A Tuesday in the Life of Stephanie Jarrett

Stephanie Jarrett is an Arlington-based mom about town, you might say. She spends her days volunteering at her girls’ school, growing her kid-oriented blog (Everything Arlington) and freelancing. Her husband, Brad, works at Lockheed Martin, and together they have three girls: Adelynn, 10, Brynna, 7, and Corinne, 6. Jarrett has also been a surrogate twice, most recently giving birth last year. She loves running, a glass of red wine, traveling and the

4:30AM

Alarm goes off. I wonder if I should hit snooze. I run with a group, so some of my favorite runners will be waiting for me. I get up.

4:55AM

I run 1.5 miles to meet my group.

5:15AM

We meet up and run a mile. We discuss anything and everything as we run. Definitely cheaper than therapy and way more fun!

5:30AM

Get home and walk the dog. Start on my first (well-earned!) cup of coffee.

5:45AM

Brad leaves for the office. Start on my second cup of coffee (black, with added collagen).

6:15AM

Shower time. I try to be totally ready—dressed, hair, makeup—before I get the girls up.

7AM

Wake the girls. The next hour is a complete whirlwind. Showers, hair, breakfast, brush teeth, check backpacks, check lunch menu, tie shoes. Some mornings are harder than others!

8AM

Everybody is in the car and we head to school.

8:10AM

Pull into the drop-off circle. I listen to the girls chatter about what they will do at school today, who they will sit with at lunch, what they are dreading. They are insightful [conversations] most days.

8:30AM

Home again. I turn on Good Morning America and try to catch the last 30 minutes. I also catch up on world news. I love reading daily email briefings. I’m more connected to the world this way.

9AM

Start working on blog and social media content for the day. Some days content is scheduled, and I just make sure it posts and respond to questions and comments as needed. Other days, I research events and goings-on in the DFW area.

9:45AM

I freelance for Savvy Sassy Moms, so I spend time researching articles I have due or snapping photos for them.

10:30AM

I also work for Pearachute Kids as a community manager. I work to onboard new partners, so I look into new activity providers and send emails, as well as follow up with contacts from the past few days.

12PM

Break for lunch. I’m struggling to take off the last few pounds of baby weight from the baby I had in August as a surrogate. I have a salad from Trader Joe’s.

12:30PM

Time to walk the dog again and listen to a podcast. I’m a true crime fan—my husband jokes that I know more ways to off him than makes him comfortable! Crime Junkie—my favorite—is released every Monday, so it’s something to look forward to for my Tuesday dog walk.

1PM

Work on more blog content. Update my calendar with event invites I’ve received, work on social media posts, check in on others and respond as needed.

1:30PM

I’m a member of the Junior League of Arlington, so I send out donation request letters for our upcoming event. I’m also the fundraising chair for the PTA at my girls’ school, so I send out donation request letters for the upcoming silent auction. Girl Scout Cookie season is upon us, so I update our selling calendar and order badges for the troops I help with.

3PM

Grab a bag of SkinnyPop (original is the best) and start a load of laundry. I try to tidy up the kitchen too.

3:20PM

Time to pick up the girls. I park at a church nearby, and they walk to the car after the bell rings. I used to meet them at school and walk with them, but Adelynn recently informed me this is “so not cool, Mom.”

4:05PM

Arrive home with the girls. Prepare snacks and ask about homework. I set the timer for their daily 20 minutes of reading and switch the laundry to the dryer.

4:30PM

Girls are done reading and head outside to play on scooters while I make them dinner. 5:10PM After dinner, leave for ice skating. Two of my three girls ice skate, and Tuesday is lesson night. The first skates at 5:45 and the second at 6:15. I sit, watch and bring books for my other daughter to read and color. 6:15PM Pack up the skates and grab a straw- berry banana smoothie for the girls at the pretzel place by the rink.

7PM

Back home, the girls get 30 minutes of iPad time while I fix dinner for Brad and me. We eat and discuss our days and any important plans for the week. 7:30PM Bedtime routine. Pajamas on, teeth brushed.

7:45PM

Harry Potter time! The girls and I started reading the series in early 2019. We have promised the girls that if we finish the series before Thanksgiving, we will take them to Universal. We’re currently halfway through The Goblet of Fire and loving it.

8:30PM

Lights out for the girls.

8:35PM

Finish laundry, clean kitchen, load dishwasher. I pick up stray items and prepare the girls’ lunches and backpacks for tomorrow.

9PM

I get into bed and respond to emails and any last questions on my social media pages.

9:30PM

If I can still keep my eyes open, I try to read for 30 minutes.

10PM

Lights out for me—Brad and I are early birds all the way!