Sunday Update: Reading, Workouts, and Sleep

What a week.  A definite crashing start into summer.  Because Andy doesn't work on Mondays, Tuesday was the first day I really felt the start of "SUMMER".  As in, at 1pm, I told Andy I could not do this SUMMER thing and we were going to have to look for other options.  

I did not realise quite how much I depended on baby nap times for me to feel like a human person, and how having another (totally awesome) five year old around me all day was noticeably disruptive to my daily energy flow.  I can't put the babies in the pram for a walk after a bad nap, because Isaac may not want to go for a walk.  Taking three small children out is harder than two babies, mostly because the five year old has wants and preferences.  Also, can walk and move.

He is also very helpful and lovely.  BUT I definitely felt the shock of realising I didn't have to just make it to nap time, or to Tuesday (nursery&school day) before I got some down time, but instead until some nebulous later date.  Perhaps the 20th of August, when our nanny starts? As soon as SUMMER began I started counting down till the end.

However things did get better!  Wednesday as a fun day where I went out with just Isaac and no babies, to a 1600's manor house where people dressed up and spoke as if they were in the 1600s. Isaac loved it.  At one point, the milking maid asked if anyone had any questions and Isaac asked what time lunch was.  He's not a big imagination kid.

My brother arrived Wednesday night, and it's great to watch how exhausting my kid filled life is through the eyes of other people.  He's been immensely helpful and is immensely exhausted himself.  There are a lot of small children.  We have done low key kid adventures, including taking a super belated July 4th photo for our family calendar:

Reading

I finished Happily Never After and decided I needed something a bit smarter than continual chick lit.  None of my holds came through but I found a copy of The Postcard which has been all over the blog-o-sphere.  It's definitely not light reading but it is very good.  I forgot that it was a holocaust narrative and... wow.  I'm 25% through it.  

Workouts

I was somewhat ill on Sunday and Monday (a sore throat and upset stomach... which is a very odd annoying combo).  

Tuesday: 1hr gym with gym buddy (Pull and Cardio)

Thursday: 10 minute meditation that turned into 8 minute nap

Wed-Sat: nothing besides the usual watching 4 small children all the time.

I mean, it's not a very inspiring workout schedule.  In theory I could be going for a run right now... but I'm not.  The combo of Isaac being off school + guest staying in my exercise room  has meant I just don't want to workout.  It turns out that about 90% of my workout joy is in the alone time in my office, and that shoving a 20 minute run in 30 minutes of childcare just doesn't sound fun to me.  But it's great having guests and Isaac will have some camp days next week so I am sure this is a blip in a soon active schedule.

Sleep

I averaged 7.5 hours of sleep last week. This included a firepit night where I stayed awake until 11!  Babies seems to be sleeping somewhat reliably till 5am now. We are inching closer to 6am.  Kids have been going to sleep by 7pm again which is also fantastic.  There have been some odd nighttime wake ups, including Andy coming back a late from night mountain biking, but overall I am definitely getting a manageable amount of sleep, even if I am expending an unmanageable amount of energy getting said sleep.

9pm to 5am from my time log:

Also, I did work towards one of my yearly goals this week - I made a charcuterie board!  We had a garden party (or rather a "come to my house and play in our paddling pool" party) and I was inspired to create the following kid snack tray:

Anyone can make a tray of fancy meats and cheeses, but only a real professional melts cheddar cheese onto pita bread.

Have you read The Postcard?  What's your favourite summer snack?