MY AVERAGE WEEKDAY

MEMPHIS:  (1977-1990) When I had little ones in Memphis, I would get up & fix breakfast & pack lunches, help get kids ready for school, then we would have scripture study & family prayer before school.  While little ones were at school, I was off to work at the gym & rush back to meet little ones after school.  After school we would have a snack & rush to get homework done because I would have to get back to the gym.  Sometimes I would bring everyone back to the gym with me, other days I would take everyone to the Carters.  After work I would get everyone home & help say prayers & off to bed.  I would usually stay up late, try to catch up on laundry, & work on choreography for the next day.  

SAN JOSE:  (1992-2006) While in San Jose, we packed in a very busy schedule, too.  With 10 very active kids, how could it be anything but busy?  Everyone was involved in mutual, sports, & other activities – including me & Dad.  Back in the day, everyone got up early for the paper route, where they would fold & deliver papers to the neighborhood before they went to early morning seminary at the Stake Center.  As the high school kids were all leaving for seminary, the younger kids & I would be getting up to read scriptures.  We always had family scripture study during early morning seminary hours so that everyone would be used to getting up early, hoping to make seminary an easier adjustment/transition. 

Those high schoolers who had leadership or drivers training before school started would go straight to school while the rest came home for breakfast.  I remember Dad would be in charge of breakfast each morning (A hot breakfast was prepared EVERY morning because we couldn’t afford cold cereal for 10 kids!)  I would usually be helping 5-7 girls with hair & I tried to supervise packing lunches, then I would take the “littles” to Carson & the rest would walk to school or the bus stop.  There was a time when I was also going to San Jose State to finish my degree.  Once I got my credential, I was off to teach all day while everyone else was at school. Then the never-ending practice schedule or games would eat up the rest of our time.  One year we had 7 soccer players of 5 different teams!  We also had 6 cheerleaders, 5 volleyball players, 4 Showstoppers, several in Student Government – including 3 ASB presidents, 2 secretaries & 1 treasurer, plus a couple of  Drama Queens, a Homecoming Queen & a token Basketballer.  That was just school activities!  Scouts & Church callings kept us all equally as busy.  There was Mutual & YW Camp & Zion’s Camp, a plethora of Eagle Projects & all those trips to Disneyland for Castillero & Gunderson!  We were ONE BUSY FAMILY!

NOW:  (2006-COVID) Our daily schedule has changed through the years as we experienced the different “phases” in life.   With Dad’s “every second counts” mentality, we stay extremely busy no matter what season it is.  My favorite thing to do is spend time with my family, especially Dad.  We are fortunate that we get to spend the majority of our days together, at work or at home.  I still don’t think I would consider any of my weekdays average – there is always something going on!  Since we spend a few days in San Jose working, we are always excited to come home to the River.  When I do have a schedule, I really like it – there is something very comforting & stable about consistency. 

SAN JOSE:  We usually drive into San Jose Monday mornings & get to the office about noon.  After I go through the mail, I usually have a “to do” list for the office or birthday shopping for someone.  I like to do my shopping in San Jose because we are closer to the stores & I usually don’t like to go out when I’m at the Riverhouse.  Other duties I have in San Jose is paying the bills.  I get to balance the check books & take care of all our personal finances.  I will also clean the inside of the office & apartment weekly & trim the bushes & wash down the building on the outside seasonally.  On Wednesdays, I order lunch for the office, go & pick it up, then I answer phones while the Dad has a “staff training meeting.”  It’s basically a working lunch where they go over any new State Farm procedures & policies or they will discuss any promotions/projects Dad wants to implement.  In the evenings, Dad will take me out to dinner & a movie or we will visit G’ma & G’pa Middleton or our friends, Mike & Vicky Macias. I enjoy a certain amount of flexibility with my schedule, but I am always amazed at how fast our time goes while we are in San Jose because we stay so very busy! (I stopped going to San Jose during the Covid shut down. I was stuck in the apartment & couldn't go anywhere. Of course since G'ma & G'pa passed, they were no longer around for us to visit.)

THE RIVERHOUSE:  I absolutely LOVE coming home to the Riverhouse.  It is so peaceful & I really enjoy being there.  Even though our children didn’t grow up there, it feels like HOME to me.  Ideally, Dad & I get up early & read scriptures together.  We take turns practicing the piano & I like to go for a walk (my attempt at exercising) before breakfast .  After my walk I will grab a breakfast drink (I love those chocolate weight loss shakes from Costco!) & I head for the tub.  I love my big bathtub!  Once I am dressed & ready, I will check my emails before I begin my chores or errands.   Sometimes I work on projects – I really like to “make” things.  I love sewing & putting books together with the pictures I take.  I also really enjoy family history & personal histories (which is one reason I agreed to answer all these questions for Jill!)   I play volleyball on Tuesdays & Thursdays. I'm at least 10 years older than the next oldest person there, but they are all nice & let me play anyway. Most of them played high school or college volleyball. I'm their token G'ma. They are some of my favorite friends. I like to practice the piano again in the late afternoon before I start dinner.  I enjoy cooking for the two of us – it is usually something light & healthy.  In the evenings I like to spend time with Dad, even if we are just in the same room together, sometimes we will watch a movie or a little TV.  On the weekends, when the weather is nice (especially during the summer), we have many opportunities to entertain family & friends which we love to do, too.   We feel extremely blessed to have such a wonderful gathering place & we really enjoy sharing it.  We will also sit outside & watch the River go by…it is really a piece of Heaven to us.