Today I have a different tool in mind. From personal experience I know that Sandwich Mamas are so busy taking . . . → Read More: What’s Next in the Toolbox?]]> Last week I introduced a new series called Sandwich Mama’s toolbox which spotlights resources that may help to lighten a busy mom’s load. My first review was for the Busy Body Books which are helpful time management planners.

Today I have a different tool in mind. From personal experience I know that Sandwich Mamas are so busy taking care of everyone around them, that they often put themselves on the back burner. Not until I was completely out of the hands-on caregiving process did I see what “on the back burner” really meant.

Eleven pounds!

Yep, I said it!

I gained eleven pounds in the three years I was a multi-generational caregiver. In the big picture, it may not seem like a lot but, since I am naturally “height challenged”, the extra weight is frustrating to say the least.

I am not going to lie and claim that I do not know how it got there. Oh, I know. Stress. On the days I was challenged by trying to juggle all of my responsiblilities, I did not care at all focus on eating healthy food. Instead, I “rewarded” myself for a job (sometimes not so) well done. I also did not have time for any salad making or veggie cutting nonsense so I opted for something quick and yummy that was prepared by someone other than myself.

With an eight month break under my belt, I am now able to re-design some of my habits and place healthy eating as a priority. So, my second Sandwich Mama Toolbox lifesaver is:

MyFitnessPal

MyFitnessPal is a FREE online nutritional and exercise tracker that I absolutely cannot live without. Now, part of the draw for me is that I am able to use it on my phone and have no excuse for adding up extra calories. Don’t worry if you do not have a phone to access this system because you can use it via the website!

Although it is free, it is worth a million bucks to me so check out a few of the features that keep me coming back:

• Food tracking. The database of foods on this little baby is never ending. I have been using this system for months and RARELY have I been unable to find a food. It remembers your favesies so searching for commonly eaten food is minimal.
• Scanners.When searching for foods, it has a scanner function (for use with your phone) and once added, all of the nutritional content is added as well. Easy, peasy.
• Water consumption. I am a pro at forgetting the H20 so I love to see the numbers add up on this vital nutrient.
• Community.For me, part of the weight loss challenge is that I need accountability. MyFitnessPal takes care of that by providing a way to connect with my friends. Several of my village peeps are using this application and when I see one of my friends (*ahem* yes, you know who you are!) burn 7,000 calories in fifteen minutes, it motivates me to get moving!
• Maintenance support. After I reach my goal weight, I can simply change my profile to reflect weight maintenance and I can use it to prevent me from gaining it back.
• Supportive website. As I mentioned earlier, the website has all of the above awesomeness and more! I like:
  • Food, fitness and progress reports
  • Quick tools to copy data from previous days
  • MyFitnessPal news
  • Helpful tools

Well, I think that is a pretty good summary of an outstanding tool. If time is on your side, I hope you will check out the website and app. If you are a current MFP user, how do you like it?

xoxo Paula

 Note: This review is my own personal opinion, offered as information only. I was not reimbursed in any manner by MyFitnessPal for this post.

On the days when he makes an announcement like this or tells me that he does not have any homework, you would think this little . . . → Read More: Homework Hassles]]> “I totally pwned my homework!”  Kidlet2 announced. Before you think he is spiraling into academic failure, “pwning” (pronounced like owning with a “p”) actually means he conquered his studies for the day!

On the days when he makes an announcement like this or tells me that he does not have any homework, you would think this little Sandwich Mama won a million dollars in the lottery! I am long past the days when I sit with my pumpkin during homework sessions but I just cannot seem to end my day until I know the studying is complete.

For me, homework monitoring has morphed into random “fly-bys” to make sure his baby-blues are focused on his books. Since my Sandwich duties are so overwhelming at times, I am truly thankful that we established a firm homework foundation early and that Kidlet2 is a good student.

I know that may not be the case for other Sandwich Mamas out there so here are a few tips to help in the homework situation:

• Consider a tutor. Sometimes an older high school student or young adult can say the exact.same.thing that you do and it clicks better in your child’s mind. Remember parents really don’t know too much about school or life (insert parental eye roll here) so an outsider may be the solution to some of the homework struggles.  
• Connect with the teacher. Not only will establishing regular communication provide you with clarity about schoolwork, you can also keep teachers notified about sandwich home and family challenges that may affect your child’s progress.
• Check into online solutions. Many schools use the site, yourhomework.com to list homework assignments. If your child’s teachers utilize this system, you can easily create your own login and monitor the daily homework requirements.
• Homework helpers. Understanding your child’s learning style will benefit everyone because you can design a homework strategy that fits your kiddo. Check out this past post for details on the variety of learning methods.

I hope these ideas help if you are concerned about your child’s homework habits. The good news is that school is winding down so you can get a fresh start on next years studies!

