My tonsillectomy is less than two weeks away and I can't believe that I am excited about it. I am very likely going to be eating those words in a few weeks, but I am just so focused on all of the benefits that I am likely to receive from going through this ... #1 is easier breathing ... I just can't wait! Bring on the pain so that I can get to recovery fast!!
On another note, I love my daughter's Co-op preschool. It's just such a happy, social place full of cuteness (the things the kids do and say) and the other parents are just so awesome. Today I showed up at preschool to assist and I was unprepared to stand out in three feet of snow (I didn't know we were taking the kids out in the snow first thing) ... so I jokingly asked if anyone (the parents dropping kids off) wanted to trade me shoes for a few hours! I was joking, but someone readily volunteered their boots to me and we wore each others' footwear for a few hours while I worked in the class. How cool is that????
As far as my housekeeping goals, they are just a work in progress. I continue to aspire to being a more decluttered, picked-up type of mom. My laundry is in a "decent" place, although far from done, and the kids do have too many toys and too many clothes (my biggest laundry challenge). Other than that though, I am not too much of a clutter mongrel in general. I have been able to get through my own clothes, books, piles and doo-dads fairly quickly. I think keeping the kids involved in the pick ups will be a key to my sanity, as well as continuing to focus on decluttering toys the little ones no longer play with.
As for my eating and exercise goals, well, it's a daily challenge. I am learning my weak moments and I think as long as I don't let myself get unconcious about my eating ... and as long as I keep taking the actions I have listed here in my blog for the most part, I can stay with a better lifestyle than I was following before. I am only looking for better health, not perfection .... so, not a bad thing. I have found that I have an addiction to certain hard candies. I am considering giving up conversation hearts and root beer barrels more permanently. I find that I cannot stop eating these when they are in my house .... crazy huh?!
As for exercise, I cannot wait to walk outside as soon as Spring begins to show itself. That is my favorite cardio exercise. I admit that the treadmill bores me to tears even though I have learned how to read a magazine while walking on it. I do love the weight machines though at the health club. Weight training is my anchor exercise (what I do at least twice per week even if I don't do any other exercise). The exciting this is that I can tell that I am firmer and stronger. I have lost some weight. I am still overweight. But, the improvement is energizing. The challenge here will be when I have to stop the exercise for awhile to recover from my surgery ... it is a great thing that Spring is coming to remind me of my goals!
Friday, February 19, 2010
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Decluttering and Purging
I have been busy decluttering. I have bagged up many toys, thrown out several old magazines, sorted out books, cleaned old foods out of my refrigerator, decluttered furniture tops in my bedroom and picked up a lot of daily trash along the way each day that the kids kick up regularly.
It would feel great if so much else didn't go on in the house to keep it messy while I am doing this meaningful work. But, decluttering is not the same thing as cleaning, or even organizing. It is just a thinning out of stuff. There is still the daily household work to keep up. So, it's o.k. I know this effort will pay off soon; I just need to get ahead of myself (not sure that is really ever going to happen, but it SOUNDS like a nice goal!)
I think it is time to decide about the toy clutter once and for all. I will declutter the toys and I will set up the toy bins and such anew. But, here's the thing --
Toy pick up is not something I am willing to do alone anymore.
I don't really do it that often anyway, but I also don't make the kids do it often enough ... and they need me to. I need me to.
The toy clutter doesn't bother me so much as long as there are times that it IS picked up (even if only for a little while). I need those open floor times now and then.
SO, I am making a decision here. I will no longer do battle with the toys in my house. I will either round the kids up more regularly to pick them up with me (which I really don't mind once we get started as it does go very quickly) OR I will pick the toys up myself here and there (as I do now) and think not ONE single negative thought about it. The latter choice is essentially a decision to be a martyr (which will only wear down my energy while depriving my kids of valuable life lessons in teamwork, work ethic and personal responsility). So, my intention is to choose the first alternative.
All three kids will be involved in these toy pick ups, even though ds doesn't contribute to this particular type of mess. But, his help is needed and so he will help. Come to think of it, I have really fallen off enforcing any type of regular chore routine for ds; it's time to work on that again as well. He needs a new chore list for the back of his bedroom door.
It would feel great if so much else didn't go on in the house to keep it messy while I am doing this meaningful work. But, decluttering is not the same thing as cleaning, or even organizing. It is just a thinning out of stuff. There is still the daily household work to keep up. So, it's o.k. I know this effort will pay off soon; I just need to get ahead of myself (not sure that is really ever going to happen, but it SOUNDS like a nice goal!)
I think it is time to decide about the toy clutter once and for all. I will declutter the toys and I will set up the toy bins and such anew. But, here's the thing --
Toy pick up is not something I am willing to do alone anymore.
I don't really do it that often anyway, but I also don't make the kids do it often enough ... and they need me to. I need me to.
The toy clutter doesn't bother me so much as long as there are times that it IS picked up (even if only for a little while). I need those open floor times now and then.
SO, I am making a decision here. I will no longer do battle with the toys in my house. I will either round the kids up more regularly to pick them up with me (which I really don't mind once we get started as it does go very quickly) OR I will pick the toys up myself here and there (as I do now) and think not ONE single negative thought about it. The latter choice is essentially a decision to be a martyr (which will only wear down my energy while depriving my kids of valuable life lessons in teamwork, work ethic and personal responsility). So, my intention is to choose the first alternative.
All three kids will be involved in these toy pick ups, even though ds doesn't contribute to this particular type of mess. But, his help is needed and so he will help. Come to think of it, I have really fallen off enforcing any type of regular chore routine for ds; it's time to work on that again as well. He needs a new chore list for the back of his bedroom door.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Healthier living is a daily choice ...
