a day in the life | jessica holden

A Day In The Life with Jessica Holden

When I was first asked about doing a Day in the Life post, I was a little intimidated, partly because I just don’t consider myself a lifestyle photographer! I have a deep-seated need to control everything, and I have found that need to be at distinct odds with the concept of capturing life as it happens. ;-P My other hesitation was that my life is not terribly exciting! Ultimately, though, documenting a normal, mundane day in our life is something I have always wanted to do, because in all honesty, it’s these memories that I know I will cherish the most years from now. So, without further ado, here’s a typical day in our life: I meet a big group of friends for coffee a few times a week, and since Wednesday is my daughter’s late day at school, she comes with me that morning. It’s fun that she has a chance now to visit with them, too, each week! But it means we get up early five days a week instead of four… (We are not morning people…)

Then it was time for drop-off.

Next up, errands! These were all taken with my iPhone—this day confirmed that I have a lot of learning to do with the iPhone camera. Especially since I am shy about whipping my big camera out in stores!

When I got home, I was ready for more coffee. I think my Keurig might be my new best friend!

Two of the kitties (Cosby and Koda) pretty much sleep on my bed all the time…

…but this one, our little girl, Gracie, prefers to walk back and forth past my computer monitor about a thousand times before settling into my lap to shed profusely.

When I finished what I needed to get done on the computer that morning, I had a little time to spare so I read (I’m currently reading The Luminous Portrait by Elizabeth Messina . It’s a fantastic book! (And yes, those are my new reading glasses—I think that makes me officially old… Oh—and that drink? It’s a Pepsi. It has to be Pepsi, and it hasto have ice—neither is negootiable.) I also watched TV while eating lunch—I like TV, a lot—it’s my guilty pleasure…

By then my little bookworm was getting home. Sometimes I walk to meet her, but she’s loving her book right now so until she’s done with it, she prefers to walk and read! (In case you’re interested, she’s reading—for a second time—The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Stewart. I read them with her the first time, and it’s a great series! A fourth just came out, so she wanted a refresher on the first ones before she starts it.

Then we have a snack—today it’s Jiffy Pop, simply because it’s so much fun to watch it cook. Sometimes it’s the little things!

After her snack (usually accompanied by some girly show we’ve recorded that she and I like but her Dad doesn’t, like Smash), then it was time for homework. Often she has a supervisor!

Rory, by the way, was a direct result of the 2011 CM Scavenger Hunt . She was a very unplanned addition to the family, but I am not sure who is happier about it, her or us! I had no idea birds could be so snuggly. She’s pretty adorable! (And she’s potty-trained, to boot!)

After homework it was time to get Emily to her voice/guitar lessons. Usually I drop her off and my husband picks her up on his way home, but tonight he had a meeting so I just stayed and went for a walk. Emily and I both have Fitbits , so I’m trying to get my 10,000 steps a day. I made it more entertaining by playing with my iPhone again.

When we got home, I made drinks for Tom and me. I had a cosmo (?) at the Bellagio while I was at WPPI that I absolutely needed to learn to make at home—the Cable Car. And I will share it with you because it’s delicious! It’s 2 parts Captain Morgan’s Spiced Rum, 1 part Orange Curacao, and 2 parts sweet & sour—I like Dr. Swami’s because it tastes the most natural. Shake it together and pour it into a cinnamon-sugar-rimmed cosmo glass!

One of the benefits of having older kids? They can cook! She made dinner mostly by herself—we had taco salad.

She needed Daddy’s help with homework next (she’s past the point where I can help her in math—I think she surpassed me in 6th grade—I am not proud…), and somehow we all ended up in our bedroom.

And then our day was done! She’s officially a teenager now, but when she sleeps, I still see only my little girl…

Thanks for sharing my day!