That "aerial view" of my life revealed that things get pretty hairy around here after 4 pm. We still have about 3 hours before dad gets home. The boys are up from their naps, Will is starting to fuss because he's starving, J usually wants to "go somewhere" and I need to get dinner started because Will is having a conniption on the kitchen floor.
So here is my attempted solution.
- Plan out meals for the month, doubling ingredients and meals here and there to stock up the freezer, and plan for one or two big shopping trips a month. Goal: be strategic, efficient, organized.
- Dedicate the first half hour of nap time to dinner prep so things come together more quickly. Make this a habit.
- And, for the love. Plan more Instant Pot and Crock Pot meals. This stage of my life is not conducive to any recipe that involves browning or braising. It just isn't. I can channel my inner Julia when I don't have a screaming 1 yo wrapped around my leg.
Also, I tend to get so wrapped up in my "household duties" that I start to multi-task my kids, trying to distract them so I can finish one more thing. It's the worst!
Solution: If I can have most things finished by 3 (i.e. laundry folded, table cleared of junk, kitchen clean-ish) and let myself off the hook for everything else, then I can actually enjoy the evening with my kids instead of counting down the minutes until bedtime.
On Do-Overs.
J and I talk a lot about do-overs. He is in a frustrating stage right now, defiant as heck and pushing every boundary he can think of. As a result I have trouble staying calm and patient throughout the day. Especially by the time evening rolls around and I am feeling like a frayed rubber band, ready to snap. We grant each other do-overs multiple times a day. Most of the time it helps.
Last night was rough for a number of reasons. We all get to have a meltdown every now and then, right? But all of my troubles looked much brighter as the sun came up this morning. The boys and I went on a walk, and all I could think about was that today is my do-over. And no matter what happens, tonight I get to sleep, and tomorrow I get another do-over! It's simple, but this thought brings me comfort.
Yes. This ^^! I am grateful for the opportunity to get up and start over, every. single. day. It is a huge blessing! I love your thoughts and goals! Thanks for sharing them with me on Marco. Reading them again, here, is helping me internalize them and motivating me to do better. Set goals and go for them! When it doesn't happen, try again the next day!
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