Fast Car - Our Fast Food & Take-Out Free Month

One of my bucket list 101 in 1001 goals is to go a month without fast food, delivery or take out.  While I know we're better than a lot of families, I know how easy it can be to order Swiss Chalet or pick up pizza after a long day of work and extra-curriculars.  I also know that my coffee habit can get expensive, so I also counted buying coffee out as a part of the umbrella of fast food, that is unless I had a business coffee meeting (which only happened once this month and I had a black tea with Agave from David's Tea).

I picked February because it's the shortest month of the year, but I feel a need to add in here that Chris suggested that we also practice a dry month (meaning no alcohol) from February 5th to March 9th, with three pre-scheduled "cheat" days for events we booked before taking this leap into healthy living overload - so we really doubled down on our challenges here.

For the most part it wasn't as hard as I thought it would be.  And I'm happy to report that we didn't cheat once.  Here are the highlights (and low lights) of another challenge completed, a month with no fast food.

A picture from the coffee truck I chased all last summer

Day 1: After a particular rough school drop off I wanted to treat myself to a jumbo vat of Tim Hortons Coffee, but I crossed the street so I wouldn't be tempted to head in for a medium double double.  I later over compensated by mainlining coffee at my parents house, but it wasn't take out, so I guess we're good?

Day 2: I purposely ignored a text from a friend who asked if I wanted her to bring me a coffee, so I wouldn't actually have to say no to coffee...just the same a pedicure without my standard double double felt a little wrong.

Day 4: After a long and fun ski trip there's nothing I'd like more than to order some pizza tonight and watch movies.  Instead I hit the grocery store before we even got home to make sure our cupboards were at least somewhat stocked.  We also bought a big jar of hot chocolate mix so the kids won't have to miss out on hot cocoa from Tim Hortons after their skating lessons, and indulged them in purchasing the Timmies brand hot chocolate.

Day 7: After a late work meeting I was asked out for drinks and food, and I politely declined to head home - although it was very tempting.  I was ravenous by the time I hit Dundas West Station at 745PM and McDonald's was right there.  I kept it together and made myself some pasta at home, even though I didn't get to eat it until 830PM....I should get some sort of brownie points for this one. Mmmm...brownies.

Day 10: Today we avoided fast food after going to a hockey game with the kids and after a night out for double date drinks - one of our dry month "cheat days".  This is usually one of the most tempting times to "treat ourselves" to something unhealthy - our partners in crime suggested poutine and we declined.  Instead we went home and made sandwiches (that's not a euphemism)..Sure they weren't the healthiest sandwiches, but it wasn't poutine, a burger, or junk from 7-11.

Day 13: Not being able to grab myself a jumbo coffee during my "long" day of work seems particularly tortuous today.  I don't know why.  This tea just isn't cutting it and I'm too lazy to make myself coffee for one.

Day 14: I just realized that the coffee truck that I was stalking at the fresh market on the Lakeshore all last summer has opened up a pop up shop directly on the route to pick up and drop off the kids at school...I'm crossing my fingers that it's still open come March.

Day 15: The regular delivery offers that come to my email inbox are starting to taunt me, especially since tonight is salmon and salad night in an attempt to be healthier.  It's like they know and have set up an email campaign to win me back.  Actually I'm certain this is how their email subscription works Curses to them and their delicious coupons!

Day 18: Jack asked if we could order in sushi tonight. This is the first time one of the children has complained or noticed our new healthier eating regimen.  I guess this means they're doing better than we are.  So, we've compromised and will take him the first weekend in March when Molly's at a friend's birthday party.

Day 22: I am absolutely exhausted and would love a cup of coffee from Tim Hortons, unfortunately I'm also too lazy to make myself coffee,  So I'll just take a nap instead.

Fresh Tulips, not Fast Food for the win

Day 24: Tonight we went to a restaurant (totally within the rules) for Korean BBQ.  Eating out really felt like a treat and afterwards we went to a fruit market and loaded up on berries, cucumbers, and some fresh tulips.  Pretty happy with our choices right now.

