The "Fun" Mom

This week's going pretty well so far. I've not blogged everyday, but I'm working on it! (I'm here now, aren't I? haha)

I've tried to get up early the past two days to spend some quiet time with God, but the boys have woken up with me each morning. I guess that's one downside to all sleeping in the same room. (It's HOT here in Maine, and we only have one window A/C unit, so we're all camping out in the air conditioning in the master bedroom). I'll try again tomorrow to get up before them - I think I'm going to turn the volume on my alarm down. If I hear it, I'll get up, if not, then we'll try again tomorrow at a slightly louder volume!

I'm doing well on the water goal. It helps that it's been so hot here - I'm trying to keep all of us hydrated, so I'm keeping ice water on the kitchen counter in a cooler. Every time I fill up one of the kid's cups, I make myself drink some too. Seems to be working so far!

The biggest goal for me this past week (so far) has been the "Fun" mom goal. I had gotten so busy and so caught up in my "to-do" list over the past few months, that I kind of forgot to enjoy my kids. I felt like I was always telling them "in a minute!" or "When I finish (fill in the blank here)." A little piece of me died every time I did that, but I just couldn't seem to stop myself. With it being summer, I've really wanted to make myself slow down and have FUN with the kids instead of constantly working. I'm happy to say that it's been a success - well, the having fun part. We've gone to state parks, we've gone to the beach, last night we had a Candyland tournament before bed, and tonight we played outside and worked in the garden together. It's been great spending this time enjoying my kids - I'm thoroughly loving every minute we spend together.

It's paid off with their behaviour, for the most part. For example, this past weekend was a holiday (Fourth of July was on Sunday). Since this is our last summer in Maine, I really wanted to cross off a really big item on my "Things I Want to do Before I Die" list: Go see the Boston Pops concert on the 4th of July. I've watched this concert on TV for years - seriously, as long as I can remember. I've always wanted to be there to see the fireworks, and enjoy the music. This year was my last chance, realistically, since we're moving to the other side of the country.

We packed the kids up, and with the help of nearby relatives who let us crash at their place (they live just outside of Boston), we were able to put together a trip that cost barely anything (just food and the train into the city). We left the house at 4:30 am on Sunday, pulled into the parking garage in Boston at 5:30 am, and were in line for the Oval (the area where the concert is located) at 6 am. The Oval didn't open until 9 am - so we had a long wait ahead of us. The boys not only waited in line wonderfully, they were troopers and made it all day until the concert started at 8:30 pm. "Making it all day" means hanging out on our blanket in the middle of the blazing hot sun, because seats were first-come, first-serve, and people have been known to move other people's items if you're not there guarding your spot. The boys - all three of them, ages almost 6, 4, and 18 months - were AMAZING. They made me so proud - I feel like I should go to Confession, I'm that full of pride!!! haha They were wonderfully behaved, and such good sports about it all. I think the fact that I've really tried to spend quality time with them really helped with their behaviour on Sunday: I think they're feeling more appreciated and secure in our relationship. I want to continue that this summer, and I've really got it on my mind in everything that I've been doing.

It's not all roses, though. I'm having a really hard time getting everything done and keeping a balance, now that I'm trying to focus more on quality mom/boys time. I'm behind in my commitments to other things: work (the youth group), school (the boys), the house (keeping it clean for showings). I haven't worked out in who knows how long, because by the time I sit down and get everything else done, I'm ready for bed, and it's almost midnight. I've stepped back from some of my roles with the youth group (on the Diocesan level, not the parish level, for any parishioners reading this!), and with preschool (stepping down off the board after this summer). Those are really the only things that I can "lose' right now: I have to still maintain the house, and the parish level youth group stuff is my part-time job. I can't really step back from everything else. My only solution is to find a way to balance it all.

For those of you out there who also find that you have to balance quality mom stuff with work/other obligations, how do you manage it? What kind of secrets/tips can you share with me, so I don't lose my mind?

Thanks!

