I can hardly believe we’ve been doing Eat. Live. Be. for twelve weeks already!! Where has the time gone? This week’s topic was a suggestion from one of my fellow Eat. Live. Be. peeps: what is your typical day like? I don’t think our days are particularly exciting, but I am willing to share.
Our typical day during the week is spent trying to get everyone out of the house without a meltdown. I assure you this is not as easy as it sounds. In fact, as I’m typing this, Madeline is currently having a nuclear meltdown that I am doing my best to ignore. Gotta love an overtired cranky butt.
Nick leaves the house first and never has breakfast before he dashes for the school bus. I have lectured him about the importance of the first meal of the day. That studies show that kids who have breakfast do better in school. It is a battle I gave up winning long ago. He would rather not get out of bed. We settle somewhere in the middle. As he is shoving on his sneakers and grabbing his water bottle and backpack, I fill his hands with something to eat on the way to the bus stop. Sometimes it’s a Banana Chocolate Chip Espresso Muffin (his favorite) or a slice of toasted banana bread. Or a granola bar. Or a bag with apple slices. Last week I was quite proud of myself. I managed to get an egg sandwich made for him before he left. Only to find out he pitched it somewhere between here and his classroom.
Madeline takes after her brother. If she gets up earlier enough, she will pick through a bowl of cereal before we leave the house. Otherwise, it’s a granola bar and milk in her classroom.She is a grazer, much like Nick. On the weekends, both are much better about eating, and we all sit down and enjoy pancakes, bagels (a once in a blue moon splurge for me) or the random egg dish.
As for me in the morning? Two mornings a week, I make an egg white omelet or breakfast burrito and pack it in my bag to go to the office. Two mornings, I do a collection of fruit and yogurt and nuts and things, stuffed in amidst all my snacks. And Fridays? Yogurt parfait (hold the granola) and Wild Berry Smoothie from McDonald’s. My treat for making it through the week.
I’m going to skip lunch in the interest of not boring you to tears. I eat it. The kids are a work in progress. Sometimes they inhale it. Sometimes they ignore it. They make requests. I fulfill. And empty out the full lunchbox when it comes home. Today they both wanted, and actually ate, homemade chicken fingers. A minor victory.
Mid-afternoon snacks for me and the kids. Homework. Loose ends with work. Freelancing deadlines. Refereeing.
A few times a week, at the end of the day, the kids head to the gym with me. They go to the Activity Center, and I hope they get worn out. ‘Tis not always the case. Once a week, they go to Zumba class. I work out a minimum of five days a week, usually an hour each time. On the weekends, it’s marathon sessions lasting usually three to four hours.
After we get home, dinner, bath and bed. And then I go back to work. More freelancing deadlines. More catch-up work.
I am now shooting for being in bed, lights out, by 11 two nights a week. I don’t get nearly enough sleep. I know that. Luckily I can subsist on very little, but I know in my whole healthy “new me” kick, it’s not exactly cool. But in the interest in supporting my kids (and myself, of course), it means a few uber-late nights a week.
Our focus during most days is on being active and eating good things for us. The house, for quite awhile now, had been rid of processed junk, and our go-to snacks are things like yogurt, granola, nuts, vegetables and dips, hummus and whole wheat crackers. That being said, I am not an all-or-nothing girl when it comes to our pantry. The kids have a few things in there that I am not necessarily cool with, but in an all things in moderation move, the scales are firmly tipped on what I want them eating, not garbage. The odd Girl Scout cookie or lollipop is not going to do us in. And by giving in slightly, I know I can keep a tight rein on everything else. And when given the choice when they come home from school, they make the “right” decision way more often than not. I’m good with that.
Our days change. Our tastes change. Our focus doesn’t. Family. Food. Fun. Sometimes in that order. Sometimes not. There are good days and bad, but our core is solid.
To find out what a day is like for my fellow ELBers, please visit them at the below links:
- Sarah Caron from Sarah’s Cucina Bella
- Joanne from Eats Well with Others
- Chris Arpante – Melecotte
- Patsy – Family, Friends and Food
- Claire – Cooking is Medicine
- Sarah Rogers – Sarah’s Sweet Creations
Tomorrow? A new lasagna recipe (you needed one, right?!) and a few new recipes I’ve created for Betty Crocker. Until then.
Project 365
March 21, 2011, Photo #78
This week, on Monday nights, we’re trying something new. I watch my friends’ kids and handle homework duty until she gets home from work, and am responsible for dinner. When she gets here, I head to the gym and she feeds all the kids. A little bit of a trade-off, and my kids stay in another night. So far, so good. Surprisingly, I think the kids all doing homework together actually worked out better than if they did it on their own. They were testing each other and giving each other prompts and ideas. Now for it to continue like this…
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
Thanks for sharing! I love hearing how others live their health. And yes, you need to get more sleep. Then again, so do I.
It’s nice to get a peek into what others are doing… I always come away with a few tidbits I can use to help me with my own goals.
Love the trade-off you have going with your neighbor! Hope it continues to work out well!
I loved reading about your day Cate! I think it sets a great example for moms out there who feel like they can’t possibly get themselves into a healthier place. I need to get more sleep also. There’s a reason I didn’t mention what time I go to bed, even though I do say what time I get up. :P
We don’t know the word typical….
I love the idea of neighbors helping each other. You certainly sound like you have a fun and exciting day. Thanks for sharing!