Wednesday, January 20, 2010

This Week The Plan

How did it get to be Wednesday already?!

Things have been going pretty well on all fronts these days. I have not been as overwhelmed with the childcare situation since putting the kibosh on the new baby. I only have a few days this month that have been difficult with 2 babies and 2 two year olds. It's manageable but it is incredibly exhausting and I have to put my PJs on as soon as they go home. The next two weeks are smooth sailing as one of the babies is on vacation. Although I just had to get Kid new glasses ($330!) and it would be nice if I could have paid that off in cash. Ah well. I am glad I haven't quit this completely as expenses do keep coming up that we wouldn't have been able to cover on Mr F's salary alone (like groceries). And I think that there was just an adjustment period to doing something so demanding and maybe I've finally crossed that hurdle. I think December was kind of like going through daycare boot camp... it was physically and emotionally overwhelming... but I've settled into it and my days are more predictable. I don't go to bed dreading the morning anymore. And that is a good thing. It also helps that it seems that Baby has finally adjusted to it too. She's not just lying on the couch checked out until they go home like she was for the first couple of months. Also a good thing.

On the job front (since I know some of you are waiting on that with baited breath)... there is no final word. This has been a long drawn out and tiring process. As Mr F said last night "They're not vetting me for the Supreme Court". They are taking their sweet old time and we do know it could be a couple of months before they move forward. So that is that. We have no reason to lose faith and everything has been positive but this process has been borderline emotionally abusive. There has been a whole lot of stop-go, stop-go, stop, go. Trying just to keep it off my radar as much as possible so I don't start baking. The good side of all this is that the likelihood of a sudden departure on Mr F's part seems unlikely. They are not rushing to fill this position and we may very well be able to stay until the end of the school year without too much solo flying even if he is offered the job. So I don't need to steel myself up for an immediate departure and that is also a good thing.

I'm working out. I'm back to marking off my workouts on my weigh-in calendar. I really find it motivating to see how much I'm doing and it keeps me from taking days off. I am not weighing myself for ONE MONTH. I just want to focus on upping my workouts to my maximum capacity for it's own sake and not for a weight reward. Right now I'm not seeing the results I think my effort should warrant on the scale and that can bring on a sabotage... I need to prevent that. Once I've settled into my new routine (I'm getting my step today... watch out I'm bringing it back) I'm going to weigh in and start making diet changes. Until then I'm focusing on one change at a time so I don't overwhelm myself. I sometimes forget that that is how I did it the first time. One step at a time not everything all at once. I'm making conscious food choices but my main goal is increasing my workouts as that is the habit I need to put back in place to reach and maintain my goal. I may not even need to *diet* to achieve them and I HATE HATE HATE to do anything that might make my kids aware that I am *dieting*. So I need to be very careful how, and how much, I alter my diet. Despite a sweet tooth I already eat a very healthy balanced diet and that is what I want to model not restrictive eating. So I'll readdress that in a month when I have a better picture of how I'm progressing. The reality is when I'm working out a lot my eating just naturally cleans up a bit as I feel better physically and emotionally.

Menu:

Sunday - Spaghetti, broccoli

Monday - Beef Stroganoff, egg noodles w/ butter & dill, green beans

Tuesday - pan seared pork chops, wild rice, cauliflower & carrots w/snap peas

Wednesday - Salmon Noodle Casserole w/ peas, salad, apple sauce (or if you're Baby... just applesauce)

Thursday - Quick Chicken & Dumplings (I posted this last week with a link... everyone loved it)

Friday - pizza, salad

Saturday - something involving avocados & chicken

6 comments:

Julie said...

Good plan on all fronts.

I always find it so wrong that companies take so freaking long to make a final decision. I hope it comes through.

Mrs. D. said...

This is off topic, but I am just curious about how/what you post(ed) on your Food Diary blog group. Would each member post what they planned to eat/did eat? Simple as that?

A long distance friend and I are trying to set up a diet blog to encourage each other and I was just trying to get some ideas. Love your blog!

Anonymous said...

December is just a hard month in general, starting a new job like yours would kill me! I'm glad you made it through and things are getting better.

p.s. long time reader, first time poster.

Mrs Furious said...

buttersandroses,
Oh thanks for the comment :)


Mrs D,
Yep just like that. I set it up and had multiple authors. Each person could post how it was useful to them but mostly everyone used as an after the fact accurate journal. When I'm posting I open up a post in the morning and keep it open on my desk top so it's easy to update as I go along. Before that I did an email chain where you email your diary to your friend and then they reply with their own. Honestly I found that way was more effective in keeping everyone motivated since you get it in your inbox and feel badly if you don't return yours. It's a lot easier to avoid the blog.


julie,
it is definitely getting frustrating

inkelywinkely said...

All sounds great.. especially the part about modeling good eating habits, not restrictive eating.

As for us, I made a menu plan for 7 weeks last night...I need to keep on track. And, planning ahead helps us to get variety and not the same thing every week. :)
------------
tuesday, wednesday, thursday- red beans and rice
friday, saturday- chicken enchiladas, saffron rice, fat free refried beans
sunday, monday- homemade pizza (margherita and pepperoni), salad
tuesday, wednesday- roast beef french dip sandwiches, fries
thursday, friday- fat free meatless tostadas, fruit
saturday, sunday- restaurant style chipotle chicken nachos, fixins
---------------
BTW, mrs f, you should try the nacho recipe... really really good, exceptionally easy (I make a batch of the meat and keep it divided up in the freezer), and CHEAP, to boot... two days of eating them for us costs MAYBE 4-5 bucks..and no one complains..you feel like you are being bad eating them, but you don't have to eat much to feel full. :)

Missives From Suburbia said...

Been there, done that on the job dragging out. Hugs. I hope it all works out perfectly.

I love the idea of not getting on the scale. It is so punishing to do that every day. You'll see changes in your body before you see them on the scale anyway, so I think that's an awesome part of your plan.

Blog Widget by LinkWithin