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Hibernating all Winter? Not a Chance!

I surprised myself when I noticed that I have not posted a blog here since December!  Where did I go? Hibernation maybe? Actually it was the exact opposite!  My husband, the kids and I were so busy this winter OUTSIDE that I didn’t spend much time at my computer writing!

How does one stay busy outside all winter with kids allergic to cold and snowsuits when there is no snow to be found outside, and there is a TV and cozy fire calling from inside? You make a family decision to get out there everyday! And boy did we ever!

We are a family that has always made a point of skiing for 3-4 days each winter, but this year we took the plunge and committed to a membership at a ski club that would have kids in lessons every Saturday and Sunday morning and Mom & Dad in snowsuits no matter what the temps or wind chill for 3 months straight!

Every weekend this family spent at the ski hills, wither skiing down them or hiking up them.  We were out in the gorgeous sunshine, howling wind, blinding snow, -20 temperatures and +10 skiing in our t-shirts.  And everyone loved it!

During the week I committed to a girlfriend that we would work out OUTSIDE every Tuesday & Thursday morning on our bikes, in hiking boots or in running shoes, in the trails or on the country roads.  As our journey began, we agreed to take it week by week and see what the weather threw at us.  Luckily, Mother Nature took the winter off and we saw very little snow in our City so managed to bike ride in the trails almost every week. 

Switching it up to ride lakeside in the crazy wind, or hike when a new snowfall did (rarely) happen and a couple times we were forced to do indoor workouts at the gym.  We worked out faithfully all winter, so proud to find out what we were really made of and we continue to meet twice a week as the weather gets warmer and the workouts get easier!!

   

Ski season has officially ended, so you will see more frequent posts from me as I shift back to running and getting the kids out on their bikes while sitting outdoors with my computer & continue writing about staying active all year long!

How did you get through the winter?

Family Hike

You make the announcement on a sunny Saturday morning, “Let’s go for a Family Hike!”  The support pours in immediately, ‘do we have to’, ‘it’s cold out there’, ‘how long will we be gone?’  Kids! 

Thankfully I get to play my Mom card and today I have decided we are going on a Family Hike so that is what we shall do!  Coats, hats, mitts, boots, splash pants on and the whole family is in the car for the 5 minute drive to the trails.  I know they will love this.  ‘How long is the drive?’, ‘where are we going?’,  ‘why do we have to go?’, 'are we there yet?'  They are really looking forward to this.

Funny thing is, they have a blast.  The day is gorgeous and surprise, surprise, Mom is right.  A Family Hike is just what we all needed.  The trail was a new one for us and the kids loved exploring.  We found ice on the path into the trails, a bridge across a small creek, boulders to climb, a ladder to get up a huge embankment, a stump to sit on, a log to climb on and sunlight bouncing off the snow at the top of our climb.  The kids collected sticks, threw makeshift snowballs, chased each other, chased us, climbed, slid and laughed.

Sometimes, you need to nudge everyone out of the house to get some exercise in the crisp winter air but I'm pretty confident once you let them loose on the trails, they will be happy they were so eager to go! I say when it comes to Family Hikes, Mom knows best.  Get outside and have some fun.

     

The Ultimate Family Photo!

 If your kids are like mine, they cringed when I announce we are going for family photo's. Sometimes I am convinced they sabotage the session on purpose thinking I'll cancel it, when in reality it just makes the fun go on for much longer than anyone likes!

I am a huge fan of family photo's.  We take them at Christmas, in the Summer, in the Fall, at birthdays, on the ski slopes, at the beach, at the park. . . you get the idea.  My kids roll their eyes, grumble under their breath and eventually smile pretty for gorgeous memories I am positive they will thank me for one day!

However, at our most recent photo shoot, I did not need to beg smiles out of them.  They were all over the family photo shoot when I told them their props would included climbing ropes, our warehouse, ski's, pretty dance costume and a goofy expression!

You see, you have not had an ultimate family photo until you have met Justin Van Leeuwen! I was introduced to Justins work via another very unique family photo of Julie Coles family of 8. Thinking my family wasn't large enough to qualify (only 5) I starting chatting with Justin on Facebook and Twitter.  I was in the market for not just any family photo, but one that showed the real us.  No pretty clothes and cute matching shoes, no studio, no fake smiles. The criteria was: it had to show our family, our personalities, our business and tell our story.