Battling the Stillness

I feel like every one of my posts recently has started with an apology. I've (obviously) been having a hard time keeping up with things recently - well, pretty much the past three months. I honestly can't really even remember the past three or four months - it's all been a blur. I can't believe it's already July, and almost a week into July, at that!

Summer has officially started here in Maine. It's hot (90s!!! No central A/C!! ACCCKKKK), it's sunny, and school is out. Well, school's been out for a couple of weeks now, and it's been beautiful weather for a couple of weeks, but I'm just now sitting down to truly enjoy summer. We had a wedding (my sister's), a couple of business trips for Mike that I tagged along on, an interview trip to Arizona, and then a mad dash to finish projects around our house so we could list it on the market. It's been a bit overwhelming.

I've fallen back into my previous pitfalls: snacking out of boredom and not really paying attention to what I'm doing. I'm snacking for comfort - the more stressed I get about my "to-do" list, the more I eat. I've been watching myself do it, in that kind of mind's eye viewpoint, and honestly, I'm having a hard time finding the motivation to even care about stopping. I'm tired, I'm stressed, and most of the time, I can force myself to not even care about what I'm doing to myself.

That has to change. I don't have a scale yet (never bought a replacement), and we can't find the DVD for our Wii fit - it disappeared while we were gone on one of the business trips, so I can't weigh in, but I can't tell from my clothes and how they fit, that I've gained a lot of the weight back that I had lost.

So, starting right now, I'm starting over. I'm going to do this in small steps - life is going to stay stressful right now, and I don't want to put too much pressure on myself. But I DEFINITELY do not want to move to Arizona feeling like I do right now. It's hard to explain, but I don't feel CLEAN the way I am right now. I'm so sweaty and grimy, and the extra weight is just contributing to that. I don't feel cute or attractive at all, and I don't like that.

Each week, I'm going to try and set three goals and work on meeting them. Some are going to be weight-loss related, and some are just general goals for my life/mindset that I need to, or want to, work on before we move. This summer needs to be a time to recharge and revamp before things change again. I need to find my base before we pack up and move across the country.

So, this week's goals are:

1) Blog, blog, blog. I was doing SO much better when I was blogging before. I miss that outlet. I'm constantly thinking of things to write about, but I never take the time to sit down and write it out. It's not like I'm not on the computer - I seem to find time to email or check out statuses on Facebook, but I've not been taking the time to sit down and put my thoughts out there. It's more for me than you guys, because it helps me to formalize my thoughts, to put them into some sort of understandable format, so that I can return to them later and know what I was trying to say. I need that for my own good!

2) Have FUN this summer. My life is SO crazy during the school year with all the different meetings/time spent in the car, etc. I realized that this is going to be our last summer in Maine - and I want to enjoy my surroundings as much as I did the first summer that we lived here. Now that Baby #3 is easier to tote around and isn't napping as much, one of my goals this summer is to be a fun mom again. We're going to hit up the parks, the beaches, the state parks, etc. We've already started, and I'm loving it!!

3) Take a little bit of time each day and add it into my prayer life. I've been kind of shortchanging God recently, and had moved my prayer time to be as I was getting in bed. I'd read a little Scripture and then try to pray it- and often fell asleep in the process. God deserves better from me. My goal this week is to find a better time of day for that prayer. I've been getting up at 4:45 am the past few weeks for at least a couple days a week to take Mike to work (his car needs work, and we're saving up the money to get it done, so we're down to one car right now), and I actually really like getting up that early. I'd get a lot done. Summer is the perfect time to change this part of my schedule - I don't get hooked on summer TV usually, so going to bed early isn't as much of a struggle, so getting up early isn't as hard the next day. My goal is to get up at 5 am, take that time for my prayer time, and then eventually add working out into that time period as well.

4) Drink water. I've gotten kind of lax on this recently, and started falling back on my soda/coffee habit. It's going to be super, super hot here this week, and I need to make sure that I get myself back into the drinking a lot of water habit.


