I walk an average of 20 miles per week with my babies.

They are 2 years old and 10 months old. My goal is 4 - 5 miles per walk, 5 days per week. On my lowest week, I make it at least 4 days a week and walk 4 miles for 2 of those days and 5 miles for the other two: 18 miles. On my average weeks, I make it 5 days, switching between 4 and 5 miles: 22 - 23 miles. On my "perfect" week (I haven't yet achieved this), I would walk 5 days, 5 miles each time: 25 miles.

I don't share this to brag. Walking around a loop a few times really isn't that big of a deal, but I know how hard it can be to make it part of your life, especially when you must include the schedules and naps and food demands of a young child or two. I make it work for me and my two because it's important for me. We Moms tend to do everything it takes to build a good world for our babies, and rightly so. Sometimes we forget, though, that nothing matters if Mommy is too sick, too tired, or too depressed to be involved. Exercise is an essential part of keeping yourself healthy. I know this. You know this. It's taken me until now, though, to really commit the time and effort to live this.

The Whole Exercising Story

I've always been pretty thin, and I can't take any credit for that. Genes. Thank you, Mom and Dad. I ate what I wanted, exercised sporadically, and I was a size 2 when I got married. I moved "up" to a size 4 after the first year of marriage, and then I got pregnant.

Enter Pregnancy, Twice

I stayed pretty fit through my first pregnancy, but I still had about 15 pounds of extra weight hanging on when I got pregnant again. I gained an additional 35 or 40 pounds during that pregnancy. I still wasn't huge, but I was uncomfortable. I was totally wrapped up in being Mom of two, though, and regular exercise just wasn't happening for the first few months. When Robbie got to six months old, was sleeping through the night and on a regular nap schedule, I started doing some work-out dvds at home. I was kind of sporadic, though. I lost down to that same old 15 pounds plus a few more, and that's where I just stayed.

Enter Pregnancy Again

Then I got pregnant again. I know what you're thinking... Yes, I do know what causes this, and I like it!; Back to the exercise topic now: with this third pregnancy, I have decided that it won't do to repeat the pattern. I keep adding on another 5 pounds or so; at this rate, I'll be stuck at 30 pounds over a comfortable weight. A comfortable weight, by the way, is not a size 2, again, mind you; that size 2 was before I got Mommy boobs. We're talking more like a size 6 (maybe) or 8. That's good with me. I'd rather wear bigger pants and actually have boobs.

What I'm not okay with, however, is having a 5-months-pregnant belly when I'm notpregnant, having granny flab on my arms long before I'm a granny, or refusing to even own a pair of shorts because my thighs are way too friendly with each other for that sort of exposure. (The ghostly pale hue of my skin will have to be dealt with somehow, I guess, once I get to shorts. But that's another article.)

Walking It Off, Baby

So I started walking. A week later I saw my mother-in-law and she said, "Annie, you're the only person I know who loses weight when she gets pregnant." I love my mother-in-law and her keen powers of observation, have I mentioned that?

Before I started walking, I was having a lot of trouble getting out of bed in the morning. I blamed early pregnancy fatigue, and certainly there was some of that. But there was also a body that wasn't using enough energy:

"People who exercise regularly are more tranquil and suffer less from stress and anxiety. They are able to concentrate better and sleep more deeply at night. Researchers have demonstrated that the amount of deep sleep you get is proportional to the daytime energy expenditure. The more you exercise, the deeper you sleep. This may be why people who exercise actually have more energy during the day. I see this everyday in my practice. Patients who don't get any exercise will almost always complain of a poor energy level. Regular exercise will almost always increase their energy level.  The more energy that you use, the more energy you will have." See the source.

I didn't mean to turn this into an article about why you should exercise, so I'll stop extolling the benefits and get to the day by day of how it's done. Or at least, how it's done in my house. Tweak to match your personality and preferences and little people, just don't tweak so much that you tweak out the exercising part.

When, Where, and How

Find a time of day when your children are awake and happy and so are you. Okay, you should at least be awake. We'll make happy optional at this point. I've found that as soon as you hit close to nap time, babies don't like strollers anymore. If your kids are different, then walk during nap time and let them nap if you want. I still think it's not the best, because you probably won't get a full nap out of them and it will throw off the rest of your day. But that's me. You be you.

