Making the Most of Each Day as a Full-time Working Mom

Hello!

A big part of the reason I have made much less of an appearance on the blog since becoming a mom is because I also work full-time.  When I get home from work, I rarely spend any time on my phone until my toddler is in bed for the night.  Most evenings there are still things that need to be accomplished once he goes to bed and I want to spend the remainder of the night hanging out with my husband.  These days I’m ready for bed by 9 or 10, so the weeknights fly.

Life is different now than it was when Sage was a baby.  When he was a baby, I’d bring him inside and he’d happily play on his mat (before he was mobile), sit in his vibrating chair and swat at the hanging toys, or I’d have him right in the kitchen with me in his rock n’ play while I cooked dinner.  These days as my baby approaches two (ok, not for four months but still!), he’s got much more of a say in how the night goes.  Now that the weather is nice the last thing he wants to do when we get home is go inside.  He wants to play outside basically until bedtime and my getting dinner on the table is much more of a challenge.  Luckily most nights my husband and Sage play outside while I work on the things that need to happen inside the house, but then I’m torn between wanting to make a nice dinner (something I do take pride in and also enjoy) and being outside.  Also, I want my house to be clean, but I don’t want to spend the night after a long workday cleaning.  Do you see what I mean?  It’s about making choices.  Here are few things that I focus on to make the most of the work days:

I try to have at least a few meals planned for the week.  I never have five weekday meals planned.  On the weekend we grocery shop and stock the house with food so that for a few meals during the week we are set.  I expect to get takeout or go out 1-2 times a week.  It just simplifies dinner.  There will be a pizza or Mexican food night, or something of the sort, and I’m totally ok with that.  We’ll probably do quesadillas one night, Italian one night, and breakfast for dinner another.  I’m so happy that it has become grill weather because that simplifies dinner a ton and there are so many more options with grilling.  I also just placed by first Blue Apron order for next weekend and I'm really excited about that!  It's supposed to be three meals that will feed my husband and I, and I'm hoping Sage too.  I'll definitely keep you posted on how the Blue Apron meals go.

My house will never be super clean…like ever.  Some days it will probably look like a disaster.  My husband and I will catch up on laundry and get the kitchen in order and then it might look a little better.  I don’t (and truly cannot) sweat this.  If I worried about how clean my house was it would take up so much unnecessary space in my mind.  It’s just not worth it.  My family will be well fed and we’ll enjoy each other’s company and have fun, but we’ll do so with dog fur that needs to be vacuumed on of the rug, dishes that are never ending, and piles of laundry that never seem to go away. 

I pack my son’s bag for the sitter the night BEFORE.  Oh my gosh does this make a big difference in the morning!  I always get mad at myself in the morning when I haven’t taken care of Sage’s diaper bag.  We cloth diaper and that requires a little extra effort to make sure diapers are clean.  At this point I’m washing diapers every 2-3 days which is no big deal (but I know that will be changing soon with baby boy #2 on the way).  I pack breakfast, lunch and snacks for my son each day so making his meals the night before takes so much pressure off my morning.  It just takes a little thought and it is so worth it.  Otherwise in the morning I’m rummaging through the cupboards and refrigerator trying to pull something together for him and it just doesn’t make me feel good. 

I read something a while ago when I was going back to work when Sage was 4.5 months old.  (It was hard at first and I wondered how I’d make it all work).  I read that it’s not necessarily the amount of time you spend with your child, but the quality of the time together.  I think of that every single day.  When my husband and I get Sage out of bed in the morning, even though we often don’t get more than 20 minutes with him before it is time to go, we make that time count.  We greet him in bed together and give him lots of hugs and kisses.  We get him dressed for the day and offer him a little breakfast.  Sometimes there is time to read him a book or play.  It’s an important moment each workday.  After work we devote our attention to him.  It might not be both of us exclusively focusing on him, but we give Sage as much love and attention as we can.  Following his bedtime routine is also very important to us.  We do bath every other night and then we follow the rest of our routine.  We end the night with book time, cuddles in his rocking chair, and he gets a sippy cup of milk in his rocking chair while sitting with either my husband or I.  We talk and joke with him before he goes to bed.  This is another special time each day. 

