Ride Like the Wind

The weather was unusually cooler and less humid that your typical July day, and perhaps it had us feeling braver than normal.  "Hey, let's load up the van with all the kids' bikes and go to the bike/walking trail for the morning," we said to each other.  It seemed like a great idea...and you know what...it actually was!

I got a bit nervous as we passed each quarter mile marker, knowing that we were going to have to turn around and do it all again just to get back to the van.  But, miraculously, we made it the entire 1.5 mile path without any serious meltdowns, and they were even better on the 1.5 mile trek back.  On the long and steep uphill that is the last quarter mile to the finish line, we all had to work together (i.e., I carried Wren's bike while she pushed Caleb and he pedaled with all his strength).  We talked a lot about perseverance and not stopping even when things are difficult.  When the going gets tough, the tough get going (there may have been some singing involved).  I was proud, and I think they were too.  Just look at those happy, sweaty faces!

I'd say they're practically ready for a triathlon!

July 2019

Advanced HIIT 1

Complete 3-4 Rounds of each circuit.  Rest 30 seconds between rounds.

Plank Up/Down Jack - 45 seconds

15 seconds rest

Alternating Single-Legged V-Up - 45 seconds

15 seconds rest

Bent Over Dumbbell Row/Flye Combo - 45 seconds - 15#

15 seconds rest

Dumbbell Burpees - 45 seconds - 15#

15 seconds rest

Jumping Lunges - 45 seconds

15 seconds rest

Shallow Rock - 45 seconds

15 seconds rest

Speedskaters with Dumbbell Punch - 45 seconds - 5#

15 seconds rest

Power HIIT 5

8 rounds of intervals 30 on/30 off

12 reps of the following exercises, 3-4 rounds of each circuit

Kettlebell chest press with banded glute bridge - 35#

Diamond Pushups

Dips

Bent-over dumbbell alternating rows - 20#/15#

Two-arm bent-over dumbbell underhanded row - 20#/15#

Rear Delt Flye - 15#

Dumbbell hip thrusters - 45#

Dumbbell sumo deadlift - 35#

Dumbbell squat - 35#

AMRAP Strength Circuit 1

As many reps as possible for each exercise in 30 seconds.  3-4 rounds of each tri-set.  45 seconds rest between rounds.  

Kettlebell Deadlift to Catch/Biceps Curl - 20# 

Goblet Squat/Shoulder Press/Triceps Extension - 15#

Kettlebell/Dumbbell Swing - 25#

Dumbbell Clean and Press - 15#

Single-Legged Deadlift - 15#

Front Raise with Squat - 10#

Sumo Squat Jump with Single-Arm Row (30s each side) - 15#

Dumbbell Chest Press to Pullover - 10#

Happy Campers

 This past week Wren and Judson went to their first week of camp at the local outdoor YMCA.  They were just in the half day program, but it still made me nervous thinking of dropping my babies off somewhere where I would not be also, even for just a few hours.

Wren and Judson?  They weren't nervous at all.  Maybe it was all those times they saw Caleb being dropped off somewhere or maybe it was because they had each other, but they couldn't have been happier to be going to camp all by themselves.  I didn't see a tear or a sad glance back as we drove away...they may have seen a few of those things as I drove away (if they had been looking).

The week was a complete success though.  From playing on the playground to swimming in the pool to taking a boat ride on the lake, they had nothing but fun this week.  I think they're ready for the start of preschool in a few weeks!

Fourth of July Weekend

Parenting is undeniably an impossibly challenging and thankless job...but it also undoubtedly has its perks.  For instance, having an excuse to take a day off from work to go to Six Flags...because a six-year-old can't go to an amusement park all alone.  That's what Caleb and I did this past Wednesday.  He was so proud of himself for having earned a free pass to Six Flags by reading this past year.  And, with shoes on, he was just tall enough to ride many of the rides.

My thoughts were that we should warm him up on the Dahlonega Mine Train just to make sure he was a roller-coaster-riding-kind-of-guy.  As it turns out, he totally is - just like his mama!  Here we were in our front row seat before and after his very first roller coaster ride.  He was not the least bit afraid.  We were both so proud!  (And I was a little nervous after he was slung and tossed every which way during the ride.  It's one thing to ride a roller coaster when your main concern is just yourself, but it's a completely different animal to ride a roller coaster with your pride and joy in the seat right next to you.  Talk about frightening.)

Next stop:  the Mind Bender.  He didn't bat an eye and just hopped right on.  (I may have failed to mention to him that there were some serious turns and flips in this one...).  As we were making our approach to the first big downhill, I was thinking to myself, I used to scream on these roller coasters, but I'm old enough now that I probably shouldn't do that.  Down the hill we went, up my hands went, and out came the blood-curdling screams.  As it turns out, I'm a scream-on-all-the-roller-coasters-kind-of-gal, even at my more advanced age.  I think Caleb let out a few screams on this one too.  By the end, he was whooping and smiling ear-to-ear.
In the end, we rode all we set out to ride (and even his favorite cars twice), and we had an amazing time together.  Our goal is for him to grow six inches by next summer so we can ride Goliath together.  He better eat his Wheaties and his spinach...

This day was just the beginning of our long Fourth of July weekend.  Over the course of the weekend, we made crafts, ate large pieces of watermelon, played outside, lit sparklers, went to a birthday party and church cookout, visited Mamaw Ollie and Papaw Charlie in Ellijay, splashed in the creek with cousins, ate wild blackberries, and had ice cream for dinner.

While we may all be tired after such a full weekend, our hearts are happy.

No, parenting is not all fun and games, but every now and then it almost is.