-5:30am weighted walk to SM Blue Bottle with Eric before taking Juniper to SM Caltrain for an FP adventure to Sacramento where she’s staying at the youth hostel tonight – much different experience than our last trip for the Polar Express, Underground Tour and Paul’s first and only short trip away from home to stay in an Airbnb above the coffee shop that we all remember. I have a vivid recollection that this was during our Lemony Snickett “Series of Unfortunate Events” binge and the kids were jumping and singing “Look away…loooook away” on the pull out couch bed.

(Interrupted by Eric telling me how much we did today…A LOT of small things but overall adding up to some significant gains—-woohoo my theme for the year is working!)

-Got breakfast early due to my antibiotic before a long wandering ramble through Sports Basement. The initial goal was to recycle old sneakers and buy JetBoil fuel but we definitely spent a good long while just enjoying browsing all the cool stuff we probably don’t really need anyways.

-Discussed and started making small moves in the kitchen with regard to shelf placement…leading to the later minimizing and rearranging of many a mason jar and dish that needed consolidating anyways.

-Packed a lunch of homemade bread pb&j’s and trail mix and drove over to the Bay for a drive up picnic with a view before heading to Home Depot for a star screwdriver set to put the back of the car trunk back together.

-Took Jasper and Nikolas to Celia’s for dinner, nice to hang out and see them just goofing off and being themselves, happy and smiling.

-Eric shredded some stuff while I messed with more mason jars.

-Jasper opted to read his book leaving Eric and I to actually watch a real TV show, starting the 3 Body Problem on Netflix (the book series Eric recently listened to on audiobook that all I remember is how they send a brain floating into space for some reason).

-Must think upon this open shelving that I had finally thought I was ok with. I thought aligning the shelves and just keeping the stuff in really wanted would be the deciding factor, but now Eric has me question again…time to learn how to make drawings again on my MacbookAir? Find a place to CNC some cabinet doors for me?

MINDFULNESS:

With all the news and coverage about the huge fires still burning and consuming homes in Los Angeles the last few days-

-Hoping tomorrow I’ll be closer to being back to normal. Still 3 more days of antibiotics to go. Not sure what’s causing this neck and sinus headache but it’s been really awful and making me very unproductive.

-Got in my 3 mile weighted walk to Coyote Point today with some jumps up onto the concrete – 10 is hard! A few kettlebell rows and overhead raise standing leg lifts.

-Going to bed an hour late, but planning on our 5:30am weighted walk to coffee with Eric.

-Just remembered I need to inject myself with Repatha in the morning too.

Things I listened to today as there wasn’t much else very noteworthy about today. I did clean out a few things from the kitchen, took off the door magnets on most shelves, and decided I need more shelves to organize things better. Would like to try and align shelves horizontally across in a line.

MINDFULNESS:

Recommendation to try meditating with The Way app with Henry Shukman.

-Feeling pretty miserable today due to side effects of UTI antibiotic (macrobid)…skin sensitivity, aches and pains like the flu, fatigue (2nd day I’ve pretty much napped from 11-1ish) and then able to be kind of productive in the afternoon. Will make note to bring it up to dr the symptoms and possible rapid heart rate when on this medicine. I can’t remember if I had these symptoms in the past when taking this medicine. Last March 2024 when this happened I found somewhere I was prescribed Cephalexin.

-LA fires are raging on. Was able to check on Manish and Emily (Sierra Madre), John and Mandi (Alhambra), and Madeleine (Highland Park). All are ok, and the fire passed just behind Manish and Emily’s house it appears about 4 blocks away. Everyone knows someone though that hasn’t everything. A good reminder that the most important things in life are the immaterial, family, friendships. There’s a prompt in this for our family, if something were to happen and you would need to leave all your belongings behind, what 10 things would you grab or are most important?

-Walked a long walk by the Bay this morning in anticipation of feeling pretty crummy. It’s been awhile since I walked over there. I’m plotting the 3 mile run I’m going to do soon.

-Earlier than usual breakfast because I have to take my antibiotic with food…still aiming to get at least 30g protein per meal. 25g protein shake, 12 g in 2 eggs, 1.3g medium banana, 5g with 1tsp hemp seeds. Yesterday’s loaf with flax seed cut evenly with new bread slicer holder thanks to Jasper!

GRATITUDE:

Grateful for a warm bed and roof over my head today especially as so many have lost that in the last day with the ongoing LA fires. Also feeling secure that if indeed our apartment was lost, the most important things to keep secure are my family, a few precious mementos, and our chuck box!

