Filthy 5K

This past Saturday I ran my first ever 5k and it was filthy!  But I encountered several other adjectives along the trail ...

Astonishing ~ I was amazed at the obstacles I was able to tackle.  From scrambling over a 10-foot pile of jumbled-up tractor tires to scaling a stack of three ginormous hay bales to sliding down the hatchback of a car I had just shimmied over, I was astonished at myself as I reached the other side.

Encouraging ~ Whether it was the camaraderie of fellow runners, the "atta girl's" from my brother, the cheers from the race course attendants or the enthusiasm of my family as I slogged through the final mud bog, I was buoyed by the generous encouragement.

Nauseating ~ I suffered an intense episode of "nervous nelly-belly" for about an hour prior to the 9 o'clock start.  Too many unknowns and wavering self-confidence kept me pacing and chewing on my lip.  Then as I shuffled up to the finish line, muddy, tired and spent, my nausea returned ... this time as a result of exhaustion.  Gratefully, a little water and a little more walking settled down my stomach and then I could enjoy my finish.

Parched ~  The trail was rutted and rough across the stretch of desert.  Dry and dusty hills to trot down and dry and dusty hills to climb back up.  While we did tromp through several muddy streams, I was never so grateful for my first glimpse of the water station.  As I wobbled my way across the log bridges, I kept my balance by focusing on those precious cups of water.  Then as we headed down the final stretch toward the finish, trudging along the dusty path, I was motivated by the knowledge that a bottle of cold water awaited my parched throat!

Challenging ~ I wasn't sure what to anticipate and so I could only focus on one stretch of trail and one challenging obstacle at a time.  That was good for me as I would probably have been overwhelmed by the big picture, while I could tackle one hurdle at a time.  My goal was to simply finish with a smile on my face and I think I was successful because I managed to handle every tree trunk, every section of fence, every concrete culvert, every muddy quagmire and every thought of "you can't do this" with determination.  And a prayer for Jesus to help me up, over and through!

Empowering ~ I felt a few inches taller at the end of the race and not just because of the amount of mud I'd accumulated on my shoes!  There is something incredible about accomplishing something that you never thought you would ever do.  Ever.  And it's even more incredible when you realize you'd do it again!

Pre-Race Hugs 

Waiting for the Start ... with a Penguin

Final Stretch

Mud Bog Finish

We Survived ... and We're Still Smiling!

Five Plus One

Apparently this has been a week about my Aaron-Boy.  Here's a soaring snapshot of a lofty, new experience:


(Insert picture of my boy, strapped into a harness, half-way up a wall with a ginormous smile on his face.  The picture I intended to take yesterday, but the camera was at home and my hands were full of three little girls.  Maybe next week.)


Aaron belaying; scaling walls, not furniture.

A bonus this week ... apparently it's not just Aaron's legs that are growing!

Hey Bigfoot!  Outta my shoes, Buddy!

What's your Five Plus One for the week?
Share it in the comments.

My Nemesis ... Gym

"Mom!  Today we played this really fun game call 'Survivor'!  We had two teams, one on each side of the field, and we each had hula-hoops on the ground with balls in them.  Each team was trying to run across the line to the other team's hoops and steal their balls.  It's the "food".  Then you have run back and put the ball in your own hoop without anyone pulling one of the tags off your belt.  But you also have to guard your own balls.  And if someone pulls your tag you have to go to jail.  But you can get out of jail if one of your teammates comes over and leads you by the hand back to your side ... or if the teacher yells, "Jail Break!!"  Then you can just run like crazy back over to your side and play some more.  I am so good at that game.  I'm so fast!" ~ Norah

"Hey, Mom.  Today we learned how to do this silly dance.  Our gym teacher has all this fun music playing and she taught us these cool moves to go with the music.  Like we have to stand on one leg and put our arms out like an airplane and balance.  That was kinda hard ... I had to really try hard not to fall over.  Or we get to do a funny walk to the middle of the circle and then walk backwards out to the edge of the circle moving our arms in a wave.  I love the music.  Have you ever heard of a group called Cold Play?  I love their song, "Viva La Vida".  Can I put it on the iPod?  I can show you some of the moves we learned.  It's really a work-out.  I sweat a lot."  ~ Aaron

