I was really inspired by Gwyneth Paltrow's GOOP Newsletter talking about women finding a balance between work and motherhood. In the article, she and 2 other women (including Stella McCartney) share their daily routines and how they manage their time between their children and their career.
Now, as I woke up this morning, I was curious to know how my day was going to be like and thought it would be really cool to take note at the end of the day. So here it is... a day in the life of...me:
My alarm clock rings at 6 am as it usually does every single day (except on weekends, of course) and as usual, I sleep another 15 minutes before I realize that if I don't wake up, I'm gonna be late with all the different morning chores I have to do. My son is up since about 5.30 - 6 am because it has become a habit to him. Even on weekends, even when he goes to bed late, even when he's exhausted, his biological clock wakes him up every single morning at around that time!
Anyway, so I wake up and go directly to the kitchen where I'm lucky to say that coffee is already ready in the pot (what a luxury!). I usually sip my coffee first before I do anything else, but ever since I decided to take care of my son on my own, my morning coffee has had to wait. So I rush to the fridge and check out what there is and it so happens that we have some leftover sauteed carrots. Great, we also have potatoes so I decide to make mashed potatoes. My son has been obsessing about eggs lately so I make him an omelette to go with his potatoes and carrots. In the meantime, I also usually have to figure out what I'll have for lunch but thank God, I had planned it the day before (leftover roast chicken and a salad).
While the potatoes cook, I get myself some fruits and bring my coffee to the table. My son had already finished his breakfast (he makes toast by himself, the sweet little angel!) so we just sit, talk, look at the daily comics in the Jakarta Post and all of the sudden, it's already time for shower and getting ready for school. While he does that, I finish preparing his lunch and put his wushu clothes in his bag.
After I've dropped him off to school, I get back home, take a quick shower and head to the office. I'm always, always late ever since I've had to prepare my son's lunch but oh well, what can I do? Work awaits me and I get straight to it. I'm working on a powerpoint presentation for the Jakarta International School high school students because I'm invited to speak next week, and I have a few emails to answer. But it's Thursday so not long after, we all get called for the weekly meeting. Believe me, our weekly meetings are always fun, not your boring old office meeting. For your information, I work in an environment of mostly women, and mostly wacky women that is so work is definitely not dull.
After the meeting, I have a quick lunch in front of the computer while I look at some videos and organized my Top Sites and put the different blogs I like to check out routinely. I like the way the powerpoint presentation is looking: young, fun and creative (one needs to give pats on the shoulder once in a while!). Here's what it looks like:
My work usually ends at 2 pm but today I stayed till 4 because I took a couple of hours off work to be with Amal last week so I had to repay my hours. Before I go home, I had to go to the dentist first then since it was close to the supermarket, I stopped by to buy some miso soup sachet which are really yummy with somen noodles :) Of course, you can't go to the supermarket to buy just 1 thing so I end up buying a couple of things.
On the way out, I buy myself the new Martha Stewart Living magazine which is amazing, according to me and head to Citos because I just remembered that I have to get a birthday present for Amal's cousin. I always try to find "educative" toys but it's never that easy so I end up getting something fun!
By 6 pm I'm finally home. It's great to have dinner together with Amal and my Mom (it would be even better with my Dad, but he wasn't here this evening). After dinner, Amal gets his 1 hour of tv before we head off to the room to read a book together, brush his teeth, change into his pajamas, say a little prayer and sing his favorite lullaby. Come 9 pm and I'm exhausted! I hope there's a good movie on tonight....
[this has to be the longest written post ever on my blog!]
Roughly chop your zucchini and slice your onions into wedges. Heat olive oil in another pan and add the remaining garlic, zucchini, onion and salt & pepper. Toss around until the zucchinis are half cooked.
Cook your couscous according to the instructions on the box - basically just adding boiling water + salt. Cover your bowl with plastic wrap and leave for 5 minutes. Then mix your fried vegetables into the couscous. Wrap again for about 5-10 minutes then add the juice of 1/2 a lemon.
When your fish is cooked through, place on top of your lemon zucchini couscous and tuck in :)
Roughly chop your zucchini and slice your onions into wedges. Heat olive oil in another pan and add the remaining garlic, zucchini, onion and salt & pepper. Toss around until the zucchinis are half cooked.
Cook your couscous according to the instructions on the box - basically just adding boiling water + salt. Cover your bowl with plastic wrap and leave for 5 minutes. Then mix your fried vegetables into the couscous. Wrap again for about 5-10 minutes then add the juice of 1/2 a lemon.
When your fish is cooked through, place on top of your lemon zucchini couscous and tuck in :)