I go in the morning, because if I wait until afternoon, too much other stuff is trying to crowd in my day and I let it crowd out the exercise. My two wake up at 8 and we all eat breakfast. (I am awake, dressed in my exercise clothes, and drinking my coffee before 8). I finish before they do (better fine motor skills, I guess), so I do my usual morning routine/scramble around the house, then wipe them and the mess, and let them run and/or crawl around while I finish my chores. I finish up by 9, load them in the stroller, grab my phone and water bottle, and we head out.

Find a location that is convenient. I know I would not exercise regularly if I had to load (and unload) kids in car seats in order to do it. I happen to live across the street from the city park, which has a wide, paved, 1/2 mile walking loop (along with multiple pavilions and small playgrounds, a pool, and tennis courts. I know. I'm lucky). If I get bored of the park, I just cruise around town or walk to the other park, which is about half a mile away. It has a paved walking trail, too, and soccer fields.

However, most of the time I stick to the park across the street. Consistency matters. I know the number of loops I need to walk, and, hamster-like, I keep on walking until I get dizzy. I also know the people who come there, the regulars who show up at the same time every day like me. We're not all chatty - walking is serious business, people - but it's nice to recognize faces, get a nod and a smile, and know that at least one of them would call 911 if I tripped on a stick and broke my leg. Or if someone tried to grab me and the double stroller and push us into an unmarked van before anyone noticed. Cheery thoughts, eh?

Gear up.

Be smart about walking. Have the gear you need, and by gear I mean good shoes, a good sports bra, and something comfortable to cover your body. Tank top, t-shirt, shorts, spandex, jogging pants. I, for one, cannot afford to go buy an entire new wardrobe of great fitness wear, but I can go buy a decent sports bra (or two). I have a stack of tank tops. I have two pairs of jogging pants that fit me well. I have a good pair of shoes (and socks... more than one pair of socks!). I'm going to be washing clothes 5 days out of the week anyway, so I just make sure my walking clothes are in there.

The only other gear (for myself) is my 1-liter water bottle and my cell phone. I also recommend getting a little can of Mace or one of those alarms to hook onto the stroller right by your hand. Chances are good that you'll never need to use either, but you want to have them just in case. That's why I carry my phone, too. If I see anything weird going on, I call Joe and tell him about it. Usually it's nothing: a man in a truck whom I've never seen in the park before, just sitting in the parking lot. He was there two days in a row, and I called Joe both days and told him. Here's what the man looks like, here's what the truck looks like, etc. Nothing happened and he didn't come to the park anymore; but maybe nothing happened because he saw me talking on the phone and looking at him. Who knows? I am on the "better safe than sorry" side of things; if I ever saw anything really weird or obviously illegal, I would skip Joe and just call 911. Then I would call Joe...

Think about gear for your children as well. The loop I walk has a good deal of shade, but about 1/3 of it requires walking directly into the sun, no matter which direction I'm walking. So Mara has a pink floppy hat, and I keep an old crib sheet in the stroller. When we curve around into the direct sunshine, I throw the sheet over the canopy on Robbie's half of the stroller so it hangs down in front of his face. He doesn't like having his view blocked, but he likes direct sun even less. You might need sunscreen or bug spray for your babies. I don't take sippie cups or snacks for them; they've just finished breakfast, they're not exerting any energy, and they can have a drink and snack when we get home.

Push yourself.

Push yourself further than you think you can. I used to walk regularly, but only 2 miles or so each time. It didn't make enough of a difference quickly enough to keep me motivated, and I let it slide. That changed when I started walking again, because I walk with my neighbor about half the time. She is an itty bitty woman whose youngest child is almost 9 years old. When my neighbor walks, she does at least 10 laps. That's 5 miles. The first time she told me that, I said, "Hmmmmmm." And then "hmmmm" again. And then, "How many laps?"

I was walking by myself 2 or 3 miles at a time, thinking that was my limit. Then I went walking with her and we walked 5 miles. It wasn't about fatigue or distance; it was about boredom and laziness. I get bored when I walk by myself, and I get lazy when there's no one to push me further. But now that I walk with her, I know we are going to walk 5 miles. And now when I walk by myself, I know that I <em>can</em> walk 5 miles, so I make myself walk at least 4.

You're getting a free ride; what more do you want?

