After Dinner

Howdy Folks!

Long time, no blog ;-)

I love a schedule.

Maybe it is my controlling nature or maybe it is security to me.

I just know I like it and I thrive off a good schedule.

Thankfully, kids do too!

We have a pretty good one going here that is slack to some extent due to summer.

We are up and eating breakfast usually by 8am every morning. Most mornings, by 7:30 (possibly earlier like 6am today).

We have morning chores that need to be done by 9am so we can start school.

School lasts about 45min at this age.

I workout if I didn't before they woke up and they pay to watch 30 minutes of cartoons (that keeps me on schedule to be done with my workout in 30 and cut down on an obsessive habit for me).

Then, we have lunch... do devotions... read books... learn/practice Bible verses... play outside... run errands... just play and have fun all day.

We always eat dinner around 5pm. Sometimes as early as 4:30pm.

We don't like eating and having a full stomach when going to bed and if we ate at 7 or 8, that would be the case for us! Plus, it would totally cramp our early bedtimes for the boys.

We have finished eating around 5:30 and kitchen is completely cleaned up by 6pm.

We recently started a new habit that was adopted into our schedule immediately by the boys and me.

At 6pm, we head out on an hour walk.

This is something we all look forward to all day.

It is not an exercise routine for me and I am not looking to gain an ounce of calorie burn here which allows the walk to be slow and at their pace. We stop and play in the woods, in puddles, look at bunnies, walk through ditches, play with kids we meet as we are walking, go up and down the same street 10x, etc. I get to see my kids enjoying life and experience new things. Even be daring and try things that make my stomach sit in my throat while I smile and act like a 5 year old riding down a hill SHOULD try to put his feet on his handle bars. It's all good though ;-)

I love having this time to be with my boys and having no hidden agenda.

They absolutely LOVE this new habit.

The only thing that I don't like about it is our neighborhood has some freaking MANIACS that think this is a highway. People come flying by and sooooo often are looking down (texting) and scare the living daylights out of me. It is hard to enjoy a peaceful walk when you are saying, "Car" every minute and making the boys get in the grass, far off the road (we learned our lesson quickly!), and standing next to their bike or scooter. By the time we get going good again, I'm yelling, "Car!" and we do it over. Plus I've got two daredevils who like to get ahead of me and do wild stunts on the road (then, I DO get my exercise as I chase after them!) all while I'm yelling, "Car!!!!" and trying to catch up to them to monitor them once we are in the grass.

I know, I probably look like the maniac more than them, but I'm scared for all our lives! No joke.

Brent hasn't gone with us because to be honest, by 7pm, he is tired and we would probably him not go with us ;-) He stays at home in the AC, lounging on the couch.

We all want him to start joining us and I want to start driving someplace close to enjoy our new evening ritual.

There is a school down the road for us and I got smart and tried it the other night.

Brent even came (only because he had to make sure it was safe for us, but still! He enjoyed the physical activity and the boys loved having him with us.)

What a different atmosphere.

First, it is gated which totally confused me! It IS open to the public, RIGHT??? I mean, we pay for these things.

And then, I realized it has FOUR entrances and that is likely to keep traffic out from people trying to take short cuts.

Then, I LOVE the gates because that is safety for the boys!!

We park at the gate and get our gear out and just walk up.

We went tonight and I enjoyed myself soooooo much just playing with the boys nonstop for an hour.

They are both at such fun ages and we had a blast.

Gotta love Webb's self-chosen attire (I always feel the need to explain that!)

We played at this one playground that I think is insanely dangerous and I tend to let my boys do dangerous things. I climbed it and felt sick to my stomach I was so high with no rails. I couldn't believe that teachers allowed students to play on that. We are talking life or death, no joke!

Today, we decided to venture all around the playground and we found a much safer, age appropriate playground. Apparently, the other one is for parents.

Because of the gates, the boys can run and bike anywhere they want without me being nervous and we are alone!!!! I like that a lot ;-)

This game totally rocks! No clue what it is called, but we had a blast playing it (and I got in another workout as I had to hold each boy up to shoot over and over). It really helped Dane practice addition as he thinks 5+4 is 54 or 45. He really got the concept better tonight.

We asked if Mommy would have a girl one day :-)

Huge open field where we play "kick ball" more like soccer if you ask me and where Webb ran for probably 15 minutes straight kicking the ball. They also love the game, "Catch Me" where they run from me and I chase them, ultimately catching them and throwing them to the ground (gently!) and tickling them to death.

While Webb did that, Dane practice dirt bike tricks. Brent told him he has to learn to get his bike up before he can take it down (YES! The stairs!!!)

Oh crap! Does that mean tomorrow he is going DOWN???

Riding through the grass and down hills (this is a mini hill)

This is the big hill with rocks and holes galore! So, I know we will go overboard eventually ;-) It's all good though!

Poor Webb, still out running after I get some water.

Dane riding to meet me at the gate.

I'm smiling because I'm sweating and, for the first time in a long time, that ONLY happens outside and not inside my house. 

I love being a mom and I cherish these evening walks where I get to spend quality time with my boys. (Webb refused a picture!)

We get home around 7 and clothes come off immediately and we shower. 

Then it is snack (pickles, cheese, and pretzels for Dane and me and pickles and cheese for Webb). I dry my hair and then we brush teeth and usually it is about 7:30. We read until 8 and then it is lights out. We pray and I scram out to make lunch, clean up from snack time, wipe turds up from kittens (they crap all over the house!), read, watch Big Brother with my honey, etc.

Not only do I enjoy being with them on our After Dinner walk, the walk itself is so beneficial for them. It keeps them from being bored in that little window between dinner and bedtime routine and it keeps them from wanting a screen of some sort. It also exhausts them and makes them tired when they do hit the sack.

We all get to get outdoors and get some Vitamin D and get that food digesting that we ate earlier. 

I'm grateful I saw a trainer post about making that a habit. It is a perfect one for us. Hoping Daddy starts joining us or at least does for the next 3 weeks (HE IS OFF OF SCHOOL!!!!!! YA-HOO!!!!)

Well, Just saw it is 5 minutes past my bedtime and I'd like to workout before the little angels stir in the morning!