No Excuse Mom Workouts (review)

  Yesterday I introduced you to hiking with your children and today I have another group to bring the kids to.  It's great to have a safe place, a free place, a place to socialize and a way to workout all embracing the fact that you have kids.

  No excuse mom is a group of women that meet atleast weekly to workout together.  Your leader coordinates the location and the workout routine.  You are free to bring your children as they will be inches away from you in a park or in the same room inside.

  Due to my injury I was unable to workout with them prior to now.  Today I went and this particular city was having a Zumba class.

Check out noexcusemom online to find the nearest location to you.  As the weather gets warmer they will be meeting up more in parks.  After your workouts let the kids run around about in the park or playground and everyone is guaranteed to have a much more relaxed calm afternoon.

This is a free group!  They meet in free areas and the workouts change regularly.  The ladies encourage each other and the kids either hang out in strollers or play amongst themselves.  This is a great social outlet and a nice slow way to get back some energy; that we all need whether we lost it from too many sleepless nights, or chasing toddlers.

Nature Walk

  We got out yesterday and visited a local park.  To say I was amazed is an understatement about the park.  I had been here previously to rent a boat, went fishing here and even visited the visitor center.  I have taken note of the playground but never of the actual history of the park nor the plentiful abundance of trails.

We set out to explore this park and to walk the trail.  My kids first started walking trails last year and thoroughly understand what is involved in a hike. The good bad and ugly.  Good being new sights and catching a glimpse of wildlife and some interesting sounds.  The bad being catching a glimpse of wildlife.  The ugly being slipping on mud.

 

I love the initial enthusiasm on their faces before we get started.  They know I have their water and maybe a snack in my bag.  They trust me in every way possible.  They look at me for fun, adventure and as their tour guide.  I prep them. Encourage them even when we are driving to a location.  I know you will do good and I know you can make the whole walk.  They always agree and are eager to get moving.

Time frames and miles mean nothing to them but they still lead the way or walk beside me happy to be together and ready to explore!  I laugh at the maps we pick up as it seems when I walk I seem to add on miles along the way my sense of direction is not always 100 percent but then again I think the map may be a little off.

  Regardless as long as I keep my kids engaged with what's around us they have truly become my favorite partners in crime.  They point out things I may have missed and get the imagination going as they tell me what they think happened to the crooked tree of why theres mysterious mud on our path.

Take your kids out and explore with them.  Getting them acquainted and comfortable with nature.  Explore a short .5 mile trail or a longer 2.5 mile one.  Tell them about the birds you see, a specific tree or talk about the current season.  I do have my phone out taking pictures but this is one time I do spend with them devoted to their attention.

There is an app on my phone that keeps track of my steps an I aim to keep it busy this year as well as regain control of my fitness.  I have started giving myself a weekly mileage goal and plan to increase it every week.  It will be nice to see new places, get in better shape and make new memories with my family.  

Date 22

  Good morning!  Another date with your kids today! Are you excited?  Did you have fun yesterday?  I know that my kids act differently when they are separated as well.  I have less problems, I hear less yelling and I ultimately have less stress.  So when I can hang out with just one it is a little fun.  Boy only children have it made.

  Today it is another date outside!  Whether it's raining, snowing or a bright sunshine day.  Kids love to go outside.  Take a trip to the park.  Not the kind with slides and swings.  This time you and little one are going to walk and explore.  Make a scavenger hunt. I have a few pinned on pinterest.  Walk around a lake or just take a short trail through the woods.

  Today's date is just providing you with an option to spend some quiet quality time with each other. I don't mean quiet as in don't talk; I just mean quiet as in focused undivided attention without the squeals going down a slide.  My two younger kids like going for walks at the park a whole lot more than my older two.  They like to see the squirrels running, a turtle in the water, count bridges on our path or just all the fresh air they are getting.

  So there you go! Go on out and have some fresh air fun.  If you have more than one child maybe spend a half hour with each of them.  It's nice to see their personality without the others around.  I like to listen to them as the describe something to me.  It's so much easier to focus on them individually.  I know they like it too.