Almost August WISH Challenge-everyone welcome!

[*tinker*bell*]

Oh my gosh, I remember that! I'm an introvert too, and when DS was little, I would feel soooo "touched out" sometimes. (Poor DH!) But I would get to a point where I didn't even want the cat within six feet of me.

Just recognize that feeling and arrange a few minutes - that's all it takes if those few minutes don't get interrupted. (That's the key!) Let your DH reconnect with them for a bit while you sneak off to your room for a quick break, maybe trade playtime with another mom once in a while, or put on an occasional guilt-free video.

It's also good to have a few spur of the moment activities in your "mommy bag of tricks" that make the kids feel like they have all your attention, but make you feel like you have some personal space:
* Have a photo shoot or make a video - puts the camera between you and them.
* Ask them to sing for you - on a little "stage" a few feet in front of your "audience" spot.
* Get outside - where they can run around and you can connect with the fresh air and breathe.
* Build blanket forts (w/ chairs, sofa cushions, etc.) - kids love that you made something for them, but then happily ignore you while they play in them.

And remember - this time is going by faster than it feels like! Mine is about to head off to college, and every hug is precious now.

These are all great thanks for the tips! and HECK YES -- my cats come for love at the end of the day and I just can't even. It's very hard some days as my DH is gone for 11 hours a day and my one year old is super super clingy, nothing like my three year old. We get through though. I will be going back to work beginning of September so I'm trying to enjoy these next two weeks as I'm both excited for this new opportunity and feeling the mom guilt.

View attachment 427272

I take up LOTS of space!

 

[MickeyMom76]

I'm still lacking in motivation. I go to bed with the intention of waking up and doing a workout to start my day. But I've picked up my sons cough, so I'm not sleeping well. And that's offering me the perfect excuse to stay in bed a lot longer than I normally would. And I know it's just an excuse. But I'm allowing it for now because my summer break is almost over and I'm about to be run over with stress from school. So I'm actually motivated by that to be more lazy. It's awful. But I also know it's not forever. It is going to end soon.

On a different note, I got my mom to start using MyFitnessPal to track her eating a few weeks ago. And I am proud of her for sticking with it and already losing 15 pounds in just 2 weeks! She also saw a nutritionalist last week who gave her a better idea of what is good to eat and what is not so good for her. Now she needs to work in some form of exercise. They have a treadmill in the basement and she went on it Saturday. It wasn't much, but that's a big deal for her. So I hope she sticks with it.

 

[Oneanne]

And now several hours later I actually have a minute to post my thoughts... unfolding myself and taking up space has been on my mind a lot lately, I think I've posted about it several times already.

Another thing I've been thinking about is connecting cause and effect... I've read so many posts lately where people have been able to identify the trigger/cause for what they are currently experiencing. Like, they can say "today is a bad day because...." but I feel I'm sometimes baffled where the bad day came from?

The flight back down to LA was smooth and uneventful... somehow I ended up a row with a bit more leg room and it was very nice. I slept a good part of the way (heck, I'd gotten up at 3:30am) but I'm also reading a fabulous book right now called "Homegoing". It's a multi-generational story about the families/descendants of two half sisters starting out in Ghana during the slave "trading" years, one family ends up in America as slaves and the other family stays in Ghana profiting from slaving. It is fascinating.

Last week I planned out my September vacation week: two night at Port Gamble and two night at Port Townsend, over on the peninsula. Then this week I realized that a botanical dyeing workshop I was interested in is the Sat/Sun before my week off, so I signed up for that... really looking forward to it!

 

[Oneanne]

TOPIC TUESDAY: JOURNALING (getting this out there, so y'all aren't waiting for me tomorrow)



Do you journal?

Someone I follow recently posted about her journaling practice and it was quite inspirational. Journaling can be a powerful self-care tool, to help you focus, de-stress and discover. She mentioned some journaling prompts to think about, such as:

* How are you feeling today?
* What are you grateful for?
* What isn't working for you today?
* What do you want?
* What is your intention for today?

Do any of these sound a bit familiar? When I read them I thought those are the kinds of things we chat about here on a regular basis.

 

[4Mickeys]

But I'm allowing it for now because my summer break is almost over and I'm about to be run over with stress from school. So I'm actually motivated by that to be more lazy. It's awful. But I also know it's not forever. It is going to end soon.

You enjoy those last moments of RELAXTION not laziness before heading back into busy busy working mum mode.