Justin was the perfect photographer for the job.  It began innocently with me sending Justin photos of our business space, links to our websites, blog post about our family, and a few shots of the kids to help him get to know us.  Then Julie Cole visited our office and sent a silly tweet about how great a photo would be of the kids climbing the racks of IronKids & Adult Essentials Gummy Vitamins in our back warehouse.  Justin's light bulbs started firing and The Lowther Race to the Finish photo was born.

It took only 6 hours of shooting which included 2 hours of arranging vitamins, 1 hour of wardrobe changes, 30 minutes of suspending one child by ropes and harness, 20 minutes of fan blowing, 1 finish line, 1 bike, 1 pair of running shoes, 1 pair of ski's, 1 pair of skates, 1 fork lift, 1 amazing assistant and a few hundred photos.

I hope you love our new family photo as much as we do.  I don't think it needs explanation.  It is us. Our family, our business, our story, our passions, our fun side.

Here are my photos of shooting day. Below is the amazing finish product.  What do you think?

For the photographers own summary of our amazing day, visit jvlphoto.com

Our Family 2011

For more on our family business, visit our Iron-Kids website.

Kids & Colds

Eat your Veggies & Stay Healthy!

Do your kids get colds?  Mine really only get maybe one cold a winter.  I like to think it is because we try our best to stay healthy and take our vitamins!!  Wrote a blog about keep germs at bay that has been shared on other websites, so thought I would post it here!  Please feel free to leave comments for any other tips you have!

Kids and colds seem to go hand-in-hand this time of the year . . . but they don’t have to!

It’s true, germs are everywhere, and your kids will be at school, daycare or playgroups with coughing, sneezing and runny nosed children.  You can’t avoid the germs, but you can protect yourself and your kids by picking up a few healthy habits at your house this winter!

Eat plenty of fruits & veggies.  It is best to get your vitamin C from eating an orange so your body can benefit from the many other nutrients an orange has to offer! Experiment with your kids and new fruits and vegetables;  see if they can eat a rainbow of colours every day.  Cut into fun shapes, put on a stick and dip into yogurt, try broiled grapefruit or bbq’d pineapple. Freeze some grapes or a banana dipped in a little chocolate.  Add pureed squash to thicken that chili or spaghetti sauce.  Make fruits and vegetables part of every meal.

Eat yoghurt.  It has good bacteria that helps your immune system resist colds!  Add to a morning shake, put a few spoonfuls on the kids cereal, use as a dip for bananas, melon or apples before bedtime.

Drink lots.  Water is best, or 100% juice, to flush out the bad and keep you well hydrated.  Dilute juice with water for same great taste and less sugar!  Make your own fun flavours of water by adding lemon, or frozen melon, strawberries and grapes! Add orange, pineapple, passion fruit and cranberry juice together in a fancy glass for a fun treat the kids will love.

Wash everything! Doorknobs, light switches, telephones and remote controls all share your families’ germs! Wash kids hands and faces, even when not dirty.  Get into the habit of washing up after school, before meals and even before bed.

Get outside.  I know its cold, but bundle up and go out anyways.  So much fun can be had outside in the winter –go for a hike or a bike ride if you are short on snow or build a hill in your front yard and toboggan with the kids if you have too much!  While you are at it, open the windows occasionally to bring some of that fresh air inside during winter months to rid your house of any lurking air born virus.

Get some exercise.  Did you know exercise that gets your heart pumping and oxygen flowing actually increases your body’s ability to ward off cold germs?

Get some sleep.  Getting the proper amount of rest give your body the energy it needs to fight off the cold and flu virus.

And Take your Vitamins. Always good to fill in any gaps from your diet with a range of vitamins.  Multi, Omega, Vitamin D, B12, and Calcium are all vital to a healthy immune system, make sure you are getting enough!

The best defense against any illness is always a strong immune system.  A healthy diet rich in protein, grains and all the vitamins your body needs, plus some regular fresh air, exercise, plenty of fluids and rest is sure to keep your family feeling good this winter!

Fitting it in!

I was lucky, I was raised in an active family and as result, I have always understood the importance of a healthy lifestyle. It has always been important, but it hasn't always been easy. In University I had other priorities, after my knee surgery it wasn't possible, for 6 months while pregnant and recovering from baby #1’s c-section it wasn't advised . . .then baby #2, then there was baby #3! It has been a struggle to find time to get out running through the years, but I kept at it, started over many times, and now I am a proud Mom with healthy active kids!

