A Day in the Life: Working Woman

As a working woman the days of the work week can get a little crazy and feel like a lot to juggle. I’ve learned that a good routine helps things go a lot smoother from the wee hours of the day and onward. Since adding a kid into the mix, I’ve found that my mornings might be a little busier, but I’m actually more efficient than I was before having my daughter. Each day isn’t perfect in the Parker household, but I figured I’d share a little glimpse into a day in the life of this working woman.

Rather than start with a weekday morning, I’m beginning with a Sunday evening. I’ve learned after many chaotic mornings, that my evening prep is crucial for a successful morning and rest of my day.

HebrewDawn: A Day in the Life - Working Woman

7:30 PM: Start for my daughter’s bedtime routine – bath, lotion, allergy medicine, brush teeth, read a story, say prayers, sing a song.
8:00 PM: Say goodnight and turn out the lights.

8:01 PM: Pick out my daughter’s clothes for the next day, then pack her bags for preschool. Double check she has all she needs for naptime, spare clothes for accidents, diapers, and wet bag for diapers and dirty clothes.

8:10 PM: Switch over any in process laundry.

8:15 PM: Finish cleaning up the kitchen from dinner. Then get my lunch packed, which is normally some vegetables, hummus, crackers, fruit, and water on Mondays. Mondays, Wedesndays and Friday are usually a day of running all over for work, so a healthy and easy to eat meal is crucial.

8:45 PM: Sit down to finish edits or writing my blog post for Monday. Work on images for upcoming blog posts and review content schedule.

9:45 PM: Relax with my husband by watching a show or reading on the couch.

10:30 PM: Call it a night and head to bed.

6:20 AM: Alarm goes off. If I’m being really good, I’ll jump right up out of bed.

6:30 AM: Who am I kidding, I hit the snooze button! Time to dash out of bed, silence the alarm clock and jump in the shower before my husband glares about the alarm going off. AGAIN.

6:45 AM: Finished in the shower and now it’s time to do my hair and make-up. I try to keep my beauty routine simple and without too much fuss. Typically for my skin, I only using moisturizer, BB cream (for SPF coverage and evening out my complexion), concealer (to cover the dark circles), face powered (not always), eye liner (most of the time), mascara (always if I want my eyelashes to be visible), and blush (always, as I need a little color to my cheeks). My hair is either allowed to dry curly, put up in a bun, or I’ll dry it straight if time permits. Since I hit the snooze button, there’s not time for straightening the hair today.

7:10 AM: Rushing to get my daughter up while my husband gets ready. Like usual, she just wants to snuggle, and it’s hard to resist.

7:15 AM: My daughter is semi-convinced to get up, go potty, and start the day.

7:20 AM: Finally done convincing the two year old to use the potty and get dressed.

7:25 AM: At last, the allergy medicine is consumed AND the teeth are brushed. For some reason the two year old doesn’t believe that these  tasks should be done without protest, despite the fact that we do this every morning and evening.

7:30 AM: We have all made it downstairs for breakfast. I rush to make my tea or coffee, scramble around the kitchen with my husband to get breakfast on the table.

7:45 AM: Realize it’s time for me to hit the road and wonder where the last 15 minutes have gone. Scoop up my breakfast, lunch, and coffee/tea. Kiss everyone good-bye and sprint out the door.

Rest of the morning: It’s now up to my husband to persuade the shortest member of the house to eat breakfast as quickly as possible and get out the door for school. Some days this goes off without a hitch, but sometimes it ends as expected with a two year old, which includes a refusal to go potty, put on shoes, or wear jackets.

8:00 AM – 5:00ish PM: Work my tail off so I can get back to my family as soon as I can. Most days it’s not uncommon to work through my lunch break so that I can get home sooner rather than later.

5:15ish PM: Arrive to pick up my daughter from school.

5:30 PM: Finally make it to the car to head home.

5:45 PM: Take a deep breath and savor being home.

5:50 PM: Getting everything put away from school and work so dinner preparations can be made.

6:00 PM: Tag team dinner and toddler wrangling with the husband. Thankfully he takes the lead on most dinner preparations.

6:30/6:45 PM: Dinner time!

7:30 PM: start the whole routine over again.

 

I hope you’ve enjoyed this little snapshot into how a typical day goes for me and my family. This is a mix of the ideal and the reality of things not being exactly as I’d hope. This plan helps each day go better than it would without some structure.

Do you have any tips on how to make your days run smoothly? Any questions about how we do things in my house?

 

This post is part of a Blog Hop from Blogs and Business: Moms Who Do it All Facebook Group.

Check out some of the other awesome blog posts below:

Daily Momtivity, Blue Eyed Babies, The Triplet Farm, Tot Tot Goose, Sweet Discord, Southern Mommas Reviews, Organized Home School, A Cotton Kandi Life, Novice Mommy, Misty Shaheen, Tid Bits of Experience, From Engineer to SAHM, Be Fed Again

Meet Erica!

The time has finally come for you to meet the new member of the HebrewDawn writing team…

She has a lifelong passion for fitness that began with gymnastics, swimming, diving, and has only grown with age. Erica loves to run, dance, and practice yoga. She is an artist in the kitchen creating meals that are good for you, but still make your mouth water long after the meal is done. To top it all off, she has a passion for teaching, which means she wants to help each of us become the healthiest version of ourselves that’s hiding and waiting to come out. I hope you enjoy getting to know Erica through her writing and learning from her along the way. Enjoy today’s food for thought from our health conscious friend…

HebrewDawn: Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness
Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness: there is a reason LIFE is first!

It’s easy to lower our standards by falling prey to “the best we can get.” Often times, it’s not until we find parallels in the greatness of those around us that we are willing to expect more of ourselves.

Many people are using emergency room services as a means for basic healthcare, subsisting on low cost, highly processed foods, and/or eschewing exercise regimes due to financial limitations. What a shame this is! Not only are we discouraging routine and preventive care, but we are also propagating the idea of health as an exclusive member’s only club. What’s more-this is a total lie. Prioritizing one’s health should and will save money!

What if we change the game? What if we empower EVERYBODY to take ownership of his or her health? Maybe we offer free gym memberships, fitness activities, nutrition counseling, and subsidized local produce for those who can’t afford it?

Do you think this would help people become more proactive? Make them more receptive to change?

I think it starts with making the tools of a positive healthy lifestyle available to all people. Sharing is caring right?

It’s Not a Problem

After sharing last week about reducing the use of sorry and just, I’ve been having many conversations with people about the things we say. Turns out many women are struggling with the use of sorry, just, and other phrases. Before we go back to physical wellness next week, we’re going to stay with the internal thoughts that become external conversations that are a reflection of ourselves. Today I want you to know why it’s not a problem that you’re welcome.

How often do you respond to someone’s “thank you” with “not aproblem” or “no problem “? If I was a betting women, I would say your answer is fairly regularly. Have no fear, you’re not the only one! I’ve  heard countless people do it and I am guilty of it too. BUT have you ever thought about what that response means?

Each time someone says thank you to you and you respond with “not a problem” or “no problem,” you are giving the idea that what they just thanked you for saying or doing was in fact a problem. But was it really? I don’t think we normally think about what people thank us for as being a problem.

So the next time you’re ready to say “no problem,” switch it up and say

and everyone will feel much better about what’ been done.

Have a beautiful day and make the world a better place by being you!

Real Moms: Heather Wiederholt

I am so excited to introduce another mom to you in this new motherhood series here on HebrewDawn. Please allow me to introduce, Heather Widerholt. She and I became fast friends over tacos, margaritas, laughter, and a fun trip to MommyCon this past summer. Heather is the beautiful voice behind Sleepy Brother, and owner of Turtle and Hare Photography. This woman is full of so much talent, joy, AND she’s a wonderful mom. I hope you enjoy getting to know Heather and hearing about her life as a mom with her beautiful little girl.

