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Holidays .. dont' forget about YOU Mommy!!

The holidays are just around the corner ... so many things come to mind .. who is hosting, what do I make, my holiday list is how long again, and they want WHHAAT!!  UGH ... what about you Mommy, where are you on this list, where are you on the list of priorities?  My husband works pretty crazy hours, I have dubbed myself a "Single, not Single Parent" ... I don't have to worry about how to pay the bills and keep a roof over my family's head, but I do have to make sure my girls are well taken care of.  Thankfully my village of sanity includes my awesome parents that give me a hand pretty often.  I digress ... so how do I find time for myself?

Number 1 - Exercise - Yes!  Love me some FIT4MOM, but right now with my 3 year old's schedule, I can't make any classes .. so my second LOVE of exercise life .. Burn Boot Camp.  Membership comes with childcare and thankfully my 3 year old loves it in there and runs in with excitement to play with the different toys.  I get the most sweaty workout imaginable (of course you have to workout by perceived exertion - meaning, if you don't actually try your best and push yourself harder, you're not going to get a good workout).  It's a wonderful community of women that are supportive and who I can call friends now.  My location has awesome times in the morning, so no excuses that timing isn't right mommies ... you know you can make it work if you really wanted to.

Burn Boot Camp

Number 2 - FOOD - ugh .. here come the sugar loaded desserts, carb loaded foods like stuffing, or mashed potatoes .. YIKES!!  Along with all of this comes sugar spike galore.  Don't set yourself up for failure by eating a sugary high carb breakfast that will not satiated.  Eat protein and veggies ... why spike your blood sugar first thing .. that makes snacks too easy to eat.  I love my smoothie is the morning, it keeps me full and happy until well after lunch.  YUM!!    Don't fall into the trap of unnecessary sweets.  Take care of your body and fuel it, don't break it.

Number 3 - Habits - I have come to the habit of not leaving a room to go to another room without taking something with me ... example .. bedroom to kitchen.  More than likely I have a mug of half drunken tea of my night table.  I grab it and bring it down, I used to not do that and head down to the kitchen empty handed to start breakfast for my fam ... complete waste.  This actually takes effort, and I am still working on it.  I stop myself, take a look around what I can bring with me and then go.  Doing this I have found that I am more efficient and have more time to do other things.

Number 4 - What can help you - if you can't afford a cleaning lady, seriously consider a roomba.  I love mine and I don't know what I have been doing without one for so long.  It forces you to pick things up off the floor (toys, clothes, more toys, legos, more toys) and put them in their proper places, but the amount of dust this little robot from heaven picks up is astounding.  Crossing my fingers, I am actually hoping to get another one for a christmas/birthday/valentines day combo for the upstairs so that I don't have to carry it up and down every day.  This is seriously such a good investment that you too will wonder why you didn't get one.  


Number 5 - Girl time - make it happen, no excuses.  Dinners, book clubs, baking nights, whatever it is, your girls understand what this thing call #motherhood is all about, you need a break from it -  Every mom needs a break from it ... even an hour to yourself is healthy for you.  You need to take a break and have real girl talk, let everything out because no one understands but your girls.  

Number 6 - Spa time - this is pushing it and admittedly I don't get much need spa time, maybe a pedicure for the holidays, but that's about it.  A good 60 minute massage is all you really need and it sends you back to your family restored, relaxed, energized and happy.  You're a better mom when you are all of these things.  Don't forget to pamper yourself Mama!

The best spa that I have ever been to in the Midwest is the Woodhouse Spa .. beats anything in Chicago for serenity and awesomeness.  It's just so sad that it's so far away.  





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