I have the same busy life all moms do with kids, a husband who travels and a work from home office with a great view, but no child care! Getting out my front door without kids is very tricky. Over the years I have gotten quite creative! I will run to my child’s soccer game while the rest of the family goes in the van, when I drop a kid at a birthday party I run around the neighbourhood until I can pick her up again. On days I used to work in an office, I would run on my lunch hour and then sit at my desk a little sweaty all afternoon! Any alone time I saw in my schedule, I put on my running shoes! My husband & I hire a babysitter for an hour so we can bike or run together. My running happens because it has always been my priority. I find as moms with long to do lists, we tend to put the workout at the bottom. We have to make our health a priority to find windows of time in our busy days.

Three of my proudest achievements after the birth of my 3 children, is crossing a ½ marathon finish line with my husband and each of our daughters in a jogging stroller when they were just 8 months old!!

We signed up for the Virginia Beach Rock N Roll ½ Marathon happening 7 hours away and just 8 months after the birth of our first daughter. I did whatever I had to to get in those runs. I started with the run/walk with her in the jogging stroller for 3km and once I could run 3km without stopping, I added 5 minutes every weekend. Within a few months I was running 2hrs and ready to try my first ½ marathon. Race day was not the funnest 2 1/2 hrs in the rain, but we did it and my baby has a finish line photo and medal on display in our house.

12 months later I had my 2^nd baby girl and my elaborate training program started again! This time it was a bit trickier to fit in runs as I was not a double stroller kind of girl!! Eight months later my husband and I crossed the finish line at the Ottawa ½ marathon and she too has a finish line photo and medal hanging in our house.

Then we had baby #3 . . when the heck would I ever run again?! We committed to the Quebec ½ marathon just 8 months after her birth. I got up early, I ran in the cold, I ran when I was tired and I ran when I would have rather sat and had breakfast with my family. I took my babies to the local YMCA and put them in programs and babysitting so I could run on a treadmill. We crossed that finish line in our best time yet with our 3^rd daughter and she too has a medal and finish line photo.

I proudly display my babies photos and medals and talk to them often about how great they were in those races. I want my daughters to see the rewards of setting a goal and following through and to understand that it takes dedication and effort. My kids are 5, 7 and 9 and have already done their first triathlon and two family 5km runs . . . we are a truly an active family!

It is a priority to be a healthy mom, a healthy role model for my girls and to raise healthy kids . . . I am committed to it, even if it means I have to run to swimming lessons!

How do you fit in exercise?

Choosing to stay home . . .

Long before I was a Mom or had even met my husband, I had decided that I wanted to be at home with my kids. I am not sure why. It was always just something that was important to me. I didn’t have any idea how I would afford to stay home or if I would even enjoy it, I just knew I would.

In my 20’s I was a hard working professional with a full on career. I had an office, a steady pay cheque, worked tons of overtime, I loved what I did, and I was good at it. In my 30’s I became a mom and although I knew I would be staying home, I didn’t stop working. My full time job became 20-30 hours a week of contract work. I was a busy stay at home working mom of 1 and in less that 2 years became a crazy stay at home working mom of 2. Breastfeeding a baby during conference calls and tickling a toddler playing under my desk became the norm of my day!

When my 3rd daughter was born I knew I was done working for a while. I was a mom of 3 kids under 3 at home with not only no daycare, but also a travelling husband and my main source of help, my mom, now busy caring for my ailing father.

My world was made up of kids, feedings, snacks, diaper changes, doctors appointments, chemo with my Dad, groceries, play dates and cleaning up after play dates. It was everything I wanted and more than I could handle all at the same time. Occasionally I could be found in a corner in tears, pretty sure I couldn’t do it one more day. Convinced that my girls would be better off having fun with other kids in a child care center then watch me unsuccessfully deal with the over whelming responsibility of catering to their needs each day. I have no idea how I made it through those first 2 years of being a mom to 3 small children. I leaned on friends and consoled myself that tomorrow would be better. Staying at home was not exactly as I had envisioned it, but it was still my choice.

I took 3 kids to all my doctors appointments, all their doctor appointment, all our dentist appointments, all kids activities; everywhere I needed to go, 3 kids had to come with me. I taught my children that we were a team and we travelled as a team and listening to mom was always required. I taught them how to sit still at the doctors, hold on to the stroller in parking lots and be patient at the grocery store. I have changed more than one diaper on my lap, I can make lunch with a baby in one arm, a toddler around my leg and a 3 year old crying because Barney is not magically appearing on TV. I have pulled the car over to feed kids, I have almost forgotten to pick up kids, and have been home for every second of the joy and struggles with kids. It wasn’t always pretty, but it did get easier as we all grew up together! I even had time to start working from home again, carving out a little time for mom with kids still running around the house!

