Not many people start thinking about dinner at 7 a.m., but for Shannon Johnson, it's become part of her morning routine.

Once the kids are dressed, out the door and on the bus, rather than breathe a sigh of relief and kick back with a cup of coffee, Shannon begins prepping for the evening meal, which she'll finish after work hours later.

David Johnson can only marvel at all that his wife accomplishes in a single day as a working mother.

Shannon is the assistant receiving manager at Stuff Etc. in Iowa City. Her challenges at work pale in comparison to managing a household with two teenage girls and a pair of energetic young boys.

"She always puts her kids and husband first, no matter what, in good times and bad times," David said. "She always manages to get the bills paid, the checkbook balanced and the house cleaned. She's just a really good lady."

Finding enough hours in a day to do all of that, however, often is the biggest challenge for Shannon, who prides herself in not using any paid help for child care or housekeeping. She says her work ethic has grown in stride with the size of her family.

"When I was younger, it was much different," she said. "Now I'm just more bound and determined that I'm going to do it without any paid help. Just the fact to know I can do it is rewarding enough, and giving the kids what they need, showing them it can be done."

Shannon says that her daughters - Ashley, 16, and Jamie, 14 - are a big help babysitting 8-year-old Trey and 6-year-old Reise, and they have as much to do with her being a great mother as anything.

"If you talk to my kids, I'm not so sure I am a great mother," Shannon laughed. "If they weren't as helpful as they are, I'm not so sure I would make it."

Once dinner is over, homework is finished, baths are taken and the kids are in bed, Shannon usually finds a few minutes to relax. It's not exactly a life of leisure, but it's worth it.

"They're great kids," she said.

- Josh O'Leary