhelmed don't be afraid to ask for help.  It's easy to feel like you are failing if you don't have the energy or desire to do everything on your own, especially with a newborn.  So if you need a break, ask!  Ask your friend to come sit with the baby while you run to the store or ask your husband to feed a hungry baby while you go take a long shower.  Mommyhood is hard work!  
-What are your top three baby products?

Medela Pump in Style - I used this bad boy multiple times a day with both little cowboys for a year straight each time.   I never had one issue.  I ended up having to pump exclusively with both boys due to healthy problems at their arrivals.  However, pumping worked perfectly for us since I had to return to work.  My pump has now been passed down to my expecting sister-in-law (just to show you the longevity of it's power).

Dwell Studio Blankets - I love little sweater blankets!  These actual blankets were used daily with both my boys and Kallahan still sleeps with one.  They were great for swaddling and great now as a light weight blanket at nap-time and bedtime.  

Bella Tunno Laminated Bib - These bibs are great for messy little eaters.  Once baby / toddler is done eating they just wipe right off.  They also come in multiple precious patterns.  I've had two that have lasted through both boys and still look brand new.  They are a bit pricey but well worth it!

Hope you enjoyed reading and I hope to see you at  3 Cowboys and a Mommy.