Hi, I’m Gina. I’m a mom to three happy, active kids, a math interventionist, a former college soccer player, a volunteer for all the things, and, recently, a small-business owner.
I feel like the best way to get a sense of who I am is to spend a day in my life, so buckle up, grab your snacks, and let’s go! 
4:30/5:00 a.m.: My alarm goes off anywhere in this time frame. I quickly turn it off so as not to wake any combination of my husband, kids (12-year-old daughter, 10-year-old daughter, and 6-year-old son), and dog that are in the bed on this particular morning. I sneak out, untangling myself from any sideways sleepers, and creep downstairs, with my 10-month-old Bernedoodle puppy close on my tail (she always hears me!).
5:00 – 6:00 a.m.: It’s time for coffee, breakfast, and the email triage. I always start with my school email; as a math specialist, I want plenty of time to tackle any problem. Next, I switch to my business inbox. I own a small math enrichment business that brings play-based math classes to local preschools and childcare centers. Finally, I open my personal email, which is a wild mix of kids’ sports schedules, school flyers, and an overwhelming amount of retail newsletters. If I’m being honest, those ads usually suck me into a deep state of “pretend shopping.” Please tell me I’m not the only one who fills an online cart and leaves it there indefinitely, usually until everything goes out of stock!
6:00 – 7:40 a.m.: This is officially “go-time” (aka the phase of the morning where I try to cram three hours of productivity into less than two). I pack lunches, flip breakfasts, tidy the kitchen, and prep my materials if I’m teaching a preschool class that day. Somewhere in this chaos, I squeeze in a workout. Playing soccer in college cemented my identity as an athlete, and keeping up with a daily run or a quick weight session in the basement is non-negotiable for my mental game. It sets my headspace for the entire day. Then it’s a quick shower, and I’m out the door.
7:40 a.m. -1:00 p.m.: These are my teaching hours, including my drive. I work with small groups of students in a local elementary school to support them in math. I love my job so much, and the fulfillment I get from helping kids light up over a breakthrough hasn’t wavered once in my 20 years of teaching.
1:00 – 3:00 p.m.: This block is a daily choose-your-own-adventure. Depending on the day, I might be prepping business materials, teaching at a preschool, grocery shopping, running errands, or taxiing kids to doctor’s appointments. I also use this time to catch up on my volunteer gigs, whether that’s organizing a schedule as team manager, sorting photos as the class photographer, or planning a group celebration.
3:00 – 4:15 p.m.: Kids are transitioning home from school, so it’s time for food, homework, and hustling to get ready for sports practices. I’ve found that during this time I try to give my kids actual food rather than snacks. They will have a long evening and often won’t be home until well past a normal dinner time, so getting real fuel after school helps ensure they can make it through their practices with energy. I am by no means a gourmet chef, but I’ve mastered the art of whipping up healthy, balanced meals at lightning speed.
4:15 – 7:00 p.m.: Everyone is off to their respective sports. My girls play soccer and basketball, and juggle three commitments each this spring, and my little guy plays t-ball, soccer, flag football, basketball, and golf. On the rare occasion he isn’t tagging along in a carpool I’m driving, he’s outside, demanding a partner for his sport of choice. Consequently, I’ve become a pretty solid underhand baseball pitcher and a remarkably fast basketball rebounder to meet his high standards.
7:00 – 8:30 p.m.: Dinner Part Two is served as everyone trickles back into the house. After cleaning up the kitchen and tackling the mess left behind by the post-school tornado, we usually collapse onto the couch together. Right now, our favorite collective binge-watch is Fuller House. It’s a nostalgic full-circle moment for me, since I grew up watching the original Full House with my own mom and sister.
8:30 – 9:30 p.m.: The bedtime routine begins. I will spare you the chaotic details and describe it as an ever-evolving circus of negotiations and bed-shuffling. But at the end of the day, everyone does eventually fall asleep at a semi-reasonable hour and wakes up happy. And after a day this beautifully busy, that is a massive win. 