Think about entertainment for your kids... but not too much. You'll notice something with your kids. They will get bored around mile 2, especially in the first couple of weeks. But then they'll get used to the routine. So they'll get bored around mile 3, instead. What you shouldn't do is let your kids haul fifteen toys, a blanket, and a doll with them. You know what happens: one by one, each item is dropped (oops!) out of the stroller, Mom leans down and grabs it, loses momentum, hands it back. Repeat ad infinitum. Mara gets one small blankie or toy. If she drops it, it gets shoved in the back of the stroller until I decide to pause for a drink of water. Robbie gets nothing but a pacifier, and I hold off on that until around lap 6.

What they do get, though, is conversation (with me) and time outside. I point out the trees and grass, the airplane, the truck like Daddy's, the big rocks. I ask Mara about colors. She counts the big rocks. Sometimes I slow down enough to grab a couple of rocks or a little tree branch with leaves still attached, and she gets to entertain herself with those for a few laps. She shares with Robbie, too, but once she or he drops them, they're gone.

Be consistent.

For the most part, the kids do fine. They were more restless the first week or two. Now they're used to the walk, they get excited about loading up in the stroller, and they are happy almost all the time. Consistency makes a big difference here. Kids tend to like what is familiar to them, right? So they might resist Mommy's new exercise efforts at first because it's new and different and they're not sure they like it better than staying inside and playing with their toys. If you persist, however, they'll get used to it. They'll forget that there was another option, ever. They will come to expect it like the expect meals and bathtimes. It's part of the day. Okay. Whatever, Mom.

Use that consistency to power yourself on the days when you're tired, sore, or blah. Remind yourself that you're working too hard at this to deal with cranky kids again. You'll feel better afterward.

Plan ahead.

Have a plan for after the exercise is over. My walk lasts from around 9 to around 10. Robbie is ready for his morning nap when we get home, so he goes straight to bed. Mara doesn't take a nap in the morning anymore, so she gets a snack. I sit down and eat a piece of fruit with her, then I go take a shower while she finishes her snack. She knows that when she's through she can get down and play, but she's usually still sitting there munching away when I get out of the shower. The key here is a snack that is non-messy and in small pieces so has no trouble eating it and I don't have to worry about a mess.

Reap the benefits.

I feel better about myself when I am exercising regularly. I sleep better. I eat better foods, because I don't want to waste all my effort just for a double quarter-pounder. I fit in my clothes better, and I look better. My skin looks healthier. I stay awake during the day. I wake up better in the morning. I don't worry as much. My immune system is better. I enjoy seeing the blue skies and the green trees and the people. I don't feel closed in; I feel like part of a community.

One final thought: my two love the little baby swings, but I hardly ever stop at the swings during exercise time. It would add another 15 to 20 minutes onto the hour I've spent there, and by the time I'm through walking Robbie is ready for his nap. I could cut my walk short: that would be missing the point. I love my children, and I love taking them along, but the exercise is for me. When we go to the park any other time, it's for them. Balance is important. Guilt is bad. Remember that keeping yourself in good health automatically makes you a better Mom, so a little swing deprivation won't hurt the kids.

Here's a little summary:

• Get motivated.
• Find a good time.
• Find a convenient location.
• Gear yourself up: good clothes, water, safety items.
• Be safe.
• Gear the kids up (but not too much).
• Push yourself.
• Exercise with someone else.
• Expect some boredom.
• Be consistent.
• Create an after-exercise routine.

Now get out there and exercise!

Image Credit: Stroller sign from smudie.

What we hope ever to do with ease we may learn first to do with diligence. Samuel Johnson

Update (Saturday): 20 minutes cardio (running around, pushing Mara and my niece up and down a hill in a little car).

Just as I get to the "end in sight" on my somewhat sporadic exercise challenge month, I am thinking I will start it over again. (You may think some cliched phrase like "glutton for punishment" here, but I don't want to actually put that in my writing. Cliches are so evil, after all. In fact, it's really a cliche that they are evil...)

I picked up a book at the library sale the other day. It's one of an apparent series: The 28 Day Plan by Christine Green. This one is called Get Fit for the Beach. I'm hoping that if I follow the 28-Day GET FIT FOR THE BEACH! plan, at the end of it I will be magically transported to said sparkling, pristine beach. (Did you catch the clichs in that paragraph? There were two.)

I'm a sucker for 28 day plans, or 30 day plans, or 21 day plans, or monthly challenges. The beach premise is also pretty thrilling. We'll see. I shall review and report. Maybe I would do better with a book titled "Get Fit for the Midwest!" but I see why that wouldn't be a great seller.

