Sundays used to stress me out. I’d think about the week ahead and all the things I had to get done. As moms, our to-do lists are unending. Between work and family life, there’s always something to be thinking about next to ensure that we don’t totally drop the ball on something.
It’s kind of crazy, actually, to think about all the different hats we wear, and all the pressure that’s on us every single day.
I don’t know about you, but when I stop to think about the gravity of our role as moms, my heart starts beating really fast because there is just so much at stake. Raising humans is one of the most important jobs in the ENTIRE WORLD!
All that to say, as I think about the upcoming school year, I like to look at it as a fresh start. Summer is CRAZY, we’ve been out of our routine, the kids have been up later, and our days have sort of been all over the place.
Next week my oldest will go to Kindergarten. I’ve always had this vision of how I want our house to run when my kids are in school. I want our home to be a place of refuge and comfort, a place where my kids can come home to and things are prepared for them. A place where things are organized and everything has it’s place.
And my goodness that is SO not how it is right now! I have major work to do to create routine and structure after this summer! You should SEE the hot mess that is our house right now. It’s humbling.
With all six of us running in different directions this fall, the one time each day that we’ll really have together is dinner.
Again, I have MAJOR work to do here. I’m not a cook, and our meals are typically thrown together last minute. In fact, often I’ll call Jake around 4:00pm and ask him to pick something up on the way home. And in the stress of it all, my kids end up eating way too much mac and cheese and hot dogs. (Insert mom guilt.)
As Jake and I were talking about all this over the last month, an idea was born. Surely we weren’t the only family who struggled with getting healthy dinners on the table? Perhaps we could create a place to support busy families overcome this struggle and at the same time help own family?
We decided to hire a Registered Dietitian to create a weekly menu and grocery list for us, and opened up a Facebook group where we shared it and invited families in. In just a little over a week, our Take Back The Kitchen Info group has gone from 0 to 8,000 members!
WOAH. Clearly, we were in fact NOT ALONE!
This past week we ran a FREE week where families incorporated the menus, and it was so much FUN to see families, including our own, take control over their family’s food choices! We all grocery shopped on the same day and held each other accountable, we all meal prepped on Sunday, and then shared photos of our meals that we prepared throughout the week! The week went off without a hitch for all of us because we leaned on one another! The truth is, when we try to do all of this on our own, it feels overwhelming. But when we get into community with other parents who are experiencing similar struggles? Together we can help even our pickiest eaters to eat healthy food!
TOMORROW, August 14th, we officially start our FIRST MONTH of membership! The deadline to register is TONIGHT at 5pm CST! We already have almost 800 families registered and we’d love to have you! In my heart, I KNOW this group is something that ALL busy families WILL benefit from!
-4 weeks of family friendly menus and grocery lists from our Registered Dietitian, Monica Hoss
-Access to a private Facebook group where you will receive additional support from Monica to ask questions to help your picky eaters implement a healthy diet
-A Family Nutrition Ambassador (me) who will hold you accountable to implementing the menus
-Daily encouragement posts and check ins from Family Nutrition Ambassadors. The posts this month will be specifically geared toward helping moms incorporate routines and systems for the school year to make our homes run more efficiently!
-30 Day Supply of Daily Sunshine (organic kids smoothie) or Shakeology (adult superfood meal replacement shake) on Home Direct (30 day money back guarantee and can be canceled at any time)
P.S. For more reflections on parenthood and life, follow us on Facebook (Hun Let’s Run) and on Instagram: @ambermariekuiper and @jakekuiper! We’d also love for you to subscribe to our Hun, Let’s Run Podcast! For more info about joining our fitness community as a customer or coach, please email us at amber@mommysmetime.com!