"We got to have gym today!  I'm so glad that I wore my running shoes.  We played this fun game today where we have numbers on the floor and we have to sit on our number.  My number is #5.  Then the teacher yells, "Calling all kids!" and then we have to run to him as fast as we can.  He's counting backwards, "5, 4, 3, 2, 1" and when he gets to "1", we have to quick sit down, clap our hands together and put our hands on our heads.  It's so fun!  I love all our gym games, but that's my favorite.  I love to run!"  ~ Ashley

"Today in gym class we had to run around the gym about 50 times.  When we got done, Coach pulled the bag of dodge balls out of the stinky old gym closet.  We divvied up into two teams and Kelly and I made sure that we got on opposite teams.  That way we could get each other out and then go sit on the sidelines and talk.  That's better than getting nailed by Libby.  She throws so hard.  One time she knocked the wind out of one of those younger kids who was unlucky enough to go head to head with her.

But at least today was better than Monday.  On Monday the weather was nice so Coach sent us all out to the baseball field for a game of kickball.  I can't ever seem to make good contact with the ball and even when I do manage to kick it, I can't run fast enough to get to first base before somebody tags me.  I was relieved when my team took the field and Kelly and I were sent to the outfield.  I have no idea what happened in the game at that point because we were having a really funny conversation about one of the boys at school.  It wasn't until Couch yelled, "Enough with the tea party, Ladies!" that I realized that our team was back up to kick.  Oops.

But I guess dodge ball and kickball are both tons better than having to do the plyometric boxes.  Those are the worst.  I can't think of anything in my future in which this skill of being able to jump up two feet in the air ... and down ... and up ... and down ... will be necessary.  And the fact that we also have to do it fast is ridiculous.  I am terrified of either clonking my shin on the edge of the wooden box, spraining an ankle on the trip back down or tripping and falling off the top of the box resulting in a concussion.  Or at the very least, a humiliating experience to have to live down throughout my high school career.  I spend most of my time faking a side ache.  I hate gym."  ~Me

   

I do wish that I would have learned about the fun and value of exercise as a kid.  If I had enjoyed gym class, maybe I wouldn't have spent all my years as a young adult trying to figure out how to be slim and slender without exercising!  As my kids retell their most recent gym adventures, I listen with a mixture of envy and thankfulness ... envious of their creative teacher who is teaching them at this early age about the joys of a life of healthy activity and thankful that some of their exercise habits inspire me to get busy, too!
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Prompt #4 -Feeling wronged by a teacher.  Sorry, Coach.

Mama, the Pack-Mule

When Norah was born, I was filled with great trepidation that it was entirely possible that I would never, ever, ever, ever leave the house again.  It was a complete and utter mystery to me how it would be possible to load up both kids ... and their many bags ... and my purse ... and extra sippy cups ...  and snacks ...  and my sanity ...  and get out of the house.  Period.  I still shudder a bit at the thought.

I pondered how I would be able to go grocery shopping with my two little people (the big boy in the seat and the little peanut in her bucket in the basket) and have any space for even a gallon of milk in the cart.

I was perplexed about how to get two little tykes in and out of the van in bad weather and get to our destination - dry, intact and smiling.

I was practically unnerved thinking about how I would ever get outside to enjoy some exercise again if it meant that I had to carry one little bundle on my chest and push the stroller for the bigger guy.  I guess that would be considered cardio and weight-lifting ... but not very motivating!

I was puzzled ... and a tad bit overwhelmed.

Then came the gift of all gifts!  The gift that had the potential to free me from my home!  The gift that would allow me the ability to go out from those four walls and breath!  The gift that would free me from (most of) my pondering, perplex-nicity and puzzlement!


Drum roll please ........

Thanks you, Gramps & Grammy!

The Double Stroller!

Suddenly I was able to bundle my little peanuts up (even in the middle of December, apparently) and get out of the house!

I actually remember this outing because it was one of the first times I used the stroller.  I had bundled up Aaron and then tortured Norah in to a fleecy body-suit.  After buckling them and piling them up with blankets, we were ready to head out.  You can't see it in this snapshot, but there is a little turquoise pacifier keeping my baby girl happy.  And it was Aaron's job during our walk to pop it back in as necessary ... which was several hundred times during our walk.

Oh, the things we mothers do for a little exercise, fresh air and me-time.

Over the years, we used it for all the kids.  When Aaron got too big, along came Ashley to fill his seat.  Then along came Lydia and Norah got the boot!  I do wish there was an odometer on it ... I can only imagine the miles I covered, trekking here and there with my kids happily cruising along thanks to Mommy's pedestrian power.