Resources: I couldn't find anything online for the book except for the publisher's website, which doesn't itself have much information but you can watch a little scrolling slide show of all their adult reference titles.

Tip: I don't think I can say it any better than Samuel Johnson:

Don't think of retiring from the world until the world will be sorry that you retire. I hate a fellow whom pride or cowardice or laziness drives into a corner, and who does nothing when he is there but sit and growl. Let him come out as I do, and bark.

When a country is rebellious, it has many rulers, but a man of understanding and knowledge maintains order. Proverbs 28:2

I think there is something, more important than believing: Action! The world is full of dreamers, there aren't enough who will move ahead and begin to take concrete steps to actualize their vision. W. Clement Stone

(An aside: a great quotation above other than using the word "actualize." I'm not a fan of it.)

After a week away from posting, I have returned with slightly sunburned arms and slightly stretched muscles. I got in some good walking - it's the exercise that takes you anywhere! - but my abs are suffering from a failure to incorporate sexy-abs-situps into my vacation routine. Alas. I'll get right on that.

A week away is good for one's perspective on things, usually. This trip, however, I returned feeling a little muddled. I think it was just... well. I really don't know what it was just. It just was, but I'm muddling through the muddle. This day, home is a clarifying place. (Ironic that I'm at the library as I write this, not at home.)

Challenge Update (review of the week 17 - 25):

Day 17 (Thursday): Ran around the house packing, cleaning, laundering, stressing, calling random people, checking the mail too often, paying bills, sitting down, standing up, playing with Mara, repacking, forgetting things, worrying about forgetting things, making a list, losing a list, finding a list, ad infinitum. Wearily she falls into bed... Read the rest of this entry »

“Any change, even a change for the better, is always accompanied by drawbacks and discomforts.” Arnold Bennett

Update (Thursday): 25 minutes cardio (walking in town); 12 minutes stretching.

I found a piece of paper from some old files of my Mom's. It is called "Everday Stretching" and has a series of 20 stretches. Probably one of her physicians gave it to her to help with the lower back pain. I'm not dealing with any lower back pain, but I hear stretching is a good idea. I'll give it a try.

In any of my exercise endeavors, I've never really given much thought to stretching, warming up, cooling down, or any of those commonly recommended procedures. I figure, hey, I have the energy now to do something that burns lots of calories, why waste it on something that doesn't burn lots of calories? Something like a calf stretch? So I would just take off jogging until I felt like I was about to die, then stop and breathe heavily, then go again as long as I could. (All of you real runners who are reading this are groaning right now, aren't you?)

Change is difficult even when it is good. Change requires a different mindset, a different response than what we're used to. Change is stretching all the tight places of our mind and emotions and even though they need to be stretched, they resist. We resist. I resist.

My husband's day off is usually a "lazy day." We sleep in, eat breakfast around noon, hang out in our pajamas, play with the kids, eventually get dressed and go do something fun together. Occasionally something productive, too.

For the last couple of weeks, Joe has been organized with a list of things to accomplish and intent on getting stuff done. This is great, I think; it's his only day off, besides Sunday, which is for church and rest and family. He has a lot of projects, and a lot of ideas, and as much as I want to help there are many things that only Joe can take care of. So his decision to be organized and productive on his day off is good. I applaud it.

I resist it. It took me a while to figure out why. (The coffee hadn't kicked in yet.) I mentally agree that the change is good and needed; emotionally I am not ready for the way it cuts into our lazy fun time and requires a change in my attitude, my expectations, my response, my plans.

I am slow to adjust. Once I began to see the reason for conflict (my own resistance to changing my expectations), it became easier to let go. When I finally accepted change, we ended up having a productive day as well as a fun time together. Often it isn't what we have to let go of that creates the resistance; it is simply the fact that we have to let go at all.

Resources: Stew Smith from Military.com offers a Stretching Plan with brief descriptions of 11 stretches which Mr. Smith recommends doing before each workout.

The stretches I did (which were simple, low intensity, but felt good) came from Stretching.com, where you can order wall charts, laminated charts, or any of several different books on stretching.

Better Homes and Gardens has an article with more detailed descriptions of Seven Great Stretches.

LifeTips has a great line of tips on stretching: descriptions of particular stretches as well as "in general" stretching advice.

