I go to my exercise class pretty much everyday. The old “me” would have called me selfish. Spending that precious hour on myself instead of my kids would have been a very difficult thing for the old “me” to do. I am so glad I have changed. My kids are so glad that I have changed!
13 years ago when I got pregnant I started to give things up for my children. Bye bye unpasteurized brie cheese! See ya later alcohol! So long raw cookie dough! Adios shrimp, coffee, and red meat (made me soooooo sick!)! It was easy! I loved this little human inside of me and I would do anything for him.
After my son was born, I was allowed to eat shrimp again but long stretches of independence were gone- especially since I was the kid’s sole source of food for five months. No big deal. All mother’s do it.
As the kids (yes now I have two) got older, I found I was doing less things for me and more things for them. My time was spent on taking them to art school, basketball, soccer, dance…. I scheduled time to walk my dog and clean the house. BUT I didn’t schedule any time for me.
Mothers do this all the time. In my family, I swear I put the needs of my yellow lab ahead of my own! It was easier to stay home than go out. It was easier to sit on that couch and watch Phineas and Ferb than get a babysitter and go to the gym.
I was winning the “World’s Best Mom Contest” by spending every minute with my kids. Right?
Actually I was becoming the World’s Bitchiest Mom. I needed to find my happy.
I found my happy during the first Inner Athlete class I attended. The sweat, the endorphins, the people. It was awesome!
Now I go to at least six classes a week (that number in summer has risen a bit). My house is a bit messier, I watch less TV and I miss the odd basketball game. But really that is only 6 hours a week. Mathematically that is only 5% of my awake hours a week. And really, one should sweat and get that heart pumping at least an hour a day!
Why I’m a better Mom now that I exercise everyday:
-I showed my kids that adults have interests too
-my kids now excitedly tell me about the basketball games I miss (the highlights always seem so much more exciting than the games I do attend….)
-my kids have this amazing sibling bond because they do things alone and together (they made themselves breakfast one morning and biked themselves to camp- they felt so cool and independent)
-I’m in better shape and have more energy to play with them
-I’m happy so they are happy too.

Speaking of my kids, I made them these totally delicious and healthy Sunflower Seed Butter Granola Bars. This is another Pinterest find. These are nut free, no bake, vegan and gluten free. Here is the website: http://www.averiecooks.com/2012/10/sunflower-seed-butter-granola-bars-with-chocolate-drizzle.html
Will I keep going to six classes a week forever? I’m not sure. As life changes, my free time will ebb and flow. Will I keep being selfish with my time- spending it on things that are super important to me? YES!
Right now I’m being super “selfish” and spending a lot of that time on ME. Instead of “selfish”- I’m calling this summer an “Intensive Time of Self Love”.
I LOVE MOM (aka me!)

Sunflower Seed Butter Granola Bars
Ingredients:
2 cups old-fashioned whole rolled oats (not instant or quick cook)
about 15 medium-sized soft Medjool dates, pitted
heaping 1/2 cup sunflower seed butter (from Bulk Barn- so amazing! Its with the peanut butter. I usually dip my apples in it! SO YUMMY!!!!)
1/4 cup agave nectar (brown rice syrup, maple syrup, or honey may be substituted)
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup crispy rice cereal (I used the Nature’s Path brown rice crispies)
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips, melted

I wouldn’t substitute the Medjool dates for other types of dates. They are creamier and moister than other dates. Don’t forget to pit them like I did the first time I used them LOL

(I use my Ninja Blender).

Super easy to make- it is a little messy!

Cut into about 20 bars. I keep my bars in the fridge.

Choose happy 🙂