Day in the Life

in Day in the Life

A day in the life of a momma, part-time worker, and triathlete.  Henry is 11 months old!

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5:30 AM – Henry wakes up.  I can hear him on the monitor.  I check my phone and realize that it is way, way too early for him to be up.  I give him five more minutes, and he falls back asleep.  So do I.

 

6:00 AM – Okay.  He’s up for real this time.  I get out of bed, fix him a bottle, prepare myself a cup of coffee, and go upstairs.  Five minutes later, he’s been changed and is snacking on his baba.  Eventually, he wiggles out of my arms and spends a few minutes rolling around on the floor, playing with toys and feeding himself the last bit of his bottle.  He’s Mr. Independent these days.

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6:11 AM – We go downstairs so I can let the dogs out and refill my cup.

 

6:15 AM – Back upstairs.  As a holdover from the pumping days, when I needed 15 minutes of uninterrupted pumping time every morning, we now do something that I refer to as ‘mommy time’ in the morning.  I sit in the glider, drink coffee, and check e-mails while Henry plays nearby.  I really like this time because I am SO not a morning person and it takes me a while to get going.  I need a bit of breathing room to wake up.  Eventually, he gets bored and wants me to play with him – and by that point, I am more than willing!  We read books and stack blocks.

 

6:49 AM – Back downstairs for breakfast.  I cook breakfast for myself, the Husband (who is still snoozing because he worked late last night), and Henry. 

 

7:02 – 7:15 AM – Henry and I eat breakfast outside.

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Henry has blueberries and eggs with spinach.

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It is really good!  I finish my plate and he nearly does, too.  He’s getting better at eating and putting the food in his mouth, not on his shirt.  Drinking, on the other hand, is still a work in progress…

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7:15 AM – I feed the dogs and cat and change Pippa’s litter.  The Husband wakes up, kisses both of us hello, and starts getting ready for his day.

 

7:18 AM – I drag Henry’s big boy car seat into the living room to try to figure out how to put it into the car.  It takes me forever because the car seat is a convertible one, so it can be rear facing or forward facing, and the straps are super confusing. 

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Eventually, at 7:45 AM, I have figured out the car seat and put it in my car.  Yay!

 

7:45 AM – Get dressed for the gym, change Henry out of his pajamas, and repack the diaper bag with diapers and formula.

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8:00 – 8:10 AM – Commute to the gym.

 

8:13 AM – Drop Henry off at childcare and rush to spin class.  I am so happy to see my favorite bike is available!  I like to be in the front but on the end.  No one else seems to like my bike as much as I do, so it’s usually available.

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The 45-minute class is really challenging and fun.  I’ve been going regularly enough so the instructor knows my name, and I’m starting to make friends in the class, too.  It’s nice.

 

9:00 AM – Wipe down my bike, grab my bag, and head to the locker room.  Change into my bathing suit, shower off my spin sweat, and jump in the pool.  Swim 1,000 yards.  I’m trying to do more double workouts.

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9:49 AM – After changing, picking up Henry (who had a blast with his friends in childcare), and driving home, I arrive back at the house.  I spy a slice of leftover birthday cake (Happy 29th, Husband!) and eat it while standing in the kitchen.  Not the best post-workout fuel…

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Kristien is working from home this morning, so he hangs out with Henry while I jump in the shower. 

 

10:15 AM – I make a huge peanut butter and protein smoothie and drink it while I put Henry down for his first nap.  Kristien leaves for work while I am upstairs.

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10:34 AM – Come downstairs and start attacking my To Do List.  I answer over 30 emails, organize the clinic’s secretary’s schedule for the next week, order office supplies for the clinic, write an Operation Beautiful blog post, and interview someone for a freelance piece that I hope to write over the weekend.  I do social media for Ramblin Rose and send out a few e-mails.

 

12:00 AM – I finish my work just as Henry starts to stir….

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GOOD MORNING!

 

12:10 PM – Henry has been changed and fed another bottle.  We spend some time playing in his room.  After a while, we go downstairs so we can play in the living room.