I’m not hard on myself, or I try not to be.  I think as a parent you sort of have to lower your standards for certain things.  I don't mean that in a bad way by any means.  I just mean that we aren't all superheroes and getting everything accomplished is tough.  I just try to focus on the important stuff - my family.  There are never enough hours in the day to get everything I could possibly want to get done, so I’m not going to try.  I’ll just do my very best.  I also try not to make comparisons between myself and other moms because that’s not fair to me (or them) either.  By being kind to myself, I’m a better mom. 

What are some of your tricks for getting through the workweek? 

Love A Latte is Getting a Makeover

Hey hey hey!

I wanted to keep you in the loop on my upcoming plans for this little space of mine because Love A Latte is getting a makeover!  

I created this blog over three years ago and I love what it has become, but there are things I want to change too.  I’m not in love with the look anymore, but I still want something that is happy and inviting.  I want my site to be more user friendly as well.  Maybe you’re just looking for posts on motherhood, pregnancy, plant-based breakfast, etc., and I want it to be simple for you to find what you’re looking for.  Also, I’ve grown a lot as person over the last three years.  I started this blog as a newlywed who spent tons of time running.  Do you remember all my running posts?  Well, I still love to run, but that part of my life is on the back burner right now as my husband and I focus on parenthood.  I’ll get back in the running groove eventually.  My point is that a lot of life happens in three years and I think it is about time I bring Love A Latte into the present.

I plan to post more on my experiences in motherhood, plant-based eating, and getting back into running.  I’m a full-time working mama and I want to do more posts on how the day-to-day of that goes.  I want to connect more with all of you who are still here reading (thank you for sticking around!) and with new readers.    The first step is going to be the renovation of this space.  That will be taking place over the next month or so, but hopefully by summer the new site will be up and running (same website address by the way).  If there are days where the site seems to be under construction, I apologize in advance.

In the meantime, let’s stay in touch!  Also, let me know if there are topics you’d like me to touch on more going forward.  I’m so exciting for this new beginning for Love A Latte and can’t wait to share it with you.

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Happy November: Four Tips for a Happy & Healthy You

Good morning and happy November!

 

How was your Halloween?  We had a great family day with our little skeleton.  We went to Trader Joe's, Barnes and Noble and played outside.  Today begins my 21 Day Fix Challenge Group!  We bought lots of food from Trader Joe's yesterday to fuel the week and all for less than $100.  I'm always impressed with how much food we get there for the cost.

In the spirit of starting November out feeling fantastic, I wanted to share some of my tips to feeling my best.  None of them are big surprises, but I'm sharing them anyways because I know they make a big difference in my life.  They are simple, but important.

1 – Eat better.  Eat more whole foods.  REAL FOOD.  Cut back on sugar.  Food is medicine, my friends.  Whole foods make me feel incredible.  I feel really good every day and that definitely wasn’t always the case.  Food influences happiness. I get happy when I eat a chocolate chip cookie too, but if they are made with really crappy ingredients, I feel lousy later.  However, if I get a Chipotle burrito packed with brown rice, black beans, tomatoes, corn, guacamole and lettuce, I feel really happy and full.  Also, I don’t feel bad later.  The food we eat every day influences how we feel every day.  It impacts the decisions we make and how clearly we are thinking.  It influences our emotions and how we can tolerate stress.  I’m not saying that the food can cure all, but it is crazy powerful. 

2 – Workout.  Just 20-30 minutes 4-5 days/week.  These days as a busy, full-time working mama I don’t have much time to workout.  I used to spend hours and hours running before work each week.  Running isn’t my priority right now, but I still have fitness goals.  I want to get stronger and leaner.  I want to sweat and do something for me.  How do I fit in a workout?  I involve my family.  The time after work is precious.  My husband and I only have 2-3 hours with our son before he goes to sleep.  We want to make that time count.  Therefore, Sage joins us for the workout.  Right now I’m doing PiYo, so I bring my little guy in the basement with me and a bunch of his toys and that’s how I do my 20-30 minute workout.  Also, the change of scenery is nice for him as we enter (what we like to call) cranky o’clock (you know that time before bedtime…).  It’s entertaining for us and Sage.  He’ll crawl under me when I’m doing plank, he’ll dance to the music, sometimes I have to pause my workout and help him with a book or a toy, but I do the best I can.  Most often it’s fun for all and I’m a better mama for it.