Almost eight years later and we still have that wonderful double-stroller.  We still use it almost daily, but now it seems to serve a little bit different purpose.  That of the pack mule.

On sun-shiny days, the little girls and I enjoy walking up to school to pick up the big kids.  At the beginning of the school year, it was a given that both Ashley and Lydia would snuggle into the seats and enjoy the trip up the steep/daunting/heart-pumping/hiney-tightening hill.  With them riding, we could quickly get to school (or as quickly as a panting, sweating, heaving-45-pounds-up-the-hill mommy can) and then if Ashley wanted to walk a bit, she could stroll back down on our way home.

Fast-forward eight months ...


Now we are back to warm weather and we have resurrected our afternoon jaunts.  But now, nobody wants to ride.  At least, not the whole way.  Now Ashley wants to walk ... at least until her legs get tired.  And Lydia wants to walk if Ashley's walking ... at least until Ashley's legs get tired. :)

But, it gets even better.

For Christmas, Ashley received a scooter from Gramps & Grammy (is there a wheeled-theme here??).  Throughout the winter, she lamented that she couldn't ride her scooter, so now that the weather is warm and we are out walking everyday, she chooses to scooter rather than walk. Again ...97.6% of the walk.  The remaining 2.4% of the time, she's in the second seat and her scooter is balanced precariously on the canopy.  Mush, Mama, mush!

Of course, if Ashley's scootering, then Aaron and Norah want to scooter home, too.  That means that I need to pack two extra scooters and two extra helmets.  Thank goodness the double-stroller also has a trunk!

Now add one dog who needs some exercise and a little two-year old who likes to jump out to pick dandelions and we have a three-ringed circus on wheels!

I actually had a fellow mom comment on the parade headed down the hill recently:  three kids on scooters, one two-year old walking the reluctant dog and one mommy with a double-stroller filled with back packs and sweat-shirts.

She said I was brave.

I thought to myself, "Nah ... I'm just happy that at least we were outside ... in the fresh air ... smiling."

I love my double-stroller/pack mule ... and I desperately hope it has a couple more hundred miles in it.  Because I don't want to carry all that stuff!  :)

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Just a reminder to check out "What's for Dinner?" and "Trekking Thru the Bible" ... new additions this week!

Going for a "Walk"

Do you know what happens when warm weather, sunshine, 132 requests to play video games, 1 hour with nothing to do and 4 antsy kids all collide?  Yep ... it's time to go for a walk!

A few weekends ago, Brett came home from a visit with his folks to find just such a situation in our home. And one mommy desperately in need of being refreshed!  Commence count down to:  Mission - Get out of the house ...

We checked the clock:  plenty of time to get out and get back for dinner.
We checked the weather:  sunshine and no wind.  Perfect condition.
We checked the kids:  they were whining, moping and flopped on the couch.  Perfect candidates.

We announced that we were all going for a walk and received mixed responses.

"Yeah!  Can we scooter?"
"Nope ... we're walking."

"Boo-yeah!  Can we bike?"
"No ... we're walking."

"Can I stay here?"
"No.  We.  Are.  Walking."

In just under ten minutes, we were finally all properly shod and jacketed and headed out the door.  Lydia was plopped in her little red stroller and Gimli was on his leash.  The three other kids were free to walk and roam within reach.

We headed out of the cul-de-sac ... like a small circus-less parade.  (Four clowns and their parents ... but with none of the fun associated with an actual parade.)  As we made the turn to head up the street, the kids came to grip with the plight of being required to actually walk ... and began to enjoy themselves a bit.

Aaron began sharing in minute detail his most recent adventures on the computer.  I confess that I didn't exactly follow along with all the in's and out's of the game, but I kept up by paying attention to the sound effects and the slow-mo replay of each battle.  He kicked, punched, leapt and "spchu!"-ed up Kansas Avenue.  All I can say is that it was pretty intense. And wet. :)

Ashley decided to take advantage of this walk to get in her cardio work-out for the day.  I think that she ran, hopped, skipped and danced her way up the street.  Anytime that little pixy tells me she's too tired to walk upstairs and put away her pj's, I'm going to remember her sprinting back and forth between the stroller and the next stop sign ... and I'm going to put her to work.

Lydia jumped out of the stroller a few times so that she could spin, jump, hop and skip with Ashley.  And walk Gimli.  Slowly.  Sniffing every bush and mailbox.  She strutted her stuff about 75% of our walk and when you think about how far we ended up walking, it's pretty amazing.  If I was to figure out the distance she walked in proportion to the length of her little chunky legs ... she walked to Montrose.  (For you non-Coloradians, that's about 60 miles from here ... so yeah, it's an exaggeration.  Almost.)

