Tuesday's Tip...the night before

By prepping breakfast last night, including making Farro, I was able to have a healthy Farro and Egg and half a smoothie for breakfast while my daughter had the other half of the smoothie with half a peanut butter and jelly sandwich (she has state tests today at school).

(P.S. You should do this for bags, briefcases, backpacks and even layout clothes.)

In perspective...

This morning my daughter was looking at her new book, 101 Baby Animals and said to her father and I, "Do you know that male seahorses if they think their wife is ugly eat the young so they won't turn out ugly" and this put every martial spat we've had in perspective for me—I am lucky to be in a species that doesn't eat its young for any reason.

Tuesday's Tip: Moisture Boost

To boost the moisturizing capacity of your body lotion, add a few drops of olive oil to the lotion before you put it one.

(This has done wonders for my winter-is-too-long dry skin.)

Tuesday's tip: the night before

Pack your bag the night before, so you don't forget anything.

(I learned this the hard way this morning when I had to go home twice--once for my cell phone and a second time for my wallet. I should practice what I preach.)

Tuesday's Tip: Heat water for coffee

For the past two mornings, my daughter (age 8) has made me a cup of coffee in my travel mug which is so sweet of her even if the coffee is cold, since she didn't heat the water (She said"I figured the water was still hot.")

(P.S. A second tip. just say to your child, the "blank" is delicious because it pays to sweeten things every now and then.)

Tuesday's tip: Plan ahead mornings

This morning we woke up late, so I was glad I had packed my bag the night before and prepped lunches; this made getting out of the house on time for school more likely (and that I bought a cup of coffee rather than make one).

In the Kitchen on Thursday: Healthy waffles for the kid in you...

Whole Grain Waffles

1 C. While flour
1/2 C. Wheat Flour
1/4 C. Wheat Germ
2 Tbsp. ground Flaxseed
1 Tbsp. Chia seed
2 Tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. Baking powder
1 1/2 C. Milk
1/3 C. Sunflower or Grape Seed oil
1 egg
a pinch of salt

Mix all dry ingredients together. Whisk together the egg an milk. Slowly add and mix the dry ingredients into the wet. Allow to sit for a few minutes before ladling into the waffle iron. When finished cooking place waffles on a cooling rack. Waffles can be stored in an air tight bag in the fridge or frozen. To reheat place in a toaster oven at 350 for 10 minutes. If frozen, reheat for 15 minutes.

(Disclaimer: My 8-year old daughter and her friend did not like them. They prefer waffles from a mix.)

Morning person or not?

I've spent years telling people that I became a morning person, when I had my daughter (now, 8) and got up at 3 or 4 AM when she was a baby only to realize this weekend that I am not morning person (just like my father who slept until noon on weekends) and so I raise a mug to coffee and afternoon gym workouts.

Life and breath

To paraphrase the substitute yoga teacher, "Fit the pose into your breath and not your breath into the pose" and this got me thinking that I should fit life more into me than me into life, so I raise my half-caf coffee cup to the improved, but not new me.

A great idea from an 8 year old

Last night I called a family meeting to discuss the morning rush and the fact that my daughter whines the whole way to school when we are late and she came up with the rule, "No Ipad on school mornings" which impressed her father and I and made for a great walk to school this morning.