On a different note, I got my mom to start using MyFitnessPal to track her eating a few weeks ago. And I am proud of her for sticking with it and already losing 15 pounds in just 2 weeks! She also saw a nutritionalist last week who gave her a better idea of what is good to eat and what is not so good for her. Now she needs to work in some form of exercise. They have a treadmill in the basement and she went on it Saturday. It wasn't much, but that's a big deal for her. So I hope she sticks with it.

Way to go for you mother, hope she can persist.

Another thing I've been thinking about is connecting cause and effect... I've read so many posts lately where people have been able to identify the trigger/cause for what they are currently experiencing. Like, they can say "today is a bad day because...." but I feel I'm sometimes baffled where the bad day came from?

Funnily enough I was doing a PD for teachers today about self-regulation and the difficulty kids can have identifying their triggers, naming emotions and finding ways to deal with them, especially those with trauma in the lives. We have been trialling a program that helps them find their common triggers but also helps simplify it with taking away the need to identify a specific emotion - if they get into the 'ballpark' of a representative colour they can still work through it with the use of tools for that colour which we refer to as a 'zone' if that makes sense. So I guess what I am saying is hang in there emotions are never easy - find what 'zone' you are in and fix it from there if necessary. Or maybe its been that you have been soooo busy that the things that bugged you kind of snuck up on you and affected your mood without realising it.

Do any of these sound a bit familiar? When I read them I thought those are the kinds of things we chat about here on a regular basis.

Yes they do. I guess whilst we are 'chatting' we are being quite reflective and pretty much writing a journal entry with each post. I never did get into writing a diary when I was younger or over the years - I guess it felt a bit weird to be writing to nothing as in 'dear diary' or to myself I suppose but on here it feels like a conversation - because it is but then sometimes it is just a aaahhhh here are my thoughts and doesn't even matter if no-one really responds it is just out there - in our shared collected supportive reflections. okay I feel like I am rambling - time to shut that down.

Last night was NOT good. My day started off great - did a gently 15 minute walk to shops and back, had a great day at work, probably got a little warmer than I liked at work due to wearing jeans and then we had quite the warm weather day (I told you all spring is on its way for me with a vengeance), came home, cooked dinner for the 3 kids all had work, had another 15 minute walk while they got ready and a 15 minute gently yoga, took them to work, came home made myself dinner and then BAM right when I was finishing the washing up - another aura migraine - as I was home alone this increased my anxiety to the point that I ended up knocking on my lovely next door neighbours door (owner of our shared kitty I talked about the other day) and she was kind enough to chatter away to me for 20 or so minutes until it passed. I have had the left over foggy headache today So no walking today - but I have stayed on track with my eating today. I think I pushed it all too hard, got hot during the day and the stress of worrying about statin or not statin and blood sugar all crept up on me.

WOOHOO Wednesday for me is for my neighbour when I needed a friendly face last night.
WOOHOO - I am re-doing my hard work I am down 2kg in just under a week.
WOOHOO - kind of - I booked accommodation for my mother and I for the weekend in Brisbane - we are going to my nieces wedding who decided for some weird reason to have her wedding in a distant, random area west of Brisbane - no where near where anyone lives - including herself! And no, it doesn't have any sentimental meaning either. Staying where we are doesn't put us super close (as there is no accommodation really close to the venue) but it will break up the drive from 90 minutes one way (not accounting for any traffic) into 60 - get ready at hotel - and then 30 minutes to venue.

 

[sjrec]

My journaling on this thread has become very therapeutic for me-I look at those lovely notebooks in the stores but I know I wouldn’t keep it up. But if I miss a day or two here I get twitchy and feel like something is off. When you comment or make a suggestion, it’s so helpful-and nice to know I am not just talking to myself! And thank you, all of you, for letting me peek into your journals-I get inspired and motivated by what you write.

 

[sjrec]

Sam, sorry you are dealing with migraines again-hopefully it was just triggered by the heat and you are over it. What s nice neighbor you have!

Tinker bell, it’s exhausting being with little people all day-you love them dearly, but it takes a toll!

Oneanne, love your quote! And sounds like a wonderful vacation to look forward to!

 

[*tinker*bell*]

I'm on my phone so I apologize if formatting is wonky, I'll try to come back and fix it later... I've locked myself in the half bath for a few minutes of respite from my one year old that keeps pulling on my legs.

I have about a million chores to do today (well 4-5 different stops and then I'll find a playground) super duper fun... Haha!

TOPIC TUESDAY: JOURNALING (getting this out there, so y'all aren't waiting for me tomorrow)

View attachment 427354

Do you journal?