Then there was Norah ... who didn't actually walk.  She cartwheeled.  A lot.  I wish that I had been paying closer attention to her because it would have been fun have an actual number at the end of the walk.  "Norah did 97 cartwheels on our walk."  And five walking handstands.  And a couple of splits.  (Those last ones really slowed her down, so she had to catch up with some split-jumps in the air while running.)

And Brett and I?  Well.  We actually just ... walked.  We walked and laughed (at the kids, mostly).  We walked and reminded the kids to "stay to the right" and "keep off the lawn" and "leave the rocks there".  We walked and held hands a few times ... just like when we were dating.  We walked and gave some simple instructions:  if your gum falls in the dirt, don't eat it; if the dog is doing his business, let him finish; and if you see a car, move out of the way.  We walked and wished we were burning as many calories as the kids.

It was nice.  And in the end, we all got some exercise (some more than others), we all got some fresh air, we all got a few good laughs, we all got our wiggles out and we all slept better that night.

Here's to more walks-runs-spins-cartwheels-leaps-battles-strolls this summer!

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Just a reminder to check out "What's for Dinner" and "Trekking Thru the Bible" ... all new this week! :)

Downward Dog ... and Breathe

Recently I started doing some yoga as part of my morning exercise routine.

Translation:  A few weeks ago I got the crazy notion that one morning a week I should torture myself while being told to "just relax."  :)

The first morning that I tried it, I spent most of my thirty minutes in the child's pose with one eye on the computer monitor trying to figure out what exactly I was supposed to be doing.  ("This is a beginner's class?!?")  The rest of the time I was attempting to follow the instructions from the yoga pro and not get a cramp.  Strangely enough, even my haphazard efforts to breathe and relax and stretch and stand actually energized me.  I felt like I had gotten quite a work-out (and not just from laughing at myself) and I was charged and ready when the little wildebeests came downstairs at 7 am.  "Hmmm ... maybe I should try that again next week."

The next week I did the same routine and was surprised at how much easier it was.  Not because I was really any more fluid or controlled (insert image of me falling on my face here), but because I had an itty-bitty amount of experience in my belt and I could almost follow along.  I found myself better in synch with the breathing of the instructor in place of huffing and puffing and holding my breath.  I also found myself a tad bit surprised when I reached the end of the program.  "What?!  Done already?  Huh."

By the third morning, I could remember the rhythm and patterns of the movements and found myself actually enjoying the flow.  I still had trouble with getting my body down from the plank position and back up to downward dog (pathetic, little, weak arms ...) and I still had to manually pull my leg up to get into warrior pose (pathetic, little, weak legs ...), but I could keep in pace with the instructor and found myself actually enjoying it.  Especially that last part, the corpse pose. :)  "Hey!  I did it!  Boo-yeah!"

So the next week, I thought I'd try the next little step up.  Something about "Yoga for the hips and thighs". Little did I know that I was in for some fun!  At about the time I found myself in some crazy, deep knee bend squat position, I had second thoughts about this particular routine.  When he had us go back to that thigh burning position two more times while telling us to, "breathe, relax and let go", I knew I was really in trouble.  By the time we moved on to the endless chair poses (over and over and over, again) my hips and thighs were done ... and so was I.  I tried to finish strong, but I know my efforts were half-hearted.  I was relieved when he said, "Namaste".  "Whew ... that kicked my, uh ... hips and thighs!"

But again ... I felt a little charged.  A little empowered at having challenged myself.  A little stronger for my efforts.  I went back and did that routine again, and found that the second time through was easier.  I knew what to expect, I felt more confident, and I even managed to relax a bit when we "rested" in half-moon pose two for 45 minutes. :)  Surprisingly enough ... I looked forward to my next yoga morning ... my next 30 minutes of muscle burning, deep breathing torture. :)

Apart from the traditional advantages of yoga, I have been surprised by a few more benefits to this exercise:

