Life Lately

With school back in session, we are slowly but surely getting our groove together.  Finding time to fit in my quiet time (faith), running and training (fitness), family fun and homeschool during out day is the biggest juggling act.  Some days I rock at my daily to do list other days I want to call it a day.

Life lately is busy and always a juggling act to find balance and time to fit everything in.  This is my busy.  My life lately is full of distractions and items to check off the never-ending to-do-list. Life.

The biggest news in our home lately is that my husband got a new job.  We will be relocating back to the Midwest over the next 6 months.  We are not sure of the exact departure date from California as a lot of things need to happen here before we move there.

We will be living in the Kansas City area.  We are currently house hunting (online) and are hoping to purchase when we move.  We are very excited about this new adventure.  I will be closer to my family (only a 3 hour drive versus an 8 hour flight).

My oldest decided to write up and share his must-have list of things he wants in his next home.  Although he states Missouri… Kansas could easily be an option.  We are looking for something within a 30 minute commute from the downtown Kansas City (MO) area.

When we aren’t dreaming, planning, and researching information about our new area, the boys are growing.  Seriously, these boys are growing and eating constantly!    Our family loves Harvest Snaps and the boys were crazy excited to receive a box full of 6 bags to sample, eat, and enjoy.

My personal favorite is the black pepper and lightly salted.  The boys have no preference and love all the flavors and can eat a whole bag in one snack (sitting)… which is not the daily recommended snack size. Again, they love these snacks and I believe they must be growing because of their never-ending appetites.

I am juggling trying to find time for me.  My me time is usually a good solid run.  Between school, errands, chores, and life… my fitness routine has taken a back seat.  This has also made mama pretty cranky at times.  Just being honest. Mommy needs to run.

I was sent these cool new shoes by Swiss performance shoe company On to run in and review.  I have run in them the past week for my treadmill runs (the only runs I have been able to sneak in lately).

I will share that when I first walked in them, I felt like I was walking in baseball cleats.  It took some getting used to.  However when running, I didn’t notice the CloudTec® sole.  I have run (and walked) over 15 miles in these shoes and plan on putting them in my rotation for my treadmill running shoes.

This new shoe technology was developed by co-founder and three-times World Duathlon Champion and multiple Ironman Winner, Olivier Bernhard.  On has “hacked” the traditional running shoe by combining the comfort of a soft training shoe with the speed of a hard and fast racing shoe and the unique lift found with the On CloudTec® sole.

The secret lies in the shoes ‘clouds’ (the hollow pods on the sole of the shoe that stretch back on impact to cushion the landing and then lock in place for push off.)  The company has scientific research by Swizerland’s Federal Institute of Technology and independent studies to demonstrate that On shoes reduce athlete’s heart rates and blood lactate levels.

This fact interested me the most!  While I can’t say that I personally found a lower heart rate and lower blood lactate level while running (the treadmill) in my On Cloud Runner shoes, I can say that running was surprisingly comfortable.

Another life lately activity is getting back in the groove of homeschooling.  The great thing (my children might disagree) about homeschooling is that we can take our lessons on the go.  The boys had follow-up dentist appointments this week and we took our lessons on the road.

While the oldest got his teeth cleaned, the two younger boys and I hung out in the play room and worked on our lessons.  This was very short lived as concentration and learning around fun toys is not the best learning environment.

When the T-man went in to get his sugar buggies removed (bad parenting – poor brushing) he was skittish and I ended up snuggling him while the doctor worked on him.  We were very still and watched Frozen as she did her magic.

I know it is very unorthodox and probably not the safest technique, but it was the only way that she was going to get him in the chair that morning.  Mama was soft, safe, and comfortable.  He was a rock star and was super still.  He didn’t need any numbing medicine as she got those sugar buggies!

After a busy week of fitting in life… sometimes succeeding and often failing… we all were looking forward to our family tradition of Friday night pizza night.  I decided to spice up our typical adult pizza and let the boys create and make their own pizza.  They each got their own Mini Murph pizza from Papa Murphy’s to make.

They either loved their pizza and/or were starving as they each finished their whole mini pizza by themselves!  Again, I think they are growing as their appetites are crazy big lately!  Always eating!  Now if only we can get them to sleep longer… that would be great!

The weekend is here and I am hoping to escape tomorrow morning for a solo 7 mile run.  The Rock N Roll San Jose half marathon is quickly approaching and I have spent little time putting the miles on my feet… running.  I would love to run with you, do a selfie and or meet up with you!!

Rock N Roll San Jose half-marathon discount code
RunWithRachel
$25 off registration

How do you balance your priorities when life gets busy?
Do you have any pointers for great places to raise a family in the KC area?
Do you have a family favorite pizza restaurant (or style pizza)?

I received the box of Harvest Snaps and On Running shoes for sole purpose to review.  No monetary compensation was received.  All opinions are my own.