Someone I follow recently posted about her journaling practice and it was quite inspirational. Journaling can be a powerful self-care tool, to help you focus, de-stress and discover. She mentioned some journaling prompts to think about, such as:

* How are you feeling today?
* What are you grateful for?
* What isn't working for you today?
* What do you want?
* What is your intention for today?

Do any of these sound a bit familiar? When I read them I thought those are the kinds of things we chat about here on a regular basis.

I love the idea of journalling. I used to write so much, stories usually, sometimes poems, it was therapeutic but I've never been able to journal in the normal sense. My mom does this nightly and I envy the dedication she has to it. I just can't seem to make it a priority enough to find the time.

You enjoy those last moments of RELAXTION not laziness before heading back into busy busy working mum mode.



Way to go for you mother, hope she can persist.



Funnily enough I was doing a PD for teachers today about self-regulation and the difficulty kids can have identifying their triggers, naming emotions and finding ways to deal with them, especially those with trauma in the lives. We have been trialling a program that helps them find their common triggers but also helps simplify it with taking away the need to identify a specific emotion - if they get into the 'ballpark' of a representative colour they can still work through it with the use of tools for that colour which we refer to as a 'zone' if that makes sense. So I guess what I am saying is hang in there emotions are never easy - find what 'zone' you are in and fix it from there if necessary. Or maybe its been that you have been soooo busy that the things that bugged you kind of snuck up on you and affected your mood without realising it.



Yes they do. I guess whilst we are 'chatting' we are being quite reflective and pretty much writing a journal entry with each post. I never did get into writing a diary when I was younger or over the years - I guess it felt a bit weird to be writing to nothing as in 'dear diary' or to myself I suppose but on here it feels like a conversation - because it is but then sometimes it is just a aaahhhh here are my thoughts and doesn't even matter if no-one really responds it is just out there - in our shared collected supportive reflections. okay I feel like I am rambling - time to shut that down.

Last night was NOT good. My day started off great - did a gently 15 minute walk to shops and back, had a great day at work, probably got a little warmer than I liked at work due to wearing jeans and then we had quite the warm weather day (I told you all spring is on its way for me with a vengeance), came home, cooked dinner for the 3 kids all had work, had another 15 minute walk while they got ready and a 15 minute gently yoga, took them to work, came home made myself dinner and then BAM right when I was finishing the washing up - another aura migraine - as I was home alone this increased my anxiety to the point that I ended up knocking on my lovely next door neighbours door (owner of our shared kitty I talked about the other day) and she was kind enough to chatter away to me for 20 or so minutes until it passed. I have had the left over foggy headache today So no walking today - but I have stayed on track with my eating today. I think I pushed it all too hard, got hot during the day and the stress of worrying about statin or not statin and blood sugar all crept up on me.

WOOHOO Wednesday for me is for my neighbour when I needed a friendly face last night.
WOOHOO - I am re-doing my hard work I am down 2kg in just under a week.
WOOHOO - kind of - I booked accommodation for my mother and I for the weekend in Brisbane - we are going to my nieces wedding who decided for some weird reason to have her wedding in a distant, random area west of Brisbane - no where near where anyone lives - including herself! And no, it doesn't have any sentimental meaning either. Staying where we are doesn't put us super close (as there is no accommodation really close to the venue) but it will break up the drive from 90 minutes one way (not accounting for any traffic) into 60 - get ready at hotel - and then 30 minutes to venue.

I'm so sorry to hear about your migraine. I get intense Auras too. For me I've found the medication Cambia can help, diet and exercise for sure, this is a large part of why I stick to clean keto. Finally when I had them horribly with my pregnancies I tried acupuncture and it worked wonders. Just thoughts? But I do hope you feel better soon either way. *Virtual hug*

My journaling on this thread has become very therapeutic for me-I look at those lovely notebooks in the stores but I know I wouldn’t keep it up. But if I miss a day or two here I get twitchy and feel like something is off. When you comment or make a suggestion, it’s so helpful-and nice to know I am not just talking to myself! And thank you, all of you, for letting me peek into your journals-I get inspired and motivated by what you write.

This is exactly how I feel. I buy the pretty books, even a pretty pen to go with it, and then either can't bring myself to use it, or start and can't finish. I do love having found this forum though it is great to have somewhere to express yourself and see that others are in the same boat. The added external input and motivation certainly helps!

