BriGeeski Happy Monday! I hope all you mommas enjoyed your Mother’s Day this weekend. We sure did and also had the little guy’s third birthday party. Our weekend was full and I am filled up with love from all of my family! This morning was a little rough getting the kiddos off to school so I decided to switch up my morning by checking out the new Sprouts that just opened up in Mira Mesa. It is a beautiful store and has all of the essentials plus a juice bar, cafe area and fresh sandwich bar. After I got home, I sat down and did my meal prep for the week.
I typically meal prep on Sunday but this was Mother’s Day weekend and I was not about to do anything but relax. We enjoyed a very nice morning at the Bernardo Winery with the family. They have a craft fair every year that we roamed around while sipping champagne. The kiddos got some shave ice and played before heading home. I went with my mom and grandma for a peaceful lunch at the Brigantine in Poway. Then my mom and I headed off to get massages. They ended up being very intense massages but I actually feel pretty good today. Then we stopped by the pool to put our feet up before heading home.
Today, I needed to start my week off with some structure. We have been really busy at home and nothing makes me feel more ready for the week then meal prepping. I’m trying out the Mommy-Do planner to see how I like it. It has pages for weekly meal prep, reflections, gratitude, development / lifeskill activities and encourages you to get social and get outside. It also has great quotes like “There is no way to be a perfect mother… but a million ways to be a good one” – Jill Churchill. I love these encouraging words and the well laid out design of this book. I have a single sheet meal plan printable available for free download if you’re looking to get started with meal planning.
This week we are going out to a couple meals so those are easy to schedule in. Then I just start with what I have left in the fridge from last week to start creating new meal ideas for the coming week. I go grocery shopping to determine what is on sale and what would go best with the items I already have. Then I jot it down so I don’t have to think about what I am going to make during the week.
I recently attended the Mom 2.0 conference and it really got me thinking about my goals as a mom and a blogger. Doing these little things like meal planning really help me feel like I’m more prepared as a mom. The entire conference gave me the feeling that I am a great mom doing the best I can and that I am exactly where I need to be in life. They had the most inspirational (and awesome) speakers like Brene Brown and Kristen Bell. These women spoke from the heart, where super funny and refreshingly real. I loved hearing from them and the messages they gave about vulnerability and courage.
I loved hearing their stories and it made me think about what kind of stories I want to be sharing on my blog. I love being a mom. It is my greatest gift in the world. It can also be really challenging, raw and rough. I know there will be some overlap on what I share about motherhood, family, life and food and that is what I want to bring together moving forward. I want my family to do the things they love and I want to share those adventures with you. I want to create meals that our family will share together then we will share our findings with you. My dream is for everyone to follow their hearts and pursue their passions so they will be kind to others and enjoy life. I also think people really need to remember to do self care. Anytime I am feeling off it is because I have not made enough time for myself.
Before I went to the Mom 2.0 Summit I got my hair done at Plaza Hair Salon in Rancho Bernardo thanks to the very lovely owner, Mai. It always takes me a minute to feel like it is okay to go get my hair done. That seems strange but it usually takes 3-4 hours to get highlights and a trim. For some reason I feel guilty about taking this time away from my family or work time. It really is essential to take time out for myself though and this is one of those things that feels like it is just for me AND makes me feel good each day after. My other favorite self care activities are watching General Hospital, painting my nails and eating well. Sometimes it takes courage to stand up for yourself and your own needs. I choose courage in motherhood, business and life. xo – Bri