My kids may have seen me at my worst, but I have seen them at their best. They have enjoyed more free time at home, more special days with mom, and I was there for all their naptime stories and potty training attempts. I had time to teach all 3 of my girls how to swim, how to skate, how to ski, how to bake, how to read, and how to put on lip gloss. Being home allowed me those opportunities and as the first day of Grade1 approaches for my last “baby”, I am so sad to see them all off in school full time now . . .but also so happy that I was able to enjoy time with them at home all these years.

When you choose to stay home . . . you choose a lot more hours of kids tears, of whining, of arguing, of cleaning, of constant companions for every errand and maybe a few more hours of smiles, of laughs, of memories, and snuggles. It wasn’t always an easy 10 years at home, but it was the right choice for me and I wouldn't trade any of it. What has choosing to be home meant to you?

I Will Miss Them . . .

This September I become a stay at home working mom with no one left at home once the school bell rings. After 3 children and almost 10 years of daily doting on kids while attempting to maintain a career (and my sense of humour), I will be home alone every day. My baby is entering Grade 1 and I will miss them . . . .

I will miss getting them drinks, snacks, lunch, Kleenex and more snacks every 14 seconds, then cleaning up the mess that is made from the drinks, snacks, and lunch every 14 seconds. I will miss referring their arguments, tripping over the million toys that end up in the family room, flushing the toilet 17 times, changing the TV station and putting in a new DVD. I will miss answering their never ending questions, buckling and un buckling many seatbelts, hiding in the closet while on conference calls. I will miss packing bags of snacks & activities to go anywhere for 5 minutes, being home on time for nap time, lunch time, activity time. I will miss potty training, sleep training, nose blowing and constant interruptions. I will miss the noise, the complaining, the whining, the asking, the crying and miss hearing “mom” 87 times everyday.

But most of all, I will miss holding their hands when we go to the doctors office or down the street to pick up the mail. I’ll miss chatting with them in the shopping cart and teaching them about different fruits and vegetables at the grocery store. I’ll miss laughing with them. I’ll miss the company when I go to meetings and business events during the day. I’ll miss reading them stories and getting hugs before mid day naps. I’ll miss the conversations about their friends and teachers at the lunch table. I’ll miss the mid afternoon bike rides to the park, the mommy days at the pool, the ice rink, dance class or the library. I’ll miss the playdates and my mom friends. I’ll miss having someone at home with me and I will miss hearing ‘mom’ 87 times each day.

As each one has entered Grade 1, I am proud of the young girls they have become and thankful I was able to be home with them for their first 5 years. But now as my 3^rd (and final) baby enters Grade 1, I have the full range of emotions. I am excited for them to be growing up, for them to be together in the “big kid playground” at school . . . I know they will take care of each other. I am happy for me, that I will have time for the gym during the day and to be able to work on my business during work hours! I am grateful for the quantity of time I have had with my kids over the years and optimistic for the quality time ahead after school! But I am also sad . . . sad that this house will now be quiet during the day, sad that a big part of me will be missing and sad that the years of being at home with kids is now over.

I have loved being home with you girls . . . have fun, grow, explore, learn . . . and come home after school everyday and tell me all about it!

Yes, I will miss them . . .

Healthy Back to School Routine!

Forget January, September is when everything starts anew when you have school aged children! I figure I have survived 1065 school mornings so far and every September I vow that this is the year I am going to achieve the perfect back to school morning!

We all dream of smooth, calm morning routines where everyone walks out the door for school dressed, fed, brushed and on time, but the reality is most mornings are a scramble, throwing lunches together, searching for permission forms, breaking up arguments, and running late causing the kids to eat breakfast in the car!

This year, we are following our ‘6 Rule’s for School‘ to ensure we get off to a healthy start!

Routine. Kids thrive on routine and parent can relish in it. Bedtime should be as consistent as wake up time. When everyone arrives home from school, everything from homework to permission forms to library books goes in one place and things like hats, mittens, jackets are hung up in their place. Nothing goes astray and no one can use the “I couldn’t find it” excuse!

Reach. Put everything in reach so the kids can help out. A low

pantry shelf can hold small cereal containers, bowls, spoons and cups sobreakfast can be handled on their own by children as young as three.

Responsibilities. Share them! Kids love to help! They can handle picking out clothes, emptying the dishwasher, packing up their backpacks, taking their vitamins, setting out the lunch containers and filling water bottles.

Reminders. Get some poster board, colourful markers and talk with the kids about what needs to get done each morning: get dressed, brush hair, brush teeth, homework/library books, vitamins, pack backpack, empty dishwasher, etc. Then post this list of reminders on the hall closet door. When kids are not sure what to do next, they know where to look to make sure they have completed everything. Add in stickers or a check list for the really young ones so they feel like they are accomplishing something.

