As many of you know, on my road to flabulous I have logged many miles both running and riding through the streets of both Southern and Northern California. As much as possible I try to get up extra early so I make sure that my exercise time does not take away from my time with my children, but this isn’t always possible. On those days when my kids are awake and I am out exercising, I find myself feeling guilty. I feel like I should be home spending time with them instead of selfishly thinking about myself. It is during these times that I need to remember that I am not just doing this for me…I am trying to set a good example for my children as well.
In one of my earliest blogs, A Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words, or Is It?, I shared how the effects of not exercising and making terrible food choice not only affected me but my family as well. In one of the few photos I ever allowed someone to take of me from that time period, you see my husband, my oldest son, and my daughter all carrying more weight than they should have. I have to take partial credit for that. I was setting a terrible example for them. Now, most meals we eat are fairly healthy. My goal is that my youngest son will not suffer the same fate that my poor oldest had to—the middle school chunky phase.
I also truly feel that I am a better mom for my kids these days. I feel great, I have more energy, and I can actually keep up with them now. I think as parents some of us feel that every waking moment outside of sleep and work needs to be spent with our kids, but I find that if I take even a little time for myself I am more refreshed and happy mother.
Finally, I really want to live long enough to see my kids grown and raising a family of their own. With the seventeen-year age spread between my youngest and oldest I need to be around for the long haul. When my soon to be four year-old graduates from high school, I will be nearly sixty. I want to run across that stage to give him a big congratulatory hug, and I am hoping to look good enough so that no one mistakes me for his grandmother instead of his mother.
The other day as I finished my four-mile run, I was headed up the last hill when my husband and son came into view as they walked the dogs down the sidewalk. My son ran as fast as he could to greet me with a huge hug despite my sweatiness and said, "You runned Mommy...good job!" Then and there I knew the time I spend running is not wasted. My son has a good role model in me and also in my husband, and he is already seeing the value in my run time like I do. I am hoping that there will never be another day that my kids have to worry about their weight. Hopefully they will have learned from my mistakes and from the better example I am now setting for them.
Happy Birthday to my two boys. I feel so amazingly blessed to have had the opportunity to be your mother. You bring me such joy on a daily basis, thank you!
In one of my earliest blogs, A Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words, or Is It?, I shared how the effects of not exercising and making terrible food choice not only affected me but my family as well. In one of the few photos I ever allowed someone to take of me from that time period, you see my husband, my oldest son, and my daughter all carrying more weight than they should have. I have to take partial credit for that. I was setting a terrible example for them. Now, most meals we eat are fairly healthy. My goal is that my youngest son will not suffer the same fate that my poor oldest had to—the middle school chunky phase.
I also truly feel that I am a better mom for my kids these days. I feel great, I have more energy, and I can actually keep up with them now. I think as parents some of us feel that every waking moment outside of sleep and work needs to be spent with our kids, but I find that if I take even a little time for myself I am more refreshed and happy mother.
Finally, I really want to live long enough to see my kids grown and raising a family of their own. With the seventeen-year age spread between my youngest and oldest I need to be around for the long haul. When my soon to be four year-old graduates from high school, I will be nearly sixty. I want to run across that stage to give him a big congratulatory hug, and I am hoping to look good enough so that no one mistakes me for his grandmother instead of his mother.
The other day as I finished my four-mile run, I was headed up the last hill when my husband and son came into view as they walked the dogs down the sidewalk. My son ran as fast as he could to greet me with a huge hug despite my sweatiness and said, "You runned Mommy...good job!" Then and there I knew the time I spend running is not wasted. My son has a good role model in me and also in my husband, and he is already seeing the value in my run time like I do. I am hoping that there will never be another day that my kids have to worry about their weight. Hopefully they will have learned from my mistakes and from the better example I am now setting for them.
Happy Birthday to my two boys. I feel so amazingly blessed to have had the opportunity to be your mother. You bring me such joy on a daily basis, thank you!
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