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Once downstairs, Henry helps me clean the kitchen, which is trashed from the Husband’s birthday party.  We mop the floors, too, and organize laundry.

 

1 PM – DadHTP comes over for lunch!

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I have quinoa, veggies, and beans, and Henry has beans and broccoli.

 

1:30 PM – 3:00 PM – More playtime (we play a lot!).  Eventually, we move the party outside to the deck so Henry can play in his ‘pool.’  Henry flips the full newborn bath tub over, which impresses me.  It’s heavy with all that water inside!

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3:00 PM – I dry Henry off, change his clothes, and pack him into the car.  DadHTP and I run errands, Henry eats another bottle and falls asleep in the car for nap number 2, and then we go to playgroup.  I try to take Henry on one outing (besides the gym) every day… Fridays is swim class, which is my favorite day.  Today, however, he gets to interact with lots of other kiddos and climb all over a baby jungle gym.  He has lots of fun. 

 

4:45 PM – Commute home.  Do more chores while Henry hangs out nearby.  He’s pretty pooped from all the activity. 

 

5:30 PM – I cook dinner for Henry.  He has lentils mixed with hummus, broccoli, and blueberries.  He normally eats a greater wider of foods, but we’re going out of town on Saturday so the fridge is pretty bare.

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I eat a snack…

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And check work emails on my phone.  I hate to multi-task while I’m with Henry but – hey – sometimes it has to happen.

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6:00 PM – We check the mail and open a few Amazon packages.  Yay – more diapers!

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6:15 PM – We head upstairs to the TV room and hang out while I finish the Mad Men season 5 finale.  So good!  I’m almost caught up now to real time – just gotta find all the back episodes for season 6 somewhere online.  Henry has another bottle.

 

6:59 PM – Bath time! 

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7:15 PM – Henry gets changed into his pajamas, has another bottle, and we cuddle until he falls asleep.  I hold him a bit longer than necessary. <3

 

7:39 PM – I come downstairs and work on Queen City Blogs with my brother-in-law Nick.  If you’re in the Charlotte area and are a blogger (big or small!), please join us!  We’re an awesome new group and do fun real-life meet-ups.

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I also draft a proposal to provide social media services and finalize another contract.

 

9:15 PM – The Husband comes home – he’s had a really long shift.  We make dinner (I have a peanut butter sandwich and a salad) and talk about our days.  We half-watch The Hunger Games, too.

 

10:50 PM – I start thinking, “Why am I still awake?”  I go to bed.

 

11:11 PM – I’m still reading blogs on my iPhone.  What am I doing?!  I turn on Ambiance (my white noise app), note the time, and make a wish.  I wish for a good night’s sleep. Winking smile

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And at 6:00 AM… It all begins again!

 

So that’s a typical day in the life for me.  It’s fun to see how much Henry’s schedule has changed since he was 15 months old (Day In The Life – Fifteen Weeks, Part II, Part III).  A lot less napping – but longer naps! – and no pumping for me (thank goodness).  And no wake-ups at 2:40 AM (double thank goodness). 

 

I really like our little routine now.  I work an average of three to four hours a day six days a week, which for a stay-at-home mom, I’m pretty proud about.  Stepping back a bit has allowed me to be more present with Henry when we’re together, and I can throw myself more completely into work when I’m supposed to be working.  I do dread the day that he stops napping!  I don’t know what I’ll do!

 

What’s your day look like?

{ 57 comments }

 

  • Claire @ Live and Love to Eat May 10, 2013, 12:42 pm

    So many outfit changes for Henry! 🙂

    • Caitlin May 10, 2013, 12:43 pm

      fashiiiion show.

      • MissPinkKate May 10, 2013, 5:34 pm

        I want that crab romper (for my son, not for me- though if they had it in my size..); I try to stay away from Carter’s but I don’t think I’m going to be able to resist that one!

  • Ashley M. [at] (never home)maker May 10, 2013, 12:52 pm

    I am jealous you can take him to the gym that long every day! Ada just won’t do it. I’ve tried so many times. So, we are taking a break right now and going to try again. Anyway, seems like you and I work the same number of hours from home. I still fall into the trap of just calling myself a SAHM, but then I’m like EFF that. This is hard!

    • Caitlin May 10, 2013, 12:53 pm

      Did Ada ever do the gym childcare? Henry really likes it… if I time it right. Has to be in the sweet spot before first nap. After 5 PM is really hard.

  • emily May 10, 2013, 1:05 pm

    I love day in the life posts! I have such a hard time conceptualizing what people with other jobs, families, etc do all day; probably because I waste so much of my own day!

  • Sarah @ Yogi in Action May 10, 2013, 1:12 pm

    That seems like a busy day!

    I’m loving different bloggers doing them- makes me want to do one. It’s amazing how the smallest details of other people’s lives are so interesting!

    I’m impressed with your double work out and still accomplishing all that work AND playtime with Henry! I think playing with kids should count as a workout- it’s exhausting. I can play with my boyfriend’s nieces for 3 hours tops and then I’m exhausted.

  • Kathleen Ojo @ My Ojos May 10, 2013, 1:15 pm

    I want your day! And I’m only sort-of kidding 🙂 I love my job and I really don’t mind working 40-hours per week (good thing, since I’m the “breadwinner” and my income = rent and food) but, oh! To have a day where I am not out of bed at 5:30, away from my kid for 9 hours a day, struggling to fit in a workout before (ha!) or after (…zzzz….) work, cook dinner and tidy the house on a serious time crunch…

    If I really want to treat myself, I take a vacation day and spend it at home with my 9-month-old daughter. I let her sleep in, we play, I can work out whenever I feel like it in the morning, I work on my blog and play bills while she naps, there are long walks and afternoons in parks and coffee shops, we have dinner waiting when dad gets home… it makes my soul happy, to have days like that.

    I love my life and wouldn’t change a thing, don’t get me wrong…. but I think you’ve inspired me to schedule another vacation day soon 🙂 Thanks for sharing!

    • Caitlin May 10, 2013, 1:19 pm

      Definitely time for you to spend a whole day with your girl!!! 🙂 That sounds awesome to me.

  • Grace May 10, 2013, 1:30 pm

    I also love seeing “day in the life” posts – so much fun! And it sounds like such a nice day, and that’s amazing that you’re able to get so much time at the gym!

    My usual day involves nursing at 3 am (and sometimes again at 5am), up for the day at 6am, play/change/dress/feed my toddler until 7, shower and dress for work, bike to work at 7:30, work from 8 – 5 (while going to the gym on my lunch break – I have to eat breakfast and lunch while working at my desk or else I’d never eat!), bike home at 530, play with my toddler while my husband (who is home with her during the day) cooks dinner, we all eat dinner at 6ish, play together until 7:30 when the toddler goes to bed, then I come downstairs and clean up the kitchen from dinner, pack breakfasts and lunches for myself and the kiddo for the following day while the husband gets some deserved down time (I’ll also sometimes prep dinner for the following night), then we vacuum downstairs and do one or two other household chores (usually laundry and/or cleaning the bathroom), while catching up w/my husband. Sometimes we’ll watch the evening news, but we usually don’t watch any TV anymore (which has been a really nice side effect of having a baby!) and I’m usually reading in bed by 10 pm. It’s crazier when my husband (who works from home) has to take business trips. I’m so grateful that I have a job with such easy hours, I would hate to ever have miss my daughter’s dinner or bedtime.

    • Emily May 11, 2013, 10:29 pm

      That sounds GOD AWFUL!

      • lee May 12, 2013, 12:14 pm

        Lol welcome to parenthood. Sounds exactly like my life and any working parents.

  • Vanessa May 10, 2013, 1:36 pm

    Sounds like such a fun day!

    Busy, but fun =)

    I can’t believe how big Henry has gotten! Grow, baby, grow!