I am 3 1/2 weeks into my new healthier living and exercise plan. I am losing some steam with my motivation. I will not give up!
My goals are really simple here:
Work out regularly
Stop automatic eating
Eat more fiber and protein
and eat more fruits and veggies
This need not be hard. I refuse to lose steam!
Daily commitment ... that is what it is going to take ... I have lost pounds and I have gained some energy and some zest ... it's good!
My goals are really simple here:
Work out regularly
Stop automatic eating
Eat more fiber and protein
and eat more fruits and veggies
This need not be hard. I refuse to lose steam!
Daily commitment ... that is what it is going to take ... I have lost pounds and I have gained some energy and some zest ... it's good!
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Half Day Kindergarten
I can't believe that seven years ago I had to pay for full day Kindergarten because I was working full time and the half day schedule, I thought, was just cumbersome and ridiculous.
Now, our school system only offers full day, all day, every day Kindergarten. Free of course ... unless you consider what we all pay in taxes and book fees.
But, now I want half day Kindergarten. I still have 1.5 years before anyone here starts Kindergarten, but half day Kindergarten seems to be dying here in Indiana and it really bums me out.
I sure hope the last of the half day Kindergarten programs hold out of us!
Now, our school system only offers full day, all day, every day Kindergarten. Free of course ... unless you consider what we all pay in taxes and book fees.
But, now I want half day Kindergarten. I still have 1.5 years before anyone here starts Kindergarten, but half day Kindergarten seems to be dying here in Indiana and it really bums me out.
I sure hope the last of the half day Kindergarten programs hold out of us!
Planning for Fall ....
It's that time of the year when the preschools begin enrolling for the next school year. If you want to get into a certain school or class, you have to plan ahead ... spots do fill up.
So, I went ahead and signed the girls up for the Co-op preschool next year. DD#1 goes there now. This will require a daily trip to the school next year though and will allow for only one day per week when both girls are at school during the same day and time.
It is the cheapest option of all options and I love the Co-op. Plus, the teacher for the fours class is just amazing! I LOVE her!
I have been thinking though ...
Some things I have learned thus far when it comes to preschool, myself and my particular kids:
1.) Neither girl wants to go to preschool unless they are both going.
2.) I am not very motivated to get out the door in a timely manner unless both girls are going to school on a given day. The benefits of spending time with just one child while the other is in preschool just honestly do not excite me. They don't excite the child who isn't going to school for the day either. I do get plenty of one-on-one time with each girl at home already; they have their ways. It works out; it's all good.
3.) We are not morning people. We are ideal candidates for afternoon preschools, of which there are few. The Co-op is a morning school. I had not been able to find any afternoon preschool before where both girls could go at the same time. So, we go to morning preschool now. We enjoy the school time, even if it feels earlier than we would prefer ... and then we adore our mornings off during the week even more.
Now, I type all of this for one reason ... it came to my attention that there is a school that I have looked at in the past that has changed their hours for next year. Both girls could go at the same time, to the same school, and for at least 2.5 hours .... wow! And best yet, they have afternoon classes! How nice would that be?!!! It is as if the stars have FINALLY aligned to uncover the nearly perfect preschool for us!
But .... I like the Co-op for the relationship building with the other parents, the opportunity to work closely with qualified teachers in the classrooms where I can observe my own child and share in her learning. I like the price, the proximity of it to my house and the history I have with the teachers there. The other parents are just awesome. I love getting to know them more and more.
In many ways I think the Co-op is better for me than the other school, where I would get a break from both kids and have no need to engage in volunteer work roles. But, the other school would sure be much easier. It is in the afternoons. It is not daily. And both girls would go to the same school during the same times .... just wow ....
So many options out there ....
So, I went ahead and signed the girls up for the Co-op preschool next year. DD#1 goes there now. This will require a daily trip to the school next year though and will allow for only one day per week when both girls are at school during the same day and time.
It is the cheapest option of all options and I love the Co-op. Plus, the teacher for the fours class is just amazing! I LOVE her!
I have been thinking though ...
Some things I have learned thus far when it comes to preschool, myself and my particular kids:
1.) Neither girl wants to go to preschool unless they are both going.
2.) I am not very motivated to get out the door in a timely manner unless both girls are going to school on a given day. The benefits of spending time with just one child while the other is in preschool just honestly do not excite me. They don't excite the child who isn't going to school for the day either. I do get plenty of one-on-one time with each girl at home already; they have their ways. It works out; it's all good.
3.) We are not morning people. We are ideal candidates for afternoon preschools, of which there are few. The Co-op is a morning school. I had not been able to find any afternoon preschool before where both girls could go at the same time. So, we go to morning preschool now. We enjoy the school time, even if it feels earlier than we would prefer ... and then we adore our mornings off during the week even more.
Now, I type all of this for one reason ... it came to my attention that there is a school that I have looked at in the past that has changed their hours for next year. Both girls could go at the same time, to the same school, and for at least 2.5 hours .... wow! And best yet, they have afternoon classes! How nice would that be?!!! It is as if the stars have FINALLY aligned to uncover the nearly perfect preschool for us!
But .... I like the Co-op for the relationship building with the other parents, the opportunity to work closely with qualified teachers in the classrooms where I can observe my own child and share in her learning. I like the price, the proximity of it to my house and the history I have with the teachers there. The other parents are just awesome. I love getting to know them more and more.
In many ways I think the Co-op is better for me than the other school, where I would get a break from both kids and have no need to engage in volunteer work roles. But, the other school would sure be much easier. It is in the afternoons. It is not daily. And both girls would go to the same school during the same times .... just wow ....
So many options out there ....
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