It's the end of May already!
What a weird month. It wasn't the "Maycember" I've heard so much about on the internets. Our school doesn't finish until late July... and even then it's only one of my kiddos finishing school. Paid nursery is year round, and maternity leave with twins is 24/7. So even though I am thinking about "summer" it doesn't feel like a big change is really coming.
This month is rained A LOT and was mostly cold. There were a few nice days and we did get to spend some time hanging out in the garden
SPORTS
I've not been "feeling it" on the sports front. I blame the weather and lack of sleep. I was so excited to start running again and now the idea of doing and 2 mile loop in my local area brings back covid stir crazy. Possible solutions:
- Combine run with bike ride. Ride somewhere and then run
- Set standards lower - aim for one good trail run a week rather than thinking 3 runs is what counts?
- Drive to a local trail for a better run?
- Target a longer bike ride one morning?
- Use paid child care time for exercise?
- Find online classes I enjoy more or good youtube videos?
I have started back with my gym buddy and joined a gym. I am going once a week with him, on a Thursday, and have done this for two weeks. One of my goals this year was "Regular strength training" and once a week is pretty regular if we can keep this up. Another goal was to do 4 local 5k races. I may try and do one of them soon.
I am hoping that if twins (and kids) continue reliably sleeping until at least 4:30again, and I keep reliably going to bed at 8pm again, that I will have enough energy to be a morning exercise person again. The introduction of 2am wake ups was not a good one this month. Here is 8pm to 5am on the week ending the 19th of May:
FOOD
I may as well add this one into a monthly review, but our meals/eating have been great in May. We have had fish for dinner a few times, which I love and often forget to make because it is expensive. We also ate Shwarma, which is a crowd favourite and super easy since I just chuck chicken and veggies in a bag with seasonings all day and then roast in the oven for 30 mins or so. I made pea fritters and falafels earlier this month and have been making hummus more too. We haven't eaten oven chips once and barely any food has gone to waste. I am spending a decent amount of time cooking and food prepping, but I am also enjoying eating more nutritious home made food.
GRATEFUL FOR:
- Everyone staying healthy this month!
- Twins enjoying food and starting to reduce number of milk feeds
- Friends and play dates
- Dinner out with my mom friends
- Our garden looking so nice when the sun comes out
- Eating meals outside
- Affording good nutritious food
- Not injuring myself immediately on return to the gym
- Scrambled eggs - our most favourite breakfast
- Podcasts and positive inputs
These are some good goals! It's funny, I also have the goal to read 50 books this year and read 6 in May. I'll be interested to hear what you decide about the running dilemma- I've had that same thought, "should I drive to the trail, or run the same boring loop here?" My usual solution is to drive to the trail once a week, but maybe I'll do it more over the summer.
ReplyDeleteBy the way- you still have twin BABIES. Getting to the gym once a week is amazing, as well as all the other things you do.
Thank you Jenny! 50 books is a good goal I think - it's definitely doable but you have to intentionally pick up books. Interesting that May was such a good reading month for you too!
DeleteI'm also heartened to hear that you have the same running dilemma. I think driving to a trail is a great incentive to run somewhere new. Thanks for the encouragement as well - I hope/plan to be running longer distances someday so keen to follow your long adventures!
But why would they stop doing children's account?! I feel a bit whiny about this on your behalf. Good job figuring out a workaround.
ReplyDeleteI should do a whole post on childrens accounts some day. I wanted an account that was for the kids but that they wouldn't get control of as soon as they turned 18. We had a child saver which had a good rate of interest (3.5% maybe?) but you could only put in £5,000 a year. And when the kids turned 18 they would become joint accounts, so I could still decide what to do with the money (So perhaps I can encourage them to spend it on uni rather than beer?) both the older kids had those but for whatever reason they stopped making them for the twins.
DeleteSavings for kids is a weird one though, because mine are so little, and their costs are little, I can't imagine them as grown people with grown costs and grown up decision making skills. I had a bank account as a kid and I used to enjoy putting money in it (or maybe I just liked going to the bank because they usually had candy). So I'm hoping to help develop the kids financial/savings mentality, if that's possible.
You killed it in May! Way to go! Love your goals and hope you take some photos of your sure-to-be-beautiful charcuterie boards.
ReplyDeleteThank you! I did make a charcuterie board this weekend but forgot to make a photo. It included melted cheese on pita bread, which was a definite crowd pleaser!
DeleteI love the easy win of re-purposing your existing bank account to the twins! So much of life is difficult, so easy wins are to be celebrated.
ReplyDeleteI only have one child, but I remember when she was little, and we would be so happy that she was sleeping well, but then something would happen and throw us off for weeks at a time. A cold, an ear infection, a tooth. BAH. She's 28 and sleeps well now, so there is hope. Hang in there. ;-)
Thank you! Yes, I definitely try to find easy solutions rather than best ones right now. Sometimes its the same!
DeleteAnd yes you definitely understand the steps forward and back. Babies (and kids, and life!) are so non linear, it's very frustrating for an organised person like me.
Look at these two big little girls... you might not see it but your babies are growing!
ReplyDeleteVery intrigue about your Shawarma recipe.
I second San's comment about the shwarma and would also request all the other recipes you mention. :)
ReplyDelete