Summer Fitness

The last few weeks I have been trying to get the kids to be more active--even in the hot, humid weather and we have had a lot of fun... along with a lot of whining, sweating, and complaining, but still fun!

• the past two mondays the kids have participated in 1/2 mile fun runs at different State Parks on Long Island. They have started out both races holding hands and James even turned back and grabbed Zanna's hand when she got too tired to keep going. It was really cute and I had it on video, but Zanna deleted it- darn girl! I loved seeing how proud they were when they ran over the finish line and it has created some great memories for us. James is a GREAT runner and I hope this has sparked a desire in him to be a runner..fun times!
• today was the second time we have walked home from Manhasset's main street and I just tell the kids we are having an "adventure" and it sounds much cooler. The first time we walked home from the train station after a sleep-over at my cousin's in the city. Today we took the car to the shop and walked home instead of getting a ride. It was a little over 2 miles and really hot! We stopped at the bank, post office, park and then set little goals to make the trek go a little faster. We had a good chat about Pioneer children and how far they had to walk and then the whining stopped. I hosed the down with the garden hose when we got home and they were both flexing their muscles to show me how strong the walk had made them- pretty cute.
  
• i also have the kids doing some of my exercises at home and checking out ballet and yoga videos is a fun way to get them moving when it's just too hot outside. I am looking for a Karate video too, so let me know if anyone knows of one to rent!
• we try to go swimming wherever and whenever we can and just found out that the pool down the rode from us is free on Friday afternoons...too bad I just barely figured this out! We went last week and are going again this week and the kids are getting to be pretty good little fish :)
  
• as for me, I am happy to say I am finally losing some of the pounds I inherited after my foot surgery! I gained about 10 pounds and it has really been bugging me, so they are coming off slowly but surely. I love using the extra 90-pounds of the double jogger to make my walks/runs a little harder and the kids have been great about going regularly so that I can exercise and they can be outside. I have also been LOVING my classes at the gym and my favorite teacher, Gina- the crazy, high-energy little lady kicks my butt! I feel like I'm in a dance class again and it is what I look forward to every week at noon on Wednesday :)

I am excited for the kids to start soccer in the Fall. It will be their first time on a team and although Zanna keeps saying she's not going to do it (she tends to complain about things!) I'm pretty sure they're going to love it... I'll keep you posted on how it goes!