3 – Checkout from your phone.  I made this rule for myself that I don’t go on my phone from 5-7PM.  That is time dedicated to my family.  I might use it to take a photo or post a recipe on FB, but I’m not sitting staring at it.  It’s what works for me and it’s refreshing!  Don’t get me wrong I love my iPhone and all its powers, but I find that by setting that time where I won’t be on it, that I focus on my family more.  I focus on dinner and playtime.  I just feel better from the break.

4 – Focus on what you did accomplishment, not everything that needs to get done.  Let me explain.  There are days when I wake-up late and my husband and I are rushing around trying to get ready for work and Sage needs breakfast and Jax (our dog) wants to go outside.  We’re juggling everything and then we fly out the door.  The workdays are busy and then we’re home and it’s time to get dinner on the table, laundry needs to get done, the house needs cleaning, we want to give Sage all our attention… There’s basically a million different things I could focus my attention on, but if I did that nothing would really get done.  So I focus on just getting something done.  Maybe it’s laundry one night or maybe it’s vacuuming.  I know these aren’t what you would truly call accomplishments, but they are productive.  Many nights my accomplishment is a nice dinner and playtime with Sage then relaxing with husband after he goes to bed.  That’s wonderful.  When I get a chance to write a post (like this one) or connect with others in my Challenge Groups, or I have the opportunity to share what I can offer as a Health Coach, that’s fantastic.  I feel like I really got a lot done!  Putting it simply, focusing on what didn't get done is stressful and I don't have time for that!

I love the start of a new month.  November is a special one because it's the time before the holidays hit.  It's a time of opportunity.  Think about what you can do to feel your best this month.  It is not too late to join my 21 Day Fix Accountability Group either.  Our goal is get to fit by Thanksgiving and we start today {email me at lovalatte1@gmail.com or find me on Facebook}!

Do you follow any of these tips?

Fall Life Happenings

Hi!

How are you?!  We are well into the fall season and this is my absolute favorite time of year.  I am a fall weather loving kind of woman.  It’s like autumn hits and I suddenly feel more at peace.  I love jeans, sweaters, boots, pumpkin everything, apples galore, colorful leaves, rainy days, comfort food… I wish October was double the length.  We’ve been doing a lot of fall things lately.  Last weekend we went to an apple festival by us not only for the beautiful scenic drive but for entertainment for Sage.  He loved watched the kids on the fair rides.  We all enjoyed an apple fritter (or two).  We also got in a nice walk along the paths in our neighborhood.  During the summer it wasn’t all that fun being on the paths because the bugs were really bad, but now that they are gone it is so much more enjoyable and everything looks so pretty.  Just typing about it makes me want to get out there now!

 The days fly by.  Between working full-time and then working (which is really not work to me) on getting my business as a Health Coach off the ground, life is busy.  When I get home from work at night, I put down my phone and devote my attention to Sage and my husband.  We do dinner and playtime, then its bath and bed for Sage.  Many nights I’ve been bringing Sage in our lower level with me after dinner so I can get in a PiYo workout.  All the good TV shows are back so my husband and I watch a show on our iPad before bed.  My favorites right now are Scandal and Big Bang Theory, but I also really like Modern Family and Homeland.  The two hours after Sage goes to bed is time to decompress and take care of everything else that needs to get done.  Sometimes I work on Health Coach stuff and sometimes not.  Depends where my brain is by that time of night.

Anyways, I want to talk to you about a few things.  Some of it involves an opportunity for you and some of it is goal stuff for me and I’d love your thoughts.

*For starters, I’ve got another accountability group starting up November 1^st!  If you’re looking for support and motivation to exercise and eat better, this is a wonderful opportunity for you.  I’m really excited about this one because it will finish up just as Thanksgiving hits.  21 Day Fix here we come!  This program focuses on eating whole foods and portion control.   No calorie counting which is what I love.  The workouts are 30 minutes daily all in the comfort of your home.  You make it work in your schedule.  All of us will be a part of a private Facebook group where you’ll get support and tips from myself, another coach friend of mine, and the other participants.  This program has been a huge hit because of its effectiveness.  Just think where you could be in 21 days.  Let me know if this interests you.  I’d love to have you in my challenge group!

