Good morning friends!
I hope your Christmas season is blessed so far. <3
I don’t know about you but even during our current sheltering-in-place (again) season, life doesn’t really seem to calm down for long – especially during the holidays. Work life, home life, homeschooling, raising 5 little ones and adding holidays into the mix of it all can make for some pretty stressful moments, but I’m trying to breathe through it all and *TRY* to slow down a bit, even if just in my brain, ha! Mental self-care to me feels like not coming down as hard on myself when I don’t accomplish everything in one day, or putting my phone down to take in my surroundings and take a breath. Starting a Rosary even if I know I’ll get interrupted after just half a decade, grabbing a handful of peanut butter M&Ms while pacing with a teething baby… Speaking of M&Ms, I’ve probably been indulging a little more than usual because #holidays. 😆 I’m not mad about it, but I have a little trick that’s been helping me feel better and reminding me to get some nutrition in on the days when I realize that breakfast consisted of mostly sugar-cookies. 😋
Here’s my delicious go-to Matcha Smoothie recipe that I LOVE. You can get creative (maybe add a cpl frozen strawberries if you like), but it really is delicious in this simple pure form. And I find that a tasty smoothie resets my cravings and mentally reminds me to be kind to my body and nutritional needs that day:
Matcha Smoothie:
Ingredients:
- 1 large frozen banana cut into 4
- 1 – 2 cups Oatmilk
- 1 small handful Spinach or Kale
- 1 Scoop Collagen (I use the one by Vital Proteins found at Costco)
- about 1 teaspoon Matcha powder (increase according to taste)
- drizzle of maple syrup to taste (if desired, but not necessary because oatmilk is naturally sweet)
Directions:
- Blend all ingredients except maple syrup in a high-speed blender until uniformly green and smooth.
- Add a drizzle of maple syrup if desired.
- Pour into a glass mason jar and pair with a fancy steel straw. 😉
- Sip slowly and feel the glow. <3
Like I mentioned before, I’m also trying to take the time to slow down and be more mindful with my surroundings – which you’d think would be obvious (and important) when there are so many kids in one tiny home – but actually it’s so easy to look at your kids and search for what their next need is (are you hungry right now? tired? happy/sad? in need of bathtime, etc?) instead of just sitting still and being present to them. Noticing how soft and chubby the baby’s arms and cheeks are, how your oldest looks all at once just like his wide-eyed baby-self and yet suddenly like a big boy with the wisdom to be protective of his mama when you’re out in public. Searching your children’s faces and marveling that they are such complete and beautiful individual persons even though you carried them each for 9 months and love them fiercely for being your own flesh and blood. <3 These are the ordinary miraculous moments I don’t want to pass up even though being a mother means these thoughts are also bittersweet and sometimes fleeting because the dishes still need to be washed, or someone accidentally drove over their sibling’s toe with a new toy truck (boys!).
I’ve also been trying hard to be thriftier this holiday season, which isn’t always fun, but brings so much more peace.
That being said, I have also discovered the very inexpensive method of DIY dip nails:
I’ve been practicing, and this set/color combo has been my favorite so far! There are lots of different brands out there but so far I’ve tried the “Revel Nail” brand. For the price of one mani you can get the supplies to create tons of long-lasting dip mani’s on yourself – which is so fun because I love creative outlets like this and could never justify the price of professional manicures that chip so soon anyways. Just another little hobby that has been making #quarantinelife a little more bearable. And in true “me-fashion,” I’ve been researching via youtube (during baby-nursing sessions) for proper nail-technique, etc. hehe. I promise this doesn’t take up all my time – once it’s on it lasts at least 2+ weeks without chipping and then you have something pretty to look at when you’re bathing the babies or washing the dishes. 😀 I guess I’m very basic haha, but I’m pretty sure in another life I would have been a cosmetologist of some sort because makeup and nails is too fun. Instead I get to learn and practice on my girls one day I’m sure, which is way better than doing it for a living. 😉
What are some things you’re doing that have made 2020 easier to handle?
Here’s to a New Year coming up SO SOON! Peace, friends!
Love,
