Exercise!!!

I joined my local YMCA. I looked at other gym memberships and the Y offers more bang for my limited budget. Childcare, of course, became the biggest deal breaker for most of the local gyms.

I started with one class...cycle. I started going a few times a week. It was hard. I was not in good physical shape, keeping up with the instructor was a challenge. But I kept going and started improving. Then I started going regularly and hitting the bike intensely. I got to meet the other regulars and found that seeing the same group of people each time was immensely motivating. I've made "gym friends."I started trying some of the other classes like "PiYo" and Step Aerobics. 

I've found the motivation that it was in me this whole time. 

Now fitness is life. I have done a lot of irreversible damage to my body. Being a mom many times over, I am covered in stretch marks and some embarrassing bits of saggy skin. But overall, I look and feel much better than I have in too many years. I've embraced body positivity and will confidently wear a bikini in public.

The extended bonus of my YMCA membership is that I get to relax in a lounge chair every weekend of the summer while my toddler splashes around the sprinkler park and my teen plays basketball with friends. Our family's overall well being is amazingly healthy and well balanced. 

Sleep!!!

I keep a pretty rigid schedule. I've learned a lot about self discipline and how far I can push myself in the last year. I'm pleased with the changes I've made inside and out. I started with one small thing at a time. The first thing I took on was sleep.

I love the apple sleep analysis and "Bedtime" settings. If you aren't using them yet, you are missing out on a great tool.

Going to sleep and waking up at the same time everyday is powerful. Within a week I felt stronger and more alert during the day. I have more energy and people have stopped telling me I "look tired."I've been keeping this up for over a year now and don't know how I lived without it. I wake up just before my alarm and no longer feel groggy in the morning. My toddler and I have time to spend together as we get ready for our day now that mommy isn't stressed about getting out the door.

Hello Fresh

My first box arrived! Everything was well packaged and cold. I was worried about the summer heat, but the ice packs they provided were sufficient. I didn't get home until around 5pm. 

Everything is neatly organized. Each meal is in it's own brown bag. The recipe cards are gorgeous and the pictures set the bar high to make the meals look as described.

Eggplant and Sundried Tomato Linguine: The ingredients are so simple. No real measuring is required. I didn't have to come home and hunt everything I needed down from cabinets, drawers and the fridge, it's all there in one place. So easy!

The portions were generous and plated up to look almost exactly like the pictures.I'm feeling more than a little spoiled. This was so easy! No overly processed foods. Also no left overs or food waste (which is a major pet peeve).

 I may have added a little too much water to my sauce, but it was absolutely delicious! My teen said it tasted like a pizza dish which is a win from him too. 

Other meals:

Get Your Greens Rice Bowl: This recipe used asparagus, edamame, and bok choy (a new veggie for us which is another win for the service).

 Chunky Funky Veggie Burgers: I never new making black bean burgers was so easy!! I'll never buy pre-formed frozen patties again! Our teen ate the whole burger but passed his "fries" on to his baby brother who couldn't get enough of them. There was enough left over to form another burger which worked out perfectly for us!

The biggest win was that these dinner were ready and on the table within about 30 minutes of getting home from the gym, making our evening routine flawless each day. My teen son and I cooked and cleaned it all up together. Team work!

So far this is perfect for the mom who likes to cook, but just doesn't have time. I'm sold on subscribing. Now to just find the company that works best for our family. I'll stick with Hello Fresh for a month. Then I'll give a few others a try to see how they stack up.

Pros: customer service was excellent. I was never placed on hold. The agent was genuinely friendly and engaged in the call. The food arrived on time, it stayed cold, and everything held over in the fridge until I was ready to cook (no food waste). 

Cons: with the veggie plan I don't get any choices. I can skip a week if I don't like something, but I can't sub out a meal that won't work for our family (if there were allergies or strong preferences). 

Working and Writing

It's been a very long time since I've blogged. "The other shoe dropped" a year ago and I've been slowly putting back the pieces on my own; two boys in tow. It has probably been the hardest year of my life and I hope I never have to repeat so much struggle ever again.

I do still spend most of my time working, but I've eked out a routine of sorts and have been pressing on towards reaching personal goals. We get to play together as a family on the weekends again which has been the most important victory so far.

Financially I've worked out a budget and we are living comfortably. Not easy to do on one income but we have managed quite well so far. I'm working towards being completely debt free within a few years (including my car loan).

I often feel like I have so much to say and want to "blog it out" but find my mind blank when I finally get to sit down. 

Meal Delivery Services

I'm experimenting with meal delivery services. I love to cook good, healthy meals for my family. I don't have the spare time to invest in all of the planning and preparing. When I have time to go to the grocery store, I don't have the energy to also add the creativity needed to plan out a decent vegetarian menu. There's an art to putting it all together without letting the veggies expire in the fridge. We usually end up with take out, frozen dinners, or smoothies on most nights.

Food delivery services boast that they can deliver the experience of fresh gourmet meals with all of the planning done for you. They also offer around 50% off to give their service a try. So, I'm going to give it a try. I'll update you later.

Coffee Shop Mommy

For a few precious minutes on a Saturday morning, I get to slow down time just a little. One of my favorite things to do is take the baby to the coffee shop. He seems to love the noisy background and people watching. I get to enjoy a hot beverage and a book in relative peace. Also, coffee shop people aren't usually the type to be easily offended by public breastfeeding. Most coffee shops have conversation corners with large comfy chairs and the music is usually pleasant. I meet interesting people who are also looking to slow down just a few minutes of their time and enjoy a cuppa.

Today I am at a coffee shop near a hospital. I've been to this coffee shop a couple of times before in the mornings before work and have gotten acquainted with the young lady at the counter, she remembers that I ask for soy - no dairy, thank you.

 There are scrubs all around, young students studying medical books together, a couple who appear to be on a first date (Tinder?), and a gentleman who just asked if the seat across from me is taken. Of course it's not! I'm not sure what his gig is but he is now working away on his laptop. Everyone stops to dote on the adorable baby in my arms (because he is more than a little cute) and he is all smiles, loving the attention.

 People don't seem angry when their order is wrong or that they have to wait in the long line. Maybe it has to do with being with the kind of people who stop and visit the coffee shop. I feel relaxed in this communal atmosphere, like this is the way time should pass for always.

Monday no Funday

Why do Mondays seem to start worse than any other day of the week? I like my job and look forward to getting back to it after the weekends, so it's not a matter of setting myself up for it by dreading it..

Last Monday I returned from Thanksgiving break and our QA inspector pops up just as i sit down to run payroll.

Having QA show up would have been just fine and dandy any other day of the week. It is a phenomenon that puzzles me.

Today, our freezer went out overnight, just in time for our public health inspector to arrive...

Of course, we got through it and did just fine. It was all that much more stressful because it's....Monday.