*I’ve been thinking about something a lot lately.  It came out of nowhere really and it’s not something I’ve ever considered before, but I’ve been contemplating it and I get really happy when I think about it.  I want to become a certified PiYo instructor.  I’m not incredible at PiYo and I just recently fell in love with it, but that’s just it.  I love it and how it makes me feel.  I started thinking how fantastic it would be to help others feel as good as I do from PiYo.  Now I am not a good public speaker and I get anxiety, and I actually do not like being in front of a crowd, but I really want to do this.  For some reason I can imagine doing this and I think I could break out of my shell  in the process.  I’m currently participating in a 60 Day PiYo Challenge and I’m loving it.  It keeps me accountable and I’m getting better with every workout.  It’s such a change from running and I could see doing this for a very long time.  What do you think?

 *Lastly, I wanted to share my experience thus far with Shakeology.  I didn’t want to tell you guys too much until I had really dived in.  Well, I’ve been drinking Shakeology for breakfast for the last 7 weeks almost every day.  I’ve probably missed like 5 days total because on the weekends I sometimes make something else for breakfast (like pancakes!) but I’ll often have a shake later in the day.  I told you guys I would be completely honest with my results and so I’m here to do just that.  I love it!  Over the years I have used a lot of different protein powders including Sun Warrior, Vegan Smart, Plant Fusion, generic Soy Protein Powder, generic Brown Rice protein powder, etc.  There were things I liked about these and things I didn’t.  I LOVE the Chocolate vegan flavor of Shakeology.  I’m hooked.  I rely on it to keep me going each workday and to start my day feeling really good, and I do!  I feel energized and ready to conquer the day.  As you’ve noticed, life is busy and I care a lot about what I put in my body.  This punch of nutrition makes me happy each morning.  I love that I’m getting protein, but so many other things.  Amino acids, antioxidants, phytonutrients, adaptogens, prebiotics, digestive enzymes...  This stuff has boosted my immune system, protects my body against stress, helps my intestinal health, among other things.  I have noticed this change and I’m thankful for it.  Full disclosure here, my friends.  I’m hooked.

 Tell me something going on in your life!

Life Updates + October Challenge

Hello!

Sage didn't get the selfie memo.

How are you?  How is fall treating you?  It's been a few weeks.  I've actually started many posts but they never seem to get published.  I start a post during Sage's nap and then he wakes up and I never finish it.  Or I think about posting after he's gone to bed but then decide to just relax with my hubby and pup.  That being said, I still love this little space of mine and I'm here.  I make a bigger appearance on Facebook and Instagram these days.  I'm trying hard to grow my Facebook page as I dive in as a Plant-Based Health Coach.  

I'm having lots of fun!  Helping people feel their best rocks.  I'm a foodie and it's wonderful being able to give others ideas of delicious and nutritious foods to eat.  I love following this passion of mine.  

Life is busy, busy, busy as I'm sure you can relate.  We've been doing lots of fall stuff around here.  Here's a glimpse of some recent life moments:  apple picking, pumpkin picking, apple crisp making, pumpkin pancake mornings, cuddling with Sage in the dark hours of the morning, new (used) fall boots (got Loft boots for $14 from a consignment shop!!), jeans everyday (my work went casual!), holding hands with my baby (ok, toddler) when I drop him off at the sitter, relaxing with my husband at night and watching crappy (awesome) tv shows, two dates with my hubby this month (first time in a year we had been out just the two of us!), vegan chocolate cake, Chipotle weekly family dinners...

In other news, I got a mole by ear removed.  They shaved a tiny patch of hair by my ear and seven stitches later it's all taken care of.  Boy am I glad I got it removed because it turns out that it was precancerous.  Skin cancer is scary stuff and I'm so glad to have it behind me now.  I go back to the doctor in six months and I'm guessing I'll be doing that for the rest of my life, and that is perfectly fine with me.  

