Random thoughts from my hiding spot

This morning I decided I was going to stay a step ahead of the kids.  Maybe...just MAYBE...we could have a morning of no fighting?  I often wash and slice a pound of strawberries before anyone realizes they are hungry, then place them on a table near the tv watching/game playing.  This buys me some time as they figure out exactly what they want to eat for breakfast, right?  Well, every time I do this, we run out of strawberries just a tad early.  Today, I sliced TWO pounds!  So smart, yes?  No.  There was still fighting.  Over who got more strawberries.  Children stuffing their cheeks like squirrels with strawberries and spitting juice out as they attempt to exclaim, "I got FOUR!"  Ugh.

Tomorrow, I slice 4 strawberries.  One per kid.  Then they can have size wars..

Anyway, not really what I wanted to blog about, but it is fresh on my mind.  So, you're welcome. 

This morning I have lost 7 pounds!  Over the past 8 days I have been focusing on meeting all of the goals set by my FitBit.  The "generic" goals are 10,000 steps each day/5 miles/10 flights of stairs.  I also told it my current weight and my goal weight and it gives me a calorie allotment based on that goal.  If I burn extra calories, FitBit will increase my allotment.  Nice, right?  Out of the past 8 days, I missed my goals on just 2 of those days.  However, I didn't miss by much and I really concentrated on eating fewer calories than I burned.  Also started concentrating on my water intake.  YAY!

I have started the Runner's World run streak...1 mile each day between Memorial Day and Labor Day.  Today is Day 4 and I plan to hit this gym this afternoon.  I had a 5+ mile run yesterday, so I will likely just keep the running to the one mile, but I will definitely do some extra strength training while there.  And some Tetris Blitz.  :)

Sunday's planks and burpees went well.  Sadly, I only made it through 8 rounds before having to leave for work, and then it was so busy at work I couldn't sneak away even just twice to complete it.  I also have to admit that some of my "thanks" were repeats.  I realize there are millions of little things to be thankful for in this world...it is just a little bit hard to think of those little things when your abs are shaking and kids are screaming. 

We are taking our first ever family vacation this weekend!  We are heading to Virginia Beach on Saturday and staying at a hotel ON the beach through Monday.  Just my husband and I and the 4 kids.  No grandparents.  No aunts/uncles/cousins/nannies.  Pray we survive.  Seriously.  Close quarters are not usually great for us...but I just really feel the need to get out of town.  I am hopeful that the hotel is exciting enough to keep the kids indoors some.  I know that sounds crazy, but the ocean is kind of scary!  Keeping track of four wild kids at the ocean is scarier!  Last summer my sister and I took the kids to the beach for one day, and I was exhausted just from the constant head counts.  This year, though, we are taking beach toys (shovels, buckets, etc.) so maybe that will keep a couple of them entertained on land. 

While at the beach, I am going to have to sneak away for at least a mile run on each day.  Today I will run at the gym this afternoon, tomorrow I will try to get up early (before Shaun leaves at 6:30) and get at least 3 miles in.  For the past couple of days, running has felt SO great.  Yesterday, I even ran a sub-10 minute mile!  I haven't done that in I don't know how long.  Especially considering it was hot and muggy outside, I was running by myself...I actually felt like a dog that had been let out of it's cage finally!  Haha.  Truly I think it has everything to do with my diet.  Watching my calories for the first day or two left me hungry...until I realized eating healthy things counts as less calories and fills me up better.  Hmmm.  Amazing.  :)  Another sad thing I learned?  Papa John's pizza has around 300-350 calories PER SLICE.  Sad, sad, sad.  I don't think I have ever eaten less than 3 slices in one sitting.  And more often it's 5 slices.  WOW.  Last week, though, I had one piece.  Just one.  Mini success!

Okay, the fighting is getting out of control, so I will stop distracting myself with the computer.  I think a better idea for a vacation would be all 6 of us going to a different location for the weekend.  Maybe if we missed each other a bit we would hear less "I hate you!  You are a baby!  You pee your bed!  Pshhhew!"  That last one is how I spell out the noise they make as they pretend to shoot each other with lasers. 

Have a great weekend!!