Mothers Day

This mother's day there were no chocolates, no big breakfasts or decadent desserts. After two coffees (I think hubby made them with full-cream milk!) and porridge, we packed up the picnic basket and headed off for a bbq lunch - I did eat a sausage sandwich in addition to my bbq chicken wrap and I have to admit I had a little bit extra with my dinner (12wbt beef fajitas). There were no "treats" during the day, last night I had gone out for dinner with some girlfriends and had two glasses of wine, so treats are well taken care of this week.

It is difficult when so much of life revolves around food - good food, mostly but also a lot of crap food. Birthday cakes, chocolates, lunches, breakfast, cocktail parties. Luckily working with two young children means next to no time left for a social life but it can be a challenge. The expectation that you will have a few wines at dinner, especially for your own birthday - the "come on, you deserve it, you work so hard", type comments.

I think a lot of it stems from your history with someone. I was away last week working, no history with any of these people - so no comments on my "healthy lunch" or dinner choices etc. In fact one of the things I have learnt is that no one really cares if you turn down a slice of birthday cake - it isn't obligatory, despite me having used that excuse for a long time.

This is my new history - mothers day is about spending time with my family, not about what I eat, what I get given and certainly not about having the day off (who has the time??). I have packed my little haul of handprints and footprints and homemade cards to take to work. I have also done a couple of loads of washing, put them away, cooked dinner (and lunch), packed lunches and bags, put washing away, done some mending, washed children, washed dishes, paid some bills, put a pile of papers away and soon to move onto ironing, online shopping and paying a few more bills - then I will lay out my running clothes and go to sleep and hit the week running! I am a mother but this mother's health is top priority in our busy family these days.

Happy Mother's Day to all those mothers out there - I hope you had a wonderful one.