Making Progress

Soooo it’s been a month since I’ve blogged.Please, Dear Mom Van followers, forgive my absence. My hectic life and mental health dictated my silence. Honestly, I haven’t even tried to write anything. I needed the space to try and breathe. I’ve been trying to create a better space for myself at home and a healthier lifestyle for my body. I’ve put a lot of work in but it’s been worth it.

First, I Marie Kondo’ed my clothes. I started with this.

And a couple of hours and two 30 gallon garbage bags later, I ended with this.

My closet is now half empty and I’m in love with it. No more looking at dresses that make my heart sad because I can’t wear them anymore without being sad about my post baby body. No more clothes that I keep saying I’ll fix but never do. No more tshirts that I wear because I have them but don’t actually like.

I then did the Twin’s clothes and Crazy Eyes’. We lost some momentum this week but I plan to help The Boy and The Hubs do their clothes next. I’m hoping that this will translate to less crap we don’t need and less time doing laundry. (Aka washing the same things that don’t get worn over and over again.)

I also purged the spice cabinet (half of it was expired) and organized it. It’s allowed me to put all of my loose leaf teas in one space and actually start enjoying tea more often. (Almost every morning.) I reorganized the pantry and refrigerator as well. Making healthy foods easier to see and access and getting rid of expired foods was a huge relief that I didn’t realize I needed.

On the healthy food front, I’ve started packing my lunches for work. I’m on the road three days a week at lunch time so I started making healthy “snack boxes.” It’s become the best part of my Sunday night routine. I have so much fun figuring out what to put in them that’s healthy, filling, and balances all of my cravings.

I try to include protein (imitation crab or turkey sticks), a fresh fruit or veggie (berries, clementines, tomatoes, or cucumbers), two or three types of cheese, and a sweet or salty random addition. I’m on week three and I really love it. I feel so much better and less physically exhausted at the end of the day. I’ve also started trying to drink more water but that’s still a struggle. I’ve been stretching in the mornings too and including the kids on weekends.

I buckled down and focused on potty training the twins. That was nuts so I’ll share more on that later. The next step is getting them to sleep in their bed and get out of mine.

I’ve been journaling and sketching again. I even spent some time drawing with the big kids. It was hard letting them (or anyone really) see my struggle with my art, but I think we all benefited from it and enjoyed it. I’ve been listening to books that make me happy and not forcing myself to finish books that feel like a chore to listen to. I used to do it way more than I’d like to admit. I’m listening to more music and turning off the tv more. It’s made for more “dancing parties” as the kids call them.

I’m still stressed a lot and life is still crazy. Our finances are all jacked up right now but we’re working on that too. I haven’t found the perfect balance of self care and family care. I haven’t figured out work life balance (I wake up from a stressful work related dream at least once a week) but it’s getting easier as I adjust. I’m making progress and working on myself because I deserve it.

Wishing you all joy and progress in your own lives!