Do you and your child struggle with homework issues?

This juggling challenge requires . . . → Read More: 5 Dinner Preparation Tips]]> In our home, the time between the end of school and the dinner hour is our busiest period of the day. We are attempting to transition from lively, active events into more focused, quiet activities. It seems that homework, chores and the extra Sandwich Mama routines all hit around that dinner preparation time.

This juggling challenge requires any method that will simplify the process and keep things stress free. If your home is anything like mine, I offer these five ideas to help during your meal preparation:  

1. Embrace the “whining hour”.  In an effort to keep those plates spinning, we may encounter the “whining hour” when the kids are a little cranky due to hunger. Foreseeing that this transition time hits on a daily basis can change a routine job of cooking into a negative, stressful task. You can tame hungry kids by providing fresh veggies, string cheese or fruit slices to tide them over until dinner. 
2. Adjust your preparation zones. Take a look at your kitchen layout. Are the utensils you use every day in an easily accessible location? Are the cutting boards and knifes at polar opposite ends of the kitchen? You can make simple organizational changes to expedite your meal prep work such as keeping similar items together near the area you actually use them. De-cluttering kitchen drawers and using drawer dividers are another good way to keep your utensils tidy.
3. Create a “go to” recipe repertoire. The fact is that if children were the meal planners, we all would be eating macaroni and cheese or chicken nuggets for the rest of time. You don’t need to stress out about making Chicken Fricassee because the kids probably won’t eat it! Jot down a list of “tried and true” meals that your family will actually eat and rotate them for weeknight suppers. Then, you can save the elaborate meals for weekends, special events or holidays.  
4. Combat stress by planning. There are ways to avoid dinnertime stress by assembling part of your meal ahead of time. You can use a few convenience items to speed through your cooking time or make a side salad in the morning and store it in a plastic container until din-din.
5. Use your resources wisely. In many homes Mom does all of the work for the nutritional needs of her family. She brainstorms the menu, shops for groceries, cooks the food and cleans up afterwards. It is no wonder that if someone suggests going out to dinner, mom is already in the car waiting! Delegation is a critical tool to use in order to offset some of your workload. Maybe your spouse can grill something on the barbecue one night a week or you can enlist help from your teen or aging parent. Consider the “one cooks, the other cleans up” rule and don’t forget even younger children can help out too!

So, now you have five techniques to help you manage your busy evenings and Keep Your Sandwich Simple. As always, if you have any ideas to add to the list, please let me know below!

xoxo Paula

Peter Parker secretly lived that double life too. He successfully kept his normal world completely separate from . . . → Read More: Living a Double Life]]> I fondly remember watching Bruce Wayne standing in his library as he received the urgent phone call informing him of a disaster. He slid down the “Bat Pole”, transforming into Batman, an identity he would keep secret to his community.

Peter Parker secretly lived that double life too. He successfully kept his normal world completely separate from his exciting, Spidey life. While I am most certainly not a superhero, I am similar to these crusaders in the fact that I am living a double life.

So, are you ready to hear what I am doing in secret?

Okay….. here goes:

I am a not so mild-mannered wife, mom and daughter by day but in the nooks and crannies of my life, I am sneaking around to BLOG! Other than my family (because they have to) and my village, no one in my real life knows that I am the Sandwich Mama and the voice behind Simply Sandwich.

It is sad but true! For almost two years, I have interacted with people in the blogosphere on a regular basis and the folks in my own back yard have no idea. Ironically, I have even written posts in my local Patch blog, and have been able to keep my alter-ego a secret. It is exhausting and ridiculous.

Since my return to blogging, I have chewed on this fact more than a million times. One minute I am ready to invite my local friends into my blogging home and the next minute I have a jillion reasons not to. So, why am I so hesitant to comingle my two distinct worlds? I am truly not embarrassed of either of my communities but I think I may have figured out my fear.

I created this blog to unite people who are juggling multi-generational families. I wanted to establish a central point for solutions, interaction and support. I am so blessed that my readers somehow found me and that we have connected due to our similar situations or circumstances.

Although I do have a PhD in “Been there, done that”, I just figure that people in my “non bloggy life” would think I am not qualified to give much advice. I am also terrified that they would feel obligated to click over to a blog in which they may not be interested. How dumb is that?

As many of you know already, I have been a caregiver (to both of my parents) for over ten years now. During this period, I have questioned my journey on more occasions than I can count. I know that many others are in a very similar situation and I have a deep desire to share my experience if it will help them along their way. (…so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.” 2 Corinthians 1:4)

So, with that said, today begins a new chapter of Simply Sandwich. I am kicking my double identity to the curb and embracing my inner Sandwich Mama identity. This little blog is not going to be under wraps anymore! Wish me luck!

xoxo Paula

Today I am linking up with Shell at Things I Can’t Say.