 

[piglet1979]

I do not journal. I am horrible at it. I am supposed to be tracking my headaches really to prove to the doctor that they are hormone based. She didn't believe me. I get them every other month and I have yet to write one headache down. My yearly appointment is in September. Something as simple as this I don't do.

I got good and bad news yesterday. Good News first. This one is about DD. She had her second follow up with her orthopedic from her surgery. He is just amazed at how well she is doing so quickly after surgery. He was shocked that she made it through soccer camp that was only 6 weeks after. We don't have to go back for a year and he said that it is most likely now in the other foot. Yay!!! I was really excited.

Bad News. My foot is just getting worse. Yesterday it started to hurt just to drive which it wasn't doing before. I went to the urgicare and they think it is tendinitis. I had lost like 2-3 pounds in the last few weeks with all the working out I was doing and now I have to rest. I am not happy about it. I am following orders but still not happy. hopefully next week I can get back to walking and working out. I still don't think it is tendinitis. I think it is a stress fracture. It only hurts in one specific spot and only if I put pressure on that one spot. It is weird and nothing like I have had before. I am in a hard sole shoe and that is helping. So if it is not better by next week I will go see the foot doctor.

 

[Oneanne]

I do not journal. I am horrible at it. I am supposed to be tracking my headaches really to prove to the doctor that they are hormone based. She didn't believe me. I get them every other month and I have yet to write one headache down. My yearly appointment is in September. Something as simple as this I don't do.

I got good and bad news yesterday. Good News first. This one is about DD. She had her second follow up with her orthopedic from her surgery. He is just amazed at how well she is doing so quickly after surgery. He was shocked that she made it through soccer camp that was only 6 weeks after. We don't have to go back for a year and he said that it is most likely now in the other foot. Yay!!! I was really excited.

Bad News. My foot is just getting worse. Yesterday it started to hurt just to drive which it wasn't doing before. I went to the urgicare and they think it is tendinitis. I had lost like 2-3 pounds in the last few weeks with all the working out I was doing and now I have to rest. I am not happy about it. I am following orders but still not happy. hopefully next week I can get back to walking and working out. I still don't think it is tendinitis. I think it is a stress fracture. It only hurts in one specific spot and only if I put pressure on that one spot. It is weird and nothing like I have had before. I am in a hard sole shoe and that is helping. So if it is not better by next week I will go see the foot doctor.

Sorry for your sore foot! When you mentioned it's in one spot my mind went to reflexology... if you look at a foot reflexology chart, does that spot correspond to a specific organ/ area in your body?

 

[MickeyMom76]

Do you journal?

Short answer - no. Long answer - I love the idea. And I agree with @sjrec that I love the pretty journals in the stores...I've even bought a few...but never ended up using them. I bough one that was set up with specific questions or prompts for each day thinking that would help me stick with it...but no. This forum is the best journaling I've ever done.

@4Mickeys Sorry to hear about your migraine.

@piglet1979 Yay for your daughter! That is great news! And I hope the hard sole shoe helps your foot feel better soon!

@Oneanne I understand your frustration. I will sometimes fall into a funk and not really know why either. But I love how self reflective you are.

 

[HappyGrape]

Is it Wednesday already!

WhooHoo Wednesday, on a day that I don't feel very whoo hoo

I have kept to my goal to keep my daily calorie deficit at least 500 calories for nearly a week. Once I do great today - I will have full good week behind me.

I will add another. I am busy in work and it is better for my work to change my plans, instead of working from home I should go to office. I have no food prepped for today, but I thought long and hard and decided with stress level and no food handy in the fridge in my office I will be way too tempted to eat to cheer myself up

So I rolled up my sleeves early in the morning and I made egg white omelette and chopped melon from breakfast. I had some ready bought cooked salmon, tomato and feta cheese for lunch. I actually have yogurt and fruit from yesterday

Today, with all that is going on in work and in home I picked myself up and decided that I want to eat healthy, I want to get the results I want more than I want to lie in and leave it to the chance. I am just fed up with all, there is never going to be stress free life and I can't my way out of stress. And I don't have to choose one or the other, I can figure out way while coping with stressful job. Both my work project and my healthy eating goals are priority for me and I am well capable of stop feeling sorry for myself and do well


speech over, now lets pack and head for my walk to work

have a smashing Wednesday all!

