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a day in the life

I awoke about 7:00 this morning to my oldest son asking me to make him an apple pie.  He had come down to our room in the wee hours of the morning with a fever, but he was trying to convince me that he could go to school anyway.  I put the kibosh on that and tried to persuade him that a relaxing morning and the promise of apple pie would make this “sick day” a nice day. 

With both boys fixed up with some Cheerios and chocolate milk, I turned on my laptop to check my e-mail.  I admit, at this point I grabbed a small handful of Raisinets.  They are my favorite and I crave chocolate in the moring and they were calling to me from the pantry.  An e-mail from my mom pointed out a typo in yesterdays post.  I logged on, fixed that and read through some comments. 

After some breakfast, I took a shower and got dressed for the day.  I donned my best painting clothes, preparing for a good day of work.  Mini showed up around 10:00 to babysit the boys while I worked.  I priced some pieces I purchased yesterday and added them to the “Lucketts Holiday Open House” pile in my basement. 

I am totally in love with this vintage cola cooler I purchased, so I had a little photo shoot with it. 

It’s a fun place to display some glitter letters. 

I can’t decide if I want to sell it or keep it, so I put a high price on it. If it doesn’t sell, it’s mine.  If it does, it was worth it. 

I add it to the pile. 

E-mail needs my attention again.  I’m doing some consulting work and needed to do some color comparisons.  That’s done…e-mails are sent.  Time to get out of the house.  My favorite haunt was beckoning and I need a table for the center of my room at Lucketts. 

A stop by the bank to make a deposit, a stop at the post office to send out some packages.  No good mail today.  A 25 minute drive later and I am shopping.  I’ll take that, that, this and that.  Load the van with a solid walnut harvest table, a rustic bench, a blanket chest and some smalls.  Drive around the corner to a consignment shop and find some old books (one with an inscription from the 1880’s) and some more silver. 
Drive home, stop at the market to get ingredients to make pie.  Unload the van (with the help of my three year old wearing only a hat, superhero underwear and Mickey Mouse rain boots) and get back to work.  Pricing, polishing silver, stop to check e-mail…oh…I haven’t eaten lunch.  Make a sandwich, eat and hang out with the boys and Mini for a while. 
Back to work.  My husband helps me carry the furniture pieces to the basement before he and our youngest leaves for Awana.  I sand down the table top and a dresser top.  Stain the two of them in dark walnut.  Paint the dresser.  Go upstairs to wash the brush and make apple pie.  Chat with mom on the phone.  More e-mail while the pie bakes.  We enjoy pie and ice cream and I’m back in the basement for more painting. 
I’m done for the day and Mini goes home.  Get the boys ready for bed.  Cuddle with them on the couch.  Put them to bed.  My husband’s not feeling 100%, so he gets in bed early.  Leaving me with my laptop to write this post while watching Survivor.  Yeah…I forgot to eat dinner.  Why am I not a twig?  Oh yeah…those Raisinets.  And the apple pie a la mode. 
Time to proof read, check some more e-mail, and try to get in bed by 11:00. 
And that just about sums up my day. 

Marian Parsons 

Paint Enthusiast | Writer | Artist | Designer

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61 Responses

  1. Whew…wore me out just reading it. By the way I was imagining myself right there with you while you were shopping and was dreaming of all the treasures you found today. Guess that will have to be my shopping fix for the day. Thanks, now I can go to bed happy and dream about of all the treasures still waiting to be found.

  2. Wow, I was thinking it was a day by lunch time! You get a lot done girl! I LOVE that you used "Kibosh"! I never hear that out here. I learned that from my very East Coast husband who speaks a teeny bit of Yiddish.

    BTW, that is such a cute Cola Chest. What a find!

  3. Marion, I don't know how you do it! I envision you putting on your Superwoman cape every morning and taking the world by storm. I admire your talent, your drive, and your photography. I wish I could do 10% of what you do! Congrats on your success!

