Sentence Per Picture + Balancing MT w/ Work!

I have a new baby update right now—> Weeks 23 & 24!

—————————————————————————————————

It was 75 degrees when I started my run (which is crazy hot for me) but luckily my sister was more than happy to take a million walk breaks along the way of our normal run loop.

It was Brooke’s last day of soccer camp with the head coach and players of the BYU women’s soccer team… Brooke received a ton of great instruction and she is excited to be on a team this fall (if Utah stays in the yellow or green phase).

IMG 7357

She somehow convinces me to always share my peaches with her.

IMG 7363

Next up:  A bike ride with the crew.

IMG 1930

We decided we needed to bike to go get breakfast for lunch and it was an excellent decision.

IMG 7371

Yep, we were in jackets because Utah is unpredictable and it was cold and rainy suddenly.

IMG 7372

I had the omelette and it HIT THE SPOT.

IMG 7369

And then we rode back!

IMG 1940

I took a nap and for dinner I had a sticky finger salad.

IMG 7380

Brooke made brownies… her current baking hobby is really nice:)

IMG 7382

The other day I got this question from Melly so I asked Andrew to answer and I’d love to hear what works for you guys!

Screen Shot 2020 07 20 at 11 55 55 AM

Hey Melly!

Those are really good questions!  So I’m trying to figure this out as well, but what I have found that works best for me is to really focus on the days that I have off.  Right now I am putting in 3 really solid workouts a week and I’m focusing on those.  The pandemic has me working mandatory overtime shifts so 3 days of exercise per week seems like all I can do.  I agree, getting in a workout after 12-13 hours of working is really hard.  If I am trying to get an extra run above the days I don’t work I have found that if I get up a little earlier and get in 20-30 minute small run/workout in before work, I am more awake and I don’t dread it like I would do after a shift.  Some weeks are WAY harder than others, but this is what works for me!

Now nutrition at work, that is something that is REALLY hard for me.  I swear the things that sound good to me at work are the greasy hamburgers and fries on the grill, but that doesn’t always feel so good afterwards.  What has worked best for me lately is really simple, lots of good snack foods.  I usually do a pb&j sandwich with our homemade jam (which I am obsessed with right now) then really easy snack foods like: Angies Kettle popcorn, yogurt, fruit, pretzels, string cheese, vegetables and dip, etc.  What are you doing?  I would like to hear what others are doing on this.

——————————————————————————————————–

Another reminder of a new baby update HERE and this below also really explains my life right now and how I relate with toddlers.

IMG 7331

——————————————————————————————————–

Have a sentence to describe your day so far?!

Are you a decisive eater or an indecisive eater?  Do you know what you want usually or does it take you a while to figure out what sounds good?

Those working right now—>. How do you manage marathon training with work/family?!  Does your workspace make it hard or easy to eat healthy?  PS who is back at work and who is still working from home?

Andrew’s question for any nurse practitioners out there reading, I know there are a few!  This December I am doing my applications for NP school.  I have loved my time in the ICU and I really like working in the hospital and I am leaning towards acute care nurse practitioner schools.  I am open to anything but I would like to hear from any nurse practitioners out there!!  Family Nurse Practitioner vs Acute Care?  Did you like the school you went to?  Any suggestions/tips for me?

You May Also Like

19 comments

Reply

SOTD: Is it really only Thursday?
I was so much more decisive about food when I was pregnant. There is something about those hormones dictating cravings and aversions that helped make those decisions fast. Now, I’ll get into food ruts that are easy & rarely have a true craving for a specific food or meal. Those peaches you’ve been eating look amazing, though, and I’m keeping tabs on the peach orchard picking schedules coming up!
I’m not marathon training, but I’m working out at home almost daily–it’s easy to be disciplined about it because I’m less cranky when I’ve worked out, but there are plenty of delays and interruptions with family home most of the time. Eating healthy is a challenge because my workdays (6-3) at home feel long & snacks are too easy to reach. PS: our county just announced the whole first semester of school will be online, so I’ll be remotely working and keeping kids (7th & 12th grade) on task starting 8/31.

Reply

I agree… this week has been moving in slow motion for me too! Haha that is so true, the hormones control SO much during pregnancy. I need to send you some of these peaches that we have because they are amazing. Do you have a place you pick them from the orchard… that sounds amazing. I’m wishing you luck big time in a few weeks. I hope it all goes so smoothly and I’m glad you are able to get in a workout most days with your current work schedule. Thanks for sharing Corey!

Reply

That’s impressive that you still biked over in the rain! Looks like it was worth it (good food).

Today is yogurt day here. I’m trying to make yogurt in my instant pot for the first time.

YES toddlers are crazy eaters. Plus their favorite word tends to be some variation of “no”. My almost-2-yr-old’s is currently “I dont wan to”. However I can relate to their interest in eating the same exact thing for weeks on end.

Training with work/family – I have found it’s important for me to have some sort of schedule ahead of time, of when I am able to run. In my pre-kid days, I once lived 8 miles away from my work & would run home about once a week. I can’t imagine having any type of irregular schedule – that would definitely make things even tougher!
I am working from home so that makes things a MILLION times easier on every level. I keep telling my boss I need to work from home forever. She laughs but I am serious!
My go-to work food is leftovers (I have gotten used to eating most foods cold), and things made with hot/boiling water like couscous or oatmeal. Sometimes those pre-packaged salad mixes too. And then healthy snacks, like the kinds Andrew mentions. I do love when I can meal prep for the week because then I don’t have to make decisions about what to eat… but that takes up valuable weekend-time!