    Her Heart Proclaims eMinistry

  • Amber @ Busy, Bold, Blessed May 10, 2013, 2:06 pm

    Seems like you’ve really found your stride these days! Henry keeps getting cuter and cuter, I don’t even know how it’s possible 🙂

  • Ali May 10, 2013, 2:36 pm

    My days are pretty much always the same:
    Wake up at 4am. In to work at 4:30am.
    Work until noon. Lunch break until 12:30pm.
    Back to work until 5pm. Run home to walk dog.
    Back to work around 5:30pm. Work until 7pm.
    Home for dinner around 7:15pm. Eat dinner, exercise and then bed time around 11pm.
    4am start all over again!

    • Emily May 12, 2013, 2:39 pm

      What do you do, if you don’t mind me asking? That’s a lot of hours!

  • Rebecca May 10, 2013, 2:38 pm

    Wow…you do it ALL.

  • Ashley @ My Food N Fitness Diaries May 10, 2013, 2:46 pm

    Sounds like a fun day! I won’t lie, I’m kinda excited to get to this point. Right now, I have a 6 week old and we’re on a change diaper, feed, play for a few minutes, try to get to sleep, and do it all over kinda schedule. I know I shouldn’t wish time away, but having a newborn sure is exhausting!

    • Caitlin May 10, 2013, 3:16 pm

      It is!!! But there are advantages and disadvantages to every stage!

  • Shel@PeachyPalate May 10, 2013, 2:46 pm

    That is one jam packed day! Spinning is my favourite class and I have my favourite bike by the window in my gym (not that it’s open but it’s handy to put your water bottle and other bits on the ledge!). Well done on the double workouts! That’s epic! PB sandwich for dinner…girl after my own heart!

  • rebecca @ blueberry smiles May 10, 2013, 2:55 pm

    What a great day! Your schedule sounds perfect and like an excellent balance of work, personal time, and mommy/fam time.

  • Amanda May 10, 2013, 3:27 pm

    That’s my favorite spin bike, too! You can see yourself to make sure you’re not slacking, but you’re not so front and center 🙂

  • Barca Mama May 10, 2013, 3:58 pm

    I like the ‘day in the life posts.’ It is crazy how much moms do in a day. Sometimes I have days when I feel like I get absolutely nothing done or do not realize how much time the small things take up. Writing things out sure puts it all in perspective:)

  • Amanda May 10, 2013, 4:01 pm

    Well, when he stops napping, it’ll be about time for preschool/school anyway 🙂

  • Elizabeth @ Positive Change May 10, 2013, 5:42 pm

    Wow what day! My day involves running/working out, cooking, working, computer time and husband time! It is only us two so no where near as intense as your day! Such an inspiration!

  • Ali May 10, 2013, 7:02 pm

    Haha, don’t worry about the time when he stops napping; my mom had her own home-based private practice, and my sister and I had “quiet time” until 8 years old, you’ll be just fine 😉

  • Kyla May 10, 2013, 7:32 pm

    That bathtub picture stole my heart. Such a cutie!!!!

  • Anna {Herbivore Triathlete} May 10, 2013, 7:51 pm

    Sounds like you’ve got a good routine going! I wish I had time for double workouts too, it’s hard with working full time though. I am going to try to do a few on the weekends, but then I feel guilty because weekends are my family time as well as my time to catch up on household stuff. Argh, being a mom/wife/triathlete/runner and working full time is no joke!

  • Matt G May 10, 2013, 8:34 pm

    Looks like Henry is growing up around some good role models. He’ll be joining you at the gym soon!

  • Amber K May 10, 2013, 8:56 pm

    Man, that wake-up time is killer. My world is going to be rocked if I ever have a baby! I’m so blessed being able to “sleep in.”

  • Emily @ Perfection Isn't Happy May 10, 2013, 9:12 pm

    My mom tells me that I took naps until I went to Kindergarten, and even then, I still would’ve taken one if I could. Apparently she had me on a really good schedule! Maybe Henry will surprise you and take naps for a long time? I think I was just a kid who required a ton of sleep, though…I still do now :).

