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A Day in the Life… 2024

ByRebekah Hoffer
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Every year on January 18th I take one picture every hour from the moment I wake up until I go to bed that night. I end up taking pictures of the ordinary – supper prep, silly kids, trips the library, a cup of coffee, my computer screen.

These ordinary pictures are actually quite extraordinary. They are my everyday. They are my here and my now. They are a day in my life.

I’ve given myself an amazing gift to be able to look back at a typical day from the past years and see the changes from year to year. The gift of being able to see the extraordinary in my everyday routine because the truth is simple: today’s routine will not be the same for long. My children will grow. My jobs will change. These routines will not remain.

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A Day in the Life of Rebekah – January 18, 2024

7:30 AM – I love capturing more candid moments for for project, but I had to ask Grace to smile for this one because this is the only time I’m seeing Grace today and she won’t be in anymore photos!

She is heading out the door for school – 8th grade. This is very typical Grace: long wavy hair, braces, sweat pants, Good Sam sweatshirt, massive backpack, equally massive water bottle, and holding her coat rather than wearing it.

8:30 AM – I’m including 2 photos for 8:30 because I couldn’t resist the candid shot of Isaac and Noah on the couch, but also wanted to document the snow on the ground today. Last year we had almost zero snow all winter, so it is feels a like a big deal to have some snow on the ground again.

I take the boys to school, and then come home to an empty house. This is the first year all 3 kids have been in school all day. Isaac is in 1st grade, and Noah is in 6th.

9:30 AM – After drop offs are done, I grab my coffee and eat breakfast in this chair. I usually scroll social media or read for awhile. We plan to update our living room this year, so this should be the last time this well worn chair and carpet are in my A Day in The Life photos!

10:30 AM – I started doing this mobility exercise/stretching routine because I’m in my 40s with a job that doesn’t require much movement. I want to still be able to move 40 years from now, so I better start stretching those hips!

11:30 AM – Shower time! I often listen to a podcast while I’m in the shower. I set my phone on this shelf out of the way of the water. Today’s podcast was Fated Mates – a podcast dedicated to romance novels.. I listened to their episode about firefighters in romance novels.

Also pictured is the shampoo and conditioner I’m currently using for my curly hair routine. Here you can find Planet Love Beauty on Target and on Amazon. I pick any scent that sounds good to me.

12:30 PM – I’m having leftover baked potato soup for lunch. This photo truly represents my to do list today. I need to tidy the house (especially this kitchen!) and paint those bare nails.

1:30 PM – Conquered the chaos in the kitchen. I love a good before & after photo!

This table is notable because depending on who you ask, it either positively represents Nate and I being content or negatively represents our lack of quality home design. LOL! We have been using this table as a “kitchen island” for years and years.

I have looked for something new, but (without boring you with every single detail of what I’m looking for) I have yet to find a replacement. I know it is ugly and doesn’t match. Sometimes I’m self conscious about it, but the majority of the time, I don’t even think about it.

2:30 PM –  I’m taking that cleaning energy to the rest of the house, and I’m taking on the bathrooms next. I truly hate cleaning, but having company coming over (my sister is watching my kids tonight) is always my best motivator.

3:30 PM – Time to pick up the boys from school. First stop is Isaac. He is loving first grade this year.

4:30 PM – I am testing the limits of Olive & June’s quick dry polish by painting Penny literally right before walking out the door to head to Nate’s work event, The Taste of Phoenixville.

5:30 PM – I am driving to Nate’s fundraising event, The Taste of Phoenixville. (I waited to take this picture until I was parked at the event, but this was pretty much what I was doing at 5:30.)

6:30 PM – It is such an honor to join Nate at this event every year. I am so proud of the work he does.

7:30 PM – Nate is so good at his job. He loves people. Loves serving those in need. And loves raising money to help make it happen. They raised over $30,000 in less than 5 minutes – and ended up raising $147,000 with the whole event!

8:30 PM – Besides the cause, the food is the best part of The Taste. Restaurants from around the area donate food for everyone to sample. It is always incredible.

9:30 PM – Nate and I are so thankful to have the support of good friends who joined us this year. We are amazingly blessed by their friendship. You can find my dress here on Amazon. It has pockets!

10:30 PM – I’m back at home catching up with my sister and brother-in-law. They watched our kids for us tonight.

11:30 PM – Face washed. Hair up. In bed. Exactly where I want to be.

Reflecting Back on my 2024 Day

The most noteworthy change to my day this year is having all 3 kids in public school all day. This. Is. Huge. It is such a big milestone for me as I have been staying home with the kids all these years.

The goal has always been that my online work would generate an income large enough to justify continuing to work from home rather than getting a “traditional” job. I am incredibly grateful for this online community for your support through reading my posts & newsletters, using my affiliate links, and engaging in my social media content.

On December 23, 2023, just shy of a month before doing this photo project, the Sorta Awesome podcast ended. After nearly 9 years of recording episodes with Meg Tietz and Kelly Gordon, this was another huge shift for me.

My personal identity has a mom to little kids has shifted, and my work identity has a podcaster has ended. These major transitions weren’t fully documented in these photos, but they truly are the most significant life changes for me this year.

And in complete transparency – I’m still adjusting to these shifts emotionally, financially, and logistically as I navigate how I spend my days “home alone.”

More Noteworthy Observations:

  • Never ever has exercise been featured in my day!
  • Nate’s big fundraising event has only landed on January 18th one other time, and that was in 2021 when it was turned into a takeout event due to the pandemic. These events won’t overlap again until 2029!
  • While it was fun to document the fundraiser, I missed capturing the flow and routine of our evening schedule with the kids.
  • It is always fun to see different friends and extended family show up in these photos.
  • Painting my nails with Olive & June has been featured for 3 years in a row now!!

This was January 18, 2024. I look forward to seeing what changes come next year.

Thank you for following along on my 14th annual “A Day in the Life” project.

Take a peek back in time!

Thank you for sharing a day in my life!

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for supporting Simply Rebekah!

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