Monday. Napping Day? Aiight! :)

Today was one of those days I needed a coffee  IV as soon as I woke up. I woke up and it felt too early and I thought I must have another hour or so. Glanced at the clock and it was 6:30 already. I generally get up 6ish. I almose cried!! Stinkin Daylight Savings Time!! Though the extra daylight last night was lovely! Always look at the bright side of life! lol! I did hear a rumor that they call it napping day as everyone is running on fumes the first couple of days after the time change. It is a mini jet-lag I guess. 

I have Mondays off which is nice. Right now I work steady on Tues, Wed, Fri and Sat for two eye doctors. I also get occasional work from a Yale professor as a personal assistant. I can do a lot of that from home.

So today I took my oldest to Kindergarten at 8:30. I like to be up early enough to sit and drink my 24 ounces of water and then my coffee in a relaxed way. I don't like feeling hurried. I feel like the first couple of hours of your day can set the tone. I got us all dressed, fed them breakfast. And then right before we left, I threw some peanut butter into a cup of 0% Greek yogurt and downed it. Hurried breakfast, but it does the job! And all that protein gives me good energy. 

I went to the gym, signed my 3 year old into the daycare there (It's a beautiful daycare!) and off I went. I was pretty groggy but I got a 1400 calorie burn in. Now I'm feeling it! I love it. I'm an elliptical addict. I just think it provides a great workout that is also easy on the joints. Bad knees run in my family so I tend to stay away from running. I envy runners! They can exercise anywhere! But back to my elliptical workout. I am up to the highest level and position my body in various ways on it incorporating different muscles. My muscles have been jumping all around since I got off that thing! :) 

And I no longer use weight machines or free weights. I have injured myself too much and have a bad lower back. It used to go out on me a lot. Since I started focusing on calisthenics, pilates, etc...it's better. I did two 1-minute planks before bed last night. I do it while my boys are watching Spiderman and His Amazing Friends on Netflix on my laptop! haha! I try to just add in a strength move at random times. Like calf raises while brushing my teeth or cooking. Cracking my boys up doing walking lunges down my hallway. That sort of thing.

I have to say, this is why I love doing planks. Need I say more? :) I'm all about using time effectively and the muscles this one exercise incorporates is just kick-ass! 

I'm thinking about lunch. I think I'll have some lentil soup and a healthy wrap. Probably an apple too. I luuurrrve the Fuji apples. A little tart, a little sweet, crisp and aromatic. I try and eat berries and apples every single day. For berries I generally buy frozen raspberries to keep on hand and then buy whatever is in season. They are all nutrition awesomeness. Right now blackberries are less expensive, so I buy those. They bring me back to picking the fresh ones behind my grandpas pond in Oregon. My grandmother would then make fresh jams and pies. I am actually salivating at the thought right now!! :) The blue herons and ducks and deer out there would get most of them though. 

I come from a line of amazing gardeners. Of course growing up in Oregon the land is so fertile that you can grow almost anything. My great-grandpa had a little stand at the end of his driveway and he'd sell Cantaloupes for 10 cents, etc. So loving fruits and vegetables is pretty inherent for me. I guess I'm lucky that way. Spinach has always been a fav. 

Dinner, I am doing easy and quick as I am just tuckered out today! I have some veggie pasta (The Ronzoni Garden Delight is great). And organic sauce. The Natures Promise brand at my local store is great. An affordable, organic line. I have some fresh kale I will steam and will make some peas for my boys. Though I have another sweet potato and am craving that with cinnamon and honey again. Hmmmm! We'll see! 

I think I will take a nice epsom salt bath later. I do those fairly regularly. First I purify the water with a cup of baking soda. Then soak in 2 cups of epsom salts. And soak in nice, hot water for at least 20 minutes. It really does ease aching muscles and completely relaxes me. I often sleep better when I take them. And just feel more refreshed the next day. Again, could be placebo effect. I like to listen to Ravel's Bolero while soaking. It's a pretty long piece and the repetition keeps me from thinking too much. I try to make the bath meditative. 

Enjoy your Monday everyone!!!! I will leave you with this quote I read earlier. Pretty cool!

“Be Impeccable With Your Word. Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid using the word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love.” ~ Don Miguel Ruiz

God bless, 

Tami