Far from perfect

I love my Keurig. It is always there for me when I need it and we have become quite close in the past couple years. It just makes life so much easier. My partner and I don’t have to drink the same kind of coffee. We can each pick out what we like instead of one of us giving into the other and holding it over their head. If he is out of town for work, I don’t have to make a whole pot when I just want one quick cup before I take the big kid to school. It can make hot chocolate for the kiddos or tea in the afternoon for me. Oh and the clean up! There isn’t anything to wash when it is all said and done. 

Unfortunately, I just recently learned that the K-cups aren’t recyclable or biodegradable. I have tried to pretend like I never read the article providing indisputable evidence that this is a problem. I still have my Keurig and use it everyday, but with each use my heart gets a little heavier with guilt. It’s eating at my soul and I know I have to get rid of it, but it’s just too hard. So what I have decided do is reconnect with the good old drip coffee maker. We used to have a solid relationship and it is time that I remember what it is I loved about it. I figure that if I can think of ways that the drip maker is better than the Keurig, it will make the transition easier.

The first reason it is better is the most obvious. It is better for the environment, plain and simple.

The second reason I have come up with is that the ground coffee used for the drip coffee maker is less expensive than the K-cups, so I will save money.

The third reason is that it makes hotter coffee and I do like a piping hot cup of coffee.

Actually that is enough. I am convinced I can do it. Out with the new and in with the old!

Days are full and long when you are a mother, and even more so when you have an insomniac miniature human that starts bouncing off the walls at 9pm and thinks that naps are for jerks. The only time I have to write is early in the morning, I am not a morning person, and late at night. If I want to write, I have to sacrifice sleep and I’m okay with that, but at those times, when I finally sit down to write, I’m so tired that I go blank. Sometimes I just need a bit of inspiration (besides a glass of wine) to get me going…

• passiveagressivenotes.com– This website is strange and hilarious. The point of the website is to showcase “funny (if not necessarily “passive-aggressive”) notes from pissed-off people.” Not only do these notes crack me up, but on more than one occasion a note has helped me develop a quirky character or given me an idea for a story.
• writerscircle.com– Sometimes I just need a push it the right direction. This website helps me with that. It is full of writing prompts, articles about writing, professional advice, and even inspirational quotes. This website always helps to motivate me when I feel stuck.
• pintrest.com– This website allows me to create a database or a “board” that I can go back and reference. I collect tips on writing, pictures of characters, pictures of settings, story ideas, and even dialogue ideas. I am not a naturally organized person and I have to work at. This makes it much easier to reference things that I have collected as opposed to digging through papers on my desk.

I have several friends and family members that think I am crazy for trying to finish my degree while I have two children to take care of, especially the toddler, and they might be right. I am probably a little off my rocker. My partner is out of town for work about half of the time, which means I play the role of a  single mother about half the time. Don’t get my wrong, I am thankful for all he does and the fact that he works so hard is part of the reason I can even be in school, but it can be difficult to go to school full time and be a full time primary caretaker. There are the many sleepless nights because it is the only time I have to my homework. This used to be something I could deal with like a champ in my twenties, but not so much anymore. I don’t function that well on three hours of sleep. It’s kind of like dealing with an angry zombie. There are also the days that I have a huge test or a paper is due and a child gets sick, which then gets the other child sick and I have to miss a whole week or, if I do make it to school to turn the important assignment, I have no make up on, I smell like vapor rub and have kleenex flowing out of my pockets. In this scenario, I scare my classmates and professor, and for good reason. The list of things that are hard about finishing college while raising children can go on and on, but there are also some pretty amazing things that happen as well.

I love that my children see me work hard and face all opposition in order to finish my degree. I see my older child starting to think about college and ask me questions about it with excitement. I love that he respects my knowledge and asks me to teach him about Shakespeare and other classic literature. I love when he asks me about my writing process and compares to what he does. He asks me to tell him what I think about his writing and loves to tell me about the new book he is reading. The fact that I can be an inspiration to my son and inspire him to write and read is worth every hair pulling and mind numbing drawback of going to school while raising two children.

Unfortunately, I’ve never been into working out or even playing sports. I’ve always been much more of a nerdy/artistic type. While all the other kids in the neighborhood were out riding their bikes, I was reading books or pretending I was barricaded in my room by a fire breathing dragon or making up dances to Michael Jackson and Madonna songs, which consisted mostly of me prancing around in high heels lip-syncing . There was a short time that I was in dance classes, but I traded that in for drawing lessons and acting classes. My lack of exercise never mattered much because I was naturally thin and had a strong metabolism, but once I hit my thirties and after my second child that all changed. I was heavier than I had ever been and still gaining.