Time to talk about what is in store for you this month!  I'm hosting another 5 Day Shakeology Challenge beginning October 19th.  Two and half weeks to get you signed up for the fun!  Last month's challenge went great.  Another coach and I ran the challenge and we'll be doing this challenge together again.  For five days us coaches and the participants drank Shakeology for breakfast and stuck to clean eating for the rest of the days.  We were all in a private Facebook group together and us coaches provided tips and motivation.  This October challenge will be similar.  It's a fantastic way to give Shakeology a try and see how it can benefit you.  I've been drinking Shakeology for breakfast for six weeks straight and I'm hooked.  I look forward to my shake every morning to start my day right.  

So, think about joining the challenge.  I would love to have you.  It's just an awesome way to refresh your body, start to lose weight (if that's your goal), and do something for YOU.  Email me at lovalatte1@gmail.com or message me to chat.  I'm happy to answer any questions you may have.

I got to run (off to bed), but I'll be back soon.  

Happy Thursday!

What's a goal of yours for October?

Party Fun & Peanut Butter Cups

Hello!

I haven't done a weekend post in a while.  I love the weekends.  Even when we don't really do anything big, it's just nice to slow down a bit and relax.

Yesterday I made my husband and I shakes to start out the day.  I gave strawberry a try and it was tasty, but chocolate is still my favorite.  Chocolate at breakfast everyday, please!  We then went grocery shopping as a family at like 8:30 in the morning which is really a great time to go.  Sage likes staring at everything in the grocery store and there's no rush.  You don't have to worry about being in peoples way in the aisles.  Most importantly then you have all your food for the week before the weekend has hardly begun.

 After shopping we all came home and my husband and I did CIZE.  I'm a little sore this morning.  I want to do it again today.  Sage joined in the fun and walked around us while we were doing our workout.  I think he liked the music and he let us get through the full 30 minute workout which was fantastic.

Around lunchtime, Sage had a birthday party for his buddy that lives right across the street from us.  They are only a month apart and it's really fun watching them grow.  There was a ball pit.  I think Sage's expression tells you how thrilled he was about that.

There also was a slide.  Exciting stuff!  Sage had never been on a slide before (silly me!) and boy did he LOVE it.  He must have climbed up it and slid down 20 times.

After the party we were all tired.  Sage took a nap and soon it was dinner time.  We made udon noodle stir fry with broccoli and tofu and peanut butter cups for dessert.  Once fall weather hits I just love being in the kitchen.  It's suddenly not too hot to be cooking anymore and it's simply my favorite time of year.  So, peanut butter cups happened and they were incredible.  

I used a variation of this recipe and this recipe.  They were so good that I have to share this combination though.  It makes 12 peanut butter cups.

Melt these ingredients in a pan over low heat and then dish into the muffin tins:

1/2 cup earth balance butter
1/2 cup cashew butter
1/4 cup peanut butter
1 cup rice krispies
1/4 cup coconut sugar

Then melt the chocolate layer over low heat.  I used the same pan.  No need to dirty another one.

1 cup chocolate chips (I used Wegmans brand which are vegan)
1/4 cup almond milk (I used unsweetened)

Then dump the chocolate on top of each peanut butter layer.  Put the tray in the freezer.  They'll probably need to be in the freezer at least an hour before eating, but it will be tough to wait.  The first one I ate was still pretty soft, but didn't stop me.  I keep them in the freezer all week, but in reality they never last that long.

Sorry, I got sidetracked sharing that recipe.  This morning we had a few more errands to run.  Sage picked out a new toy.  He's a cool dude.

 

My other plans for the day are going to a consignment shop to drop off clothes.  I'm cleaning out!  I'm sick of having clothes in my closet that I don't wear.  I'm sure I'll cook up a storm at some point.  I want to get in another workout as well.  I guess I better get to it!

How was your weekend?

Saturday Morning: I Spy Autumn

Hello!

It's Saturday morning and Sage is napping.  My husband just made french toast and now we're relaxing before our boy wakes up.  As soon as he's up it's go, go, go!  He was up bright and early this morning.  I made my shake and Sage had toast and blackberries.  We played with his toys for a bit and then took off for a morning walk.

I didn't realize fall had made an appearance until I looked at this photo.  Check out those leaves!  I love fall.  It's by far my favorite time of year so this gets me so excited.  Last fall I was off work on my maternity leave.  So many mornings Sage and I enjoyed the autumn beauty.  Boy has he grown from this picture taken a year ago.