 

[4Mickeys]

I got good and bad news yesterday. Good News first. This one is about DD. She had her second follow up with her orthopedic from her surgery. He is just amazed at how well she is doing so quickly after surgery. He was shocked that she made it through soccer camp that was only 6 weeks after. We don't have to go back for a year and he said that it is most likely now in the other foot. Yay!!! I was really excited

Yeah! Great news

Bad News. My foot is just getting worse. Yesterday it started to hurt just to drive which it wasn't doing before. I went to the urgicare and they think it is tendinitis. I had lost like 2-3 pounds in the last few weeks with all the working out I was doing and now I have to rest. I am not happy about it. I am following orders but still not happy. hopefully next week I can get back to walking and working out. I still don't think it is tendinitis. I think it is a stress fracture. It only hurts in one specific spot and only if I put pressure on that one spot. It is weird and nothing like I have had before. I am in a hard sole shoe and that is helping. So if it is not better by next week I will go see the foot doctor.

Boo - not good - hope you get to the bottom of it soon and it doesn't derail you too much. Didn't you do some kind of alternate exercise last time your foot flared up - probably not your first choice I know?

 

[sjrec]

My woohoo is sitting on the deck this morning eating breakfast and watching the school buses go by!
Just got home from a lovely long weekend at the beach. Retirement is wonderful. I’m so fortunate.

 

[PollyannaMom]

TOPIC TUESDAY: JOURNALING

Do you journal?

I've kept a "One Line a Day" journal for six years now, and I love it!

You can buy them, but I just made my own from a composition book. (Hindsight tip - don't forget Feb. 29th!) Jotting something in it is part of my routine before I go to bed.

Each page has a date (or two, divided horizontally) and you write the year and your entry, then go back to the beginning once you've cycled through. It gives a really cool "this day in history" feel.

 

[Oneanne]

My woohoo is sitting on the deck this morning eating breakfast and watching the school buses go by!
Just got home from a lovely long weekend at the beach. Retirement is wonderful. I’m so fortunate.

View attachment 427767

Wow, gorgeous!

 

[Oneanne]

Once again a bit behind, but WOOHOO away!

 

[Oneanne]

First, I didn't get back to post a response to yesterdays topic... I too have a book shelf of pretty notebooks and I too rarely use them. I also have a couple dot journals that have never been used. But at work I do try to carve out a few minutes each day to off-load thoughts rumbling around in my brain, plus posting here does feel like journaling to me... so I guess I do it?

Now on to the woohoos... short week here as I go home tomorrow. It's amazing how much of a difference leaving just one day early makes. Friday will be my first day in the office in two weeks.

Last Saturday I made it to the lab for the blood draw the doctor wanted, and Monday I meet with her to go over it... I'm very hopeful there will be some answers in there that we can move forward with.

Yesterday in the post for the year of clearing course, she said something I think might be life changing, so I'm going to count it as a woohoo. The theme this week is detachment and observation and in the post she talked about using the visualization of a camera zooming out to detach re-frame things. Then she recommended changing "I am..." statements to "This is...". So, instead of "I am stressed out" say "this is a stressful situation". This just feels so simple, yet so powerful that it gets me really excited.

 

[Oneanne]

I've kept a "One Line a Day" journal for six years now, and I love it!

You can buy them, but I just made my own from a composition book. (Hindsight tip - don't forget Feb. 29th!) Jotting something in it is part of my routine before I go to bed.

Each page has a date (or two, divided horizontally) and you write the year and your entry, then go back to the beginning once you've cycled through. It gives a really cool "this day in history" feel.

This is really a cool idea!

 

[piglet1979]

Sorry for your sore foot! When you mentioned it's in one spot my mind went to reflexology... if you look at a foot reflexology chart, does that spot correspond to a specific organ/ area in your body?

So I looked it up and it in the spot that says thumbs. Now I crack my knuckles (such a bad habit I started when I was like 10) so i do get pain in my fingers from time to time. But they aren't bothering me right now. The spot is very close to the heart, lungs and neck area but as far as I know they are fine. I don't follow this too much so it was neat to look it up.

Boo - not good - hope you get to the bottom of it soon and it doesn't derail you too much. Didn't you do some kind of alternate exercise last time your foot flared up - probably not your first choice I know?

I don't remember. I have tons of issues with this foot. I have had tendinitis in the foot/ankle area, planter fascitis, heal spurs, a broken toe that took months to heal, a pinched nerve between my 2nd and 3rd toe, and I hit the top of it once and that caused problems for a long time. this is all in my right foot.

It feels better today but the rest of my foot is hurting. I am guessing that is from the no support I am getting from this hard sole shoe. I have been doing a little more walking today not much though. Still taking it easy. Tomorrow I am going to wear a regular shoe and see how that goes. I am hoping by next week I will be good.