What can be considered exercise?

Does it depend on how fit you are? When I did weight watchers years ago it said any activity that you up off your but and NOT eating could be counted so I counted my bowling.

Now my trainer/friend P said I can't count bowling. So how about Ping Pong? You do get your heart rate up there more than walking I think. I am already looking at my marathon schedule that starts Monday and figuring out how/when to fit in the exercise I will need to do.

It is definitely harder in the winter to get out and get exercise.

Note: I am jealous of M's sister who got a ping pong table for Christmas. I might have to look around to see how much they cost now!

Peer Pressure?

You hear about peer pressure when kids are in high school and college but you rarely hear about it later in life. I guess I am in the "later in life" stage and I just realize we still have it. Of course the peer pressure comes, not just from friends but from the family.

I am peer pressured (not hard mind you) into running with my wonderful friends. Of course I peer pressure them also.

My brother peer pressures me into going to Massena to visit the folks "Come on we're all going, it will be fun".

My husband and my good friend M & B say, "Come on, lets get baby sitter and go out".

My kids peer pressure me into taking them out to eat - humm I don't have to cook.

The difference between peer pressure for a teenager vs an adult: teenagers are usually doing something illegal or something they know their parents would definitely not approve of. As an adult the peer pressure usually is to do something instead of vegging out in front of TV so really would be good for you.

So who says peer pressure is bad!

"After" Christmas Family Letter

My husband hates reading the family letters we get at Christmas time. I enjoy some of them. I think some are just bragging a whole lot. I was thinking of putting one together since I am so proud of my kids and all, something like this:
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My daughter V has grown so tall and beautiful her teeth however want to go their own way so are now in braces. Our middle son S was doing so well with hockey he decided we needed some excitement in our lives and has decided to be goalie. So instead of adult teeth coming in they will be going out. Our youngest A is a very smart boy and we are very proud of him also. Pre-k has not been a challenge at all for him. We were shocked to see that he can read already. Now we just have to keep the Maxim magazines out of his room!

My husband K and I have been very busy running the kids around and we don't see much of each other. I started running about nine months ago (fitting it in where I could). K saw me the other day and asked where his wife was. I guess I should let him know I am his wife but it is more fun this way!
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So what do you think, should I send it out? It says a little of what each of us have done for the year - doesn't it without bragging to much???

Do I have the Bug?

I am now signed up for my first marathon. Don't get excited, it is only a 1/2 marathon. I am already worried about running that far. So far I have only run at most at one time 6 miles. My very good friend M reassures me it will be fine. She has done a schedule for us that starts at the end of January and we only go up 1 1/2 miles every two weeks so it should be good. I am still worried.

I am excited about this race because I will be with M and D and M and I are planning to run it together. It is always more fun on a long run to have someone to do it with. I don't mind listening to my music when I am by myself but I guess we aren't allowed to use them on races. I don't understand this. I don't think I can keep my mind occupied for a 13 mile run - for that matter 26 something. So therefore, I am very happy to have M running with me. It will however leave D running a very quick pace to qualify for Boston and do the full 26. We will be there at the end for her.

So I am booked for the race. Now D has us a hotel room we are going to share. So in total I figure this race will cost me over $100. I guess that is cheap considering there are people that travel from other states and probably don't share car/gas/hotel like I am fortunate to do. Who says running doesn't cost much.

Memories to remember

Christmas was great. S opened his gifts faster than his siblings and says to me "It's ok Mom that I didn't get as much because I still like what I got". He, however, got the same as his siblings. I had to point that out to him. I don't think he believed me.

As my friend M was pointing out in her blog they have bumby cookies while we have bustard and our crousants are now cassoroles so I completely understand. These are memories you will remember forever.

When I was growing up we picked on my youngest brother and called him a boys name from the other street that no one liked "Hector". My older sister's don't remember this because they were in high school/moved out by the time we started doing this. When my brother went to college he still used the name and still many years later still goes by "Hector" - most people don't know his real name. Don't ask me about Homer the guost, who lived at our house.

It is the funny things that stick from childhood. Bustard, bumpy cookies, Hector, and who knows what else are funny things that will only make sense to family members but these are the memories that make a family a family. Enjoy them as long as you can.