Jake woke up early this morning and headed to work since we’d told him he could work today if he came home around 5pm. As soon as the kids woke up, we called my mom, cause it’s her birthday. LOVE YOU MOM!!

We then went to Cafe Borrone for breakfast only after I promised they could play since neither of them really wanted to go.

They know I hate that particular game so they were messing with me by putting it in the photo.

I read while they played. Making my way through this book really slowly.

David drew using Paper 53. 

We then headed to the book store. Looked at puzzle books and more. We intended to buy no books. 

But ended up with all these.

David cleaned up his room while Nathaniel and I folded all the laundry. 

We then cleaned up the toy bins too so I decided it was time reward me with some CNN while the kids played. 

I did some of the KenKen puzzles while I watched. The 1-4 ones were easy but the 1-6 ones were super hard!

I’d promised we’d play board games today so we pulled out AntiMatter Matters – A quantum physics game.

I like being the yellow guy.

This was our first time building a neutron along with the proton and electron.

At the very end, David tried to do an “evil” move by making me lose my pieces but then i told him, what if I spun the “center” and won (since I already had all my pieces.) There was a 10% chance but that’s exactly what I did! I loved it that much more because I’d just told him that I usually win because I focus on winning and he focuses on destroying others. Lol.

Then it was time for ubongo.

I am not so great with spatial things so I find this game challenging and I like playing it so I can get better.

The crowns are still a big hit in the house.

David and I did an Algebra book this fall. I told him he’d have to do 10 random problems from the book to prove to me that he still remembers the material. And the boy did! 🙂

And then it was time to practice guitar.

Right after, Jake got home so we walked down to Palo Alto for some ice cream. Bottom left is me, though I ended up only eating the pink one which is Strawberry Lemonade Sorbet. Top left is David. Top right is Jake. Bottom right is Nathaniel. 

We then walked back home. David had practice with his Talent Show team so they are off doing that and Nathaniel and I did a bunch of math together right before I tucked him in. Now I am watching some TV and typing this up. It’s 8pm which means we have only about one hour before I call it a night.

And there we go. A whole week documented. I am proud of myself for pulling that off 🙂

Friday started with a 6am meeting. I woke up just a few minutes before the meeting and quickly got breakfast ready and got right to work.

I had spent hours catching up to email the night before but still woke up to 45 new ones. And here was one. I am overdue on my vacation days.

Little boy woke up soon after and gave me a big smile.

And then it was time for my 1-1 with Jon. 

We we scheduled to go to Nathaniel’s conference at 7:45 so when my two meetings ended I took a quick shower and jumped in the car. 

We got to school right before Jake so the kids ran to greet him.

Nathaniel showed us his year’s work. It was so much fun.

A little outline of his conference which he got to run.

Apparently there will be much Harry Potter this summer.

David was able to join us too since it was before school started.

Jake then went to work and I went to Cafe Borrone to meet my friend Chris to talk to her about the middle school process.

It was sunny but really cold.

After she left, I did a bit of work there and then went to the bookstore to get David’s friend Luca a birthday present. We always get books. 

I had this awkward amount of time between then and my lunch meeting so I decided to do some more work. And then I decided to read my book club book right before I was to meet them. It was a graphic novel so I thought maybe I could pull it off.

Some tea and reading. My favorite thing to do.

Then it was book club time. Still really cold.

After that I went home to warm up and do a lot more work. Work work work and then time to pick up the boys.

David telling me a story  (which did not relate to why he was so incredibly dirty.)

On the way back home.

I did a bunch more work and then decided to take a bit of time off and warm up and watch TV while the kids showered.

Jake came home and there was much rejoicing.

Calvin and Hobbes has become popular again in the house. Love love love Calvin.

We seem to get these semi-dead yellowjackets in the kids’ bathroom a few times a year. They are really scary for the kids and not easy to kill. This one looks dead but wasn’t. We just let him outside.

David and I then left for his school because he was inducted into the graduation class. And there was an event where the current 8th graders and 12th graders came back to talk about their elementary school experiences.

Each of the 5th graders got up on stage and talked about their favorite memory of what they will miss the most.

I hadn’t had dinner (or lunch) so we grabbed some Starbucks on the way home.

Once home, I did some math with Nathaniel and then tucked him in. Jake was doing some work so David and I both read.

He then started doing some journaling in code.

And that was Friday. A few hours of reading, a bit more work, and I called it a night.

Today started with a 6am meeting. So I woke up early, prepped some of the lunch and breakfast. Then I had a few minutes and read my favorite email of the day. I like to start my days with theSkimm.

Then it was time for team meeting.

Today’s meeting had a demo which was fun.

Little boy was awake and dressed of course. He finished off making lunches and then woke David up.

While I went from meeting to meeting, the boys ate their food and got ready for school.

I had a total of 4 minutes between meetings to get them to the shuttle. David is getting so tall.

A quick shot on the way again.

After many more meetings, I went out for lunch again to my friend Allison’s house for our book club. It’s hosted once every 6 weeks or so and I always try to make time for it. It was super hot today so I dressed light because I knew I was going from her house to the school.

After our lunch, I went to the kids’ school to meet with the principal because I am the head of the parent association this year and I have had recurring meetings with the head of the school all year long. Today was our last one. After him, I met with another Administration member to help work some details out for next year (coordinating volunteering across the school.) And then it was almost time for school to get out so I just grabbed the kids a bit early so we could rush home for my meeting.

