Monday, coffee, and the best you can do

So it is Monday morning. The kids are sleeping and my husband left for work. It is 6:30, and we should all be leaving in an hour. I have jumped into the shower and quite excitedly skipped my hair because I just had it done yesterday and it still looks great. I never skip washing my hair, so this is huge. I just have to fix the ends that got damp and hope it actually holds throughout the day. Enough about vanity.

The second cup of coffee is brewing. The first cup is long gone. Trying to decide on the best outfit for work since it is 38 degrees right now, but it will be 70 later, is tricky. I have been thinking since yesterday's post about prospective, and enjoying each moment. A lot. It is so important. It slows us down and helps us notice the little things that matter. For the rest of the month I want to share the best parts of each day. Maybe it will just be my positive attitude about it.

Today I have a full day at work, followed by getting the kids, feeding them dinner, and soccer practice. I know tonight I will be prepared and wear my sneakers so I can walk the track with my five year old while my seven year old practices. I am grateful and look forward to that chance to exercise. Even this very moment that the kids are still sleeping and I can organize my thoughts and decide how to approach my day is a moment to enjoy. Saying good morning to the kids and helping them get ready to go to school. Listening to their stories when I pick them up is really fun. It can be hard, but nothing is more than important than my own kids. Finally, my own job is a job where attitude makes all the difference. As a teacher my enthusiasm and encouragement can make or break a child's year. I want to start this third week of school full of energy continuing to build a classroom where ideas are expressed and opinions are valued. If I am having fun, they will have fun too.

So as I drink the second cup of coffee and gather my thoughts together I hear birds outside, see the beginnings of fall peaking through and want to be part of this beautiful and new gift of a day. Each day we have is really a gift. We can choose to open it and say thank you or make a face. I have sure made my share of faces, but for today I want to open it and say thank you.

Enjoying the Journey and Getting Prospective

The weekend goes by so fast. We ate dinner Friday night after a busy week and before you know it I am asleep on the couch.

Saturday started with two soccer games. My sports memories as a child are pretty blah, but I am trying to enjoy watching my children learn different games. If they are having fun, I am happy for them.

When we returned home our goal was to get down to our town's yearly celebration. It has kiddie rides, and food. There are vendors and local businesses set up and a wonderful community feel. We were anxious to get here, but something had happened in our house. It may have started with me. No one under forty could find anything clean to wear. Probably my fault, but life is busy. It caused lots of problems and tears, but solutions were found. My mini friends needed to pick up their room, and that was not working out well. Overall the cranky monster had infected Mom and was slowly making its way into the kids. Thankfully I married someone who is usually immune to moodiness. After tears, frustration, some raised voices, and apologizing. (I apologized to my seven year old, because I was grouchy with her) we were able to head out to the town celebration.

While waiting in line for an inflatable slide I heard some people complaining about the event. "Too much line waiting." "Not enough room". Standing there with my seven year old, I couldn't disagree exactly, however, aren't we missing the big picture. Sure, waiting for twenty five minutes to get on an inflatable slide may seem annoying but spending twenty plus minutes with my seven year old presents its own opportunity. While there, we were chatting, she was holding my hand, I could randomly hug her, she could randomly hug me. The anticipation of the inflatable slide, pony ride, anything else we were waiting for were exciting for her. My husband and five year old were standing in other lines having their own time. Is it that bad to be in line with your child while they enjoy your company? The weather was cool and comfortable. The rain held out. Many people in town were there. The kids are running into friends and excited to see people they knew. I am sure the complaints I heard were innocent. We are all guilty of that sort of thinking. More and more though I am trying to enjoy each moment. Moments that we can't get back. Time that is gone forever. My seven year old is almost eight and there will be a time her eyes may roll when talking with me, and those random hugs may go away. As the event ended the four of us headed home.

Now it is later in the afternoon and time for food shopping. Though I do like food shopping it takes some time from the weekend to plan and get it done. Thankfully I could do it alone. Instead of being annoyed that I had to food shop, I tried to be grateful that we can afford food. I shopped carefully and fairly quickly. I was impressed with what I got for what I spent. I was hoping to squeeze in family dinner and was able to do so. The work week is so busy for us and the kids that we can't guarantee family dinner seven nights a week. My goal is three to four. Our Saturday night family dinner was at 7:00. The kids were tired. There was lots of reminders for my five year old not to eat with his hands and reminders to my seven year old to eat her dinner. We we were together, laughing, and having fun. Building a large book of memories that I hope both kids can reread when things in their lives are not going the way they want. When they need an example for the own future family, when they want to learn how to enjoy the journey.

