All the summer time changes

One of our new routines is having outdoor time after nap. It works great because I am able to fold laundry, or feed Millie or even just catch up on reading. With the window open, I can hear the girls playing and supervise as needed but also the house stays clean and they burn off energy and I am able to stay on top of these pesky chores.

The other day, hubby put all of the outdoor toys up on the lawn furniture so that he could mow. When the girls went outside the next day, it's like they were blinded. They couldn't see their toys and just walked around aimlessly. I couldn't figure out why they wanted to come in so early. Usually, they don't want to come in at all. The next day, I helped them get the toys down. Once again, they did not want to come inside.

But of course, Audrey is as unpredictable as any two year old. One day, she just couldn't keep it together. First she needed a coat. Then she needed different shoes. Then she needed sunglasses that were in the car. I told her that I couldn't go get them because I was feeding the baby. Of course, this led to an epic meltdown. Josie tried to convince her to come and play, but nothing would sway her. She spent the whole hour and a half sitting on the steps crying and whining and pleading to get the sunglasses or her shoes or anything else she could think of. Needless to say, that was a long afternoon. Thankfully, that is not an everyday occurrence.

Sometimes it feels like we've never been outside before. I kind of love it, watching everything through their eyes. It's remarkable what they see and find. It can also be exhausting, like when they want to have all of the things from the shed all at once. I am sure we will get a good routine as time goes on and we can be outside more often on a regular basis. I shouldn't complain though. It is so much better than being inside all the time.

Life has been so much busier lately. With the busyness has come a change in my daily habits, most of them not very good. For example, I have pretty much quit biting my nails. I have done this since I was just a little kid especially when I am nervous or really stressed out. Well, the stress level is not quite as high but still there. It's just different now. I always have something to keep my hands busy, like holding a baby or a toddler.

Another example is what I do during naptime. Before having a third child, I would catch up on netflix shows while sitting on my computer. Usually, there would be a snack involved. I would maybe fold some laundry but that was not an *always* thing. Now, though, I just don't have time for that. If I want to get a workout in, that is the best time to do it. The morning just isn't happening right now with Amelia's schedule. She takes a consistent long nap in the afternoon so I have time to do that. That doesn't take all of nap time though. I also usually have time to clean up the kitchen, dining room and living room. If we go outside after naps, the house is pretty much maintained at a fairly clean level all the time. It is so great for my sanity and I suspect my hubby's  sanity also.

It's funny how different priorities take up different chunks of time. With my focus on eating better, I need to spend time doing that every day. I have to take the time to eat every couple hours and the preparation for that of course takes time too. For example, I make a shake every day around 2:30 or 3:00 if I'm lucky. Sometimes it doesn't happen until around 4:00. I have also learned that if I don't eat a good breakfast, it's really hard to meet my macros. Now, I spend more time preparing breakfast in the morning. It's not my favorite use of time, but it is so worth it. The more I do it, the easier it is and I am able to mindlessly prep the meals/food while still engaging with the kiddos or listening to music/podcasts. It ends up almost being a stress reliever in and of itself. 

I find that my energy level is higher than it has been pretty much since having kids (Way to go, protein!). With that, I use my time more efficiently and even though I'm prepping food more, I'm actually ending up with more time left over. There is a lot less sitting around time. I don't waste as much time procrastinating or thinking about what I should be doing but don't want to be doing. Overall, my mental health is improving along with my physical health. Its pretty refreshing.

And on that note, enough sitting around! It's time for a nature walk!