The kids have been sick (one at a time) since we've returned home. Fevers. Kid came down with it last night.
Mr F started putting the play structure together, yesterday. I'm not sure how long this is going to take. I think by the end of next weekend it will be up and running. Of course, I told Mr F last night, after watching the kids play for over an hour on the raised platform... that maybe that's all we need to put up anyway.
I made a meal plan, and actually went shopping off of it, this week. It's been a long time. I think it's a good omen. I think it will be good for the wallet (we've been throwing away so much food), and my waist line. In fact, the more I think about it, the more I see that my weight gain started when I stopped meal planning. D'oh. I'm also making a list on a white board (on the fridge) of all the fresh meat, produce, dairy... that way... things get used and don't get lost in the back of that fridge anymore.
I also got Mr F to remove all of the flood storage off of my treadmill (remember our basement flooded a couple weeks ago?). Maybe things are turning around on that front? I hope so, because I don't fit in any of my shorts. Any of them. At all. Nowhere near. I've got two workouts in... I'm trying to get back in the routine so I'm shooting for every day this week. Jumpstart.
I've come up with a new food/parenting idea. We are now having the kids eat 5 different fruits & vegetables everyday before dessert is an option. This has been surprisingly fun... and encouraging of all of us, yesterday I had 8. The only downside is needing to make at least 5 different fruits & vegetables available every day. It's more work in the kitchen for me... but summer is the best time to do it. My focus is on fruits w/ breakfast & lunch, and then dinner is served with a raw veggie platter along with whatever vegetables I'm serving with dinner. Last night there were 4 vegetables to chose from at dinner. After than I brought out cut up melon, because Baby was still one short. I'm excited about this. We're putting up a chart on the fridge where they can check off their fruits & veggies for the day.
On that front I was really exploring the
new USDA my plate (former pyramid) and was ASTONISHED by the serving amounts (you really have to click around to get this) for myself & the kids. I'm really motivated to do better. While we eat high quality foods, I'd be straight out lying if I told you my kids were eating 3.5 cups of fruits & veggies a day. I would venture we're at closer to 2 cups on average... hence the new plan. And since it's summer, I'm focusing on those being raw as much as possible.
P.S. I'm kind of hoping by doing this, and working out, I'll just naturally (albeit slowly) lose the 10 pounds I'd like to lose. That's the goal, anyway. I'll keep you posted.