• Looking Thinner:  With my posture improving due to actually having core muscles, I find that I am standing up straighter and as a result looking a bit thinner.  That right there is worth standing in warrior one for 10 minutes!
• Surviving Bleacher Seats:  We all find ourselves having to endure those dreadful metal bleachers when watching our kids in sports.  With my improved core muscles, I have found myself sitting better, too.  That means less hiney pain, less fatigue in my back and more of a smile on my face.
• Being More Limber:  The stretching and toning of a yoga work-out means that when my little person calls from the waaaaay back seat that she can't get her seatbelt around her bulky, lumpy coat, I am able to reach over the middle seat, across the van and buckle her while balancing on one leg.  I think they call that the mini-van mamma pose.
• Enduring the Perma-Squat:  That insane deep knee bend I mentioned before has been great conditioning for me in this era of "perfecting our potty training".  When we head to the bathroom at City Market for the 3rd false alarm of our shopping trip and I find myself once again squatted in front of the toilet helping my little peanut balance, I have what's-his-name to thank for my endurance.
• Remaining Calm:  In each and every yoga position, the instructor encourages us to relax and breathe ... even if your arms are shaking and your thighs are burning.  This translates well to the need to breathe and relax when faced with parenting challenges.  So, when Ashley is sucking her thumb for the 10th time in 10 seconds ... relax and breathe.  When Lydia screams and shoves her milk across the table and onto the floor (the one not in a sippy cup) ... relax and breathe.  When Norah doesn't get enough sleep and is an Oscar-winning drama queen in the hour before school ... relax and breathe.  And when Aaron asks for the umpteenth time if he can play on the iPod after just having played Wii for over an hour ... you got it ... relax and breathe.
• Feeling Stronger:  Being a mom is hard work and it's easy to feel ambushed by the kids, the daily schedule and surprise demands.  After a few hard knocks by our kids, it's natural to feel a bit defeated.  But ... if that morning I endured the eagle pose for an entire minute! ... Well then, I totally can take on whatever my kids (or the day) might throw at me!

Thank you to YogaJournal for today's links.  Just a reminder that I don't look like any of those people ... and I have no clue how I would ever get into (and then out of) the eight-angled pose.  I'd keep the phone nearby, just in case! :)

Fitness that Fits

I've been in a bit of a pickle.  The change of the seasons has also meant a need to change my exercise routine.  My work-out of choice is an early-morning walk along our river-trail ... a couple of good hills to get my heart thumping.  But, now that it is too cold and too dark, I need to come up with Plan "C".  Yes, Plan "C".  Plan "B" is snuggled down in my flannel nest and wait for the sun!  While that is lovely, it makes for a pretty bumpy start to my day ... once it starts!  Nothing puts me in a grumpier mood than getting up after my bouncy kids have started their day and playing the miserable game of "Wake-Up and Catch-Up".  Anyone else agree?

This could have an easy solution ... except that I'm a bit picky.  Or, maybe I should say "specific" ... that sounds nicer. :)  It needs to be something that I am willing to get up for.  It's hard enough to roll out of my warm, comfy bed ... but it's almost impossible if I don't want to do what I got up to do!  It also needs to be something that is quick and efficient ... 30-40 minutes, tops.  I also want something that is tough-ish without being so challenging that I get frustrated.  I don't mind sweating, but I do mind falling all over myself trying to keep up.  I want a workout in which I can actually see some progress ... a little soreness the next morning is okay, but not the inability to walk up and down the stairs.  I need something that I can stick with until the Spring thaw.  And I need something with a little variety so that I don't get bored.  Okay ... maybe "picky" is a better word.

There are a lot of options out there.  I have tried a couple of different work-out videos, but within a few weeks, I've ended up bored.  I considered (for about 3 seconds) joining Brett's club, but I can't even imagine where I would fit that in to my schedule.  I've thought about heading out for a walk later on in the morning once it's lighter and warmer, but that means loading up the girls in the double stroller and listening to them say, "All done." and "How much longer?" for 3 miles.  Yeah ... that gets my heart-rate up, but in a different way!  By the time dinner is over and I have a few minutes to myself again ... it's dark.  Again.

Hmmmm ... what to do?  What to do?   Is hibernating until Spring an option?  No?  Bummer ...

Then I had a break-through!  I discovered Exercise TV.  Here is a resource that actually will work for my life ... this season of little people, little time and wanting a little less of me! :)  I would encourage you to check it out.  If you have cable with Bresnan, you can also check out OnDemand and view some of the same videos.  Not as many, but a few.  There are some heavy-duty workouts in there ... something for me to aspire to do.  There are more basic cardio workouts and even a 2 mile walk!  I have also enjoyed the toning and stretching videos.  A little bit of everything for everyone.  They also have the option of becoming a member (I think it's $10 a month) but for right now, the free workouts are working great for me.