I knew that I had to change my habits, but that was easier said then done. My life is chaotic and if I’m not at school, I am with my children who demand my attention. I got a gym membership, but I never had the time to go. Plus, to be honest, I hate the gym. I hate getting on the treadmill next to

Almost everyone has heard of and/or seen a Fitbit. I had read an article on The New Yorker website last Fall written by David Sedaris called “Stepping Out.” In this article he writes about how having a Fitbit motivated him to continue to increase the amount of steps he took each day, as well as explore his neighborhood. This appealed to my naturally obsessive nature. If I were forced to look at how much I was moving, I would be forced to come to terms with the reality of it. I knew I had to have one and I asked (possibly demanded) for one for Christmas. I received the Fitbit Charge.

My Fitbit is black and fairly comfortable. When you push the button the side the LED display shows:

• The Time and Date- I have never worn a watch, but have become surprisingly dependent on this feature.
• How many steps I’ve taken –This is what the product is know for.
• How many miles I’ve walked
• How many flights of stairs I’ve climbed.
• How many calories I’ve burned.

Fitbit created an app for smart phones that syncs to the Fitbit through Bluetooth and allows you to keep track of your goals, keep track of what you’re how many calories you eat, and how much sleep you are getting. The sleep feature only works if you sleep in your Fitbit. I found this feature fun, but not completely accurate so I stopped wearing it when I slept.

To be honest, I’m not convinced any of it is completely accurate, but I found that it didn’t matter. I was hooked. I was correct in assuming that my obsessive and addictive personality would be kicked into high gear by the Fitbit. If I’m not moving I feel guilty because I can’t ignore. The evidence of my laziness was on my wrist. Those numbers make me competitive with myself. It is a bracelet of motivation that even got me out running, which is more like I run until I feel like I might die and then walk for a bit, but me running at all is kind of a big deal. I find myself running around the house when I can’t leave and jogging in place while I fold laundry. My family makes it perfectly clear that I look hilarious while I do these things, but hey, I’m a thirty-three year old mother of two with no time to go to the gym. What do I care? I feel better and I’m getting shape.

I was blessed with two charming, handsome, and extremely picky boys. Luckily my oldest, even though he is still picky, likes some healthy food. He eats broccoli, but it has to be cooked. He will eat carrots, but they have to be raw. Oh and did I mention he hates pizza and hamburgers? He would much rather have salmon or grilled pork chops. He can be difficult, but at least a lot the food he does like is good for him.

The little one though, takes after his mama. He loves all things that are fattening and bad for you. He would live on pizza and macaroni & cheese if given the option. Well that is, if you threw in a cupcake and a breakfast burrito every once in a while. He absolutely refuses to eat all meat, unless I have hidden it so well in melted cheese or spaghetti sauce that he doesn’t notice. He also denies the existence of all fruits and vegetable unless they come in a squeeze pouch. The older he gets, the worse his eating habits seem to get. Every dinner I put what the rest of the family is eating in front of him and most of the time he just refuses to eat it, so I have had to get creative during the day to make sure he is getting the proper nutrition.

I wish I was one of those super moms that had the time to cook down organic vegetables every week, puree them and then sneak them into brownies and sauces, but let’s get realistic. I barely have time to heat up instant oatmeal, but when I have the chance, maybe once a month, I try. I have come up with quick and easy ways to get my children, especially my toddler, the nutrients they need..

1. Clif Kid Organic Zbars– These snack bars come in five different flavors that are appetizing to children. They are USDA certified organic, no synthetic preservatives, no high fructose corn syrup, and are loaded with nutrients. For example, the chocolate brownie flavor has 3 grams of fiber, 8 grams of whole grains, and 12 vitamins and minerals. Both of my kids like them and it is a convenient snack.
2. Gummy Vitamins– This isn’t anything new and parents have been feeding their children gummy vitamins for years, but it is still a great way to supplement missing nutrients in a child’s diet. There are several different brands out there, but the one we like is L’ilCritters Gummy Vites Complete. My oldest decided they taste the best and my toddler calls them candy. He likes them so much I can bribe him with them to finish his meal. And yes, I bribe my kids all the time.
3. Smoothies!- This is by far my favorite way to get protein, fruit and vegetables into my children and they love them! If I can get a smoothie in them four or five times a week, I feel good about myself as a mother. Because that’s what matters right? Wink.

My Smoothie Recipe

¾ cup frozen fruit (I’ve been using Wawona’s Organic Daybreak Blend)

¾ cup shredded broccoli and carrots, spinach, kale or combination

¾ cup organic vanilla yogurt (this adds protein)

1 banana

¾ cup of milk

I throw it all in the blender/food process in the order listed. I first put it on the chop setting to break the fruits and vegatables down into smaller pieces. Then I set it on blend and leave it there for a couple minutes so it gets nice and smooth. If it looks too thick just add more milk and blend some more. This makes enough for two smoothies. Hope it works for you as well as it has worked for me!