I am back at it! Back to being a weekend solo mom. The month of February went super fast and was jam packed with emotion and life lessons. To say that my family and I are a bit drained is probably an understatement. My husband’s normal weekly schedule is flying Friday-Sunday. So It is (for the most part) all me, all the time for those days.  This has been our “normal” for a long time now, which is why it is a bit frustrating that I am still struggling with it. I had an entire month of rest, recovery and me-time, so when he left this Friday I was a bit surprised to feel overwhelmed and nervous about the weekend ahead. Granted, I am basically a single mom for three days out of the week, but by now I should be used to it right? Ultimately, I have a lot of conflicting thoughts running through my head all day, everyday. On one hand I feel like I should be able to suck it up and handle the daily struggles without a complaint. The other part of my brain is desperately searching for…what else??…BALANCE and CONSISTENCY. Our current lifestyle and circumstances are not lending themselves to those previous two concepts (Although we are working to correct that!)

This brings me to the hot shower. Since I became a mom I pretty much only shower at night. This is fine, as long as it actually happens. There have been many nights where I am too exhausted and I skip it. Then two days later I try to remember when the last time I showered was…not a good habit to get into! My point is, this morning is day # 3 of being on my own and night # (I lost count) of barely sleeping. That is a deadly combo and I was not feeling great. I decided to do a couple things that turned my day around. 1: I texted my family and asked for support! (They showed up with bells on!!) and 2:  I TOOK A HOT SHOWER IN THE MORNING! While the kids were safe and occupied, I took a shower and got dressed for the day. It may seem like a small thing, but to me it turned things around. I emerged a much more happy and peaceful mom! 

I share all of this partly to vent 😉 but mostly to get across how important it is for us to take care of ourselves. These days especially, we hear it all the time, but do we actually internalize it and put it into practice? I know I don’t most of the time. I am beginning to learn how to “put on my oxygen mask first” in the midst of this crazy thing we call parenting! I feel like baby steps and maybe some trial and error is the best way to get to a place of understanding the unique needs and desires that make up each one of us. On a small scale today I feel like I had a victory: This morning I was looking ahead at the day with very little hope or excitement. Even though the challenges didn’t disappear,  I have a spring in my step because I am clean and actually dressed in something other than workout clothes! 

******One of the biggest predictors of my mood and overall day is how well I am eating. I am on a journey to learn as much as I can about how food affects my body in every way. Clearly there is A LOT of information out there and at times it can be overwhelming and confusing. I am determined to find the best way to feed my body while thoroughly enjoying the process (because I love food!) I will start with sharing a healthy recipe or two each week that I have tried or that is a family favorite. I am all about fast and healthy, with minimal cleanup. I am always up for trying new things in the kitchen and love to put a healthy twist on some classic recipes. That being said, I am definitely not anywhere near a gourmet chef! I am only recently trying to branch out and learn how to cook. I will say that I get a great amount of satisfaction when I make a healthy meal for my family, or even just myself, and it is received well! Two growing adolescent boys and two picky toddlers are quite the crowd to please! It is all apart of finding my center and footing in this busy, but beautiful life!******

Avocado Egg Toast. Very simple and fast for the morning rush! …my kids call them “dippy eggs” and dip toast triangles in the eggs (with some avocado on the side if they are in the mood)

Heres to a healthy and balanced week! 

Sarah D.