The Boredom of Staying Home



When I went back to work after having my first son, I resented everything about being there. I hated every second I was away from my kid. I hated not hearing his voice all day. I loathed the fact that someone who wasn't me saw him dance for the first time, introduced him to Nutella, and that his favourite moments of the day all involved people that weren't me.
I resented the amount of money I was paying out for daycare versus money coming in from my job. I was angry about my long commute (which was coupled with morning sickness on a regular basis because I pretty much went back to work pregnant). I just was unhappy.

So we changed it all. I quit my job and took a contract that allowed me to work from home on a part-time basis. Amazing. I signed my big boy up for preschool and my wee one for daycare two mornings a week. Perfection. I am here for everything- the nose wiping, the laughing fits, the meltdowns, the highs & lows of the day. Fantastic. My wee boy doesn't even know life without mommy at home. My big boy can't even remember a time that I wasn't here for him. They get breakfast lunch & dinner at home. They sing their ABCs (well, Z does), colour, play and watch tv. All with me. THE BEST.


THESE TWO BOYS=THE BEST PART OF MY LIFE


HOWEVER, there are days, sometimes weeks, that I am kind of bored with the whole routine. And I feel guilty for even putting it out there, because all I wanted when I was at work was to be home with my babies. And it's still all I want. But the monotony of our days can get to me sometimes, because most days are carbon copies of the day before.

 Wake-up, play, breakfast, tv, errands, lunch, nap/quiet time, play, dinner, bath, bed. REPEAT. REPEAT. REPEAT.

We do something different every day- we go to the library, walk to the park, have a playdate, join a playgroup, bake, dance, sing, colour, make a craft- but it often feels like our days are different, but the same.  I spend the afternoons trolling Pinterest for fun activities that take me 30 minutes to set up and 5 seconds for the kids to destroy, rip, spill, ruin. I referee constant fighting (and I mean CONSTANT) over dinos and cars. I turn on the TV in an attempt to sip a cup of warm coffee. I am always searching for a moment of normalcy, quiet, peace. I miss break time at work and chatting with my colleagues.

And don't get me wrong, I adore being home with my kids. I love seeing them every single day and hearing their every thought (good or bad), and being the one to introduce new and exciting adventures into their lives. I love seeing them grow and learn. I really do appreciate the ability to be here all the time. It's just that, in all honesty, being home can be boring. And we might just be the most busy little family you've ever met but that doesn't necessarily make our days less same and less boring.

I highly doubt I'm the only stay-at-home/work-at-home mom who feels like this on a regular basis. I highly doubt I'm the only blogger who has ever expressed feelings of boredom with the sameness that life at home can bring.  But it leads me to wonder... can we ever be truly happy with our status in life, or are we always searching for something more? Something bigger, brighter, more entertaining... different? Is everyday life every truly ENOUGH?


YOLO

We're back from VEGAS!!!
Despite dropping close to $3,000 in three days (GULP! I know, I know, and we don't even gamble!), I would say that this was the BEST trip my husband and I have ever taken. We spent our time eating at fantastic restaurants, seeing shows ('O' was phenomenal!), having a few drinks, dancing, and lounging by the pool. It was constant sensory overload, constant entertainment, and constant fun. Exactly what these two parents needed! Our My motto for the trip was YOLO (you only live once- clarification necessary for my mom) so we just did whatever we felt like, whenever we felt like it...and it was great!

I'm feeling tired (STILL) and lazy (OF COURSE) so I simply uploading a smattering of Vegas pics to my Sleeping Is For Losers Facebook page- check them out:)

The best part, though, was how good I felt. If you have been following my blog, you know that I had challenged myself to lose some of that baby weight before heading off to Vegas. I credit Tone It Up with so much of my motivation and success, and thought I'd share my before/after photos:

Before (post pregnancy)

AFTER!!!!!


I lost a ton of inches and pounds after really focusing on eating CLEAN and GREEN and working out on a VERY regular basis. I'm not a Tone It Up spokesperson but I think they provide exactly the right kind of motivation, excellent (free) online workouts and eating ideas, and support whenever you need it!

My new goal is 10 more pounds before Christmas, which would take me back to my PRE-BABIES weight... and I'll be publicly humiliating myself on my blog to make sure I follow through;)

Vegas Or Bust: The Results

{drumroll please}

The results of my Vegas or Bust slim down are in and....

I lost 11 pounds and 9 inches.

So proud that I stuck to my plan and got in all my workouts. So proud that I ate very clean, lean and green (for the most part) AND that I'm now at a lower weight then I was when I got pregnant with William.

Losing baby weight is extraordinarily hard for me. The busyness of my life, the chaos of working with two very little kids underfoot and having a husband that is gone for a minimum of 12 hours a day, can really overtake anything I ever try to do for myself. But I stuck to it because I need to remember that I matter too.

So we're off to the Venetian for a few days- can't wait to sleep and eat and drink champagne.

See you in a bit:)

Vegas Or Bust!: Week 3

YEAHYEAHYEAHYEAHYEAHYEAHYEAHYEAHYEAHYEAH!!!!!!

One week until I hit the strip in Vegas for THREE, KID-FREE DAYS! I plan to do lots of sleeping in and lounging and taking in the sights. Oh, and lots of eating out- that's one of the things I miss most about having two little kids. We never eat out anymore. NEVER. It's always a headache when we do and I don't love putting myself through the embarrassment of my 1 year old running around a restaurant with his hand down his pants and my 3 year old declaring that every bite of food is YUUUUCCCKKKY!
It will also be my birthday while we're in Vegas (hence, the reason we're going)...so I think so champagne will be in order:) *yeahhhh, so indulgent! I never have champagne, but I adore it!*

Anyway, the check-in:)

This past week I did the Tone It Up #beachweek, which consisted of TWO workouts a day and lean, clean and green eating. I woke up at 5:00 a.m. every single day last week. Yup, you read that right...every single day. And I did at least 30 minutes of cardio at that disgusting time. Then, I snuck in a Tone It Up online workout at night before bed. Every single day.
I ate beautifully- even I was impressed with how perfectly I ate. And all I drank was water and Grapefruit Perrier, which is amazing for me. I love me some Diet Coke!

And the results?

In 5 days, I had lost FOUR pounds and 3.5 inches!!! WHOOP!
I took the long weekend off from HARD workouts and PERFECT eating, but managed to maintain the loss:)

Total thus far?
almost 8 pounds and 8 inches. I have already surpassed my goal for Vegas:)

Now, the week before Vegas, I plan to keep my 5:00 a.m. workouts (it is the only time that I actually have available to workout without kids/work in the way) and my lean, clean, green eating. It's just one more week- I can do anything for a week, right??

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