 Real Moms: Heather of Sleepy Brother and Turtle & Hare Photography

How many children do you have and how old are they? I have one daughter who is four months old.

What is your greatest joy in being a mom? It’s hard to pinpoint a single joy for me at this point. Maybe it’s just because my daughter is so young, but right now all of the emotions are so vibrant, that it’s all joy. I’m joyfully amazed at her existence. I’m joyful that I get to love and teach her. I pray that I do a good job at that. I’m joyful to have the privilege to watch her grow and learn.

What has been your greatest struggle as a mom? I think that balancing myself has been, and will continue to be, a struggle. When I say balance I don’t just mean time. Being a mom makes all of the stakes in life feel higher. Decisions are harder because there is another person to consider. Time management is obviously harder. Prioritizing myself, or others, over my child is also part of this delicate balance. Every action is a series of choices in which I must prioritize people and activities. I’m still getting the hang of this.

What’s something you wish you knew before you became a mom? I wish I knew that I would experience emotion to a wider degree. It’s not necessarily a negative, but I just feel things much deeper. I doubt there would have been a way to prepare myself for that though.

How has your relationship with your significant other changed since having kids? It’s been so comforting to have someone to go through this transition with who is experiencing, questioning, and learning from all of the same things. We are learning how to be parents side by side, and it’s brought us closer together. I’m sure it won’t all be sunshine and flowers, but the thought of this very special shared life event is very exciting right now.

My hope for motherhood… I’ve only been a mom for about five minutes, but they’ve been a very full five minutes. I hope I can be a wise mother who humbly shows her daughter the grace, mercy, and love of God.


Thank You Heather for being a part of the real moms series! I hope you have enjoyed hearing from this beautiful and kindhearted woman who is full of so much love and grace. I hope that no matter where you are on this motherhood journey, that you have so much to offer the world around you and other women you encounter.

If you are interested in checking out Heather’s music with Sleepy Brother, I highly recommend giving their latest album Let in the Light a listen and a buy. Lastly, if you’re in the Richmond, Virginia area and need a photographer or videographer for the special moments in your life run and check out Turtle & Hare Photography as you will not be disappointed.

Would you like to be featured in the Real Moms Series or have someone you’d like to see? We are always looking for moms with kids of all ages, faiths, and backgrounds to share their story. Make sure to send me a message to be featured or nominate someone!

April Showers Bring May Flowers

Happy Friday and April everyone! 2016 is moving swiftly, but today is a little slower in Richmond with the rainy skies. Here’s hoping all this rain brings beautiful spring flowers. What fun things do you have planned for this weekend?

April Showers Bring May Flowers: Friday Fun on HebrewDawn
I’m hoping to make it by the VCU French Film Festival here in RVA. If you are a lover of French movies, it worth making the trip to Richmond for it. You have the opportunity to see films that may never be available in the United States, ask actors, directors, and producers questions about their film. Lots of fun and a great opportunity!
It’s Cherry Blossom season, and this Japanese girl is super excited about it. Locally we have the VCU Japanese Students Association putting on a Cherry Blossom Festival locally this weekend. Don’t forget this also the great festival in Washington D.C..

I found this great recipe over on the minimalist baker, and I cannot wait to try it. It’s a vegan and gluten free mac ‘n cheese, and this girl here with a dairy allergy is always looking for good options, though I’m not sure I’d make this gluten free (LOVE ME SOME PASTA!). I’ll let you know how my attempt at making this goes!

Hope you have a beautiful weekend!

I’m Just Not Sorry


Today we are going to look at wellness from a different perspective. I’m hoping to challenge us all with some questions and suggestions to benefit our mental and emotional wellbeing. Sometimes it takes sort things out inside of us to make a strong impact in our lives on the outside.