MINDFULNESS:

Started intentionally my morning walk listening to Baba Hanuman. I remember in prenatal yoga teacher Michelle would often play this at the end of class and it would always bring up emotion and a sense of calm during the almost 14 minutes of meditation. It was nice not to just delve right into a podcast or another book and take in the walking and view to start.

-UTI starting since last night/late afternoon. Was able to call and get antibiotics this morning (after stealing some of Jasper’s leftover pneumonia amoxicillin to get through the night). Feeling better 75% but so slow and meh. Not quite the way I was hoping the first day of everyone back to work and school but it is what it is.

-Slept during the day, went on some walks so I can at least get my 11k today, missed my 7 minute workout, glad I had already made chicken salad yesterday for easy meal today.

-Looking forward to our first official family dinner night tonight – spaghetti bolognese and Mario Kart for dessert perhaps?

GRATITUDE:

Ability to make up some sleep hours during the day while everyone was gone to school and work.

MINDFULNESS:

The grass in the backyard is glorious and so soft!

-“Focus on what you have to gain rather than what you have to lose…” Starting off the year finally listening to Dr. Gabrielle Lyon’s book Forever Strong and I found this quote very pertinent not just relating to muscle gain/fat loss but also to mindset in general. She also reminded me of Carol Dweck’s growth mindset philosophy – something that I was probably first introduced to at one of the kids’ preschools. Not sure why this was never a part of my childhood understanding of life outlook – anyhow, perhaps it’s time to revisit some of that work since I do feel positive outlook, taking control of emotional stress in one’s life, and growth mindset is a skill that continually needs active working on and has personally made a big impact in me/my attitude towards a lot of things most especially since the closing of TheShopFWP days.

-Jasper and Juniper are back to school tomorrow. Heading to bed because I obviously was more tired than I expected today.

-Made some very good sandwich bread in the bread machine today. Recipe was for #3 sweet bread, omitted the raisins and added flax seed (3 or 4 scoops) instead. Everyone approved and so will be making another loaf for the morning. Inspired to find some better bread flour to increase macro nutrient content + avoid GMO sprayed with pesticides wheat…Started pondering an upgrade for a Japanese bread knives (hinted to kids/Eric it is my birthday soon) & Jasper is 3D printing a bread slicing guide so we can try to have more even slices…trial in the morning!

-Morning walk of 3 miles with 10# weighted vest, did 7 minute workout with Eric, and started the day with some much needed yoga to wake up the body…was super tired around 2 and ended up taking a longer than 15 min nap.

-Family bike ride for the last day of Xmas vacation with Eric…kids don’t go back till Tuesday. 10.32 miles! Not bad for our first bike ride of the year. I guess the kids in actuality ditched us at Coyote Point and headed home while Eric and I got some sunshine and coffee at Equator. It was the first blue sky we’ve had in a long while.

GRATITUDE:

Being very aware today that my kids are capable of being home alone, and/or bike home from a couple miles away all on their own which in turn is allowing me a little more free space to think on other aspects of the day to day.

MINDFUL MOMENT:

Truly terrifying murder of crows that took over this one block on our morning walk.

-A real Saturday morning weighted vest walk but a few many hours later than the usual 5:30am. Stayed up too late waiting for mom & dad to confirm they got on their plane to the Philippines…at least they did make it, and it appears they’ve arrived safely.

-A rather lazy rest of the day spent watching movies, playing video games, lounging on the couch next to the giant stack of laundry that still needs folding.

-Did 5 pull-ups with the assistance of the black and yellow resistance bands…held the 78 lb trap bar for another minute while walking in place. Day 4 of everyday 7 minute workout routine. Hopefully we’ve gotten enough days in before the craziness of the week begins to make it all stick.

GRATITUDE:

Probably have spent too much time getting coffee I don’t really need this past week but again enjoying just spending the time with Eric.

MINDFULNESS:

Noticed how the water slowly, smoothly and consistently the new Rorra water filter filled the larger mason jar…1 minute of patient watching.

-Morning wake up call from Eric this morning after sleeping in for an hour past alarm

-Rainy morning but started a new D&D puzzle with the family while drawing spaghetti sticks to see what order we would shower

-Quick stroll at the building Eric worked on close to Oyster point…pretty desolate and quiet there which then led us to eating at a pretty yummy Korean place in South City

-Took mom & dad to SFO hoping there is space for them to catch the flight to the Philippines tonight

GRATITUDE:

Rainy day outing to check out a building that @estimmel worked on and has gleefully pointed out at least 100x for the last couple years while it was under construction every time we passed it on 101. 🤪 Also, I now disappear in photos with my kids because they are as tall (or taller) than me!

MINDFULNESS:

Nothing comes to mind today. Feeling a little behind with cleaning and house chores…everything a little cluttered…hard when everyone is home during Xmas vacation.