So, there they are. My goals that I'm going to start working on this week. I'm feeling pretty positive - I've enjoyed the trips to the state parks recently with the kids (goal #2), and I'm enjoying writing this right now (goal #1). I think it's going to be easier to stick with this time.


How are you all doing out there? Are you working on the same goals that you were six months ago, or have you revised them at all? Share!

Budgeting for Health

So, this is kind of a continuation of Ellie's post...sorry in advance!

I'd been contemplating the same issues that Ellie dealt with in her blog post for the past few days, but hadn't gotten around to sitting down and: 1) sorting through my thoughts and 2) actually typing my thoughts out. I'm not promising anything with this blog - I still haven't really sorted through anything yet, but I'm going to try and "freehand" a blog post out of it.

I, too, have been really frustrated recently with trying to feed my family with GOOD food while trying to stay under our budget of $125/week for food. (This includes all packed lunches for Mike, and Babies #1 and 2, diapers and other baby items for Baby #3, and any household items, like paper towels, toilet paper, toiletries, etc). It used to be no problem - I'd regularly come in under budget. Recently, though, I'm not doing so well. It doesn't help that all 5 of us are routinely eating "real" food now, but considering that Baby #3 had to be supplemented with formula every week (to the tune of $25/week), I can't imagine that he's really costing me more than that. He is, after all, only 17 months old and has a teeny-tiny stomach.

Lately, I've been having to go over budget by as much as $50/week, just to make sure that we have enough food. I try hard and plan out each and every meal for the week on the preceding weekend, and plan those meals around what's on sale at our local grocery store (sometimes I do branch out if I'm going to be in Portland and store-hop, based on the best sales), but it's still not going as well as it used to.

I have tried to use coupons, but to tell you the truth, I just can't bring myself to rely on the items that the coupons are for. I'll use the dairy product ones, but when it comes to the other coupons, they're usually for things like boxed, packaged meals or snacks, and I'm trying really hard to keep us away from those things. With the exception of yogurt for the kids' school lunches (only because they're sealed well and not in the glass jars that the homemade yogurt is made in), cereal, and peanut butter, pretty much everything else comes from fresh ingredients. I make most of our own bread, jams, and snack items (breads, cookies, granola, dried fruit, etc), and the majority of our meals come directly from fresh fruits, vegetables, and grains. It used to be cheaper to do it that way, especially when we lived in Lansing and could shop here.

That doesn't seem to be the case anymore. Or maybe it is still cheaper, and the cost of packaged foods has gone up and I just don't know it. What I do know is that the cost of keeping fresh fruits, vegetables, meats, and grains on the table has really gone up. It's frustrating, to say the least! I don't want to compromise our "food values" by buying the cheap, frozen meals instead of making my own, but it seems to be one way of cutting corners.

Have you had that experience? If so, how do you combat it? And out of curiosity, where in the country are you currently living? (I'm wondering if it's more of an East Coast thing).

Still Going...

and going. Like the exercise bunny! With another 2.5 pounds, I am happy to say I have had the first "outsider" comment on the loss of weight and toning I have been doing. Of course, I have seen it (and for the first time in my life admitted it) but I had a lady at the library ask me my secret. LOL. My secret...well, work out. Everyday. Even if its for a half hour...and if its just a work out video, work out as if the trainer is with you. Yes, I almost THREW UP the other day after a Bob Greene Boot Camp workout. And eat in a way that makes you proud to share your diet. So what was that for me today????? Fresh Basil, Mozzarella and Tomato with a Trader Joe's Balsamic Vinegar.

One thing I have been struggling with is preparing meals. You know, the good for you, good for your kids, love it when they try it meals. The other day I posted on my Facebook site that I was in need of a new cookbook. We have a few (okay a few more than a few) but really, I need something that works with ingredients I have on hand. One person mentioned a book that has recipes for 5 ingredients. That is perfect...now if I can find it. Another mentioned Paula Deen. Paula Deen, I love you but I am sure I am not going to be wearing a bathing suit this summer if I am serving up your butter loving suppers. And of course there is the entorage of food experts (or cooks) that the Food Network puts out. The Barefoot Contessa, Rachael Ray, Alton Brown, etc...Heidi has recommended the Weight Watchers ones and perhaps that is where I will search when at the Library next, but what is it that YOU do for YOUR family to eat healthy?