Recipe. Make a commitment to yourself and your kids that this year you will strive to make at least one homemade snack. Get the kids to help. A double batch of oatmeal applesauce cookies and a loaf of whole wheat banana bread take just an hour to make and will get you through at least two weeks of school snacks. Store in the freezer cut up and ready to pack in lunch containers on school mornings.

Relax. Every new routine will take a bit of tweaking, but if each family member is given a role and works toward the same goal, your morning routine will quickly become second nature. And if you still show up late to school one morning and forget to brush hair, it’s OK, math class will still happen and tomorrow is another chance to try it again!

What re your back to school morning routine tricks that help you avoid the mad dash out the door?

My First Triathlon . . .at 43!

I’ve have been active all my life. I got a bike when I was 3 and it was my mode of transportation before I could drive. I took swimming lessons forever and was a lifeguard throughout High School and University. I grew up in an active family and I’ve been running since I was 10. After the birth of all 3 of my babies, my husband and I ran a ½ marathon in a different city with baby in the jogging stroller when they were only 8 months old. It seems only natural that I would eventually do a triathlon . . . but I never had! Last spring my husband and I trained for and did our first sprint duathlon – run 2km, biking 20km and run another 5km . . .and now it was time to move up to a triathlon – a swim, then bike, then run.

We trained the weekend before to practice the transitions. Running in your bathing suit is not always comfortable and there is a talent to setting out your towel, your socks, and shoes beside your bike. Then there is remembering that your shirt fits better if you put it on BEFORE your bike helmet. . . something that warrants mentioning! The swim was easy . . .we are naturals here. The bike was easy too, but remembering that this is a race and not a joy ride ups the pressure just a bit. Then the run. The legs feel funny! We carry on with minimal complaining, this is just too much fun to stop! After we are done we reviewed what was harder than we thought and what was the fun part . . .everyone agreed, it was a bit of a challenge!

The day before race day was orientation . . . always a good idea to know where you are going beforehand as race day can be a bit blurry with so many people around and cones all over the course. We studied the maps, we drove the bike course, we scoped out the pool and we reviewed the running route. We were ready!

With the training under our belt, we woke up early on the big day! The sun was shining and the first race was at 8:30am . . .bikes had to be in transition area by 8. We picked a prime position and got our numbers written on our arms & legs with MARKERS! How fun, we are never allowed to write on ourselves with markers!!

The excitement mounts as we run into friend after friend who is there to do their first triathlon too!! We can’t wait for the first wave to start!! And then it was time. Our 5 year old was up first. . . . yup, my first triathlon was actually for my kids!

Helping them prepare, taking a zillion pictures, encouraging them from the sidelines and setting them up for a lifetime of loving individual sports . . . that was our role that day. It took me 43 years to get this close to a triathlon and I learned, that for my husband and I, it was an honour to be the parents on the sidelines rather than the athletes in the race this time.

All three kids were so excited. They didn’t know they were supposed to be nervous . . .this was all brand new to them but they approached it like pros. My 5 year old flew through the course with me by her side. Proud as punch she climbed out of the pool and sat on her bike with wet shorts and raced faster than I could keep up running beside her. Then took off for the run before we even saw where the volunteers had taken her bike!!

Our 7 and 9 year old daughters could barely contain themselves as they had to wait before their age group was up. They were eager to do their longer race on their own they said! The happiness and excitement in these three kids that day was contagious. The determination in the transition area to do up those shoe laces and buckle that helmet and the smiles as they raced by us on their bikes will forever be remembered. But what I cherish the most is the looks of pure joy on their faces as they emerged from the transition area for the run to the finish line.

At 43, I can finally say “I have done my first triathlon.” It’s not important that it was my kids that crossed the finish line. Our family did this one together.

The Memory Moments

Can you imagine anything more amazing for a child than to be out at sunset, canoes in the distance, jumping into a lake with her family and friends close by cheering her on? This is the oldest of my 3 daughters and this photo just makes me so proud, as her mom, to be able to give her these childhood memories. Even if it is just a second in her life, this photo captures the beauty of life, the joy of the moment and the wonderful experiences that are out there for our children.

That is a lot for one photo to say, I know. But my kids are like everyone else's; they hate cleaning their rooms, emptying the dishwasher, sitting still in the car for 2 hours to get to the lake, sitting still while we pack, hanging around while we finish dishes so they can go to the lake. They whine, they complain, they are impatient. But they are so fortunate. They get to go jump in the lake. At sunset. With canoes going by and their family by their side.

