Some Trouble Spots

While I am totally shocked that the semester is wrapping up, I am also pretty satisfied with how it's gone. Ben and I got into a pretty smooth routine, and everyone's activities started slowly, so we had time to fold them in little by little. I haven't made good progress on my book, and I am, of course, blaming all of the things instead of just realizing that I don't want to.** There are, though, a few things I want to change going forward.

Bad news: my trash can eating habits are creeping back in.
Good news: I know when I am going off the rails and can sometimes course correct.

After dinner is a big one. Last night, I ate the remainder of Cooper's cinnamon toast and then also some M&Ms because while it is true that I am not eating candy, for some reason, in my head M&Ms and chocolate chips are OK. I don't know why this is, but I do know that I have successfully avoided the dreidel candy dish, so it's sort of working?

Plan:After dinner while I clean up the kitchen, I am going to make myself a huge bowl of grapes or berries to snack on. If I want to eat M&Ms while staring mindlessly at my phone AFTER I eat them and the kitchen is clean,  then I will. I am also going to have a cup of hot tea at the ready-- this really helped me during Whole30. I should note that I have been eating terrific lunches and can generally resist sugar's siren song after them. Or, if I can't, then I have a cup of hot chocolate and feel totally satisfied. Something to work on. I also think I need to weigh myself a couple of times a week, even though I don't even want to see how much I have gained back.

Good news: I shower at night, which makes my mornings more efficient.
Bad news: I sort of look like hell all day because my hair is pretty witchy.

I have discovered through a long process of trial and error that I am not someone who can skip the shampoo.  Because my hair is wavy/snarly, when I go two or three days without a wash, I also go two or three days without combing it out. So when I do finally comb it, I lose TONS of hair and it freaks me out. And yes, I get that I could just get it wet or use conditioner in the off days, etc, but for me, a daily wash is best. This means I end up going to sleep with wet hair and then have yucky Duggar hair the next day unless I wear it in a bun.

Plan: When I wake up in the morning, I am going to pile it on top of my head with a wrap to reduce breakage.I am also going to shift my workout time up by about 15 minutes and spend those extra 15 washing my face, plucking my eye brows, putting those huge foam rollers in at the crown of my hear, etc. I am hopeful that this both gets me out the door faster AND ensures that I look a little more put together.  Cross your fingers because I am too old to spend 7.5 minutes total on morning grooming.

Bad news: I have a really hard time getting out the door at a reasonable hour because the minutia of housework completes overwhelms me after my family has left for the day.
Worse news: I have absolutely no plan to combat this.

Good news: I have a great habit of getting up early to work before the kids gets up, and I always get my workout in every morning.
Bad news: Sometimes I waste a significant portion of this time on the Internet, and my screen time report from my phone is truly disheartening.

This reminds me of the eating dilemma.  Like, this is not how I want to spend my time, but I am finding it almost impossible to change course.  A guest on the Happier podcast said she has a motto that she needs to create before she consumes, and I really like this, but I am having a hard time operationalizing it.

Plan: Intentional mornings.  I am going to begin EVERY SINGLE MORNING with some quiet time where I sketch out my goals for the day, even if this means getting up early on the weekends to have this moment before the kids wake up. I am hoping it is harder to waste time if I have goals in front of me.

Bad news: Hockey season is ramping up, and there is no time to grocery shop.
Good news: There's an app for that!

Plan: I'm afraid it's time to sacrifice my wonderful little Aldi budget saving trips for online shopping and higher prices at my local Kroger, at least for a few months. They key is to remember to place my grocery order by Friday afternoon/evening-- otherwise it's too late, and I might as well brave the crowds.

**Not sure what's going on there, truly. I think I am just going to MAKE myself sit down and write? I am a upholder, so that means I usually have no problem with inner or outer accountability, so I have to think that this not something I really want to do??

At least my morning time wasting is festive AF

Speaking of:

 The manger s already getting a lot of play