Stay at Home, Mom!

It's an English teacher thing, really. It's just like Lynne Truss' book, Eats, Shoots, and Leaves. It's all a matter of correctly placing those moments of pause. If you get the joke, you realize how much a misplaced comma might really affect the meaning of a sentence. 

Well, that's about where I'm at. 

I was pulled from work on 29 December for my final maternity leave. While not officially on full bed rest, I have been advised that working full time {at least for which I am monetarily compensated} would actually be ill advised. So, the doctors chose to keep me from work. But really, am I now a "stay at home mom"? 

Hardly.

I must say that I've enjoyed being home. My mornings are wonderful. The girls and I get to wake up on our own terms and ease into our day. Kind of. That would be between caring for the dogs, changing a diaper here and there, getting the six year-old ready for the day {and she has discovered the joys of a daily shower, which will KILL my water bill}, and everyone out the door just in time for the eldest to attend half-day PM kindergarten - in the district in which I work - which is NOT close to where we actually reside.

But there is a silver lining. I've really gotten the chance to sit back and reorganize the daily "things" in my life. 

Taking a little inspiration from Kate Gosselin {pre-scandal/divorce}, a nudge in the right direction from my husband, advice from friends, and a whole lot of "research" on Pinterest, I've chosen to take the time to bring organization back to the forefront of my life. It went missing for a while. But I'm hoping it's back, and here to stay.

{jaime - just saying}

So, I've taken small steps to organize my morning routine. The foremost important event that aids me along in the morning is the ritualistic making of the coffee. And I will tell you publicly, with this being the fourth pregnancy in six years, I drink a full cup of the high test stuff in the morning. To do otherwise would not allow me to function at all. But moving past the coffee, I settle down for five minutes or so {while said nectar of the Gods is brewing} and plan out my day. I took the idea from a pin on Pinterest. You can find the link here. Rachel hosts the blog {lovely crafty home} and I'm hooked. I was able to replicate the space you see above for about $30.00 at Target {LOVE}, even though I did include some supplies of my own, as my profession would require me to own anyway.

I have to say that it has made my life a little easier when it comes to the daily "stuff" that might get shoved aside in my former life. {You know, rifling through the mail/bills, dinner planning, bill paying, etc.}. Taking the five minutes out of my morning while the girls wolf down their mini pancakes has become the new routine for us. And I have to say, that if I'm told that I need to be a "stay at home mom," I might as well make the most of the precious and limited time that I DO have.