  • Miranda @ Miranda Runs May 10, 2013, 9:13 pm

    I love, LOVE posts like these 🙂 by the way, it’s great that you’re giving Henry so much time to learn and explore and play in different environments. PERFECT for a baby’s development!

    • Caitlin May 10, 2013, 9:21 pm

      He loves to go out!

  • Jane @ Not Plain So Jane May 10, 2013, 10:10 pm

    Ha people love their spin bikes! Babies sure do love playing with boxes 🙂

  • Coco May 11, 2013, 7:31 am

    Your super mom! I don’t know how you manage everything- I can barely take care of myself lol.

  • Kris May 11, 2013, 8:48 am

    Fun to see what your day looks like! Right now my day is full of trying out different classes at the Y — so much fun! I too have my fav spin bike (middle row in the middle, although I like the left side too). I love getting to know the instructor and others in my classes.

  • Honey May 11, 2013, 10:00 am

    You need to eat more girl!

    I do 1/10th of your activity per day (a short walk and a lot of sitting) and I eat more than you 🙂

    Your quantity of food overall is low..
    But also you ate at like 7 am, 10 am, 1 pm, then 5:30 pm (small snack only), then 9:30 (small supper which really counts as a snack). You need to fit in larger snacks + one bigger meal in the evening (a pb sandwich and salad is a snack for ya!).

    • Caitlin May 11, 2013, 10:46 am

      My intake is fine.

      Breakfast = 450 calories
      Cake = 200 calories
      Smoothie = 400 calories
      Lunch = 450 calories
      Snack = 300 calories
      Dinner = 450 calories

      Total = 2250, well within the acceptable range for someone of my size with the workout.

  • Karen @ Runner Girl Eats May 11, 2013, 6:32 pm

    Oh my I’m tired just reading this!

  • Ashley May 12, 2013, 2:51 am

    Wow girl ! You have quite a schedule 🙂 I loved reading this post. Thanks so much for taking the time to write it, I am endlessly curious about people’s schedules. 🙂 I always feel it gives me insight into how I can make my own schedule more efficient or get new ideas about when to fit workouts in.

    Also, henry is so cute!!

  • Missy May 12, 2013, 6:34 am

    I love “day in the life” posts. Thanks for sharing. Also I love Henry’s nursery wall. Very cool.

  • Miranda @ Cracked Up Chicken May 12, 2013, 1:38 pm

    That banana and PB looks disgusting and delicious at the same time. Ha.

    You guys seem like you have a pretty good routine (if you can call it that with a little one) going. I always felt like JUST as I was starting to get in a groove, my son would go through a major change and I’d have to start all over.

    The biggest part of parenting to me was learning to be flexible.

    • April May 13, 2013, 4:00 pm

      Amen to this! “The biggest part of parenting to me was learning to be flexible.”

      I WOTH (work outside the home) and have a toddler, and i love reading the day in the life posts as it puts perspective on how different everyone’s routines are.

  • Joelle (on a pink typewriter) May 12, 2013, 4:27 pm

    Okay, I have to say- Henry is just adorable! He’s going to be so handsome!

  • Sara May 13, 2013, 11:47 am

    Henry looks so grown up! OK do I spy your monitor camera stuck on the wall? How did you do that? When did you do that? We have a video monitor too (probably the same one) and I wasn’t sure what to do with the camera. We were going to build a little shelf to put it on, but I like the looks of what you did!

    • Caitlin May 14, 2013, 8:05 pm

      It has a nail hook on the bath!

  • Chelsea May 13, 2013, 4:16 pm

    What a beautiful boy! I LOVED this post – I always love getting a little sneak peek in to other people’s day-to-day activities 😀

  • Ellie@Fit for the soul May 13, 2013, 6:11 pm

    ahhh what a cutie pie he is! And omgshhhh time flies so fast it’s scary; I can’t believe Henry is almost a year old.

  • Meagan May 13, 2013, 9:19 pm

    You eat a lot of peanut butter? LOL. I enjoyed this post.

