This week’s featured lady is Janell from Isabella & Max. Janell started her career in the world of fashion design and then moved on to designing interiors. Along the way she got hitched and had two lovely kids. Her is blog is always one of my first stops and I’m constantly jealous with everything that she do with her sewing machine.

I got the chance to met up with Janell while she was in town for filming a segment for The Nate Show!

{ Max’s room was featured on The Nate Show}

Janell recently stopped taking on client work because she has started up a new online magazine called, House of Fifty that will launch April 25th! I’ve always dreamed of working in the magazine world whether it be digital or print so of course I had to ask her to share a day in her life so we could see how she does it all!

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5 AM:

I do make it a habit to get up early. It is not always easy I will admit. But a nice cup of coffee helps and the full hour and a half to check my email, catch up on blogs and get my day organized before waking up the kids makes all the difference.

6:30 a.m.

Time to wake up those kids…some days this is harder than others. But having the start of my day already behind me I can really focus on their needs and help them get prepared for their day.

I don’t like being rushed with the kids in the morning, we start with breakfast and I pack their lunches as they eat at the kitchen island. It’s usually a fun time, unless someone decides today is the day to be grumpy. Usually we talk about any dreams they had, what activities they have planned for the day and anything we have scheduled for after school. Then it’s time to get dressed, do hair, get the backpacks ready, get the dog on the lease and head out to the bus stop.

Luckily, on one of the first days we lived in this neighborhood another mom told me very clearly the “rules” for how moms are allowed to look at the stop, at this early morning hour. “No makeup. No getting all dressed and pretty. Leave that for when you pick up the kids.”  What a relief. (Warning, you do not want to see me at the bus stop.)

Once back home however I do get cleaned up, at least a bit! Even though I work from home, it’s important to not let the casual thing go too far!

8:10 clock

Then it’s back to work. To get everything done between the time the kids leave for school and return back home, I am very careful about what I let creep into my weekdays. Most days you will find me working on blog posts…

…editing articles and overseeing the design and layout for the premier issue of House of Fifty, coming in late April.

After all that computer time, taking a break to work on various projects around my own home is a real treat…

and I make sure to fit in some exercise, either taking a brisk walk with the dog or attending a Pilates session twice a week.

And all of this before 2:30. Once the kids are home, it’s definitely family time until they go to bed. There is homework, practicing their piano lessons, sports practices and getting together with friends. Then it’s dinner, reading and bedtime. Ah…I can tell you, by the time 8:00 p.m. rolls around I am ready to say goodnight to the kids! Afterwards I catch up with my husband, watch a show or finish up a bit of work. Looking at the clock, I know 5 a.m. will come soon, so it is a rare night that I’m not calling it a night myself by 10:00. And that is my day…

A big thank you to Janell for participating. I really need to step it up with my wake up time. Sadly I’m waking up at the same time as Janell, but I’m on the east coast! 🙂