Getting the Laundry Done

                                                (Wyatt, Gavin, and Westin doing laundry)

Getting the laundry done….

Sometimes it feels there isn’t enough hours in the day to get everything done I want to, much less get done the things which NEED to be done.  There is a reason I’m able to train as much as I do, work, and still have a family life with Lee and our boys.  The reason is our house functions as a team.  We are definitely TEAM ANDRES.  It’s all our boys have known since they were little.  They have learned at a very young to do laundry, dishes, cook, etc.  

They all have jobs and they rotate themselves through them.  Their job isn’t tied to allowance and they don’t get paid for any of them.  Yes, some may say we are mean parents, but Lee and I believe we are all a family and we all take care of each other and our home.  The boys have known it is my dream to race in Kona just like I know they have big hockey dreams.  We support each other.  For me, as their mom, I want them to leave home with the knowledge of knowing how to cook dinner, wash their own laundry, and take care of themselves.  At an early age they learned time management and basic skills of solving problems. 

So each week to 10 days they change jobs.  The jobs are: dishes, laundry, house pick-up, garbage and sweeping, and bathrooms.  They are all responsible for making their beds each morning and the person on house pick up checks before they leave for school.  If someone’s room is a pit they owe a dollar to the vacation fund.  The boys decided that laundry is the most work.  So, if it’s your week for laundry you get the front seat.  We never have to fight over shotgun at our house.  In the mornings the deal is when your job is done, and if you’re ready and waiting, then help someone else out.  The boys are usually on their own in the mornings before school.  Lee leaves early for work and I’m at the Y or yoga.  They set their own alarms, get themselves up, and cook their own breakfast.  The exception is holidays and birthdays.  You get anything you want for breakfast and I make sure I’m home to make it for them.  

To wrap it up…the laundry gets done because there are 7 people helping.  I’m not alone doing all the cooking and cleaning and everything else.  We are TEAM ANDRES…we get stuff done. Are there times when laundry gets shoved under their beds and instead of a folded pile of clothes there is just a pile of clothes? YES.  Are there mornings when I walk through the door and there is a mysterious broken glass in the garbage? YES.  The boys are by no means perfect or always do their jobs.  When they were little I would often think…man I could have made that bed and put their clothes away in half the time it took them and it would be so much neater.  But now, I’m so glad I let them figure it out because they usually do a good job and have learned how to do things for themselves. For me, it’s not about the bed being made perfect or the laundry folded perfect.  It’s about them knowing how to do those things and doing them without being asked or told. 

Training…going great!  I dropped my Thursday Tri-Fit class at the YMCA and some yoga sessions to make room for more quality run and bike sessions.  When summer hits and I have more time I hope to add back a few of my yoga sessions.  I still get in 3-4 classes a week of yoga.  My first race was going to be the Nisswa Half marathon (Run for the Lakes), but I think I may run the weekend before at the St. Cloud Earth Day half marathon to guage my run fitness.  One of my boys, Riley, is running the Nisswa half marathon and I want to run the race with him instead since it’s his first half marathon.   

Green Smoothie concoction….I have this new drink I’ve started drinking most mornings.  It doesn’t taste too good, but it’s filled with pure goodness so I drink it.  It has aloe, spirulina, a greens powder from Isagenix, ionix supreme from Isagenix, and then some frozen pineapple to help with the taste and a little water.  It is SO green!  My boys think I’m crazy for drinking except Gavin who is into healthy food.  I did order another product called Noni juice.  Hopefully the food coop with start carrying it soon.

Bike seats…two in the mail…we’ll see.

Some new favorites…
Coconut oil – I think I’m getting addicted to the stuff.
Making hard boiled eggs in the oven - so easy to do and the eggs peel easier and are softer.
Salad Girl dressing – I tried some new flavors and the Crisp Apple Maple is delicious!

Kona swim camp is only three weeks away and I’m getting excited!  I think I’m more excited to get my bike out on the course as I am swimming in the ocean.  I’m going to use Bike Flight and Fed Ex my bike from Trailblazers to Bike Works in Kona instead of flying with my bike.  Hopefully it works out and I can follow the same plan in May and then again in October.

I still have over 8 months to go and I’m glad I do because I still have a lot of training I need to get done.  I’m still working on a strong base (foundation) so I can stack all the hours and miles this summer on top of it without getting injured.  Also, I’m doing what I need to do to avoid burn out.  I tell myself my Kona training doesn’t even start until middle of June.  For now I tell myself I’m training for a half marathon and then I will train for a half ironman.  Then I’ll have a break to reset my brain and my body before I start the KONA training.  

Be patient with training…the speed and endurance will come…respect the distance…respect your time and your family’s time...it is only MARCH. These are the words I need to keep reminding myself and telling myself.  

Happy training!