Reply

Ahhh Katie let me know how yogurt day goes! I’ve been really wanting to try that too. Hahah sounds like Skye and your little one would get along great! I agree with you, schedules are key for working out with kids. I hope that you get to work from home for as long as possible! Leftovers are key! I hope you have a beautiful day Katie and thanks for sharing.

Reply

In case you check back on comments, the yogurt turned out great! It was definitely runnier than the greek-style yogurts that are so common now in stores, and so next time I might add a little bit of a thickener. Otherwise the Instant Pot is definitely the way to go for zero-effort homemade yogurt.

Reply

Thank you for letting me know! I can’t wait to try it and I will grab a thickener! Hope you are having a great day:)

Reply

My days = Groundhog Day. We started teleworking March 12 and won’t return this calendar year. Before this I teleworked a couple times a month. It’s a lot harder to avoid stress eating at home and I’ve put on pounds! But overall my schedule is far better bc I can workout before work and during lunch. It’s kind of hard to think about doing this for another 5 months- grocery shopping every two weeks and only outside trips to local botanical gardens (hiking/trail running) became too stressful bc too many people and many not wearing required masks). I haven’t seen anyone I know since March and I wonder when I will again! Your life looks like life on another planet for me.

Reply

Hey Coco! Wow, the rest of your year is already planned out to stay home?! I am SO glad that you are able to workout during lunch with your current schedule. Where do you live? I bet our world seems completely different… We definitely follow all of the rules that Utah has set but it is SO different from other places. I hope you have a beautiful day and that you do get to see your people soon again. Thinking about you!

Reply

I got my FNP through BYU. I am glad I did family because I have so many more options of places to work. If I get burned out in one area, I have other options and I’m not tied into one specialty. Also, BYUs program was great and insanely inexpensive compared to others. Good luck with applying! It’s such a process. Best wishes with whatever you decide. I can tell you’ll be a phenomenal NP!

Reply

Thanks so much for sharing Cori and that is awesome you went through BYU (such a hard program to get in)! We would love love love BYU (like you said, so inexpensive)… we will keep you updated. Thanks so much for the help and have a great day.

Reply

What bike attachment do you use for Skye?

Reply

Hey Maria! It is called Shotgun and it is a blast! Here is the link:

https://kidsrideshotgun.com/

Have a great day!

Reply

I went to BYU’s FNP program and it was amazing. It was so inexpensive and the quality is incredible. Classes are small and you have lots of personalized interaction with the professors who are all fun and amazing. I feel like as an FNP I can work most anywhere besides ICU so unless that’s really what you want to do, I think FNP is the way to go. I currently work in Instacare and love it! Best of luck with applications!

Reply

I used to be such an indecisive eater, and now I am super decisive.
During the indecisive phase, I would let my craving or felt like having dictate what I wanted, when I wasn’t really “having a taste” for anything……..it was like I was lost.
I guess now it is just the mental shift of my mind can make a sound decision regardless, I don’t care if I picked right, and sometimes with kids easy always wins over all. :)

I wish I had some NP advice for Andrew, but I heard the midwest schools are great! ;).

Reply

I am not a 12 hour shift worker, but I am a full time health care worker with 3 kids at home. Marathon training either happens early in the am or not at all. I cannot get motivated to go after work … I used to start exercising at 10 pm but I’m too tired for that anymore. I’d rather get up at 4 am and have a great start to the day than wait until later when the excuses pile up!

Reply

Hi Janae! I am still working from home, probably until the end of the year. I sure don’t miss my commute but sometimes I feel like work seeps into my life too much and it’s hard to set boundaries which leads to burnout. I’m sure that lots of people are feeling this way and I realized that you probably have a unique perspective on this since you’ve been working from home longer than most! So if you have any tips that would be amazing.
I am a super indecisive eater, and now that I have to meal plan in advance since I’m not going to the grocery store as often it is quite difficult!
Happy Thursday! One day closer to the weekend!

Reply

Andrew!
FNP here. Oh my goodness this is a loaded question. I worked in the NICU during my hospital nursing career and LOVED it. I got my FNP over ANP so I would have more flexibility because technically you can still work in a hospital with an FNP licence – ANP is not mandatory most of the time, at least in certain departments. However. That being said. It’s a LOT more time sitting as an FNP and a complete adjustment from action-all-the-time hospital (particularly intensive care) nursing. I’ve been an FNP for 6 years and I still struggle and may actually go back and get my ANP certificate. Sooooo…if you like the hospital and the skills and the action? I say ANP. Yes, limits your options a little but really – only a little and probably in places you would not want to work anyway. I love being an NP, I’m excited for you! Also I met you & Janelle briefly at CIM & you were both lovely (although I try not to think of that race too much because it was awful right??)! GOOD LUCK!!!

Reply

Hi Andrew. I’m a certified nurse midwife/women’s health NP. I think its awesome that you didn’t jump right into NP school after finishing your RN degree. I think its important to work as a nurse to get your feet wet and to also learn what your true interests are. People suggested to me doing FNP instead because of the greater flexibility, but I knew I wanted to work with women, so that is how I chose my path. If you know you like the ICU setting, then totally go for the acute care NP. There will always be ICUs!

Reply

FNP here! I love being an FNP…there are so many options out there and you can still specialize. The best part is in a lot of places you can be independent with your practice. In the hospital, you’re always under a doctor and you’ll lose some of the flexibility with acute. I think you should follow your gut but I’ve not yet regretted my decision with FNP 5 years in.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *