Kindergarten Survival Tips for Moms

My son recently started kindergarten in one of the local year round elementary schools. It's been somewhat of a transition for him attending a new school and staying there longer than preschool, but I think it's been a little harder on me. I really thought I was prepared for this step, especially since he has been attending preschool since he was 3-years-old. Yet when the first day rolled around, I discovered I was less prepared than expected. I found myself daydreaming about the night Aiden was born. I remember holding his little 5 pound body, and wondering if I was doing it right. Aiden came six weeks early, but he was healthy and I made sure of that since that time.
Now, I need to trust that he will be safe at school for 6 hours each day. I know in my heart that he's going to a wonderful school with talented teachers and administrators. I'm his mom, and I still worry, a little. So, I gathered some tips to help us all cope with the changes.

1. It's OK to cry just make sure you do it when your child is not around. I've noticed when I'm brave in new situations my children tend do the same. Tuck some tissues in your purse and pull them out after school drop-off.

2. Walk your child to his classroom. Walking Aiden to his classroom on his first day of school allowed me to see his classroom and say hello to his teacher. Not only did it give me peace of mind, but it gave my son more confidence.

3. Get Involved! Our school has a wonderful PTA, and they are always looking for volunteers. I volunteered to work with the school's newsletter. Some teachers recruit parents to help in the classroom. Inquire with your child's teacher and the your school's PTA about volunteering. It's also a great way to meet new people plus make a positive impact in your child's education.

4. Plan a fun weekend Activity.  I love taking the kids to parks, museums and kid-friendly places when the kids are out of school. Our fun time will be reduced while they are in school, but I started planning a family activity on the weekend. It has lifted my spirits and has become an incentive for my son to try his best during the school week. Ideas include: picnic at their favorite park, visit a kid's museum, go bowling, or make a family craft.

Moms, we will survive, and our kids will thrive!

Summer Break, Sorta.

It feels like forever since my last post, and I feel like I do a million things everyday except writing. The kids are out of school, and we stay busy all day, everyday.  I like it that way, I like to keep busy, and the kids like to have fun. School begins in July (year-round school), and my oldest will start kindergarten. So we are packing in the fun. We are going to museums, the pool, parks and the library. We've been exploring our town and taking pictures of new fun spots. I've started posts about the places we've found, but our busyness has left them dangling.

My exercising and training has been kicked into high gear with a 5k right around the corner. I've sworn off sweets and wine, and drastically cut back on carbs. Yea, I've been eating clean. I go to the gym at least 3-days a week and workout at home on my non-gym days. I have found some great resources to keep me motivated.

• The Tone It Up Bikini Series offers free videos & print outs, encouragement and prizes for check-ins.
• The 30-day squat challenge
• The 400/month burpee challenge my gym, Fitness 19 is doing. It's about 14 burpees a day
• Running 2-3 miles a couple times a week

I also took a fun kickboxing class at Excel Fitness and did one-on-one kickboxing with a trainer at my gym. Mixing up your workouts make it fun too.

Not only am I physically training for this race, but I am the team captain. I have been coordinating team members, sponsors and the team t-shirt. I'm super excited about the race. I love how Susan G. Komen makes this race a celebration for survivors and a memorial for the fighters.

I hope to have some down time after the race, Father's Day and vacations, then maybe I can finish writing about our museum trip. So here's to a busy summer of fun. May you stay active, eat healthy and have FUN!

It's the little things

I've been doing quite a bit writing for my book, and thanks to Mary Kay Andrews I personally refer to it as the friggin book (TFB). Anyway, I got 8500 words, and I just started chapter 4. I love the running angle that permeates the romance, but I also threw-in a beachy, decorating theme in the mix. I can't wait for you to read it.

On the fitness note, I'm super-charging my workout routine. The holidays are over, and I need to get back on track. Target has their bikinis on the floor, and I already picked out a few that will be super cute, but I need to trim and tone a little before the summer. So, I'm pulling out the big-guns and getting down to business. First, I signed up for $100K Transformation Challenge by BodyBuilding.com. A chance to win $50,000 plus get in shape, a win-win all the way. Second, I downloaded the Zombie Run app on my iPhone. It makes treadmill running fun, and thirdly new weight lifting gloves.

On the family front, I registered Aiden for kindergarten. On one hand, I'm thinking where did the time go? Then the other part of me is so excited for him to go to school and for me to have more time to write. I'll probably be an emotional mess this July (we're on a year-round schedule). Next week, I register my baby for preschool. Yes, I will definitely be emotional, excited; yet sad.

Staying on a budget was a resolution my husband and I made for the year. I've begun meal planning and maintaining a food budget including eating out. It's like a challenging game for me, buying and preparing foods my family will like plus staying under budget. I'd rather have extras to spend on fun things like races and running shoes. So far shopping at Aldi has been great. I did a huge shop today for only $132. I was referred to emeals, but my free trial expired before I started using it. Oh well, I need to see what I can find on Pinterest.

So, how are you doing? Keeping your resolutions? I hope you're pushing through the business of motherhood and finding time for you. I'd love to hear your resolutions and fitness goals.