So the fact that I know fall is around the corner makes me want to start diving into what I consider fall recipes.  I'm not quite ready for pumpkin, but butternut squash here I come!  I really don't reserve butternut squash just for this time of year, but I see it a lot more in recipes around now.  

Oh, and if you haven't made this recipe for butternut squash alfredo yet, it's a must!  Best part is you just store the sauce in the fridge and can whip up a quick delicious dinner on a busy night.  I'm a big fan of pasta when the weather turns cold.  We aren't there yet, but I'm gearing up.

Today my parents are dropping their two little dogs off at our house because they have a wedding to go to.  Sage loves the dogs so they will be his entertainment for the afternoon.  

In other news, there's been some fun packages arriving at our door lately.  Even Jax looks excited, right?  If you missed my last post, check out this awesome opportunity coming your way in September.  I'm also planning on hosting a 7 Day Clean Eating Challenge that will be FREE to all of you!  More details on that to come.  I use Facebook as my main way of spreading the word.  I also posted a few videos last week on simple dinners.  Visit my page so we can stay connected!

Hope you have a fantastic weekend!

What recipe do you associate with fall?

Is it starting to look like autumn by you?

Mean Green Juice + Weekend Fun

Hello!

It's been a very good weekend.  We got a lot accomplished and had a bunch of fun.  Got the yard mowed, laundry done, kitchen cleaned (after being durtied numerous times), lots of food bought, meals cooked and lunches prepared for the week.  Most importantly there was lots of quality time with Sage.  

We played outside and Sage practiced walking all around the driveway.  We went to Trader Joe's and Sage consumed an entire peach.  That was a site seeing my one year old figure that out.  So stinking cute even if he was a huge mess.  On Saturday night we went out for a family dinner for Thai food.  Sage provided the entertainment.  I also got in a 2.5 mile run earlier in the day so I was ready for some good eats.  Jax got more baths than we can count and finally we think the skunk smell is just about gone.  Jax spent lots of time outside and we were having him sleep in our foyer because we didn't want him in our bedroom.  Poor guy had a rough week.  In the (almost) six years I've had Jax he's never gotten sprayed by a skunk and I sure hope it never happens again.

I whipped up a storm in the kitchen this weekend.  Breakfast shakes, quesadillas, sesame tofu and sauteed kale, cumin lime black bean salad, chocolate chip cookies.  I'll have to share the cookie recipe soon.  I used coconut sugar and tons of chocolate chips.  

I made Mean Green Juice earlier today and as promised I'm sharing the recipe.  I took a break from juicing for a while for no particular reason.  I just got back into it and I'm loving it.  Juicing is fun and so tasty!  I'm trying to get Sage into it too so that definitely inspired me to jump back in.  Here is the recipe for Mean Green Juice which I took from Joe Cross (you may have heard to the documentary Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead - this juice essentially saved his life).  I used to be intimated by juicing but then I got a juicer (Target, on sale for $40) and it's truly no big deal.  After I made juice the first time I was shocked at how easy it was.  It makes you feel really awesome because of all the vitamins and nutrients that go straight to your system. 

So, here's my adapted version of the recipe:
1 cucumber
4 celery stalks
3 apples
2 kale leaves
1 lemon
2 in piece of ginger

Basically chop up the produce so it looks like this and put it through your juicer.  I like to use produce thats been stored in the fridge because I like my juice cold, but that's just me.  I posted a super quick video of my prepping for juicing on my Facebook page.  I swear my videos going forward will be much better.

How was your weekend?

Are you into juicing?

A Little Bit of Mommy Guilt

Hey hey hey!

This morning I took Sage to the sitter before going to work.  He was having a bit of a rough morning and just wanted someone to stay by his side.  He’s got another molar coming in.  I got him breakfast and gave him as much cuddles as I could and then my husband was playing with him while I got ready for work.  Mornings can be tough because I generally only have an hour to get ready before I need to get out the door, which is hardly enough time.  There’s getting Sage up and ready, making sure the diaper bag is set, packing food for the day (and that takes a lot more thought now that it isn’t just milk), I need to make myself look work appropriate, Sage often has more than one diaper change, Jax needs to be fed… The hour goes by in a blur.  I’m generally walking out the door with Sage in one arm and my protein shake in the other, and my husband is either already gone or rushing around trying to get himself out the door as well.  I have yet to get a workout in before the workday, but it’s a goal.  I just need to get up earlier.  Easier said than done…