How many times have you said sorry for something you were not actually sorry for? How many times have you used just to preface what you were about to ask or say? More times than you can count? Well I’m just not sorry to say this, you’ve got to stop it right now.

You are a strong and capable woman and you are giving up the power you have in conversations that are in person, over the phone, and in e-mails. I’ve been on a mission to lift other women up AND take back my own power. Ready to join me?

If you’re not sure yet, let me share a little more with you on why you should. You are apologizing for things that are NOT your fault, and accepting blame that is not yours to take. You are putting yourself in the line of fire and anger from other people that shouldn’t be directed at you. You are apologizing to someone who bumped into you in a store or restaurant that caused you to spill what was in your hand. You are not sorry for what you did not do. You are smart, accomplished, and making the most of your days, and decreasing the value of your accomplishments and wit by accepting senseless blame.

Reclaiming Your Power: why you're just not sorry
Let’s turn over a new leaf, and stop apologizing for what we did not do. We can empathize when someone we love is feeling down without apologizing for it. You may be sorry that someone did not have the best experience with your co-worker, but you are not sorry for this co-worker’s failure to do what they should have done. You are sorry for an honest mistake you’ve made and want to correct in the future.

Now that we’re done saying sorry, we have to stop prefacing what we have to say or ask with just. No matter where we are in life or on the corporate ladder, we have a lot to offer those around us. These people may or may not realize how much we have to offer yet, but suddenly it’s diminished by our using of just as qualifier.

  • I just wanted to ask if you have that proposal yet?
  • I just need this back a week a from tomorrow.
  • I just wanted to check and see if you have that thing I asked you about?

These three statement could be much stronger if we only dropped the word just…

  • I wanted to ask if you have that proposal yet?
  • I need this back a week a from tomorrow.
  • I want to check and see if you have that thing I asked you about?

By eliminating the word just from the statements, we are able to more clearly communicate our expectations. We are sure and concise. We show we know what we’re talking about, and expect the other person to hold their end of the bargain.

Ready to join me in being a stronger version of you? If now you know you how, by eliminating two little words from your repertoire, you can empower yourself and communicate more clearly. I want to warn you, it’s a hard habit to break. I hope your belief in yourself will grow and that you will know just how valuable you are to the people who know and work with you!

It Won’t Be Like This For Long

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There are so many moments as a parent when we wonder if it will always be this hard. On the flip side, there are many times that we wish would last forever. It’s this strange, yet lovely, dichotomy that represents motherhood and being a parent. As I’ve navigated life as mom, I’ve had moments that took my breath away from being so sweet or challenging. I wondered if it would always be like this, and then I’d remind myself that it won’t be like this for long…

Many thanks to Darius Rucker for providing the music to convey these feeling so well, but also serving as an important reminder that the sweet moments are quickly fleeting.

While pregnant we wonder if we’ll ever find out the gender of our baby, or if we will ever be done waiting for our child to arrive. What we forget about is the safety and security of the little love in the womb, while we grow and prepare for life with this little love in the world.

After the weeks of waiting for the arrival of our sweet baby, we wonder with blurry eyes if we will do anything besides nurse, change diapers, and rock a crying baby back to sleep. What we forget is how this little baby is completely dependent on the milk that only we can provide, finds the most comfort in our heartbeat, and will someday want no part of these sweet snuggles.

Once we finally make it through early months of a newborn, we suddenly have a baby that has forgotten how to sleep. We are now in the throws of the five month sleep regression and wonder if we’ll ever sleep again. Later we’ll realize that these late night snuggles are precious when our baby will one day squirm too much to sleep cuddled next to us.

We anxiously await the day for our sweet little love to crawl and explore the world, until we realize they can’t find every little thing closest to the ground. We long for the day that they won’t be into everything, but what we will someday realize that there are so many things that they cannot yet reach.

