What? Me like exercise? Impossible but true!

Ok, my original goal was to workout three times a week. But lately I've only been managing once a week. Every day I think about going and mention this out loud to my kids. Rachel (my 5 year old) will usually reply that she doesn't feel like going and could we go tomorrow? So being the nice, accommodating mom that I am, I oblige. I just don't feel like fighting with the kids to get them over to the YMCA and into childcare, just so I can exercise. I am, after all, the original couch potato. I never liked or played sports growing up (or now) and like yummy food far too much. But here's the weird part. . .

I am starting to discover that I actually sort of enjoy exercising. I mean, for one thing, I get a break from my kids, which I never object to! I get to catch up on my reading while I'm on the treadmill, which never happens at home (ok, I keep a book in my bathroom and read in there sometimes when I'm "sitting"). The part I like best though is the feeling of accomplishment I get when I'm done and logging out and I can see how much weight I've lifted that day. Today, for example, I lifted 8,200 lbs. WAHOO!!!

My YMCA has this cool program called FitLinxx, which is FREE with a Y membership. You work with a trainer once to set up a profile and account password, goals, etc. Then you go around to each weight machine and learn how to use it and program the computer on each machine with your individual weight settings. So every time you work out you just enter your password at each machine you use (including treadmills thank goodness) and it will tell you where to set the seat and how much weight to lift. Then it keeps track of how many reps you do and everything. It's totally idiot-proof, which is great for me because if I had to remember all that myself, I wouldn't be exercising nearly as much! I just never pictured myself as actually liking exercising. How strange is this?

A Field Trip with David

I went with my son's kindergarten class on their field trip to California Woods, a nature preserve near our house. I actually had a lot of fun. We hiked through a forest and beside a creek. I really enjoyed getting back to nature; I don't do that nearly as often as I'd like. We lived beside a creek when I was growing up and I played there all the time.

Plus it was nice to spend time with my son without the other 3 kids around. And I enjoyed seeing him with his classmates. I always see him at home, so it was nice to see him in a different setting. I always wonder how my kids interact with others when they're in school, Sunday School, etc. Are they more/less helpful? Social/antisocial? It was very enlightening to see David with his class and teachers. He tends to get upset and cry at home when he doesn't win a game or things don't go his way; that happened on the field trip too. I wonder if that's a phase or part of his personality? He's also definitely a loner and gets along fine by himself (just like his dad).

Well I'd better quit now. This has been longer than I expected. And Rachel is bugging me to play Polly Pocket with her.