So, I brought Sage to the sitter and I know he loves it there.  His sitter has two kids that Sage adores and they love him.  However, Sage is now at the age where he knows that him going there means that I’ll be leaving.  The majority of mornings he just starts playing as soon as we get there and I easily slip out, but boy did he know what was happening this morning!  As soon as I started to leave he starting crying looking right at me and my heart sunk.  It felt terrible.  The thing is I know this is normal for kids and my sitter confirmed that he was a happy guy within five minutes of my leaving, but still!  I felt crappy driving to work this morning with his look of sadness embedded in my memory.  That’s mommy guilt.  Because even though I know my working actually hugely benefits him and his life, it doesn’t mean there aren’t tough moments.  Instead of walking out the door when he was crying, I wanted to run back, scoop him up and hug him.  But I’d never get to work if I had done that. 

When I picked Sage up in the afternoon he was a happy guy.  That molar was still giving him grief, but he's a trooper.  He had dinner and my husband and I ate in shifts.  I then gave Jax another bath (yup, the skunk smell was still lingering) and Sage played with daddy.  It quickly became bathtime for Sage and my husband put him to sleep while I did laundry and cleaned the kitchen.  Ok, I cleaned enough of the kitchen that it only looks like a mild disaster now.  

I’m sharing this today because I’m trying to get back in the habit of posting regularly.  I used to blog daily and I like sharing real life.  It’s what I can relate to when I read other bloggers’ posts.  I think it’s easy to paint a picture that life is perfect as a blogger.  In the spirit of authenticity, you’ll be seeing more posts like this.

What do your workweek mornings look like?

Walking, Running & a Molar

Hey hey hey!

I want to get back into blogging regularly.  I do a really good job of keeping you up-to-date on Instagram, but have been majorly dropping the ball in this little space.  Sometimes I wonder what I talked about everyday when I used to post daily, but I suppose I was running more back then and talked about that a lot, and then of course there was always the food chatter.  I think this week I'll just talk about life which will include both running and food, but also just the day-to-day stuff.

Currently, I'm watching my baby boy on the monitor as he fights going to sleep.  Some nights he falls asleep instantly and others it takes a bit longer.  Sage is wrestling his little lovey blanket.  I can understand sleep being tough because he's got BIG things going on.  For starters, today we realized a molar is coming in.  Sage has just been a bit cranky and needy the last 24 hours - out of the norm type stuff, so this teething makes perfect sense.  And tonight, for the very first time, he walked back and forth multiple times between my husband and I.  This is just mind blowing.  My baby is walking?!  He was really proud of himself too which is just so darn cute.

 

I hope you can't tell what a mess my house is from the picture.  We try our very best to keep it clean, but sometimes it just seems impossible.  There's just baby stuff everywhere.  I cleaned our island yesterday and it already looks like a bomb of paperwork went off.  I don't know how it happens.  Tell me you can relate.  I imagine that everybody else's house is perfectly spotless and wonder how they do it.  Don't sweat the small stuff, right?

I got in a solid run over the weekend.  Four miles covered and I got faster each mile.  The last two miles felt a lot better than the first two and that's the only reason I kept going.  It's funny how sometimes those first few miles feel just horrible.  I still have thoughts of a fall half marathon, but I'm taking it one run at a time.  Planning to get back out there tomorrow, but I don't really plan runs these days like I used to.  Running has became all about going with the flow of life (when I get the time, energy, drive, motivation) and running for the pure joy of it.  But I really am enjoying running right now. 

  

 Ok, well it's almost 8 o'clock.  I've got to make my lunch for tomorrow and shower, and then most importantly watch True Detective with my husband.  I can't seem to stay awake long enough to ever watch the full episode so I only half know what's going on.

Hope you have a great night!

What's new in your world?

Do you like when I ramble about life?

 

Five Life Updates

Hi there!

Back again on a Saturday.  My baby boy is napping and my hubby is at the gym, and here I am!  I could jump on the treadmill, but I just ate cookies from my Vegan Cuts box that happily arrived today, so later it will be.  Here are some updates from my life since I pop in so infrequently these days...

