Currently . . .

Current Posting Practices

I’ve been writing my posts the day ahead for the past week or so. For the LONGEST time (as in: a decade or more?), I felt like I needed to write in the morning. It was a nice activity I could do while drinking coffee and usually before working out.

But then my morning routine expanded.

Lately, I have really been enjoying spending 15+ minutes reading non-fiction in the morning, and then doing my daily planning. I usually like to fit in a 10 minute Headspace meditation. AND obviously my runs have gotten longer (though I did some pretty lengthy strength workouts during my 80 Day Obsession phase!).

So. With reading –> planning –> Headspace –> workout filling my mornings, writing a post just didn’t seem to fit anymore. But things change! And so my current practice is to do them:

• during lunchtime on days I work clinically (MWF + call weeks)
• any available slots on work-for-myself-from-home days (I mean, this makes sense!)

I have felt less rushed, more creative (overall), and I *think* maybe some more interesting posts have been crafted as a result.

I think my next step will be to work on getting my Best Laid Plans show notes done ahead of time, right when the episodes are recorded. This way I can best remember to include any links I mentioned, take pix I promised, etc.

I guess much of this makes sense as evolution of these projects from hobby to business, but from my standpoint it’s more about feeling calm and enjoying the process.

Summer Routines: How It’s Going

So far . . . pretty good!

CAMP All 3 kids seem to be happy with their specialty camps (A = gymnastics / G = dance / C = soccer). Our mornings have been far more relaxed, since the start time is ~9-9:30 rather than 7:50 (school!). Our nanny (G) drops off M/W/F and I have been doing it Tues/Thurs. I am not sure they’d want to do these particular camps ALL summer, but for 2 weeks it’s great.

SPORTS C has sports most nights right now. Josh has been able to do a lot of the driving, but it’s always a question as to whether he can make it (AND whether the weather will lead to a cancellation). However, one sport is ending after this week (lacrosse). C loves lacrosse and I hope he can find some way to continue some of it next year (might be tough bc he is now committed to year-round soccer) AND I am thrilled it’s over so he’ll be down to one sport (basketball) until soccer starts in August. To his credit he almost never complains about going.

PIANO A and G are both doing piano and they are supposed to practice 10 min/day. Generally it’s been me helping G and A has started to do it more independently. A has played before but it’s been pretty impressive how quickly she has picked it back up. G has learned C, D, E, F, G and quarter/half/whole notes and rests!!! I enjoy this routine most nights after work.

SCREEN TIME Basically after camp is over, they do some reading/school packet, A/G do piano (and C heads to sports if he has it) and then they can watch some TV. We’ve allowed iPad on weekends but have stayed relatively busy so that it hasn’t been an all-day thing. I’ve been pretty happy with their balance! If A asks to use her iPad for something social we say yes if it’s evening screen time.

ME I feel pretty settled into the rhythm now. Of course it’s about to change – short trip coming up, then no camp next week, then 3 weeks of quasi-overnight. But that’s okay, we can just kind of consider it variations on a theme rather than starting from scratch. One thing I do feel is that Josh and I need to manufacture more adult time. Hard to do with the current schedules (and C’s sports) but we will figure it out.

1:1 KID DAYS: Will be happening for 3 consecutive Thursdays, starting this week! I’m excited.

PIX:

View from Frost Science under threatening skies (every afternoon the skies threaten . . . it’s an everyday thing – and generally these are not empty threats)

Josh made Italian beef sandwiches, inspired by The Bear (which I haven’t watched).