Day 27: Chris is down 4lbs since we started this journey and although the scale has barely budged for me, my pants are feeling a lot looser, and this isn't about weight necessarily, it's about being healthy.

Day 28: Today is the last day.  I am happy to be done, but have learned a lot.  Coffee and convenience are clearly the biggest triggers for me compared to an actual want or dependency on fast food.  I have also realized how lazy I am when it comes to making my own coffee unless I have someone to share it with, and since Chris isn't a coffee drinker, it just hasn't happened.  I'm hoping some of this will stick and help us be more mindful of our choices and to treat myself to some home brew more often.  All the same I'm heading to Little Havana's Coffee pop up immediately following school drop off tomorrow morning and indulging in their Cafe Bon Bon before the pop up shop closes.  Only nine more days until a crisp Sauv Blanc!


To check out my progress on my 101 in 1001 goals (or get inspiration for a list of your own) click here

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Red - Childhood Nosebleeds & Things That Go Bump In The Night

Sometimes the things that your children inherit from you are very strange.  Quite often my colds will end with a nosebleed to end all nosebleeds.  Molly, it seems, also has this sinus clearing bodily response from time to time.  For Molly this ALWAYS happens while she's sleeping, with the first one happening a couple of years ago, discovered by me when I went to check on her before I went to bed at around midnight.

As a parent it's incredibly terrifying to find your child, sound asleep, covered in enough blood to look like she's been practicing that infamous scene from Carrie.  

Image Courtesy of Giphy

Now that the minions are six, most of our middle of the night stirrings have to do with nightmares, which means that all of us have become heavier sleepers.

The other night I was awoken by Molly standing beside my bed absolutely covered in blood, completely calm, asking for my help.   Bleary eyed, I cleaned her up as best I could and we moved together into the guest room, where our darkest coloured sheets live, to tilt up her head stop the fountain of blood and try to get some sleep.

Her pink sheets, pillow cases, and Cinderella pajamas look like something out of The Walking Dead.  As I pondered how to get out these stains, and asked Chris for advice, he simply answered, "Shouldn't you be worried if I knew how to 'take care of' this kind of mess?" I know who I'm not going to if I ever need to dispose of a body.  The sheets and Cinderella are currently soaking in a bath of cold water and vinegar.  Happy Friday!

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Paperback Writer: My Writing Featured On Other Sites

It's that time where I get to share some of the work that I've completed over the past month.  I am lucky enough that I get to research some fun topics and learn something new almost every day (even if sometimes it's just celebrity gossip). 

Today for my full-time job I write and ghostwrite articles for online publications, organizations and blogs, in addition to providing public relations services.  While I can't really share my ghostwritten articles on this platform, cause then I wouldn't really be a ghostwriter would I, I can share some of the other stuff I have been working on.

Click on the links for the topics that interest you most, and if you enjoy what I wrote please share, like, and follow, and keep parenting and reading on!  If you have any ideas for a story, a playground review, or article on any front, feel free to shout it out!  I'm always looking for new sources of inspiration!

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A Hazy Shade Of Winter - Guide To Outdoor Fun On Cold Days

Winter isn't something that you can exactly plan for.  So when we saw that our annual winter trip was going to be on a weekend where the temperature was about to plummet, we decided to up our preparedness and hope for the best.

Last year's tubing in adventure was successful-ish, but since both kids were so cold by the time we finished that they had frozen tears all the way to the car.  This year that wasn't going to happen.

