It Starts With Us

Good morning! We finally made it to Friday and I can’t tell you how happy I am that it is almost the weekend. Even though I work from home on Fridays, they tend to be my busiest day of the week because I do everything for my freelance business and any background stuff for the blog on this day. Today I decided to give myself an added benefit to just sit down and work – without distractions – by coming down to Grounds for Coffee where I will have nothing to do but drink coffee and write.

Speaking of coffee, this morning as I was getting the boys ready for school/daycare, Spencer pointed at the coffee pot and said “mommy. coffee.” I can’t even begin to tell you how funny I find this. For one, he only has a handful of words and doesn’t even know how to say “milk” or other things that might prove useful from time to time (and yet he does manage to get his point across). Anyway, that’s one of life’s little moments that made me smile.

Other moments that make me smile?

A bookstore date with Mackenzie.

We went to Hastings after school and browsed the books for a while. I told him he could pick out one book that we would be able to buy and take home to live with us.

I love Hastings because they carry both new and used books. They also buy books and you can get cash or store credit but I have not taken advantage of this service yet. When we moved from Everett, we packed up every book the kids had and hauled them out to Utah. The books Nick and I had suffered a more tragic fate. We boxed them all up and took some to the used book store, sold all they would buy and donated the rest to Goodwill. There was an additional box that was supposed to be make it on the moving truck. Only six books made it to Utah and to this day I’ll go over to the bookshelf thinking I can look something up and I relive the tragedy of our loss all over again. All I can think is that somehow that extra box was mixed in with the others?

As I mentioned, Mack was allowed to choose one book. I really liked this one, Moonlight. I loved the art work, thought it would be great for cuddling up at night to read a bedtime story.

Mack was more drawn to the Lego City Rescue books which to be honest, aren’t much in the way of reading. But, I had promised it would be his choice and he decided on one of those.

Secrets of motherhood: I’m going to order Moonlight on Amazon. That way I stood my ground on the “only one book” thing but I still get the book I wanted. That’s the thing about being a grown up – the rules are a bit more flexible

Wanna know something else that is cool about being a grown up? Your kids (at this age) think you’re the coolest people and want to be just like you.

I had gone upstairs to put in my workout – Bob Harper’s Workout on the Inside Out Method DVD – and little man decided he wanted to join in. (So did Muffin Doggy )

dFor the record, you don’t use a yoga mat or hand weights in the DVD, but Mack decided to make up a few moves of his own. He had a hard time with some of the more structured moves in the video but he was loving the plyometrics and did each of those sections with me. He stuck it out for the whole half hour I was putting in my workout and was legitimately bummed out when it was over. “But I still have things to do mom!” So I let him play around with the weights for a while longer before we started getting ready for bed.

Setting the example…

No, I don’t make my children workout or exercise in the same sense that you and I need to exercise or get in a workout but I do want my kids to be active and to be healthy. Working out at home gives us an awesome opportunity to showcase being healthy and active – it also opens a dialogue. Mack has asked “why do you guys workout” or “why do you run with dad?” and these are really important opportunities to teach in the moment. Our answers are typically things like “we want to be strong” or “we want to be healthy” but I’ve also made the point to Mackenzie that as adults we don’t get to play at recess anymore – we sit at desks and our bodies crave motion and activity – dad’s and mine workouts are like recess for grown ups. I don’t get preachy and I never get negative. I don’t tell him things like “you’re going to be fat” or “because I don’t want to get fat.” I always work in the positive “to be healthy,” “to be strong,” “so I can chase you faster.”

Even if he isn’t joining in the workout like he did last night, we are setting an example. We set an example when the kids ride in the bike trailer and see mom and dad riding their bikes – pushing themselves farther and faster. We set an example when we tell the kids we’re going out for a run and will be back in a little bit.

People always worry (or offer up the excuse) that exercise takes more time away from their families – time that is already short because of work and various responsibilities. The thing is, exercise is about family. It’s about setting an example for your children, about improving your health so you can actively participate in their activities, and at some point its about living longer and having more time with them later in life.

Yesterday we were talking about childhood obesity and I really believe that setting an example is one of the best ways we can combat this in our own families, our own circles. Positive peer influence.

I received a ton of feedback to yesterday’s post – so much that I am still sorting through every thing – and I want to share a few articles that were passed along to me.

A local farmer sent me a ton of information on the role of fruits and vegetables in increasing heart health as well as concerns over farming practices that are reducing the nutritional value of our nations fruits and veggies; I’m still reading through the articles he shared and I’ll be sure to pass along a “book report” of sorts. Also a friend of mine that does public healthcare policy and advocacy sent me this article which discusses the American Association of Pediatrics recent statement in support of recess.

We have a lot of work to do friends and I often think “where to begin?”

It starts with awareness and it starts at our dinner tables, in our living rooms as we do our yoga DVDs or head out for a run. It starts with a discussion amongst friends. It starts with a decision at the grocery store – a decision to “shop the perimeter” and skip over all that processed junk in the middle. It starts with an angry mom at a PTA meeting, fighting for recess and PE to be back in their child’s school, working to raise funds herself because the state isn’t paying for it. It starts with you, me, us.

Alright friends, I’ll step off my soap box.

I’m off to tackle a few freelance projects before the day is done, then it’s weekend and fun! Tonight I’m helping at the Ogden Bridal Gathering and tomorrow we’re headed out on our first snowshoeing adventure. One of my co-workers lent me two pairs of shoes so Nick and I can try it out and see what we think.

Have a fabulous weekend! See you again on Monday!