It's Prozac or walking

Seriously. I do mean it. When time permitted at 7:00 p.m. I got out there and hustled myself around the neighborhood for thirty minutes. Just me, some music and walking as fast as I could. It relieved so much of my anxiety. I have skipped any exercise for the past week and half, but that ends today. THAT ENDS TODAY. It is not about losing thirty pounds. Sure, I could lose plenty of pounds, but it is the mental part of it that forces me to make exercise a priority. That anxiety that was running through sort of left itself on the street during that walk. I have finally realized that it is not a choice. It must be a priority. Saturday and Sunday are not a problem and I can make it happen three other nights a week. I want family dinner, I want family time, but family time is not good if I am not myself. My health is a priority. I must walk.

Worry, worry, worry

What is it that is so wrong with me? I can't be the only person who feels like a train wreck inside half the time. Maybe not half. It depends. We are back to work and it is busy. I am fine with that. I like to be busy. All day I felt great, and then there I was sitting at my desk when the dread sort of crept up on me. During the summer I have too much time, and during the school year not enough. I should shut up already.

I was doing so well walking, but since school started back up I have slacked big time. There is really not time to do it during the week, but I chose not to walk over the weekend. THAT WAS MY FAULT. Walking is a great stress reliever. I can't believe that I was so lazy.

Renovations are so stressful. Why did I think I would be the only person with perfect contractors. Is my head that high up in the clouds? There are no perfect contractors (repeat and breathe deeply). We need to head to soccer in just a few minutes. I needed to take a minute and throw my thoughts down to relieve some of the anxiety. Maybe I could get to yoga this week? Maybe I could work out later? Maybe I should stop being lazy :)

I am proud to say that we have attended church six weeks in a row. It is nice to feel committed to going and my five year old pal is hanging in there.

Renovations and back to work

We are week five into our renovation. It has had its share of ups and downs, but overall it looks really good. We hope that it will be finished by the end of October. They still need to insulate, plaster, paint and finish the electrical and plumbing.

I go back to work Tuesday, and like my usual style I have started to clean under beds and organize drawers. I know, I know, I could have done this in July, but that is just not me. I am a woman who needs a deadline to get things done. That is just how I do things.

The kids will be spending a few days with my parents, so even though we will both be working we will have some time alone, which is nice. Life is so busy and stressful, time alone is an important thing to have.

I have started a walking routine and have thrown a couple yoga classes in as well. Yes, I do need to lose weight, but I am really exercising to improve my overall mental health and clarity. I have always been a worrier, and now I realize that the exercise is a must for me. It makes me feel accomplished to complete that 30 minute walk. It boosts my energy and mood as well.

We recently started going back to church with the kids. It is sort of stressful to go to church with a five year old, but we feel that it is important. I want to give the kids something to hold on to when things are hard. I want to be grateful for what I have. I want to be thankful for simple things.

Food Philosophy

I love grocery shopping. It could be because I love cooking or maybe because I usually don't bring the kids. It is alone time to allow me to sing along to the grocery store radio and read labels. You know you are old when you like the songs on the grocery store radio. This summer I have been thinking more and more about what I feed us as a family. The habits that the kids develop will take them into adulthood, and I want those habits to be good. I think our food industry has gotten out of control. There is so much packaged, preserved, nonfood out there that is is starting to scare me. However, I do believe in moderation. I think it is okay to have some of these things on occasion. For example, when we are at someone else's house I would not intervene in what the kids eat, but I would limit the juice to one:).

Overall Food Philosophy

I have been trying to purchase more organic and local products this summer. I have also been trying to make more from scratch, which is great in my lazy, summer fun. There is this thing I do have though, called a teaching job that will be pulling me back into the classroom in a few weeks. I love my summer, and feel very lucky to have it, but it is virtually impossible to explain how stressful and busy teaching can be. That being said, I know that once we are all back to the grind, I will not be able to make homemade granola bars. It just won't happen. Right now I am reading labels and trying to find the best snacks possible that can be purchased and are fairly healthy. Last night I bought Cascadian Farms granola bars. They only have seven ingredients, and if the kids like them that will be great. When I compare seven ingredients to the forty ingredients in the other granola bars that my husband eats I know what I want the kids to eat. I want my husband to eat them too, but I am taking it in baby steps.

