While chatting with another travel blogger, comparing lives and wishing our cyber chat were actually occurring in person over a glass of vino, this question was raised: what does my "thrifty gypsy" life look like on the daily?
I err on the side of under-sharing my personal life here on the blog, but since our travels have morphed to being more local or regional, our way of life has become more relevant to the types of places about which I am writing. When I think about the blogs that I enjoy reading, I tend to follow those writers who share enough about themselves to be interesting while not giving enough away for a stalker's dossier. It's kind of like having a first date over and over again; you reveal enough to make them want more without ever airing your dirty laundry.
So as a result of that conversation and subsequent musings, I present this second part of a two part mash-up, regarding our daily lives in between our local or international trips. As I currently split my time almost evenly between the office and staying at home, it seems only fitting to present both sides of the story: the Hausfrau (Housewife) and the Corporate Climber.
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A Tale of Two Gypsies:
The Corporate Climber
04:00 - It's an ungodly early hour, but Baby Gypsy babbles and whimpers in her bassinet until I wake up, begrudgingly. Thankfully, after a quick feeding, she goes right back to sleep, as do I.
05:45 - The first alarms of the morning start screaming at us. Time to get up! Time to get up! And like every other self-respecting adult, I hit the snooze button at least twice before dragging myself out of bed.
06:30 - Danny and I have both showered, and I'm fixing my hair and makeup while he cooks breakfast and gets up the Toddler. I really hit the jackpot with this guy. He spearheads the whole morning routine with the kids and breakfast, letting me take my time. Getting ourselves and both the girls fed, dressed, and ready to drop off at my parents' house is a major operation, but he manages us handily.
07:05 - We drop the girls off at my parents' house, who mercifully live across the street. Even if I forget to bring something, either they have their own supplies or can let themselves into my house if need be. I would not survive this adulting thing without knowing my girls are in good hands.
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| Charlottesville - home of the University of Virginia (a UNESCO World Heritage site - Rotunda designed by Thomas Jefferson pictured above), the 'Hoos, controversial statues, beautiful mountains, and the best bagels found on this side of heaven. |
08:30 - By now I've caught up on emails and have begun to tackle my to-do list. I have a complex role at my firm, which is a nationally-known consulting engineering firm*. On the one hand, I'm an executive assistant to the Principal/COO headquartered in our office, and on the other, I'm a marketing coordinator. Plus I wear the hat of office manager for our particular location, responsible for the administrative logistics of keeping a small office running smoothly. My job entails a lot of writing, a lot of organization, and a lot of stirring many pots simultaneously. Lists and sticky notes are my best friends.
11:30 - I've spent the morning going from one task to another, and now I break out the lunchbox to munch and work. 2018 is the year of getting fit and counting calories, so on today's menu is iceberg lettuce with tomatoes, cheddar cheese, grilled chicken, and some ranch, accompanied by an apple and a tall glass of water.
12:00 - Time to walk! I am obsessing with the MyFitnessPal app to count how many calories I'm consuming and burning (add me! my username is KatrinaD0809). It can sync with Samsung Health or the fitness app on your Apple device, and it's been quite the motivator to stay on track with this fitness kick. It's been brutally cold in Virginia this past week; the temperature hasn't been above freezing for almost a week now. Nevertheless, I bundle up and hit the pavement. There's a small park nearby, but I often just walk the neighborhoods to vary the scenery.
13:00 - Back to the grindstone. Is it Friday yet? Oh wait, it actually is!
14:00 - I'm starving. Is it dinner time yet? Maybe I should raid the candy drawer in the kitchenette. No, no, I don't want the app yelling about my sugar intake. I should probably just eat an apple. Boooooring!
14:05 - Still hungry.
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| My very own window in my very own office! The view isn't great, but I love the natural light. |
17:00 - It's no longer five o'clock somewhere; it's five o'clock here! You won't catch the door hitting my backside.
17:45 - I'm greeted with "Mama, Mama, Mama!" from Toddler Gypsy as I walk into my parents' house. I get the rundown of the day before scooping up my little girls and loading them into my trusty steed (I'm in the minivan club now, dontchyaknow).
18:00 - We pull into the driveway at the same time as Danny, and it's a tumbleweed of kids, bags, coats, and empty lunch boxes as we get everything inside. Just like every other day, it's a gauntlet of dinner, bath, story time, teeth brushing, and cuddles before the girls are in bed by 7pm.
19:00 - Bedtime for babies! Since 2018 debuted, I've been working on efficiently managing my time. Be Intentional, Be Present is my motto for the year. That has translated into drastically reducing the time I spend on social media. I've put myself on a fast between the hours of 8am and 5pm, and as there are so many other things I want to accomplish this year, I find myself turning to a book or another self-development activity instead of mindlessly scrolling Facebook. Insta is my poison of choice most days anyway.
So the rest of the night is devoted to reading, spending intentional time with Danny, scrapbooking, designing my own greeting cards (for family birthdays and other events), or trying to figure out what hobby I'll take up for the year (any suggestions?). As tomorrow is Saturday, I look forward to a whole day with the girls and hubby, whether at home or out on an excursion. Happy weekend!
What does your normal day look like?
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