9 Tips For Making Winter Activities Fun For Kids

 (No Matter How Cold It Is Outside)

Tubing fun

1. Check there outerwear for repair and replacement.  I crack in the bottom of a boot can go unnoticed at recess, but probably won't make it through a dedicated winter activity.  You can get decent ones used at a thrift shop or on discount mid-way through the season.
2. Two pairs of socks are essential to help keep everyone's feet warm.
3. Speaking of doubling up, two pairs plus a spare works on gloves.  This way when Molly soaked her outer layer of gloves I was able to easily replace them with a dry pair of over-sized cozy mittens.
4. Those mitten and toe warmers are life savers - We bought a ten pack of each.  They're called Hot Hands and you can get them at Canadian Tire, Marks Work Wearhouse and some Dollar stores (and no, sadly I don't get affiliate dollars when people purchase them)
5. Layer up their clothes.  We went with leggings, thermal lined jeans, snow pants, 1 t-shirt, 1 long sleeved shirt, and a sweater for each kid.  I ordered special fleece lined belaclavas online, but unfortunately they still haven't arrived, so we'll have them for the next time we're outdoorsing. 
6. Know their limits.  Last year we pushed the kids further, because we'd bought unlimited snow tubing passes and knew the kids needed 8 runs down the hill to make it "worth it".  This year we bought five passes per kid, and ended up giving away one of Molly's and mine to her cousins since she was getting chilly.  Sometimes it's better to leave them wanting more than it is to have them frustrated, wet, and cold.
7. Bribe them with a treat.  We offered all of the kids hot chocolate with ALL OF THE MARSHMALLOWS in our suite's Jacuzzi as a reward for sticking it out.  They loved it and the time in the Jacuzzi.
8. If your heart is set on something that the kids may not be into or capable of participating in with you, trade off with other grown ups.  Chris was able to go Fat Biking in the snow with a friend while I watched the kids, and then later I hit the gym and the sauna.
9. Praise them of their successes and remind them of their limits.  Molly was anxious to go skiing next year like her older cousins.  We reminded her that until she can last more than an hour in the cold without throwing in the towel we were parking that idea, and she's good with it.

Stay Warm & Active! 

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Things My Kids Say As Shared on Twitter

We spend a lot of time with the minions and I'm fortunate enough to record the things that they say and do so I can look back on it and laugh.  Some of it makes the blog and other smaller moments don't.  One of the brilliant things about Twitter is how it's the ultimate parenting "elevator speech", because you have to keep it short. Below are recent Tweets, conversations, parental musings and things that the minions have done or said over the past month, for your reading pleasure that haven't made it to the blog.

Image courtesy of www,glee.wikia.com

1. J: I'm Gollum and you'll never take away my freshness. A six year old interpretation of #LordOfTheRings #Tolkien

2. J age 6: I wrote a new Pigeon book with Mo Willems.  It's called The Pigeon Gets Shot on the Bus.  It's the final book in the series @The_Pigeon #parenting #ThingsKidsSay #LitTweet #KidsBooks

3. M: I lost another pair of gloves today Me: You know what that means. You're buying a pair using your allowance if you can't find them today. M (crying): But gloves are expensive. If I knew you'd actually made me pay for them I'd be more careful Me: #facepalm #parenting

Image courtesy of MTV

4. J: Mom, so how do I go about giving myself a really cool scar? Me: You don't. J: I had a feeling you'd say that. I'll go ask dad. #parenting #ParentingUnfiltered #ThingsKidsSay

5. J: So a B&*#H is a female dog? And even though that's what it's called, I'm not allowed to call girl dogs that? Me: That's right. J (giggling): So mommy, a female wiener dog would be called a wiener B%*$H right? Me: Yes. J: Don't worry I won't call them that #parenting

Image courtesy of Giphy

6. J (age 6): Mom, when I go 2 #HighSchool can u walk me there every day? Me: I'm pretty sure u won't want that. J: Of course I will. Me: Are U willing 2 record a video of u saying this? J: Why? Me: I just want 2 show it 2 u the summer before u go 2 high school #parenting

7. Me: What did you do after school today? M: My friend and I locked ourselves in the bathroom and played Bloody Mary. Then we drew this picture of her. She's covered in blood because she was murdered. You can have it. Me: No, you keep it. #parenting #shudder

To read more blogs featuring the wacky things my kids say as featured on twitter, follow me @Sarabethbug & click here, click here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, &here.