Now, almost 3 months later, I have pretty much figured out how to make this work for my family, and I have developed a passion for food that I just didn't have before. Real food tastes better. The food I used to eat has lost its appeal. I feel energized, healthy, and excited about life and what the future holds.
While my new way of eating has become almost second nature now, I have been struggling in other areas. Since the beginning of this new year, I have been trying to figure out how I could get into a good routine of daily exercise, daily prayer and scripture study, keeping my house clean, and going on dates with my husband (on top of playing with and taking care of my children which has always been the first thing on my list).
It's not that I never did any of these things. I actually accomplished most of them pretty regularly (besides going on dates- that has been hard to do with a newborn).
But the problem was that I didn't have a routine that worked and so I was constantly thinking of what needed to be done and then doing it, instead of being in the moment and just enjoying life. I felt I was swimming as hard as I could, but still just barely able to keep my head above water (and sinking periodically, despite my best efforts). I didn't feel organized and was constantly disappointed at my inability to keep everything together the way I would have liked.
Now that my baby is 5 months old, and my older son is 3, I have been feeling that I could start to have some predictability in my life if I could only develop a routine that would work with the needs of my family. After talking to other moms, researching online, and personal pondering and praying, I got some great ideas and knew I was close to starting something that would change my life for the better. But something was still missing....
Then, I got a juicer on Valentine's Day. I was literally jumping up and down with excitement! I could not wait to start my day with a wonderful fresh glass of juice. Adding the nutrition of 3 carrots, 2 oranges, 1 apple, 1 cucumber, a handful of spinach, etc, to my body in a single glass of fresh juice...it seemed too good to be true!
After drinking my first glass of juice, I felt a surge of energy and clarity of mind. I realized that this morning juice would give me the energy needed to work out in the morning, and I began to see in my mind a routine coming together....
This is the routine that I put together and have been doing since Monday:
I get up at 7am and nurse my baby. Then I read the scriptures and pray. Next I wash my face and put on my work out clothes. :) After that, I start prepping the fruits and veggies for the juice. I wake up my 3 year old and he helps put in his choice of fruits or veggies. When his is done, I add more greens for my husband and I. Then the 3 of us enjoy our juice. :) I clean up (wash the juicer parts, cutting board, etc), then go downstairs to work out (eliptical, dance, kickboxing, run up and down the stairs, weight lifting, sit ups, etc). On my way downstairs I bring a bag of dirty laundry and put it in the washer. When I'm done working out, I check on the laundry (put in dryer if it's done), go upstairs and eat breakfast, shower and get ready. My husband is home in the mornings so it is nice to have him help with my boys while I work out. Then I take the kids on an outing (play group, play date, the park, the grocery store, etc) or do something as a family. When we get back we eat lunch (green smoothie & veggie or nut butter sandwich), clean up, then read scriptures as a family and say family prayer before my husband leaves for work.
The afternoon consists of the going to the library, playing outside or inside, doing art projects, dancing or singing kids songs, errands, etc, and naptime (during which I make food such as hummus or granola, or prep for dinner).
After nap, I check on the laundry, get outside if its nice weather, and then make dinner. After dinner I spend 10 minutes to clean up, and then my son plays downstairs or occasionally watches a short show (such as Dinosaur Train). Before coming upstairs, we put toys away and straighten up downstairs.
Then start the bedtime routine- bath (a couple nights a week), pj's, then snack and stories. Before leaving the upstairs living room, we straighten up. Then it's brush teeth and go potty time. After that, he gets in bed and we say prayers and sing a song, then lights out.
You may be wondering where my baby comes in. Well, throughout the day, I nurse him every 2 hours, change diapers, and put him to sleep for naps. When he's awake I either carry him, or he sits in his high chair or on the floor playing with his teething toys. We all try to talk with him and play with him as much as possible. We try to include him in whatever we're doing, such as story time, or bath for example.
After they are both asleep (between 9 and 10pm- hopefully it will start to be closer to 9), I run the dishwasher, check on laundry, sweep if needed, do any food prep for the next day. Then I work on blogs or write in my journal. After that I wash my face, brush my teeth, and while I'm in the bathroom, I wipe down one area (sink, tub, toilet, mirror, floor...by the end of the week, the whole bathroom has been cleaned). Before I get into bed, I pray.
I began this new routine this Monday and it has worked out wonderfully so far! It feels great to start the day with juice and a work out- that alone gets me excited to wake up (and I'm not a morning person so that is huge for me).
My routine has given me the peace of mind that I can fit everything in, so when I am juicing I don't have to be stressing out about the laundry not being done, or when I am feeding my baby I don't have to feel helpless that I can't be cleaning up the living room as I see my 3 year old make a mess of it. There is a time for everything and as long as I do the little things in my routine throughout the day, everything will get done.
(And by the way, we just went on a date as part of a trade with another couple- we watched their kids one night and then they watched our kids. You can't beat free babysitting! Looking forward to doing more of that!)
I have to thank my husband for buying me this juicer. The presence of that awesome machine has motivated me to get up early and make a highly nutritious beverage out of pure raw fruits and vegetables. That delicious concoction gives me energy and I feel happy knowing that I'm doing something great for my body and my health. I also love that my family also gets to experience the health benefits of this as well (which totally eases my fears that my son is going to be malnourished due to his extreme picky-ness).
I also have to thank God, who knows the desires of my heart and has blessed me with the ability to see more clearly a way to accomplish what I need to every day. This new routine has helped me relax and more fully enjoy the beauty of my life and the people in it. As I consistently make time to talk to my Heavenly Father and learn more about Him from the scriptures, I feel blessings pour out of heaven into my life. I know that He knows me personally and loves me and I am extremely grateful for all the little (and big) things that He gives me to help me be happier every day.
I feel that as I listen to my body and follow more closely the Word of Wisdom (which states that we should eat lots of vegetables, fruits, and grains, and only eat meat during times of famine and sparingly in the winter), I am blessed with not only physical health, but spiritual blessings (such as a greater understanding of God and His plan for me).
I just can't believe I am only now realizing how important vegetables & fruits are and how amazing it can be to drink fresh juice and work out in the morning! And this is only day 3! Can't wait to see how I feel after a month of doing this!
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