Summertime!

School is out for summer (insert look of horror). Don't get me wrong, I love my girly girls. Yes, summer means sleeping in, no homework, cloud watching, barbecues, swimming, snow cones, etc. But here at the Berry Patch, it also means boredom and bickering. Oh ya, I'm a SAHM. That means it gets to be me...all summer....trying to combat boredom and bickering. Thanks to the creative ladies on pinterest, I've come up with some ideas to help get us through summer, and maybe even enjoy it! Don't worry, I'll share my ideas with you too!

Welcome to "The Lost Week." Something I came up with to ease the girls into our summer schedule. The first week after school gets out is deemed The Lost Week. During the lost week the girls can sleep in, watch as much TV as they want, play their electronics to their hearts' desire, snack as much as they want. Basically it's a free for all! My only rules are: they still have to shower daily by noon and complete their morning chores (basic make bed, etc.). That's it! I figured they needed a break right? That's where we are right now. I'm soooo bored! Seriously. I thrive on schedules.

Which brings me to our summer schedule. Every morning the girls must complete their tasks to earn the afternoon activity. Their morning tasks are to wake up at 7:00, shower and get ready, clean bedroom, and help with daily house cleaning. They must also read 30 minutes per day, and write 1 page per day. They can write anything such as stories, plays, journal, whatever. If these tasks are completed, then each day we do an activity.

Make it Monday - Arts and Crafts
Time to Read Tuesday - Library and/or Bookstore
Wet n' Wild Wednesday - Water! Sprinkler, swimming pool, anything water!
Town Time Thursday - Movies, park, zoo, museum, whatever
Friday Friend Day - Invite a friend over
Spend time together Saturday - Family Day
Spiritual Sunday - no schedule

Jozlyn will have ballet 3 mornings a week, and Haylie Jo will have swim team 4 days per week.
Every evening they get ready for bed, pick up toys or activities, and it's lights out by 9.

I have also helped the girls come up with a list of things to learn this summer like, how to use the blow dryer, make mac n' cheese, mop the floor.

Don't worry. We will still have free time. Plenty of cloud watching, snow cones, and yes, TV (gasp). I just know that we thrive on a schedule. I'm hoping this will cut down the time spent on electronics and complaining about boredom. A girl can dream right?

Clean Eating

Yes, I'm still trying to lose the baby weight. Although now that Owen is nearly 10 months old, I think the weight would now qualify as "mine." Just in case you didn't know (or notice), I gained a whopping 60 lbs when I was pregnant with Owen! Whew! That's like carrying around a 3rd grader all the time! No wonder I was so tired. Anyway. On my quest to regain the body I once knew, I've decided to follow clean eating. What is clean eating? Something you probably all know but I'll give the rules in bullet form just in case. - Only eat single ingredient foods like fruits, vegetables, nuts, meat, and diary (though I know dairy has more than one ingredient, you get the picture) - Only use olive oil and butter. NO vegetable oil or margarine. - when eating pasta, rice, or bread, it must all be whole wheat - If you have to buy something boxed or canned, it should contain 3 ingredients or less - If don't recognize an ingredient, your body won't recognize it either - Drink a gallon of water a day - Yes, I said a gallon! - Follow the 80/20 rule (eat clean 80% of the time, have what you want 20%) - Fat contained in food does not = fat in the body. So fat free doesn't mean healthy and fat doesn't mean unhealthy. Know your fats! Olive oil, avocados, butter all contain healthy fats! This is basically how we should all eat all the time. No processed foods, no fast foods, no junk in our body. I know it sounds hard but it really isn't. I've found that I can eat so much more than I used to. Clean foods usually contain less calories than the junk plus you get all the vitamins and healthy stuff your body needs. I still allow myself a few cheats. I have a soda once a week or so. No more than 2 per week. I also mix some plain chocolate m & m's with almonds and peanuts so I can have a little treat when snacking. I allow myself ranch dressing with my veggies. Why not? I feel so much better when I eat clean and I look better too (bonus)! When I'm trying to lose weight I do all of the above plus I calorie count and watch my carb intake. I try to stick to eating 1200 calories a day (a little more actually since I'm nursing), and no more than 165 carbs per day. I try to up my protein and fiber intake as well. I shoot for 45g of protein daily and 14g of fiber. Though I give myself a free day a week where I don't count calories. So far I've lose 47 lbs of that "baby weight" which means I've still got 13 more to lose. My goal is to lose it all by Owen's 1st birthday. That gives me 2 months to meet my goal. Cheer me on!