Demerits and Gold Stars: Summer Edition

I've decided to completely steal this Demerits and Gold Stars idea from Elisabeth - thanks Elisabeth!

Here are a few things going great, and a few things not.  In no particular order (I should have started with Gold Stars... I give myself an immediate Demerit for the layout of this post)

Demerit: Planning

I hit a planning groove in July.  I got my new Sprouted planner out, I made a fun landing page for the month, and I kept it updated... until I didn't.

I even wrote "Consistency is the Real Flex" on the top, because I just love an inspirational Robin Arzon (of Peloton) quote.

And then school ended on 20th July and everything went blank.  Here's my August looking forward:

I realize that it's summer... and planning or not, things do get done. Fun stuff happens.  But also, I usually like planning, so it's always a bit odd to me when I suddenly don't.

Or maybe it's that I'm enjoying now so much that I don't need to plan fun for the future?

Of course, that is the exact behaviour that makes the future un-fun... I'm enjoying the fun summer I've planned since May, but it's going to be a cold dark winter if I don't plan anything fun at some point.

I ordered a Sprouted weekly planner in the supersale which is arriving next week (there's always a delay when planners need to be brought over from the states by friends and family!) and maybe I just need a change of planner scene.  Maybe daily planning is not my jam right now.

Gold Star: Walking

When we went camping I wore my apple watch and I realized I was walking 15-20k steps every day and felt great.  I stopped wearing the apple watch many months ago when I realized I was walking 2k steps a day on my working days.  

Since we got back I've been trying to go for little walks more - maybe a few times a day - and I am loving the walking - and think it's good for me.  

It's not a shocking change, but the lows are less low and the highs are more high and that's good enough for me. 

Gold Star: Food Tracking / Protein

I know food is a weird topic BUT I started tracking food about a month ago and I have found it interesting.  First thing I discovered (which I already thought, but nice to have data) is that I eat a lot of food.  And that it's usually because life is hard and I need energy to manage the day to day of kids and jobs and house etc.

This is a good start because it's nice to be a person who can eat a lot of food, but it might also be nice to be a person who can eat healthier food to fuel me better and not 50 random things from the kids snack pot and then a giant plate of kid dinner (mac and cheese, cottage pie, etc) every night.

Also, I've been keen to cut down on meat and increase protein and there are very few quick win high protein vegetarian foods.

I've been eating more eggs, tempeh, tofu, seitan... and then other foods like lentils (which are surprisingly protein rich!) and I think I've been feeling more energetic?  I obviously can eat better when I have time to make food (ie my work days) than days when I'm with the kids all day, but it's been interesting to track over a few weeks.  

Demerit: Sports

I have been exceptionally demotivated in the sports arena as of late.  There are some pretty valid reasons for this.

1) It's been hot and my peloton is in the loft room which is also my office which is also upwards of 80 degrees many days in August.  It's just too hot to ride or work out (for me)

2) My gym buddies have been away some, and my one buddy and I are in a bit of a motivation lull anyways (we both like goals, we started going to the gym together to get stronger for circus skills, then quit circus skills and stopped getting stronger).  

3) My office slash gym room has been full much of the summer.  Lots of projects on the go does not make for an inviting workout area.

That floor space with the boxes and cords is my workout area.

Gold Star: Cleaning my house

I cleaned this weekend and it's great

Gold Star: Planning kid fun
I had a morning with just the girls and I took them to an adventure trail. I don't normally go to this one because it's £10 a ticket but the kids had a great time and I got lots of steps in and sometimes £40 is worth it:

I am fundamentally against activities where kid tickets and adult tickets cost basically the same - kid activities should cost for kids, adult activities should cost for adults.  

Demerit: My own aesthetic

I wish I spent about 15 minutes sorting myslef out everyday instead of wearing my hair in a bun and my face without makeup and generally looking as tired and as one would expect a mom of 4 to look.  I get a bit envious of the put-together moms with 1 or 2 kids.

Demerit: My Social Life

Things are busy and people are busy over summer, but I'm in a bit of a "meh" state with my own social life.  I used to be much more social with play dates and people over but too many times I just feel like such chaos that it's not worth trying to engage with friends.  And then it gets longer and longer since I've seen someone and harder to invite them around for what may be some sort of poop spectacular and then I really won't see them again.  It's just... easier not.  (Although it's also easier if people just live around the corner from me and come over all the time like when Elisabeth was here.  Can someone come be my neighbour friend?)

Gold Star: Watching TV

Andy and I watched a show! I loved White Lotus.  Best thing I've seen on TV for a long time.

Gold Star: Twin Bedtime / Andy time

We mostly sorted twin bedtime, it's not a nightmare anymore.  Andy and I get to hang out at home in the evenings again and it's nice.

That's it from me - any gold stars for you??