You're Never Too Old for the Bouncy House

Yesterday was not only the birth of my blog (pretentious much?), it was was also my birthday.  I'm still four years away from 40 but it seems to much closer.  Not that I was in stellar shape at 30 but now I am just tired.  Part of that is the grind of a toddler and a newborn.  But a larger part is that I enjoying sitting on the couch watching Bravo more than just about anything else.  Damn you Andy Cohen, you evil reality programming genius!  I blame you for the fact that my ass looks like it is sliding down the back of my legs.  It couldn't possibly the fault of all the potato chips and cookies I eat while vegging out to the likes of Married to Medicine and The Vanderpump Rules. Yes, I even watch the crappy Bravo shows. 

I've taken some steps to eat better over the past month or so.  I feel like I should get a sobriety chip for each week that I go french fry-free.  I haven't really done anything yet to up my activity level.  I did take Bronko to Bounce U for their Preschool Playdate last week.  He had a fantastic time and didn't stop running for an hour and a half. I had a surprise workout lifting, climbing and jumping with him. Some of the equipment did have an American Gladiators feel to it.   I woke up the next day feeling a good kind of soreness though it's kind of pathetic that I hurt from doing so little.  I don't see any Crossfit in my near future if I can't handle the bouncy house.   

BounceU fun.  I couldn't get any good pics because he was a constant blur of motion. 

Attempting to shimmy/climb/throw myself up a bounce house wall. Not pretty.

If you have kids a trip to a bounce place is a great way to let them burn off some energy. If you go, I dare you not to jump around like a fool in the ball pit.  And remember to wait your turn and not push anyone out of the way as you run from room to room, as it will be hard to control your inner toddler.

I'm going to try to do some new activity like this on a more regular basis, and I definitely want to do more to get moving with the kids.  What kind of things get you moving?  And what keeps you motivated?   Do you find it easier to start eating better or to increase your activity level? 

The Starting Line

My oldest son, Bronko,  never. stops. running.   He runs around the house, in stores, down the street, at school.   He only has one gear—high.  

Bronko running at the "track and field".

 I, on the other hand, mostly move at a turtle’s pace.  Or a snail’s pace.  Or a turtle-snail. If such a thing existed I imagine I would still be slower and lazier.  I wasn’t always this way. I come from an athletic family. My husband is athletic, too. That must be why Bronko always has energy to burn.  Sometimes it is difficult to find an outlet for him, and this has been especially true since his little brother Boz arrived in May.  It was a constant race around the house to keep Bronko from throwing himself or other things on Boz.  Shortly after we brought Boz home, my dad came to the rescue and took Bronko out for the day.  Their big outing was to a high school track meet, the regional qualifier.  Bronko was hooked.  Ever since he asks to go to the “track and field” so he can “run, jump in sand and throw sticks”.  The kid’s endurance amazes me.  He can easily run 400 meters plus and he’s not even two and half.  He throws his balls and calls them shot puts.  He uses a yardstick to pole vault.  

Boz putting in some tummy time work.  He's already more active than me.  

All of the running, jumping and throwing is great exercise.  Sometimes it frustrates me when he doesn’t listen when we ask him to slow down or stand still, but I’m still really happy that he likes to move and play so much.  But therein lays the problem.  My turtle-snail butt can’t hang.  I’ve let my formerly semi-athletic self fall into such a sedentary lifestyle that it’s hard to keep up. 

So, this blog is my public declaration to find a new spirit animal.  No longer will it be the mythical turtle-snail .  Wildebeest, maybe?  I need to get up and get moving for myself and my family.  I’ve had many health and fitness peaks and valleys over the years.  Now I just want to be able to run, jump in sand and throw sticks with my boys without feeling like a trip to the ER is imminent. 

I’d also like to lose weight and feel better about myself.  Two kids in three years have taken a toll. I’ve fallen into a frump slump.  I’m that mom that has no pictures of herself with the kids because she's mastered avoiding cameras.  I don’t own a full-length mirror because I prefer to live in denial that my lower body has doubled in size over the last few years.  Elastic waistbands are wardrobe essentials. 

So, we’ll see how this goes.   I look forward to documenting my adventures with my family, my health wins and losses, and other minutiae in my life.   The added accountability since people might actually read this is an added bonus.  Feel free to call me out on my inevitable backslides and missteps, as long as you fawn over my success.   Flattery will get you everywhere.