And that's key:  a fitness plan that fits me!

• Fits My Season:  This option fits both this time of year and this time of my life.  I can choose any workout, anytime and get a good 30 minutes of cardio without having to leave my home or bundle up to my ears.  And if I don't get a workout done in the early hours, I can hook the girls up with a show on TV later on in the morning and still get some mommy time.  It's flexible and do-able.
• Fits My Level of Fitness:  While I am in relatively good shape, there is always room for improvement!  I marvel at some of the moms that I know that are runners, Gold Gym-ers and heavy-duty workout queens ... but I'm not disillusioned into thinking I ever will be one!  I like that I can choose from a wide variety of workouts of varying intensity ... and I hope that with some consistency, I will see my level of fitness ratchet up to the next level.
• Fits My Personality:  I am a creature of habit, but I still like a little variety in my life.  I like that each morning I can choose a different instructor and a different type of workout, just to keep things fresh.  I also like that there are some of my old favorites so that I can go back to something familiar.  Especially on mornings when I'm not quite awake.  I appreciate that some of the workouts stretch me a bit in what I think I can do ... and even though the instructor's words are "canned", I can pretend their words of encouragement are directed right at me ... "Yes!  I can keep going ... only 500 more lunges! :)"

The goal for me is to find fitness that fits me and that will keep me active.  While walking is my real joy ... Exercise TV will fit for the season.

What about you ... how do you stay fit year round?  Share your tips - we could all use some fresh ideas to get healthy and stay that way!  Even when it's cold.

"Labor Day" True to Its Name

On Sunday, I told Brett that I wanted to do something fun on Monday, seeing as it was Labor Day and we could do something together as a family.  We made plans with friends to go on a hike and later have a picnic lunch together ... and so begins yet another Kellum Adventure!

Before I start, let me share with you two dreams that Brett and I had the night before ... if I believed in premonitions, I would have listened better! :)  My dream was about going on this hike only to have the plans changed at the last minute to a river float trip.  I was left scrambling as I tried to round up life-preservers for the kids.  This dream might be an indicator of my level of preparedness for this trip!  Brett's dream focused around lower back pain ... his is the only dream that came true!

And one more thing before I start ... if our friends are reading this:  We had a great time the entire day!  It was just more than we bargained for ... in a lot of ways! :)

Okay ... so here it goes!  We planned to meet up with our group in Palisade at 9 am.  After stopping off to get muffins and a few supplies, we pulled into the gravel parking lot and waited.  Right at nine, the rest of our party arrived and we agreed to follow each other over to the trailhead.  Our hiking group consisted of our family of six, another family of four, three neighborhood kids and another couple (who probably had no idea what they were in for!).  We made sure we were all fully sunscreened and that everyone had water, extra snacks and hats.  We took a group picture, "Cheese!", and headed off to ... Mt. Garfield!  If you are familiar with the Grand Valley, Mt. Garfield is that really high mountain just north of I-70.  It towers out over the valley.  It's really high and steep. There was a sign at the trail head that said, "Mt. Garfield - 2 miles - 2,000 feet".  You get the picture.

Now for a little background, I like to hike, but I'm not necessarily into mountain climbing.  Brett also enjoys hiking, but again, for the past several years (in direct reference to the size and age of our family) our hiking trips have been mainly walks with some ups and downs.  Just so you know what kind of background and experience we are bringing with us into this trip.

Climbing the "wall".

Each of us had a kid-pack on our backs - not that I ever ended up carrying anyone.  Lydia certainly had the easiest trip as she was strapped to Daddy's back.  I had the pack on just in case Ashley's little 18-inch legs gave out.  We headed out ... and up.  Imagine your living-room wall.  Now imagine it at a slight slant and covered in loose dirt and small rocks.  Now imagine climbing it.  That about sums it up!  There was no gradual climb or warming up.  It was straight up the dunes and then on up until your lungs exploded.  We did take a few breaks here and there.  But it was onward and upward.  About 30 minutes in, poor little Ashley started saying she couldn't walk anymore.  Unfortunately for her, neither could Mommy.  This is where my pride started to get in the way.  It was becoming quickly and obviously clear that I was waaaaaay out of my league with this mountain and yet ... onward and upward!

