When my knees start to hurt on my runs, that’s my sign I need new running sneakers.
When the waist band of my jeans starts to feel a little snug, that’s my sign that I’ve been a bit too heavy handed with the nut butters.
And when my house is a mess, that’s my sign that we’ve been really busy.
[Notice there is no picture of my disaster of a house here? Yeah, the lack of photography was no accident.]
When I find myself shuffling my way through a gigantic pile of shoes in the dark at 5:30 AM in order to reach the light switch as to not come crashing down and a size 1 boot straight to the kisser, that’s the sign that I need to take a day off from exercise and focus on being NEAT instead.
I put on my favorite pair of inside sneakers and spent my usual running time this morning catching up around here instead. I got to thinking that if I didn’t work out in the mornings, I could have a perfectly spotless house. A little more thought and I came realize that if I didn’t care about packing our lunches or making meals at home I could have a perfectly tidy kitchen. Further, if I didn’t have friends or family or cats or kids or a stack of overdue library books, then my house would be as clean as I imagine everyone else’s house is.
I took that as my sign to stop feeling sorry for my mountain of laundry and it was time to take breakfast break. Today’s bowl of oatmeal goodness also happen to be a sign of what’s on tap for today.
Gingerbread Overnight Oats
1/3 c rolled oats
1/3 c hemp seeds
1/4 c ground flax
1 very small drizzle of blackstrap molasses
1/2 smashed banana
1 Tbsp almond butter
cinnamon, nutmeg and ground ginger to taste
Man I’m on an overnight oats roll lately. I’m sticking with what works YO. And can I say that I have never been a fan of blackstrap molasses – but either my taste buds have changed or I just needed the right combination of spices to get it to work. The molasses, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger totally made these oats taste like gingerbread! How festive.
I’m now drinking my second cup of half-calf coffee which I’m fairly sure equals one fully caffeinated cup. I’ve always been good at math like that.
I think drinking coffee at a desk filled with paper and cords and clutter is my sign to stop thinking “If this, THEN xyz“, xyz being some variation of how things could be better. Once X happens, then life will be good. Once I _____ , then I will be happy.
Forget it. Be here now. Be happy now. I’ve just got to do the best that I can and let it be enough.
I think this post a sign that I think too much when I clean.
Can I have a sip of our half calf? I have had two eas(ier) nights and two long night’s sleep and I am DRAGGING
Man I need to charge my batteries.
I am sipping tea from my FAB banged up box of Sugar Cookie Sleigh Ride!
I need a jolt…but it’s living off the jolt that got me here!
I think taking a morning off running to deal with the laundry is perfect….I think you burn TONS of calories doing house work!
and if you IMAGINE everyone else’s house being clean all the time…Can you imagine mine being clean too?
Thanks so much!
btw…GINGERBREAD OATS sounds AMAZING…I ate a pancake version of that for breakfast yesterday.
have a great day
Ahhhhh, Just like the apostle Paul says, “I am content in all circumstances…”
I’ve had these thought attacks before too. I agree- gotta do what keeps you happy & healthy- they’re what really matter! Life can be SUCH a balancing act. Have fun today with your cute kiddos
What shoes have you been running in?
http://katiechangesforkatie.blogspot.com/
Usually Asiscs but I’m in New Balances right now that I bought after Thanksgiving. My Asics from the spring were definitely shot!
Yikes! I’m so glad I’m not alone with this thought pattern…it makes me a little crazy-nah, a LOT crazy!
Oh yum…blackstrap molasses in overnight oats? Sign me up!
The song Don’t Worry Be Happy kept running through my head as I read this post. Sometimes I too want a magazine-perfect clean house. Then I think, if my house were that clean, where would we live?
HAHAHAHA this is the mental ping pong i play with myself ALL. THE. TIME. glad you got some cleaning, thinking and blogging time in all at once
The Gingerbread Overnight Oats look awesome and the cin/ging/molasses/nutmeg rock. But yeah, a little dab will do ya with molases. My bottle has a huge pour spout so it’s like flood city. I think i need to suction it out with an eye dropper or something
i’ve gotta get some molasses!!! why does everyone say “black strap” first? (is there another kind?)
Yes, there are other kinds. There is just plain old molasses – and then there is black strap molasses which has a higher iron content if I understand it correctly.
If that desk is cluttered, then I am in big trouble LOL!
I actually have grown to really like molasses, and to appreciate gingerbread more as I have gotten older.
My house would be clean if I didn’t work out in the mornings, too. But that’s what husbands are for 😉
Be here now. Amen, amen. That’s what’s on the charms hanging around my neck. A daily reminder that this is my life now and I need to be living it… not wishing it were different.
Your work has always been a great source of inspiration for me. I refer you blog to many of my friends as well.