Tip: If you're a previous non-stretcher (like me), start with 5 - 10 minutes of stretching and work your way up to 15 - 20. The more I stretch, the more convinced I am that it's helpful and healthy, plus I am getting better at targeting the muscles and really feeling the release and relaxation from the stretch. So go for a few minutes of really focusing, and as you get better and feel each stretch more, you can add more stretches in without getting bored.

People with integrity have firm footing, but those who follow crooked paths will slip and fall. Proverbs 10:9

“Use now and then a little Exercise a quarter of an Hour before Meals, as to swing a Weight, or swing your Arms about with a small Weight in each Hand; to leap, or the like, for that stirs the Muscles of the Breast.” Benjamin Franklin

Update (Wednesday): 20 minutes cardio (walking in park); 5 minutes stretch/abs.

Using the opportunities you have helps you to do something that otherwise you would find excuses not to do. That is most possibly the wordiest sentence possible and says the least but I am using a really loud keyboard right now and just typing more words than necessary because I like the sound it makes. Clack clack clatter.

Okay. Let's try it again. I think what I want to say is this: You can either find a way to make do with what you have and reach your goal regardless of your circumstances, or you can make excuses and stay where you are, which is not where you want to be.

As Steven Pressfield says in his book The War of Art , "Casting yourself as a victim is the antithesis of doing your work. Don't do it. If you're doing it, stop." (By the by, there are 118 customer reviews at Amazon on this book. Is that normal? 118? Wow.)

Resources: Go to your local library or bookstore and check out a copy of Pressfield's book. It's a great, creative kick-in-the-pants, and though it addresses the "creative life" most directly, the principles apply to any endeavor.

If you are a graphic designer or photographer, check out TheCreativeForum.com, which is "a Web-based community for the creative professional that will allow graphic designers, art directors, commercial photographers and other commercial artists to exchange creative ideas via posting of images and work samples for discussion and critique." There you have it.

If you're a writer, read this excellent article from Write to Done - which I don't know much about, but I'm impressed with what I've seen; I think it's a good find - on establishing the daily habit of writing. (It comes from the Zen Habits blogger, Leo Babauta, so it's got to be good.)

Tip: It's more important to be diligent in the small things, everyday, than to kill yourself trying to accomplish that one big thing. The small things add up to big things. Pick something you've been slacking on (time with your spouse, exercise, calling a friend, reading, cooking a good meal) and be diligent and excellent at that small thing. There will be big results. It's just a matter of time + diligence.

Teach the wise, and they will be wiser. Teach the righteous, and they will learn more. Proverbs 9:9

Ultimately, the only power to which man should aspire is that which he exercises over himself. Elie Wiesel

Update (Monday): 30 minutes cardio (walking); 5 minutes toning (abs).

I went through Kim Lyons' book yesterday and picked out some toning, strength, and stretching moves to try. I am needing a routine for that half of this extreme exercise regime... My "sexy abs sit-ups" just aren't quite enough.

Speaking of the Kim Lyon's book ( optimum everything in 12 weeks!), it's a useful tool for at-home exercise, plus a good overall fitness primer. She begins with an introduction to your body, then moves on to your mindset. Her discussion of habits is valuable for anyone wanting to make exercise and good nutrition a real part of life.

Because it's really all about the habits. We can force ourselves to stick to a diet for a certain amount of time, to really push through on working out for a while, but it is only in forming habits that we get long-lasting benefits. That's what these monthly challenges are all about: 30 days to form a habit.(Some people say 21, I know, but I'm going for 30 just to be safe.)

These life-improvement binges we go on don't help us; in fact, they turn us off to making real, positive changes. I went on a diet once, when I was 17. My whole family did; Mom read about it in a magazine. It was called " The Cabbage Soup Diet." To this day, I don't understand what dark, mysterious force compelled all 4 of us to agree to a week of eating cabbage soup. (That's wrong right there, I don't care who you are...)

I ate cabbage soup for a week and gained two pounds. I have never dieted since. One bad experience can turn you off from something that could be good. (Though I don't think cabbage soup is ever that good.)

It's better, far, far better to establish habits that you can maintain for a long time. You make small changes that produce small effects, but over months and years those small things become big. Diligence and consistency can accomplish lots more, and in a much more painless way, than fads and binges.

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Resources: From Fox News Health Blog, a 7-day log of the Cabbage Soup Diet experience. Read it and weep. (At least I did.)

From BPhoenix website, an article and list of fad diets. Yep, Cabbage Soup is on there.