A few more minutes of encouraging little Le-Le along and one of the other adults offered to wear the pack and load up Ashley.  Whew ... now if there was only a pack for me.  Brett was huffing along (remember he had Lydia on his back ... and every extra pound counts) and taking regular breaks.  Meanwhile, the rest of the party was motoring on and the kids are literally scrambling over boulders.  I was looking up (and up and up and up) and I was not feeling the charge of tackling this mountain ... I was feeling shaky and just a little nauseous.  I consider myself to be in relatively good shape, but this hike was more than I could do.  Finally, I swallowed my pride (gosh darn it ... I wanted to do this!) and signaled that I was done.  All I could think was, "The farther I go up, the farther I have to go back down.  I need my legs to work the whole hike."  Brett, being the sweetie, agreed to go back down with me.  I'm quite certain that he would have just kept goin' and goin' and goin', but he opted to head down with me and the two little ones.

The view from my "top".

I had to sit for a bit to get my feet back under me (and, no, I didn't throw up ... but I was close.)  While I sat there, I had a little battle going on in my head and heart.  It was a terribly hard choice.  I struggled with what others thought of me, I struggled with disappointment with myself and I struggled with being up against something that my kids were going to do without me.  But the reality was that I would be foolish if I continued on.  I had to have a little perspective change up there on the side of that mountain.  From my perch on that rock, I could see the span of the valley and I decided that I would have to enjoy just what I was able to do and not kick myself for my limitations.  When my head felt re-attached to my body again, we headed back down the slope while the rest of the party marched on.  It was a little weird to let Aaron & Norah continue, but I was sure they were in good hands and their enthusiasm had not waned a bit ... a good indicator for me that they could go the distance.

Now, as you know, the path up the mountain is hard work, but the path back down is hard on your body ... specifically your knees and ankles.  I am so glad that I didn't over-tax my body on the way up, because the trip down was all I could really do.  Brett had Lydia still on his back, so he went on ahead and paused periodically for us to catch up.  Meanwhile, Ashley and I "baby-stepped" down the hill.  Little baby-steps down the slope, little baby steps over the boulder, little baby steps over the ravine ... I think I we would have made Dr. Leo Marvin from "What About Bob?" proud!  I was blessed with a few little precious snapshots with Ashley that I would have missed if I was over-taxed (or being flown out in a helicopter! ha, ha!)  Here are a few of her sweet words, "I can see the whole planet from up here!", "You're a good hiker, Mommy, just like me." and "Daddy's the best hiker 'cause he has long legs."  I am grateful for all the time I got to hold little Ashley's hand and hear her child-like commentary on the hike down, "I think God painted these rocks pink ... I like pink."

When we finally landed on the flat ground again (at 11:11 am), we set Lydia loose to run a bit and explore with Ashley.  Just about then, my cell phone rang and it was one of our party letting us know that they had reached the top and were headed to the summit.  Aaron and Norah were doing great and plugging along with the pack.  We decided to head into town to go potty and get gas and then we would meet the group back at the trail head for lunch.  I started to feel a little regret ... nobody likes to be a party-pooper ... but there was nothing to do now but wait.  At about 12:30 we saw our party, little ants in a line, moving slowly back down the trail.  It was a slow trek back down the mountain, but they were making steady progress.  Brett headed back up the hill to meet up with them and make sure our kids were still doing well (see ... I knew he could have done the whole hike!) while we girls moseyed to the bottom of the slope to "Hail the Conquering Heroes"!

There is something powerful and amazing to watch your kids accomplish something big, something you aren't able to do.  It was hard no to be a bit teary eyed watching them come galloping down the hill (their knees were giving out, too) and to see their huge, proud smiles on their faces!  They had done it and they had done it well. The adults looked bushed, but they were still smiling and had great things to say about the kids persevering and pushing themselves.  I loved hearing the banter back and forth from them all as then recounted exciting parts of the trip:  the rattlesnake, the path blocked by the boulder they had to climb and the fantastic view from the summit.

We all made it back to the vehicles, but the adventure wasn't over yet.  If it had just been us Kellums hiking, it would have been a PB&J lunch in the car and then head home.  But, that wasn't our friends' plans.  We headed over to a vineyard in Palisade that had a big grassy area and picnic tables.  Our friends had packed an amazing spread including home-grown tomatoes and fresh, sliced mozzerella; hummus and veggies and fresh sandwich makings.  We topped it off with some celebratory wine and a sweet time of adult conversation ... while the kids ran around playing tag.  Where do that get that energy?!?!

