Kids Schedules!

Spring sports have begun and I am struggling a little bit. My family eats dinner together about 3 times a week, which is a significant decrease from our usual 7 days. Not only that, but my ability to get vegetables into said family is greatly reduced. This is not a new problem, but seems especially acute considering I now have two kids with sports schedules. This is also my busy time at work, so less planning time to fight the family challenges.



Is this where I am supposed to insert some great tips?

1. I am trying to get sleep. With work deadlines, keeping my training up and someone or all of us being out every night, sleep is important. No reading books ( I stay up too late).
2. I walk or do something during practices. I am on the bleachers watching during games, but at practice, I have time to get moving. To be honest, this typically happens during soccer practice. One is better then None. :)
3. Plan ahead. Leftovers in the frig give the hungry athletes something to eat other then snack bar concessions. Larger meals on Sundays, mean the Monday dinner at 8:40 pm resembles something of a balanced meal.
4. Make picnics. This has mainly applied to baseball games and swim meets, but I pack a picnic dinner for myself and my daughter. This allows me to bring fruit salad, apple slices, and other good for us sides that keep the concession stand at bay.
5. Other treats need to wait. No pizza on Friday night just because, when that is the first night out of five that we are actually home to cook. Last Friday, I cooked up some chicken breasts for sandwiches, which we enjoyed on the porch while gathering with neighbors. Easy and healthy.
6. Do what it takes to keep your sanity, while making the best choices possible.



What have you done to keep the balance in life when it gets hectic?

2013 Goal Check In

The days march on and I thought it would be good to do a check in on my goals.

January

Run 62.5 miles (1/12th of my goal of 750 for the year) - Done (69 actually, but who is counting? Hrm, me I guess!)
Kid's Shower fix and garbage disposal (see how I grouped those plumbing issues - genius I tell you) - Done
Summer Vacation Planned - Not yet, but we know what we are doing, I just have to get the house. I have been doing legwork on this, so its only a matter of another week or two before we are set.

February

Disney Half - Done

62.5 Miles - Done (68 this month, not bad for 28 days)

Kitchen Fixes - got an estimate, but the contractor is kind of sketching out on me. May have to start from square one with this. Also paired with a goal for March.

Taxes - Done, but not filed. For some reason I like to let them sit awhile. I am not sure why because I never change anything and don't have the smarts to actually find anything wrong on the forms themselves.

Summer Camps - Done. Whew, that was a tough one. 2 kids that need full time camp. Everyone has camp at the local TKD studio several weeks, but then there are specialty weeks too, scout camp etc.

March

1 minute plank - Done, My full year goal is 3 minutes, so I broke it up. I have been using the great tracking sheets runwithjess.com puts out. Been slacking on planks the last few days, so need to get back to that and not lose my progress.

62.5 - Time will tell. I did 7 today, it was way ugly, but done. Still trying to decide about marathon training, but I think 2013 isn't the year. Princess was not the magical race I wanted it to be as far as pumping up my can do attitude for a marathon.

Shower fixes - notice a trend? In 2010 we redid our kitchen and I was totally turned off of calling any contractor for 2 years after that effort. I am finally getting back to the house fixes we need to get done. Then maybe I can do another "fun" project.

Weekend Trip - the last several years the family has taken weekend trips to cover a gap in the private school schedule. My daughter isn't in Montessori anymore, but I don't want to give up that time exploring the nearby areas. Haven't figured out what yet, but I still have the month of March to figure it out.

So there you have it. I feel like I am moving along with the things I wanted to get accomplished so far. I need to pick up speed on the house items because they only get more involved as the year goes on. I am happy with my workout schedule and feel like my running base is really starting to develop. Yea!

We are hitting some big transitions at home however. My son is moving from Cub Scouts to Boy Scouts starting this week and he earned his Black belt, which changed his class schedule from one that was perfect for me to get midweek runs in to one that isn't so accommodating. Soon it will be all up for grabs as baseball season is starting. That means my husband and son will be on the ball field for hours a week and I will have my daughter more. This isn't an issue when the weather is bad and I don't mind being on the treadmill, but when the weather is nice its tough to be stuck inside.

On another note, I didn't make this a written down goal, but I would like to lose 6 lbs again this year. This was more to keep me in the mindset of not letting my weight rise 1 or 2 pounds at a time. So far - I am holding even, but not losing anything.

How are you doing on your goals?

A new year 2010

ok, I will get to reviewing my goal success and fails in 2009, but first 2010. Looking forward!!

Fitness has to be my number 1 priority this year. In 2008 I lost 20 lbs, but managed to gain it all back, most of it in the last 6 months. Turning things around has been on my mind, but not in my actions. Certainly the treats of the season were not kind and I did nothing to stop them.

We received a Wii and Wii fit from ourselves (aka Santa) this Christmas, so I have been investigating that as a fun way to squeeze a few more calories out of a day. It is, of course no way to get real weight loss progress. So I have been working on 20-30 minutes. More of a routine creating exercise, then anything else.

So 20 lbs is my goal for 2010, but more then that number is making the time and enjoyment for exercise. If we can make more active activities part of our life, then that is the real change. I am also nooddling, but not yet committing to something like walking a marathon. I want to spend more time checking out the training timeline and see what marathons are walker friendly. If I can walk a marathon, maybe someday I can actually run one! Mentally my mindset is not there yet. So one foot in front of the other until then.