We long for the day that our sweet child will walk, and run and play until they do. Suddenly they are toddling everywhere and finding everything to grab and crash into. We wonder if we’ll have to scoop them up forever and kiss their bruises, but some day we’ll remember how much faster they can move and how tough they were.

After weeks and months of practice, our sweet toddler no longer moves slowly from place to place, but is getting into everything. We wonder if anything will be sacred or safe from their little hands, but later we’ll know that it was easier having them get into these things down low and not hidden out of sight.

Before long we reach the long awaited days of potty training when diapers are no more. We feel like we’ve finally crossed the last bridge of babydom, and long for the days of dry underpants. Someday we’ll remember how much this little person still needed our love and guidance with even the basic of human needs.

Each moment of life with our babies is challenging but is quickly passing. When the moments get to be too hard, I pause and remind myself that it won’t be like this for long. That times that feel so hard will one day be sweet moments of the past that we may (not always) long to go back to and savor.

He is Risen

Share the good news that he is risen indeed. Have a blessed and beautiful Easter!

 

“But the angel said to the women, ‘Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples, “He has been raised from the dead, and indeed he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him.” This is my message for you.’ So they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples.” -Matthew 28:5-8 (NRSV)

Getting Healthy

Do you take good are of yourself? I mean, do you exercise regularly, eat healthy, drink lots of water, and get enough rest? I’d like to think and say that I take good are of myself, but if I’m going to be completely honest, I could definitely do a better job! Today I want us to talk about being better at this. So what does it look like to take good care of ourselves?

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There are lots of thoughts out there about how we should go about doing this. Some may think it’s following a special diet, doing a certain type of exercise, or joining accountability groups. Much of that will definitely help and be part of that process. Much of it can sound like a lot of work, and not something we want to do. We’ll make excuses because it seeems like there’s a long list of musts, shoulds, and can’t haves and we don’t want to be deprived of the things that we want. I truly believe that this isn’t quite the right approach. We need to get our thoughts focused on being or getting healthy. When we think about doing what’s healthy and good for us, then that is something  we can get on board with doing. We might not want to talk about how we should eat or how much we are going to exercise, but what if we started asking ourselves if what we’re about to do is going to make us the healthiest version of ourselves?

I personally planned to be better about exercise in 2016, and I’ve not been as good as I had hoped. I don’t really want to go for a run, but I do want to be the healthiest version of myself so I can live life to the fullest. So tomorrow is my birthday, and I’m going to use this as my new year to start over. I still plan to exerise more, eat better (less sugary sweets), and other things of that nature. I will not be marking my calendar up with exercise appointments, but I will be writing reminders to myself to make healthy choices. By doing this I’m going to be concerned with being a healthier version of me for today, tomorrow, and ten years from now.

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There are simple steps we can follow after we change our thought process on being healthy:

  1. Start and end each day with a refreshing glass of water. Once you have this habit in place, it’s easier to keep drinking water throughout the day to stay hydrated.
  2. Get to sleep at a time that will ensure you get 7 to 9 hours of sleep. We may think we can get by on less sleep, but studies show that our bodies NEED that much sleep. When do you need to be up in the morning? Make sure you’re in bed 7 to 9 hours before then, and include some time to wind down too.
  3. Eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner and healthy snacks in between. Skipping meals isn’t good for your metabolism and sets you up for making poor food choices out of starvation.
  4. Find a physical activity you love and do it. There’s no sense making yourself run if it’s something you hate doing, but there’s also no reason to deprive yourself from going to yoga if that brings you joy.

Getting yourself to the point of being healthy doens’t have to be complicated, but it does involve choosing to be healthy. What would your life look like if you did this?

So, how are you ready to get healthy with me? I’m planning to share about my successes and failures, but no matter what I’ll be taking care of myself . I’m no expert on this topic, but I am a woman trying and encouraging you to join me.