Guess what the temperature is in Beijing?<\/em> and with Tom somewhere in the background telling me he’s hungry and he needs help with his homework. \u00a0As you might imagine, it’s not when I get my best work done. \u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\nI wouldn’t change that time with my sons for anything, though. \u00a0It’s the most wonderful time, and I’m grateful for all of it, even the annoying moments. \u00a0But it comes instead of “me” time. \u00a0I’m not good at “me” time.<\/p>\n
Yesterday was a classic “no me time” day. Adam was home sick and completely bored with all of his toys by 7:00 a.m. When I served the kids breakfast I noticed something on the kitchen table. \u00a0As I got closer, I realized it was bird poop. \u00a0We do not have a pet bird. \u00a0The big window in our living room was open… \u00a0<\/p>\n
And the bird didn’t just leave a few plops on the table. \u00a0The poop was also in a bunch of places on the floor. \u00a0Fortunately, Mike was home so I called him in to \u00a0help with the clean-up. \u00a0<\/p>\n
On some level, the presence of a bird in the house that was not caught<\/em> must have upset the cats. (Mortified them, no doubt! \u00a0What kind of cat misses a live pigeon on the kitchen table?). \u00a0As I cleaned the bird poop off the floor, I looked at the dog’s bed and noticed a wet spot. \u00a0“It’s not cat pee, right?” I said to Mike. \u00a0<\/p>\n“No,” he said. \u00a0“It’s probably just dog drool.”<\/p>\n
An hour later as I was busy cleaning up the mess from the salt dough Adam and I had made (flour, salt, and traces of blue and green food coloring were everywhere), I noticed the wet spot on the dog’s bed was still there.<\/p>\n
“It’s totally cat pee,” I said. \u00a0Then I did the paper towel test (PTT), which means putting a paper towel into the wet spot and seeing if the paper towel turns yellow. \u00a0It did. I scrubbed the dog’s bed with a vinegar and water solution and then put it in the sun to dry. \u00a0Shortly thereafter I noticed another wet spot beside a plastic bag holding one of Adam’s dirty diapers. \u00a0I did another PTT. \u00a0Yellow again. \u00a0I washed the floor.<\/p>\n
Somehow in between the cleaning and the games and the laundry and feeding the kids, and everything else, I managed to edit an essay and write a quick blog post yesterday. \u00a0Somehow I’m managing to do the same thing today. \u00a0Somehow I managed to stick to my diet and keep diabetes in check. \u00a0<\/p>\n
I’m complaining, but I’m not really. \u00a0I love the reasons I’m busy. \u00a0I love ASweetLife. \u00a0I like some of my freelance projects. \u00a0I adore my wretched pets. \u00a0(But not uninvited birds!) \u00a0<\/p>\n
The time I spend with my sons is the best blessing. I love it. \u00a0I just wish I could push myself a little harder to make the time I need to exercise. \u00a0I know how important it is. \u00a0I know it would improve my blood glucose. \u00a0<\/p>\n
I think I’ll close day three’s post with a question: Shouldn’t cleaning cat pee count as cardio?<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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<\/a>My excuse is that I’m busy. \u00a0It’s a good excuse. \u00a0Between mothering and working, I don’t find time for me. \u00a0I do strength training workouts twice a week. \u00a0Last week I did three! \u00a0But it’s rare that I do cardio. \u00a0I know I need to do it. \u00a0I know that it makes a huge difference in my blood glucose numbers. \u00a0But the fact of the matter is that most days I sit down in front of the computer to start working as soon as my kids go to school, and I don’t really get up until it’s time for them to come home. \u00a0I spend the afternoons with them, either playing or taking them to their different activities. \u00a0If I don’t spend the morning hours working, the work won’t get done. \u00a0<\/p>\n