So as I said before, we got more than we bargained for ... but in a good way!  I got to come up against my limitations and come to terms with the fact that there are some things I cannot do.  I got to swallow my pride and make a tough choice.  I still got a great view of the Grand Valley (Ashley's whole planet!). I enjoyed some quality time with my girls and I came face to face with Brett's love (again) as he chose to serve me.  I also got to see my kids step up and step out in the face of a big challenge ... and come back down the mountain a few inches taller.  I had the joy of a yummy lunch and fun conversation.  I had the wonderful experience of a hard day's work and the feeling of "ahhh" at the end.

Mt. Garfield

And I have the gift of reliving all this again every time we drive I-70 and look up at Mt. Garfield looming over the highway ... reliving the time my kids climbed to the top ... and I didn't, but I didn't throw up, either! :)

Strapping On My Tap Shoes

Warning:  This post is a bit of a rambler :)  It's probably a pretty good indicator of how scrambled my brain has been lately.  Hope you enjoy it ... in spite of it's many hops and jumps!

I have never been a dancer ... I know that's a big surprise!  I like to dance with my kids and with my hubby ... but I have absolutely no aspirations to be on "So You Think You Can Dance?"  To be completely honest, there was the time in the 2nd grade when I stayed after school and joined Mrs. Skoumal in learning some tap-dances.  My favorite memory was when we were dressed as flappers and traveled to a nursing home to perform.  I'm sure we were entertaining!  And I guess I should also include the dance classes I took in college ... I got pretty good at the fox-trot and have even tangoed.  But I can honestly say that I don't see a future for me in dance. :) But that doesn't mean I don't admire dancers.

As a kid I remember watching "White Nights" with Gregory Hines and Mikhail Baryschnikov and being astonished at their astounding dancing abilities.  I have absolutely no idea what that movie was about :) but their tap dancing and ballet certainly left an impression on me.  Recently, Brett and I enjoyed watching one of our favorite TV shows, "Psych" and being treated to a tap dancing dance-off featuring Dule Hill.... definitely a toe-tapper! :)  All that being said ... I'm sure you are wondering where this is going :)  So do I!

The other morning when I was strapping on my tennis shoes for my early morning walk, I was surprised to find that my steps out the door made a little tappity-tap-tap as I walked.  I soon discovered that as a result of the GJ City work crews tarring, gravelling and re-tarring our neighborhood streets, I had accumulated quite a layer of pea-sized gravel and sticky residue on the bottom of my sneakers.  A few minutes of shuffling around in our wet grass took off a majority of the little tappers, but it still made me smile a bit as I headed out on the trail.

Now this rabbit-trail of a post is starting to get to where I intend it to ... and that is, "What do you enjoy listening to when you are working-out?"  Or better yet, "What do you do to distract yourself from your heart pounding and your huffing & puffing as you tax your body for a good cause?"  If you are like me, I really do like exercising ... but mainly I like looking back on having exercised and experiencing those good feelings of having exerted myself a bit.  To keep plugging away at my work out (besides being too far from home to stop!) I like having something good to listen to.  I mainly listen to podcasts seeing as it is the only time during my day when I can hear an entire radio show from start to finish without being interrupted to change a diaper or get someone a snack. I upload all the podcasts through iTunes right to my iPod ... then plug in and go!

Here are a few podcast that I enjoy ... and then I would like to hear from you.

• For an interesting twist on weekly news, you might enjoy "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me" the NPR News Quiz.  This show consists of a panel of journalists (all with amusing senses of humor) and and a host who takes them through a variety of questions from the week's news.  Sometimes it can get a little dicey ... but more often than not, it's very amusing and just a little educational.  
• For a good laugh and some great instruction in how cars work, I enjoy listing to NPR's "Car Talk".  This show is hosted by two brothers from Massachusetts and they are a crack up.  I figure I am burning twice the calories by walking and laughing! :)  
• Another favorite is "A Prairie Home Companion" with Garrison Keillor.  These podcasts are just his stories from Lake Wobegon and only run about 15 minutes ... but in a given morning I can listen to several of them in a row and enjoy hearing Garrison Keillor's wonderful storytelling.
• Finally, if you want to exercise your brain as well as your body, you might check-out NPR's "Sunday Puzzle".  These podcasts are about 10 minutes long and consist of word-puzzles read by Will Shortz, the New York Times crossword puzzle expert.  Sometimes I can figure them out as I walk along ... other times I have to listen to just one and then "puzzle" on it for a bit.

So ... what keeps you moving?  Send me your favorite music, podcasts or audio-books and we'll all have new inspiration to get some exercise!