From KidsHealth, an article on establishing habits that will help your kids be healthy eaters from 'kidhood' on. I don't at all agree with their "avoid battles" concept of training toddlers how to eat... But then, I seldom agree with popular culture's child-rearing philosophies. More on that some other time.

Tip: Think of one unhealthy habit you have now that you could change. It could be small, but small changes add up! Drink a glass of water every morning; eat a salad every night; snack on fruit instead of a Swiss Cake Roll. Pick one, and start making it a habit.

Say unto Wisdom, You are my sister; and call Understanding your intimate friend. Proverbs 7:4

Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm. Sir Winston Churchill

Update: 25 minutes cardio (walking); 5 minutes toning.

Joe and I took the kids to Vlasis Park after work today. (We all "work" on Saturday. Or at least we are all at work.) Vlasis has a great playground: the normal stuff, swings and slides and the like, and also a section for the toddlers with smaller swings and slides and things to climb on that they won't actually fall through.

Mara learned how to go down the slide sitting on her bottom facing forward, instead of sliding on her stomach feet-first. We consider this a monumental step in her development. Everyone knows a child's experience with slides (and swings and the like) contribute to the overall intelligence and fun quotient of the child as an adult.

Going places with one baby is easy. Going places with two babies gets a little more complicated. I'm sure going places with two babies is nothing compared to going places with three or four or five. I hope to find out for myself before it's all said and done.

When we first had Mara, I was stunned by the amount of gear we accumulated and the number of trips between house and car to get loaded for a quick jaunt to the park. Comparatively, we were pretty simple in our baby stuff accumulation. It was still very much too complicated.

I work on simplifying all the time. Two babies means more diapers in the diaper bag, but you still only need one bag. Breastfeeding means no bottles or formula. We have a double stroller, but I keep it at home and use a simple umbrella stroller and our Baby Bjorn carrier when we go out. Those stay in the car.

The car. There's another subject of dread complication. Car seats. Bulky, but necessary. Toys. Not bulky, probably not necessary, but there are lots of them, mostly corralled in a little Mara-sized backpack. Books. Not bulky, completely necessary (in my opinion), and contained in large, sturdy shoebox under the seat where Mara sits. Snacks. I've gone back and forth on this one. I usually keep one sippie cup which can be filled with water anytime. I've had, at various times, a bag of pretzels, a bag of animal crackers, a box of Pop Tarts, a box of Granola bars, and a bag of dried fruit. I find that they are quite useful and that Joe and I really enjoy eating them. Which is why I don't keep them in the car anymore.

I grab a baggie of snacks or a couple of granola bars to stash in the diaper bag, now. It's enough for the day but not enough that I'll feel free to munch on it. So I just keep a bar of dark chocolate in my own bag...

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Resources: I don't have much baby-gear envy. We don't even own a high chair, and I don't want one. But I do wish I had this stroller. Yeah. It's cooler than mine.

Again with the baby gear. Onesies have come a long way. Like this one for the Google addict's baby, or this one that I'm going to have to buy for my friend J's little girl, or this one for the skateboarder's kid (I guess those would be my kids...). I'm going to stop there, but if you want more go to this blog and get your fill.

Tip: Paring down your gear, and having it ready to go, makes those spontaneous park trips, road trips, picnics, and all-night-balloon-animal-making-contests a lot more feasible. Be ready for anything. Clean out your car and stock it with only the stuff you really need.

The more extensive a man's knowledge of what has been done, the greater will be his power of knowing what to do. Benjamin Disraeli

Update: 45 minutes cardio (walking: errands w/ Mara, Castlewood Park with Joe & kids); 0 toning.

The weather has been amazing for the last couple of days and getting the cardio in via walks. The toning didn't so much happen, unless you count carrying my 30 pound daughter on my shoulder for about 15 minutes of that walking. My shoulders were sore afterwards...

We walked down to the Meramec River at Castlewood Park. All the rain of the last week has pushed the river far beyond its banks. The water was up under the railroad bridge, a good quarter mile from its usual location. You could hear the rush of the current and see whitecapping. Our little ole Meramec is having a good time.

Mara had a good time throwing rocks into puddles, and Robbie perfected his owl-eyes neck swivel, trying to take it all in. Our latest fun with Mara:

Us: Mara, what sound does a dog make?
Mara: Woof, woof!

U: What sound does a cat make?
M: KKkkkkkkkk! (She does an angry cat sound.)

U: What sound does a duck make?

M: Quack!

U: What sound does a pirate make?