I had a meeting for an hour when we got home so the kids showered and did their homework during that time. Then we had plans to go get ice cream but I was tired and not in the mood to walk in the heat so we came up with a different plan instead. We ordered pizza hut which said it would take 35 minutes to get here and then left the house to go to the corner store.

We got ice cream, pears and carrots and walked back home. With 10 minutes left to spare.

Nathaniel did another round with the garden because it’s been so hot and the plants are craving water.

The pizza came right on time so we dug in. After a slice each we were totally full. The kids ate cheese and I had pepperoni and pineapple.

There was some room left for ice cream of course.

Then it was time to get into PJs and read a bit while I type this. As soon as I am done we will do a bit more math and then he’s off to bed.

David’s already in his room, and Jake is on his way back home (so thankful!) Once the kids are down, I need to write interview feedback, go through my emails, do a bit more work and then it’s sleep time for me, too, since it’s another 5am day tomorrow.

As I watched Ali post her Week in the Life posts, I realized how much I enjoyed looking at them and decided I wanted to go ahead and try for this week. I have no idea whether I will be able to sustain it all week but I will try. I don’t think I’ve done one of these since 2014 and my life is quite different since then.

This morning was exceptional for several reasons. I usually wake up around 4:45 to 5:15 because I have meetings with my team in Zurich but today was a national holiday there so I got to sleep in until 6:30, which would have been a miracle except I woke up at 5am and tossed and turned. I didn’t sleep well all night because I was sad about the small car accident I got into yesterday (i am ok!) It was also an unusual morning because Jake’s back home in Boston for his uncle’s memorial. So it’s just me and the kids until later this week.

Since I didn’t have any meetings until 9am, I did what I’ve been doing a lot lately which is to turn on CNN. I’ve been obsessed with this election cycle and can’t seem to stop watching CNN. It’s to the point of an unhealthy obsession and I am sad to see that most often the news is not really fit for my kids. (Like this morning.) So I turn it off and Skype with my mom. (and then my sister too!)

Nathaniel slept with me last night and it was so nice to wake up and give him a big hug. He then got dressed and came down to make lunches for both kids.

The kids ate their oatmeal and brushed their teeth and it was time to leave for the shuttle. Since I usually have back to back meetings in the morning, they usually take the shuttle which is only 4 minutes away and allows me to leave one meeting a bit early and be a bit late to the next one.

We took a selfie on the way to the shuttle.

And there they go. On Mondays and Wednesdays, they have a good friend on the shuttle so they like riding it.

Since it was a very rare day of not having a meeting right after, I drove to Starbucks and got a Latte and the spinach foldover (which wasn’t great today) and got a moment to enjoy breakfast (with more CNN.)

I organized my June project and put a new banner on my site for it. And started thinking about what I might want to do for July. It helps to think ahead in the summer months.

This is my calendar for the week. It’s not pretty. I have a lot of meetings. Especially those back to back 30 minute ones in the early mornings are not my favorite. I was gone for a work offsite Wednesday to Friday last week so I am really behind in email and I just don’t see myself catching up super soon.

Here’s how I spend most of my day. Reading email, writing email, or in meetings.

I often work with both my computers in front of me. Meeting in one, doing work on the other.

I was waiting for one of my workmates to show up to a meeting and randomly had a need to put this temporary tattoo on me. Love these little gems.

Meeting gets canceled last minute so I take the opportunity to plan out my week and write down my todos.

More work, more meetings, and then time for lunch. I had a coaching client today over lunch so actual lunch is while I work. Crackers + goat cheese + tomato = happy place. I spend a lot of time on a presentation I will give later this week on Mentoring.

Another hour of work and then it’s time to interview a candidate. I take notes furiously as he speaks. So I can remember my feedback when I put it into the system.

As soon as the interview is done, I jump in the car because it’s time to pickup the kids. Yep, it’s so very sunny outside. Pretty much every day.

Nathaniel’s class is already out.

He’s got an art project and a card from his reading buddy.

David gets out about 15 minutes after Nathaniel so I sit at the playground for that time and chat with the other moms while Nathaniel plays. This is Adriana who is also often there.

The kids are hot and ask me if we can please get some ice cream. I tell them we can’t go to where they usually like to go because I am still shaken up from yesterday’s car thing and would like to park somewhere easy. So we decide to stay local. When I see this mirror, I can’t resist taking a shot.

The chocolaty ones are Nathaniel’s and mine, the crazy colorful one is David’s. I threw mine away because it had a lot of nuts. Way way too many nuts.

We grab a few bagels and finally make it home. David jumps into the shower and the boys get ready for swimming which is in an hour. They eat the bagels we got and Nathaniel and I spend this time doing a Udacity course that David and I did years ago: Intro to Algebra Review. The beginning is easy and he flies through the lessons. (David and I are now doing the College Algebra one, the beginning of that one is easy too, we’ll see how hard it gets.)

The kids eat dinner and then it’s time for swimming class.

After we come home from swimming, the boys do a quick video chat with Jake and his brother’s family and his parents. Then, the boys shower and David and I do some math and then Nathaniel and I do a tiny bit more so he can finish the first section. David does his homework. Then it’s time for the little boy to go to bed. He’s going to sleep with me again tonight so David and I tuck him in.

I then come down and turn CNN on again. David’s in his room, reading. I send a few more emails, work some more on my presentation, type up the “choosing means” post for tomorrow, and I will go to bed as soon as I finish typing this up. Tomorrow’s first meeting is 5:30am so I need all the sleep I can get.