1.  I'm running again!  I ran 5 miles on Wednesday and it was awesome.  My husband put Sage to bed and I took off for a night run which is totally new for me (used to be an early AM runner) and I really enjoyed it.  I actually ended up running 5 miles, but I stopped at our community garden at mile 4 and didn't record the last mile.  This was my first run on the road without Sage in the jogger and I felt like I was flying.  Slowly getting back to my old pace...

2. I'm officially done breastfeeding/pumping for Sage.  This is just bizarre.  I nursed Sage exclusively during my 4 month maternity leave and when I returned to work in January I started pumping four times a day (twice at home and twice at work).  Around nine months postpartum Sage stopped nursing in the night (sleeping through the night more - woohoo!) and my supply took a dip.  I kept up pumping, but I wasn't producing nearly as much.  Over the last month my supply continued to decrease and we were using our freezer stash and then formula (we like Baby's Only Organic!).  I first dropped my work pumps and then a week later the night pump and this morning was the first time I didn't pump upon waking. 

Part of me is happy to be done pumping because our lives basically revolved around my pumping schedule, but another part of me is sad because it represents my baby growing up.  Mixed feelings, but it feels like the right time for us.  I did feel a little nauseous/fatigued when I dropped my work pumps.  My friend had warned me that it feels like the first trimester and she was right!  I was wondering why I felt sort of off and then it made sense.  Just my body acclimating.  

3.  I'm going back to blonde (Tuesday)!  I haven't colored my hair in close to two years and I need a change.  For a while I was set on sticking with my natural color, but now I want to liven things up.  Back to blonde I go...and then I'll probably go another two years without coloring it.  This picture is from summer 2012 in Seattle.  I want that color back.

4.  I'm making most of Sage's food now and it's fun.  For a while we were relying on the Beech Nut and Earth's Best organic jars.  They are convenient and Sage loved them, but they get expensive and really it just makes more sense for me to make the food.  Especially considering a bag of organic carrots is like $2 and makes A LOT of food for Sage.  We are trying to get him to eat more finger foods each night, but he's not at the point where he gets enough in his mouth for it to be considered a meal.  Therefore, we still need purees on hand.

5.  Tomorrow is Father's Day (as I'm sure you know).  We are going to lunch with my parents to celebrate.  Listening to my husband and Sage laugh together and watching Sage light up whenever he sees his daddy fills me with such joy.  The picture below is from the first day in the hospital with our boy.  They were buds from the start.

And I truly cannot believe my boy will be a year soon.  I'm finding myself quite sentimental and often reflecting on the last year.  I have a post I'd like to do about it, but we'll see if I actually get it up here.

That about sums things up!

What's going on in your world?

Three Runs Down + Grilling Eats

Hello!

I'm back again and I've run twice since my last post.  Woohoo!  They've only been two mile runs, but hey, that counts for something.  I'm slowly finding my stride again.  Tuesday's run was after work on the treadmill and this morning Sage and I hit the road.

It had just rained so it was wonderfully humid.  I don't normally enjoy the humidity, but it wasn't sunny, so it actually was kind of nice.  I felt hardcore and Sage had a blast enjoying the ride and playing with his toy (and of course watching his mommy look crazy trying to keep a decent pace).

Other news:  we own a grill!  My parents gave my hubby and I one for our Mother's Day/Father's Day present, and what an amazing gift it is.  Wow does grilling make dinner time so much easier.  Veggie burgers and dogs + veggies + sides of baked beans and pasta salad...YUM!

I got close to a six hour stretch of sleep last night which is pretty miraculous.  I think baby Sage was giving his mommy a Mother's Day present.  We are working hard with Sage to encourage him to self soothe if he wakes up in the night.  The last two nights he hasn't fed in the night and this morning he slept in until 7AM.  That's nuts.  I was up at 5:30 thinking he'd be up any moment, but nope.  I did laundry, cleaned the kitchen, made breakfast, played on my iPad - it was really relaxing.  

Today we are going out to lunch for my Mother's Day celebration because tomorrow we're traveling to see our moms.  I feel so blessed to be Sage's mommy!

I hope you have a wonderful weekend.

What are you up to?

What's your favorite grill foods?