M: Rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

We're working on the sound a bird makes, the sound Robbie makes (waaaaa, waaaah), and the sound a Lamaze Instructor makes (hoo hoo hee heee hoo hoo haa). Yep. That's how you raise a genius.

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Resources: I gave in. I just went for diapers, dog food, and groceries. I didn't even need to be in that section of the store. But I walked in, grabbed my cart, and there they were, beckoning. The bright yellow cardboard of the display glowed warmly, promising comfort and abundance. The little envelopes smiled at me. "We're only 30 cents!" they said. "You can afford us! Why, at this value, you can't not afford us!"

So I came home with diapers, dog food, groceries, and seeds. More seeds. 9 more packages, to be exact. In an effort to justify myself, I will now share enticing websites that will make you want to buy seeds, too. I'm sure you'll thank me later, when you have 3 gallons of tomatoes and a basil plant the size of your neighbor's Prius. Just remember: no matter how much you love it, you don't need more than one zucchini plant.
The Cook's Garden: lots of heirloom and specialty garden seeds, as well as books and supplies. They have website specials and online ordering.

Kitchen Garden Seeds: great variety of vegetable seeds, as well as herbs and flowers. A nice recipe collection on the website. No online ordering; use the phone number during business hours.

Kitchen Gardeners International: an organization promoting local food, growing your own food; lots of information and resources, free email newsletter.

The ILovePlants website: a directory of garden links and websites, sorted for your convenience.

Tip: If you have to go to a store for, say, diapers or dog food, and you know they sell, oh, cunning displays of seeds, then you might want to either 1) take a non-gardening friend for moral support ("NO! Walk away. Put the seed packet down and walk away.") or 2) carry only enough cash for the items you intend to purchase. I'm not sure 2) would really be that effective, because once the seeds get to me, I'll sacrifice the dog food for them. And you can get a lot of seeds for the price of a 25 pound bag of kibble.

Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established. Proverbs 4:26

Character is, for the most part,simply habit become fixed. C. H. Parkhurst

Update: 30 minutes combined cardio + toning: Pilates Workout for Dummies DVD.

I guess I'm one of those people who feels like I know how good my workout was by how sweaty my shirt is. So Pilates and I, especially when you consider my less-than-stellar sense of balance, are not exactly bosom buddies. The DVD introduction was long, by my standards, and I skipped part of it. "Just get to the exercises, lady!" The exercises look simple. They are simple. Just don't equate simple with easy.

The point of Pilates is to build a strong core, as explained on the Balanced Body website.:

Building on the principles of Joseph Pilates, Pilates exercises develop a strong "core," or center of the body. The core consists of the deep abdominal muscles along with the muscles closest to the spine. Control of the core is achieved by integrating the trunk, pelvis and shoulder girdle.

I do not have a strong core. This truth became clear to me about halfway through the "Basic" section of the DVD (which, you remember, is for dummies). I finished up, and my legs were sore for the rest of the day. By night, I could feel all the muscles in my back talking, and they were not saying good things to me.

So, I call that a successful workout, even though my shirt wasn't sweaty, the music was slow, and there was a long introduction. It is a good change from my normal choice of fitness activity: upbeat, quick movements, more emphasis on energy than accuracy. Pilates requires concentration and control and produces a more intense effect than I would have predicted.

Resources: Read more about the history of Pilates, how to get started at home with Pilates, or watch a video that introduces some basic Pilates stretches or another video that focuses on Pilates for abs.

If you still need some healthy eating ideas, check out About.com's list of Top 10 Low Fat Recipes for Spring and get inspired. I'm not a fan of just substituting low or non-fat versions of things to make a recipe "healthier," so I will skip the two dessert options (Key Lime Bars and Creme Brulee). But the Spring Salmon Salad sounds great, and I want to try the Pea and Mint Soup. With full-fat sour cream, though, or none at all, thank you very much.

Tip: To make changes toward healthier eating, start with small changes in what you keep at home. Don't buy another bag of chips or box of Little Debbies, or even some processed, organic concoction. The healthiest eating is simple food in its most unaltered form: a fresh apple, orange, banana, or kiwi for a snack; lightly steamed carrots or broccoli tossed in sea salt and a pat of good butter for a dinner side. Make a few changes on your next grocery trip, and get some fresh, good stuff instead of that boxed, processed "non-food" you've been eating. You can do it!

Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your body And refreshment to your bones. Proverbs 3:7-8