Another thing on the same line is the COST OF HEALTH. Its really now not just a discussion for those struggling financially. GOOD HEALTHY FRESH products are increasing in demand and are struggling to make it to the grocer's shelves. With the natural disasters paired with the "raw food movement", your typicaly grocery bill may have jumped 25%. Sure, the Coupon Mom has her thing, where you can feed yoru family on packaged food galore for just $47.00 a week...but is that really what I want to put into my family's body? So another question to ponder...how do you save? How do YOU cut costs and feed your family healthy meals on a healthy budget! Looking forward to good responses!!!!!

Keep working out. Results aren't always quick to show but when they come, you'll know! Feel good about the woman you are becoming for yourself and your family! Til Tomorrow!

It was...

the video I thought. I can't believe it. That brain I pushed out three different times which makes me forget absolutely EVERYTHING hasn't failed me!

Leslie Sansone and her Walk Away The Pounds truly is a tough routine. With her circuit training paired with hand weights, you truly feel and see results after using it. When I first picked it up (again the Holt Library), I was skeptical, but being pregnant I wanted something "easy" and "light". Much to my surprise, Leslie did NOT fit the bill...at least not this work out...

For 30 minutes she switches from four types of walks (which you can make harder by adding a jump, bump or bounce), paired with handweights...I use 5 pounders, adding 10 pounds to the intensity.

By the half way mark, you are sweating and by the end you feel the work out not only in your legs and your arms but you feel the cardio work as well.

I highly recommend this work out for those who are getting back into workouts, this is also good for increasing the impact of your work outs. Try her sets, you'll see! Leslie Sansone may seem like she's working for the old ladies, but she can help you too!

The Videos of the Week

Everyone says...Jillian Michaels is tough, but after doing 2 new workouts this week, I think its all perspective. I did Bob Greene's "Boot Camp" and also "Denise Austin" Cardio Kickboxing and if you are giving it your all, these three are all "Bears" in my book!

So that leads me to my next thought....work out videos don't work...at least that is what a lot of people I meet say. My thought is, of course not, if you don't do them. I have found however, in the past 4 weeks that I have done them, I am seeing results. Serious ones. My size 4's are fitting again. I have lost a substantial amount of weight--(another 2.5 as of Friday). So, like anything, I think if you work it, it works for you! You know, those people that BUY the home equipment and don't use it, they don't lose it...so my tip for the day is USE IT TO LOSE IT!

I promised a review of yet another video, but I am slightly off on my reports. I have no idea which I promised next, so I am going to have to take a look...until then, today is Mother's Day...do something for YOU! I worked out this morning to Bob Greene and he made me feel good!

I skipped a day...

of working out...and I am nervous about this weekend. My parents are coming in and to be prepared I spent the day trying to clean the hosue for their arrival. This is no small task with landscapers galore, 3 children needing tending and of course the plethora of laundry that seems to accumulate whenever I am not looking. The baby was on her 3rd outfit by 9 a.m.

Anyway, I had intentions of working out. I am still in my workout clothes. But I just didn't get to it. Instead, after a tiring and overwhelming day I chose to go to McDonald's with my family. I was going to sit in the car not tempting myself with those fries that no one elses seem to come close to being like, but instead, I decided to go in...and enjoy. I chose a Happy Meal. I figure that serving size is perfect for an adult and though its only a "sometimes" food, it still allows me to create memories with my kids. They loved we got a 4th Mermaid to play with!!!!

And hopefully this weekend I will be able to get my workouts in. At least 2. One tomorrow and Saturday...that won't be so bad, and even if there are no work outs, there's always Monday!!!!!

How do YOU find time to work out in YOUR busy schedule. Share! I know a lot of mommies struggle with this balance!