  4. Good grief! That sounds like an entire week for me. You should be wearing the superhero underwear. LOL
    Love your blog and wish I lived closer to check out that walnut havest table. Hope we get to see photos.

    Kimberly 🙂

  5. In all that you do, which is impressive by the way, I just wanted to say thank you for continuing to share so much of you with us. Visiting your blog each day is a must for me and provides me with a nice dose of inspiration.

    Hope 🙂

  6. I have a booth in a flea market in 2 days.. today: up and at 'em, kiddo to school and me to work ( RN- a diabetes educator). Off work at 3, pick up my boy, bank, gas. Price a few things, stage a picture for facebook update, pick up kitchen. A little soccer with my boy, dinner (left overs from a lunch meeting today – yeah for small favors!), back to work for a presentation meeting tonight. Now, home at 9 pm, missed out on bedtime tonight : (. Time to price and pack.. after a check in on your blog for a little inspiration! Thank you! -Jen livelygrace@me.com

  7. You make pie…MAKE pie, with all your getting done. Confound it, woman! I think I feel sick now. My go to food when I'm in a rush is almonds. Maybe I should switch to Raisinets.
    Seriously though, hope your boy feels better. 🙂

  8. I hope you know that I think you are just down right amazing! How you finish all of those furniture pieces in one day and still manage to spend time with your family and BAKE APPLE PIE! Phew…. I'm tired just thinking about it 😉 P.S. I'm a sucker for raisinets also….love them!

  9. I lol'd at the girl who said you should be wearing the superhero underwear…she's right! Sounds like you had a very productive and busy day, I am tired reading it…but I had a fairly productive day today too, which included housework, a meeting with my new accountant, painting a dresser, and watching the kids swim this afternoon (in our backyard, yay for Aussie springtime!)

    xx Karen

  10. I hear ya girl…..your day sounds like mine. Sewed together a couch and loveseat that I fit last week and cut out all the cushions. Fit and sewed an armless chair. Made dinner for the kids. Blogged. Headed to the neighbors to put together her bedroom for a surprise makeover and let me tell you it looks amazing!

  11. I sooo love that you said " I put the kibosh… " . I know of no one but myself and my Mother who use that phrase. Thank you for your awesome blog posts.. and all your inspiration. Because of your posts… I tackled my first re-upholstery of a chair seat. Nothing too crazy.. but I did sew piping for the first time. ! Now, off to think about baking a pie for my brood.

  12. Wow- that's quite a day, sister! I have days like that too, where I accomplish more by 9 a.m. than most people do all day (unfortunately, my kdis and I are early risers…). Today I may park it on the couch, not feeling so well, but I have already done laundry, done emails, separated winter clothes, and am contemplating running to the post office and dump!

  13. You and women everywhere are amazing! I remember getting an email a while back with a story about a woman who tells her husband she is turning in for the night. But before she heads upstairs she walks the dog, pays a few bills, puts a load of laundry in the dryer, gets the lunchboxes ready for morning, and empties the dishwasher. She finally heads upstairs and finds her husband in bed and he says to her "I thought you were going to bed 2 hours ago!"

  14. I use the phrase "kibosh" too! Well this sounds pretty normal to me, and I loved the image of the superhero underoos and boots running out to help you!! So great, yes sometimes we forget to eat and wouldn't it be nice to drop a pound in the process!

  15. Gosh, what an easy peasy day. Would have been the perfect day to clean out the refrigerator and detox the stove.

    HOW DO YOU FIND THE ENERGY FOR ALL THAT?! I'm exhausted just reading about it. Forget proofreading! Thanks so much for sharing with us in your spare time!

  16. BIG sign for you! I can totally relate. Since opening my shop a month ago (well, rented booth over a year now) I haven't quite got to a point where I am SOMEWHAT organized and productive every.single.day. I am getting there but the way you described your day is so similar to mine. Thank you for posting your experience in your buisness. I too am struggling to part with some of the tedious tasks that must be done for my business. It's hard…so hard to let someone else have some creative control. ugh.

