I feel like I’ve lived a thousand lives this week, probably because it started with this:
The best part was I saw that message at 10:15 when pick-up started, so clearly missed the first message. When I asked on the mom’s group text how long we had to get them, the only response was “ASAP.” So that was fun. Other than that, this week just kept getting better as the kids were dropping like flies with ear infections. First, KJ, and now KK woke up early saying his ear hurt. I looked at it using my otoscope, and while I’m not “trained,” I can see it’s pretty red. So, off to the doctor, we go today. I should probably start re-evaluating my expectations for what I can get done in a week because most weeks, I plan twice as much as what I’m able to do. I guess it’s good to have goals haha.
I’ve got a lot of random things to share with you today, but it’s too random to create a title. Every week, I think I have nothing to put on my Friday Favorites, and then every week, the post is longer than the last week. So, lots to share. Let’s get to it!
But first, if you haven’t seen my three cheese twice baked butternut squash recipe come through your inbox, definitely go check it out!
On the gram this week:
Are we friends on the gram (@hungryhobbyRD)? Facebook (@hungryhobby)? Tik tok (@hungryhobby)? Youtube (@hungryhobby)? I’ve been posting A LOT of health – hormone, weight loss, gut health tips there! All the quick tips I wish I had time to make blog posts on! Most of the videos make it to all three platforms, but I’m most active on IG with stories, etc.
- The reason your period is late again
- 5 foods to support common health conditions
- A nut for your thyroid
Favorites
Otoscope
I don’t think I ever shared this otoscope because I bought it in September when I was still trying to get my life back together from moving. It works really well and comes with a guide. Since the boys can tell me when their ears hurt I don’t need it as much for them, I use it mostly on baby girl to check for unexplained fussiness. I never had one before and I’m kicking myself for waiting so long to get one. I think I could have saved a lot of money on co-pays when KK was a fussy baby/toddler carting him in to see if he had an ear infection.
Amazon Wins This Week
I’m just gonna do this in list format because, well, I bought a lot of Amazon this week, haha. I don’t know how people lived with kids before Amazon, but I’m glad I get to parent-post Amazon.
- Had to restock my favorite dryer sheets. I love these, and they have a much better EWG rating than most.
- Got a new back pillow for my car, this one is a little less stiff than the one I had but still gives support.
- Finally, put our favorite electrolyte packets on autoship.
- Got this cheap keyboard for use at my standing desk, it’s compact so more resembles my macbook pro than anything else I saw.
- Re-ordered the same make up setting spray I’ve been using for over a decade. At least it lasts six months at a time.
- I wish I was exaggerating when I said that I ordered these chocolate Larabars, these mini Larabars, and this two pack Larabars so the kids will hopefully stay the F away from my expensive, perfect bars haha
- Speaking of snacks, we lost our toddler-proof snack cup and ordered two more. While the boys rarely ate in the car, baby girl spends half her life in the car toating her brothers around. And I need to be sane while driving, so….. car snacks.
- Mosquito stickers – the kids LOVE these mosquito stickers. The bracelets they always pulled off but these were a hit, the only downside is they aren’t really reusable like the bracelets.
Whiteboard Mornings
Every morning while I’m working KK is always the first to wake up, he’s been asking to color on the whiteboard while I finish working.
Speaking of KK, he had his own school event this week: a Thanksgiving feast! It was fun to have that little bit of time with JUST him. I often feel like I know his older brother so much more than him. Mr.Hungry thinks that’s simply because KJ is older, but while KK sometimes wants me, he has never needed me as much. Most days, he runs into school and barely looks back. In fact, most of his life he’s been running head first into whatever and barely looking back, he takes after me in that way. So, I made it a point to leave baby girl at home with the nanny and spend some one-on-one time with him at his big boy school event. We had a blast and it was fun to see him becoming a big kid at school.
Old Navy Christmas Wins
I love Old Navy for holiday dress-up outfits! I hate how fast they sell out of the cut stuff, though. But, I found matching shirts for the boys, but KK’s in toddler has a bow tie, and KJ’s in boys has a tie. So cute!
I also got a baby girl this adorable velvet jumper in black because they already sold out of red, and this classy white bow tie cardigan.
Fort Worth Zoo
We love the Fort Worth Zoo! They had an event called pumpkin and pancakes last weekend, we didn’t sign up for pancakes but seeing all the animals with the pumpkins was cool!
We had fun eating in and out of the car afterward with KJ while the littles napped. SOOOOOO good.
