Fresh Air!

Wow!  There is something to being outside.  I like to imagine I am an outside girl.  I love the stars.  I love the thought of being adventurous.  I love pictures of nature - really wooded secluded areas or sunsets or those beautiful relaxing beach scenes.  But I am not a huge fan of the sun (its usually too bright and too hot because its the sun).  Bugs are not my friends they tend to freak me out especially ones with wings and birds always have wings so again not so much a fan.  And probably the real truth about being outside it naturally encourages to engage with your surroundings - to be active.  When you have been heavy most of your life you seek comfort and/or relief.  Bring me my chaise dahling I am ready to sit for a spell.  It is easy in a home or any place indoors to find comfort from a seat or even a counter to lean on.  But outside encourages you to walk from point a to point b,  To stand for longer than two minutes, or gulp be even more active with that fresh air and sunshine.  However, as I push myself to do more activities I find out I WANT to do more activities. 

We started out with dreary days this week - all gloomy gray, foggy and lots and lots of puddles! To have such extremely depressing weather made this area thirst for a spot of sunshine.  So when the sunshine showed up we cheered and marched outside to wave hello and shout our thanks!   This extreme change in the outside motivated my hubby and me not once but two days in a row to put on our walking shoes, grab the stroller and a leash.  Cheers erupted from our house as our son giggled and squealed in delight and our dog well she ran around like a maniac - but a happy maniac.  

Then today  my son and me headed to a nearby park to enjoy quality time with some friends. Isn't there something so special about a playground that ignites true happiness in our hearts?  A place we go to play and its only purpose was to be a structure built to encourage fun.   Fantastic!  It was so good to chase after my little one crawling under tunnels and cruising on the balance beam.  It felt so freeing to not have windows closed nor walls surrounding us.  But endless opportunities to climb, crawl, swing, chase, and giggle.  The energy we absorbed from the sun and the fresh air and then released with playing.  Good stuff!

Maybe this HealthFULL Journey will help me make the transfer from a girl who thinks she likes the outside into a true fan of being outside while active.

May your HealthFULL Journey rejuvenate your soul and your day with some sunshine and fresh air. 'Til we meet again. . .

Family Fun Day

We finally had a family fun day.  I say finally because I try to cram a week's worth of activities in a day...and usually more like a week into a half day.  I am still functioning on couple's time not a family's timeline with a child under two.  No longer does the phrase let me just grab the keys and we can go sum up the whole conversation.  That might still be the ending line but that is after my hubby and I take turns asking questions, reciting checklists, changing Drew, changing our outfits because Drew has shared something (drool, snack, and worse but I'll spare ya'll:) Changing Drew again.  putting socks on Drew, Grabbing the diaper bag, grabbing extra toys,  replacing Drew's removed socks with shoes,  grabbing extra jacket, a blanket, grabbing the keys, and then looking for lost shoe (Drew's and mommy's as Drew thinks mommy's shoe(s) makes a fun sound against the floor in different parts of the house.  And by the time we are leaving two stops have been checked off the to do list.  As a matter of fact we just want to go back and sit on the couch but it took all this effort to reach the doorway we feel we should forge ahead.  But today was different.

I didn't try to force fun and errands.  I shared my two goals for the day with my hubby (and kept one quiet in hopes we would do it and we did!!!). We started out with several naps and quiet relaxation time for the parents as we prepare for our beloved Saints playoff game.  Geaux Saints!!!! (Sorry any Lions fans!)  But then we dressed to play outside as the weather was gorgeous. We hit a local playground and our son had a ball. And truthfully so did we.  I actually got a little nervous going down the slide with Drew.  Its only six to seven feet high.  But there was a moment I shrieked inside (What am I doing?  I am in my thirties and honestly believe it has been at least 10 years since I have gone down one. I am not the most coordinated person in the world and my fear was that I was going to fly off the end of the slide and did not have hands free to catch myself as I was holding my son.  Who have I become?  I used to love playgrounds and now a slide makes me nervous!  This is one mommy who needs to get out more. 

We then ran an errand for groceries so we could make a muffaletta sandwich in honor of our New Orleans' players. And as an extra treat on such a beautiful day (the hidden goal) a family outing to an ice cream parlor.  YUM!  What a great ending to a family fun day of playing at the playground by sharing some delicious ice cream. 

I share this outing because we actually left the house in January and played.  As a family we were active.  I hope we have many more moments like today.  Its these kind of moments I feel I am growing in my HealthFULL Journey and reaping the benefits. 

May you experience sunshine throughout your own HealthFULL Journey. 'Til we meet again...