The next time they complain about chores, I will show them this photo. The next time I complain about laundry or packing a family of 5 to go away, I will remind myself of this photo.

Life is amazing, simply because my kids get to jump into the lake, at sunset, if they want to.

What moments do you cherish, knowing your children will remember them for always?

Great Canadian Blog Bash

In the spirit of Canada Day & to support the amazing Canadian Bloggers, won't you join us for the Great Canadian Blog Bash?

I love writing about Raising Healthy my Kids and so many bloggers have been very supportive of helping us spread the word about our all natural

IronKids Gummy Vitamins!

We have an exciting summer planned of camping, hiking and kids fun runs that I'll be sure to be writing about!!

Have a read around my previous posts and then go Blog hoping!

Take a tour around some of the other amazing blogs listed here!

Many are running contests with fabulous prizes. Check out Nugglemama's Handful & Tales of a Ranting Ginger to get you started.

There might be IronKids vitamins to win there!!

Happy Reading!!

Our Weekend Getaway . . .in the backyard!

A look ahead on the calendar and there was an entire weekend with no plans and the weather forecast was warm and sunny . . . it was the perfect set up for a weekend getaway!

We announced to the kids that it was going to be a family weekend and they excitedly ran upstairs and packed their stuff. Minutes later Tinkerbelle, Cinderella and Mickey Mouse suitcases bounced down the stairs filled with all their favorite possessions ready to go. They were off!

Our 3 kids ran out the back door, suitcases in tow, jumped into the tent . . . and unpacked! Our weekend getaway was to our own backyard!

You may be thinking, what kind of getaway is that? Well, if you plan it right, it can be the best getaway! And by plan, I mean don't make any! That was the hardest part. For 2 days we did not go anywhere in the car. No groceries, no playdates, no visitors, and not even a trip downtown to visit our local music festival that we love.

We were determined to stay together, close to home and do all those things we never seem to have time for! And if you know us, that meant getting out and being active with our kids . . .from home!

We got on our bikes and did a couple loops of the neighbourhood and even did a lap around the park in our running shoes! Then we floated the rest of the day away in the pool. We set up the tent, kids decided who was sleeping where, they got all their bedding and far too many stuffed animals and played in the tent while Dad and I read under the gazebo. We fired up the bbq when hungry and brought out the frozen drinks and popsicles when thirsty.

When it got dark we sat around our fire pit and roasted marshmallows before retiring to the tent with popcorn and a movie on our computer!

We all fell asleep in the tent watching the stars above in our own backyard . . . it was pure family vacation bliss.

The next morning happened to be Fathers Day and the kids couldn't wait to put on their "our dad rocks" shirts and get their homemade gifts for Dad to open in the tent. After our traditional waffle breakfast we all hopped on our bikes again and rode to the park with our tennis racquets.

We finally had time to play tennis as a family and even spent time swinging on the swings after we got tired of chasing tennis balls.

It was a perfect weekend because this busy family of 5 decided to not be so busy. No one ran errands, no one needed chauffeuring to birthday parties, no one had anywhere to go. Our cars stayed parked, our laundry stayed dirty, our grass stayed long, our phone went unanswered. We had coffee outside, cocktails in the pool, and popcorn in the tent . . . and the 5 of us hung out together.

It was definitely the one of our best family getaways . . and we will be booking that camp site again really soon!!

Have you tried a weekend getaway at home? Would love to hear about it!

Sprint to the Finish!

I am not ashamed to admit that both my kids beat me across the finish line at our very first 5 km Moon in June race last weekend!

I trained with my two older daughters for weeks ahead of time (see blog post on that here!), I taught them how to pace, to stretch, to drink water, and we bonded so much preparing for this race. Race day comes, and because it was a night run (meant for older kids & adults not 7 & 9 year olds!), we had the girls take a nap in the afternoon and filled them with pasta at lunch. They were ready to run!

Our 5 year old did her 1km run with Dad . . she loves that run!! Her little legs were non stop! Medal and freeze in hand, she settled in to watch her two older sisters run the 5km with me.

My older kids were barely visible among the 790 tall adult runners ready for the 5km challenge! They were never once intimidated by the people, the distance or the time of day. They were so excited when that starting gun went off at 9:15pm . . yes, it was a late one and yes, we would be doing our first 5km race together in the dark! The race was on!