    Hope you have a creative day,

    Amy

  17. I can totally relate to your post. I teach full time and have a 3 year old and a 1 year old. I accomplish more in one day than I used to in a week- sound familiar? I too wonder- why am I not a twig? And I also have a 3 year old in rain boots, fireman's helmet and underpants who runs out to greet my arrival. Hope you have a great day!

  18. your day sounds fabulous, marian. i have two sons i bake for, and it has become a love language between us, right?

    sending sunshine.

    michele

  19. Gee and I thought I had a lot to do to get ready for a sleepover of 8 yr old girls. (Don't ask me what I was thinking on that one) Although, I think I could handle the shopping part of what you do and the baking…not so sure about the rest. I made a pillow yesterday and screwed it up. At least it's pretty on one side. ;^) Do you mess up many projects in all of them that you do? Oh, and I can't figure out why I'm not a twig either.

  20. I enjoy your blog but do get concerned that you are missing out on your boys growing up. This is not intended as a criticism as I have worked a 9-5 for 28 years, but we sacrificed income while I took each summer off to be home with our children. This is just an observation from a fellow-believer-older-lady who always wished she had the privilege to be home more – even now that the "kids" are 22 and 26, happily married, and great adults. My best to you.

  21. So I guess that's it, I just have to try those Raisinets, so maybe I get half your routine done. Well done! I can't wait to get an au pair! hopefully next year!
    By the way, Marian, I always wonder about the layout of your workshop or basement. I am about to refurbish a section of our house to make a workshop and a boutique. I really wish I could stand in the middle of your basement to get ideas
    Thanks for this post!! xoxox Adriana

  22. You are Superwoman, you know that! You have just inspired most of us, and exhausted the rest. Thanks for taking us with you during your day … now, about that walnut harvest table …. 🙂

  23. My head is spining after all that… I must learn to FOCUS! I'll start this weekend!
    Question…where do you find your chipboard letters? I went to Michaels today and the only ones they have are already glittered. Laurie
    woniota@rochester.rr.com

  24. AH..a day in the life. I LOVE that you made your son Apple Pie. What a GREAT mommy you are. Ya want to know my favorite part of your post? AWANA!!! My husband was the AWANA Commander for our previous church and I grew up in AWANA.I even remember the pledge and most of the songs:) SEE….kindred spririts! Praying you and your husband don't get the bug.
    Blessings,
    Kelli

  25. Just discovered your blog…you have a new fan. 🙂
    I miss having that much energy! I don't blame you one bit about wanting to keep that awesome drink chest! I'd feel the same.

  26. What a day that was! Made me tired just reading about it. I think it's amazing how you manage all that you do – and so well. Go, you!

  27. Hope your hubby and son are feeling much better soon. I did roll my eyes as I read about the person commenting on a typo. I enjoy reading your blogs and many others. If I find a typo or incorrect grammar, I ignore. Why? Because I figure most bloggers put in a lot of time to provide FREE inspiration, DIYs, etc.

    One blogger has a notice on her site – "No edit zone." Love that!

    ~Jules

  28. Reading your post today was so refreshing… I have been going through some family problems with my daughter and I have a big exam at school hovering over my head today. As stressed as I am, I took a minute to read your post. I always love your posts but I really needed the smile and giggles your post brought to me today which made it "extra" special! Thank for already making it a good day! I'm now ready to take on the day! 😀

  29. Your cooler caught my eye. I have 1 very similar to it in our garage. My mom and dad used it for many years when we'd go on picnics, whem I was young.

  30. Dear Miss Mustard,

    Is "Raisinets" a code word for something that will help me get to the bottom of my list? 😉
    Sounds like you put much effort into having a very productive, and balanced life!

    Love your blog. It's very inspiring and helpful. Thanks for the photography tips (I use Photoshop Elements too).

    Good luck with your glittery holiday sale!

I’m Marian, a painter, writer, and lover of all things creative. From art and antiques to home projects and everyday life, I share my journey in hopes of inspiring you to embrace your own creativity and make beauty in the spaces you live.

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