Messes? Stress? Kids? Exercise ANYWAY...

I can recall severall times, just in the past few weeks, when I've tried making a healthy choice and something else has gone wrong.

On my first early morning run it was FREEZING outside. I ran back in my house to find something to bundle up with quickly because I only had 20 minutes before my husband left for work around 6:15 AM and I wanted to get in a decent jog. I grabbed the first warm things I could find: my son's Lighting McQueen beanie and my daughte's bright magenta, glittery scarf. Throw in my husband's hoodie which I was already wearing and I looked like a candidate for What Not To Wear. Good thing it was pitch black. But because it was pitch black (there wasn't street lighting on country roads) I could only jog as far as our floodlight on the driveway and back over and over again. On the second lap I woke up our dogs who wouldn't stop barking at me. Not my finest exercise hour. :) But I still did it!

Other times, while safely exercising inside to a DVD I've had to deal with my youngest (who is crawling) overturning a trashcan that had been left out and emptying and playing with the insides of an entire brand new box of Cheerios. On that second one I let him have at it while I finished my workout. And I am getting stronger.

Last night I sat to type and found out after blogging that a plate with ketchup had landed face down on the carpet. My kids had decided to keep watching their show and not tell me about it until I walked in the room. By then Sam (my crawler) had found it and had given most of the mess a good rub down with his shirt, pants and face. Not my finest mommying hour. But I was happy I posted and we cleaned it up and learned together.

There have also been great times. On Saturday as I jogged with my 4 year-old in the stroller he was thrilled to hear "Beat It" and then "Everybody Dance Now" on Pandora (definitely earning me some points on the mommy-coolness scale.) He danced and I danced while I pushed him. Good times!

Another day I was jumping on and off my exercise step. My daughter faced me while standing on the other side of it and jumped on too every time I jumped off. I didn't even ask her too but she was there for me. Her grin kept me going for WAY more jumps than I would have gone on my own.

My point is there are going to be challenges. There are going to be days that we want to give up. Even just writing this post I've been interrupted and have had to stop three times to take care of my family. The day that Michael and I heard those songs when we were jogging I almost didn't go out because I was feeling so sad and just didn't want to. But I knew inside that I wouldn't regret it, because I'VE NEVER REGRETTED A WORKOUT. But I have regretted missing one.

That same jog ended with him grumpy because I told him to not ram his toy sword into the front wheel of the stroller and he didn't like that... :) But I exercised anyway and I have at least one good memory from it. Even if I hadn't, I would know that I had done something for my health and my family which is more important than if I'm enjoying it. So exercise anyway! Eat healthy anyway! Keep trying anyway because you may not get where you want to as fast as you'd like to, but at least you are still on the journey...

I heard this song for the first time years ago, but it still gets to me so I thought I would share it with you. Make it a great week! I love you for reading and keeping me going! Gotta go be Mommy now. :) Love, Eva

http://www.vevo.com/watch/martina-mcbride/anyway/USRV50700009