After the pack thinned a little, the kids were thrilled to literally "run into" their school Vice Principle, Music teacher and Kindergarten teacher . . .each was impressed that the other was out running a 5k!! The kids and I chatted as we ran along on the road, they loved the encouragement from the other runners as they passed us by, loved the police officers directing traffic at the turning points and couldn't believe the kids and well wishers on the front lawns as we ran through sub divisions.

They saw the km route markers and the negotiations started . . ."we will run until we see 2km and them we will have a rest and walk . . . I think."

Turns out they passed the 2km mark and the 2.5km mark and experienced their first water station at 3km and after a brief sip of water, kept running. We made it all the way to the 4km sign before we stopped for a photo op and a walk to drink some water.

Be now they knew the finish line wasn't far and were eager to get back to running. After I finished texting their Dad to tell him we were coming in (yes I can text & run!), we headed for the end. They got more excited as they got closer and begged me to let them start running faster. I held them back til I knew we were close enough and no one would get hurt or too tired to finish.

Well, when I said "OK go for it" . . .they were GONE! I honestly could not catch my 9 year old as she sprinted across that finish line.

Proud does not even begin to describe how they feel about themselves! They experienced what setting a goal, working towards a goal and accomplishing a goal feels like. They talk about it almost everyday. I know they are reliving those moments in their head and how it felt to cross that finish line. They cannot wait until next year.

As for me? I am going to make sure I have a head start next time before the sprinting starts!!

Perfect Fathers Day gift . . for MOM!

I have the perfect Father's Day gift . . .every mom should run out now and get one of these for their kids Dad!

This perfect gift gives back every weekend, to ME!

I sleep in (LATE) every Saturday morning. Daddy HAS to get up. The kids beg for him to get up. The kids never let him skip a weekend, this is serious 'Daddy is the best ever and we love him soooo much' !! All the makings of the PERFECT Fathers Day Gift!! So what is it . . .

THE perfect gift for this Fathers Day is a Waffle Maker. Seriously!

We bought Dad at our house one about 2 years ago for Father's Day and every single weekend & and every single birthday slumber party morning has been a waffle morning. He makes huge batches and freezes them so the kids have ready made pop-in-the-toaster breakfast before school.

It's brilliant !!

I get out of weekend breakfast AND school morning breakfast!! Kids can self serve from freezer to toaster and they LOVE Daddy's waffles.

He's even come up with his own "healthy" waffle recipe so the kids get some good stuff with their weekend waffle! (yes I know there are sprinkles on that whip cream above . . . but its real whip cream!)

So think about YOU this Father's Day!! Your kids will love you for it !!

Dad's Healthier "let mommy sleep" Waffles

Dry Ingredients

2 cups whole wheat flour

6 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

2 tbsp sugar

Wet Ingredients

2 cups Milk

8 tbsps Extra Virgin Olive oil

2 tsp vanilla extract

4 eggs seperated yolks from white.

1-2 mashed Bananas & handful of chocolate chips (see blog about choc chips here!)

Add first four ingredients to bowl and mix.

Add milk, olive oil, egg yolks and Vanilla Extract and mix. Add to dry ingredients and mix.

Add in mushed bananas and a sprinkle of chocolate chips

Beat Egg whites until white and fluffy. Then fold egg whites into batter.

Pour batter in to Waffle iron and cook for approximately 8 minutes. Makes approximately 15 waffles depending on size of waffle iron.

Would you let your kids skip school for this?

I let my kids skip school yesterday afternoon. No one was sick. No one had an appointment. And no one was more excited to get out of school at 1pm then my 3 kids!

It’s been a crappy Spring around here . . . sunshine only out for small windows of time and then clouds roll in and we have rain for days and days. Everything is soggy all the time. We've given up hoping for Spring and hike in the rain, bike in the clouds and just cross our fingers that Summer sunshine will be here one day.

That day came yesterday . . . it was HOT! Topping out near 40 degrees with the humidex! The sun brought along a clear blue sky and no wind. We were NOT letting this day go by uncelebrated! The days following were going to be sunny but not nearly as HOT! So I wrote notes to the teachers and picked up my kids at their lunch break and took them home . . . . to swim.

Yup. Swim.

We had our first in ground pool put in last Fall, the pool opened on Halloween weekend. We swam on Halloween in the cold and then closed it for winter. We were first in line to open our pool in May. And we have swam again in the cold, in the clouds, the wind and even in the rain. I hadn’t gone in yet . . despite us heating the pool, the air is always cold and shivering is not my idea of fun in a pool.

So when the weather promised sunshine and high humidity, the pool party planning began.