Overall I feel like our summer menu has been popular. We have eaten fish tacos and it has become a family favorite with everyone. My picky second grader has been great about trying things and broadening her horizons. She is constantly asking me if something is healthy before she eats it. She will still eat it if I say no, but at least she is asking. My five year old is a pretty good eater already.

Below are some thoughts on the drinks that we buy. I will post some of my food thoughts later in the week.

Juice

This is something I purchase when one of the kids are sick or for a birthday party. Other than that you will not see juice in my cart in the grocery store. I think there is way too much sugar in it. Also, many concentrates, including apple, are made in China. I am uncomfortable with that. When at other people's houses I do allow them to have juice or a sweetened drink. My seven year old has developed a love for Sprite, but my five year old does not like carbonated drinks.

Soda

I don't care about soda in general. I do keep some on hand for company, but find if it is in the fridge and icy cold I may accidentally drink it. Oops. I don't want to do that. My husband, since it is the summer and we are free, likes to enjoy it, so sometimes I pick it up on sale. Overall soda does not make up a large part of our budget.

Milk

I have read a lot about milk and dairy in general and go back and forth in my thinking. The kids drink some milk and put it in their cereal. (I only give them half a cup at a time and limit how much they drink. They are both great water drinkers.) We use it for coffee and tea. I am in an organic milk phase (meaning I bought it last night-my phases are brief), but unsure of how I feel about drinking raw milk. I did buy some raw milk cheese that was very good, but certainly not inexpensive.

I love my coffee, and do try to buy the cheapest quality coffee I can find. We both drink tea as well.

We do buy water, but I want to try to get away from that. I know it is a waste of money and bad for the environment. We typically buy it for convenience. This year the kids took water to school in reusable bottles because I don't send in juice.

Speaking of the environment I have committed to using cloth napkins. I am sick of the wasteful way we use napkins. I am the worst offender. I am stocking up on cloth napkins and no longer purchasing paper napkins. People have been doing this for year, and I am late to the party but at least I showed up.

Vacation, Renovations, Summer

So many thoughts to share right now. We are on vacation just up the street from the beach. (This won't actually be posted until we return.)

Originally, due to the renovation, we weren't planning any trips. However, you only live once. We found a very reasonably priced cottage nine houses from the beach. I stuffed a cooler with food and have made all of our meals so far. This morning we are actually going out for breakfast. Well, it will be noon by the time we get there so for the kids it will be lunch. I guess that is a bonus. Now I don't have to make lunch. I have grilled chicken and left over macaroni salad planned for dinner. Our current plan is one night out and one night of take out. I have a few more dinners to prepare. I planned on making grilled chicken enchiladas with the left over chicken. We will be going to the grocery store today to get some ingredients for smores. That will be fun!

Vacation Update. We're back! It was fun, but family vacations are a lot of work. (I told my husband " a family vacation is the same play with a different setting". Basically five year olds don't have a vacation personality. They just have their regular personality, so if they are challenging at times that does not stop on vacation. Parenting is a nonstop adventure.) As I said, we have never gone away for that many nights. We ended up eating one breakfast, one lunch and one dinner out. Also, on the last night we got take out pizza. When we got home yesterday we stopped for sandwiches so we could unpack on a full stomach. Overall, our spending was okay. Yes, we did take a Pirate excursion that was pricey but perfect for the kids. Also a rainy day sent us to a movie. I think, considering it was a vacation, we did not eat a lot of meals out. I can't compare to the frugal blogs are I scour and read, but for my spendy little self I did pretty well.

Renovation 2014 starts Monday. I can't believe it, and I hope we can live through it!!

Renovation Update. We came home to an full driveway that includes a dumpster and piles of lumber. Yikes! This is really happening. I am excited. My original post way back when was about how small this house is. The definite plan is a shed dormer in the back with dog shed dormers in the front. The kids will each get their own, fairly large bedroom and they will share a new full bathroom. That full bathroom will be great for company to use as well. We will stay downstairs in our current (small) bedroom and the bedroom the kids are currently in will be turned back into a den like it was before we had kids. I know, I know nothing goes back to before you had kids, but humor me for a minute. It will be an extra room, which will be a luxury for us. We potentially may put a bar between the living room and kitchen to open up the kitchen, but that only a maybe.

The summer has gone well so far. I am trying to make a new commitment to my health. The "over 40" body just takes a dip. Gravity and flab. It is a wreck. Now this is not from a skinny person. I have always had a weight battle, but this is just ridiculous. When we return from our trip I am going to try some yoga cause this core needs to be tightened.