Endometriosis – Root Cause Medicine Podcast
I shared this on Instagram, but I went looking for some more endometriosis information for a client who was recently diagnosed and scheduled for surgery and found this. Honestly, I thought I knew a decent amount about Endo, but there were some awesome nuggets of info in this podcast. After listening to this podcast, I’ll be asking more questions to clients who I suspect endo and encouraging follow-ups, specialists, etc. It can take so long to get a diagnosis, and really, a lot of that is due to practitioners ignoring the pain women are in. Not because women can’t be diagnosed. And worse still, there is a significant gap in the research where endo is concerned (that I already knew.) Likely because it’s often detected so late, so most research focuses on surgery.
Endometriosis is typically associated with estrogen dominance and has also been associated with increased risk for breast cancer, so by earlier diagnosis, could we help support estrogen detox and lower risk? These are the things I think about now that I have a daughter who carries a risk for endometriosis through Mr. Hungry’s side. Typically, breast cancer and hormone-related conditions follow the mother’s side, but it’s like 75% mother/25% father, so the risk is still there. Anyway, the podcast was great. Definitely give it a listen if you or someone you know has endo OR suffers from years of painful periods, excessive bleeding, back pain during periods or in between, GI problems, fatigue, and/or painful intercourse.
Del Friscos – 11th Anniversary
So we are lame and took zero photos of us on our anniversary! We kind of ran out of the house and then, at dinner, totally forgot to ask the waiter. We went to Del Frisco’s, which was, of course, divine! We have this little tradition of going shopping on our anniversary, and that’s our “presents to each other.” But unfortunately, all the shops around the area closed at 8 PM. I still managed to get one outfit from Lulu, though!
Cinnamon Roll Waffles
If you haven’t taken a pack of Annie’s cinnamon rolls and put them in your waffle iron, you are missing out. Ever since I saw these on (@littlebitsofrealfood) Instagram, we’ve been making these on the weekend on repeat. KK asks for “frosting waffles” haha
Tuscan Shrimp
I made Tuscan Shrimp this week, and it was just okay. I find those cream sauce recipes always seem like they are gonna be so good but then lack flavor. That’s how I feel about homemade scampi too. It needed some sort of lemon or more salt or something! If you’ve got a good recipe send it my way! ha ha
Slow Cooker Sesame Chicken
I also made my slow cooker sesame chicken this week. This recipe is one I keep falling back on. I almost always have the ingredients for the sauce (coconut aminos/soy sauce, ketchup, garlic, cornstarch, vinegar, water), so it’s easy!
Goes really well with frozen brown rice and frozen cauliflower rice, which take about 2.5 seconds to cook!
Fitness
I’m happy to report my back is feeling much better. I went to see my new chiropractor in Dallas, and he did some needling, cupping, and stability work to get that last 10-15% of soreness/pain gone. Now I’m able to lift, but for now avoiding all heavy flexion, especially abs. I started thinking about how strong I was around 18 months postpartum with KJ and man; comparison is the thief of joy, isn’t it? I don’t know why I expected to be in the same place after three babies as I was after one. That’s ridiculous, and yet I still thought that. But something valuable came out of my thoughts of comparison, I remember how hard I worked on planks post partum with KJ. At one point, I could do almost a six-minute plank. My chiropractor agreed that despite doing so much deep core work postpartum, muscular endurance is likely the problem right now. I can’t maintain stability for long periods, so everything falls apart in more challenging core movements. So, I’m literally starting with 10 seconds on/10 seconds off for two minutes of planks. I’ll slowly increase that every few days to a week, and hopefully, within a few months, I’ll have that 5-minute plank again and some muscular endurance.
Anyway, I’ve been lifting and doing a ton of glute work. I prefer to work out at the gym. I like the atmosphere and having any equipment I want, plus the option to go to the sauna afterward if I have time. I have zero desire to run; maybe that will come back, but for now, I’m not forcing it.
I’ve followed Juli from Paleomg for a long time and decided to purchase one of her many fitness programs and the days look like this:
- Lower
- Upper
- HIIT
- Rest
- Lower
- Upper
- Rest
My chiro agreed that the program is a solid progressive program, but I will have to avoid some of the core finishers, etc, for now. And there is some powerlifting, which I will also avoid in the next couple of weeks. After that, once I get clearance from my chiro, I’ll likely do a one-off session with the alpha trainer at Lifetime to review the form. I’ll never be a heavy powerlifter, but the one thing I remember from when I was doing some powerlifting incorporated into my workouts a long time ago was that my abs looked the best they ever had.
Friday Flashback
- Thanksgiving Appetizers
- Thanksgiving Side Dishes
- Thanksgiving Desserts
- Thanksgiving Leftover Recipes
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