My kids have each missed maybe 1 day of school for illness all year, their grades are awesome, they had no special activity or test that afternoon and for all their hard work all school year long they expect nor do they usually receive, and treats. This day was a treat. This day is what we’ve been waiting for since last September and this day was going to be enjoyed.

Yesterday we slowed down and we lived that day to its fullest. My kids will always remember the fun they had swimming with Mom & Dad on a school afternoon and how wonderful that sun felt and how warm that water was and how good those popsicles tasted.

I’m hoping I have taught my kids to embrace the good opportunities in life, that it's OK to take time out for something special, to have fun and to live in the moment. Life is too short, and yesterday was just too perfect.

Would you let your kids skip school for this?

Fun Run to the Finish Line!

Since they were weeks old my kids have been running! It’s my form of exercise, my me time and my required ‘must do’ if I want to fit in to last years pair of jeans! So soon after birth, my babies were put into jogging strollers and off we went.

When each of my 3 girls were 8 months old, my husband and I completed a ½ marathon WITH our newest addition in the jogger. They each have their own finish line photos and medals proudly displayed in our hallway. Medal bearing babies!!

Now that they are 5,7 and 9 and way too heavy to push in jogging strollers, I usually get a babysitter so we can fit in our weekly runs . . .but last year decided to enter the family in the 1km Fun run at the Moon in June sponsored by our IronKids Gummy Vitamins. My parents took my brother and I on family runs when we were about my kids ages and we both run now as adults. I was hopeful if we started them young, they would enjoy it and it would help them stay healthy and active as adults.

Their first 1km fun run was a big success and the older two excitedly committed to running More next year and entering the 5km run. Well here we are at next year, and I asked them at Easter if they were serious about running 5km and indeed they were.

I recognize that 5km is a little far to ‘just run’ without a little practicing and a little education on running safe. So for the past 6 weeks I have been taking them out on 2 runs a week for 35 minutes. We run the first half with no stops and then negotiate all the way back how far we will run before we stop to walk and have some water! They have done awesome and some unexpected perks have come out this training!

First, they have never complained or once said they didn’t want to go. They are excited to get out there even after a full day of school or looming rain showers. Second, we talk. We have 35 minutes to just talk. I teach them a little bit about setting a pace, not taking off from the starting line, drinking enough water, the importance of tying your shoes properly (7 year old learned that one the hard way) and about school, friends, summer plans, homework, music. .everything. When its done I high five them and tell them how proud they should be of themselves for finishing, and we learn about stretching and talk some more about how great it feels to exercise.

Our first 5km race is next Saturday and I can’t wait to see how they do when we run with hundreds of other people and their Dad and little sister watching from the sidelines. I can’t wait to cross that finish line . . . this time with my kids running beside me.

Do you run or do other sports as an adult? Did this love come from your own parents? Will you encourage your kids to stay active?

Making Memories

At 6:30 this morning when the alarm clock went off I could see the fog out my bedroom window. I knew it had rained over night, I knew the trails we were about to hike would be full of mud and the rocks we were going to climb over would be slippery and wet. I knew I was going to have to drag the kids out of bed early on a Saturday, I knew my 5 year old would be too tired to hike the whole way, I knew my husband still really wasn’t feeling well, I knew we were about to get wet and muddy . . . and I knew my friends and their families were waiting for us.

So up we all got, put on our splash pants and rain boots, packed our muffins and extra water, ignored the fog and the rain and we met our friends at 8am for a 3 hour hike in the trails. Eight adults, 11 kids. We slide, we sloshed, we jumped mud puddles and waded through new mini lakes. Every small breeze sent a shower down on us as the weeks of rain fell off the leaves high above. Kids ran ahead, kids fell behind, kids fell over!

We saw mushrooms and mud, chipmunks and birds,

worms and water . . . everywhere! One thing we didn’t

see, was the view. Hiking the escarpment here you get

treated with breathtaking views . . . all we saw was fog.

But we walked, we talked, we laughed and a few little

ones whined, but overall we made a great morning out

of an otherwise soggy day.

When I looked outside at 6:30am, I didn’t feel like getting out there. I had lots of reasons to stay in bed. But I knew there were memories to be made out there. Things to experience out there. Fun to be had out there.

Many times my motivation for all the work I know its going to take to get somewhere, is the memories that are going to be made on the way there and once we get there. My kids are going to remember hiking in the mud and looking out over the cliffs at the fog and they are going to remember the friends we were with and the family time we had . . . even if they complained the ENTIRE hike back. . . I know they will remember this morning!

Despite the weather, the time, the fog and the excuses; getting outside and living your day is guaranteed to make some memories. Hope you enjoyed your day today!