  • Jade May 14, 2013, 11:41 am

    Is Henry doing just 1 nap? With maybe a cat nap later? Our kiddos are born the same day and every so often I think he is ready to drop the second nap, but when he is with the nanny she swears he can’t stay up long (he’s ready for first nap after about 3 hours of awake time) and will go down for two naps, but on the weekends with me, he can stay up for a long time (like 4 or more hours like your kid), but it’s hard as I’m sure she enjoys his nap times as much as I do.

    • Caitlin May 14, 2013, 8:04 pm

      Nap + cat nap!

  • Kelly May 14, 2013, 1:36 pm

    Good gosh I am tired just reading that!! Sheesh!

    That picture of Henry in the bathtub is pretty precious!

  • Susan May 14, 2013, 5:34 pm

    Whew – what an action packed day! You’re very organized and that son of yours is just beautiful. I miss the days when my kids were that young!

  • Jill May 22, 2013, 8:20 pm

    Just a note on the napping – our five year old (he’ll be six in October) still naps. Daily. Sometimes it’s an hour, sometimes it’s three, but we really notice a difference when he doesn’t get a nap, and we love being able to hang out with him a little longer (til about 8pm) in the evenings. This summer will be a big transition to get him ready for school in the fall, where there will be no naps, but he’s been a great sleeper from the get-go. We just never gave him an option NOT to nap, and he’s a champion napper wherever we are (our house, the car, hotels, etc.). So don’t panic just yet. Henry might have lots of months/years of napping left!

  • Rach May 24, 2013, 11:29 pm

    My daughter was due 6/20/12, but came a little early on 6/8/12.
    I love reading your posts to see what your little guy (and you!) are up to…. I am always SO impressed w/ how physical he is 😀 Both of my kids appear to be late walkers (and much less physical in general, but way way verbal!).

    Our days vary a ton b/c my husband and I work opposite schedules (so we can avoid day care costs– which would be $500/week for both kids) (we are both lab rats, so we have the flexibility):

    For the schedule I am telling here, I am at home in the morning.
    Daddy is up & out of the house by 4am (and on a bad day (or night rather) 6am). My daughter’s wake time varies, sometimes 5:30, sometimes 7! We play in her room (with coffee) till her big brother (who will be 5 in Sept) gets up at 7. Breakfast ensues, usually pancakes & fruit & almond or PB.
    ~7:30am Play time (solo so I have some “wake up/ answer email” time). Then, play time together (depending on the weather, inside or out), or drop big bro off at preschool (~8am). ~9am She naps about 3 hours after waking… she will sleep for about 1-1.5 hours (such a big improvement in that over the last 2 months!). I either clean/ do work/ sleep or play with & teach big bro (preschool is only on Tues/Thurs). Then we go get big bro from preschool (11:15am), then lunch (whatever veggie leftovers I can get her to eat, followed by a fruit or veggie puree from a pouch (she eats so much more when she sucks them out of the packs!). More playing (usually outside)…. then I head to work after the hubs gets home (about 12:30 or 1pm).
    ~4:30pm the hubs & kids come in to work so I can give the baby her bed time feeding (yeah, she won’t take a bottle!) — he tells me she napped from 2-3:15pm. He goes home, gives them dinner & puts the baby to bed (~6:30 or 7pm), then big bro to bed, then himself 😉 I work until about 10pm and then put myself to bed (she usually gets up at least once to nurse, but teeth are breaking through this week, so she has been waking more, blerg). Lately I’ve been taking a bunch of time off work to check in on my brother & mother (both in nursing homes, one with ALS & the other recovering from a failed cervical spinal fusion).
    I wish I could say I had time to work out… I take 5 flights of stairs at a time when I am bored at work & walk the 15 min to my car two times a day and then run/walk/ do leg /abs at the park when we play outside.

  • Simon Victor May 29, 2013, 12:25 pm

    Wow – looks hectic , but rewarding.
    After that I would need a vacation!

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