Family Life

You know, I'm digging this family life. Tonight, I'm blogging from my phone while my love reads next to me on our front porch glider. Cider and tea on the middle table and he with a pipe. Got to love this night. Where's LD? In bed, asleep. We've got the monitor, don't panic. But you know, I am so loving this whole family life thing. The other night we had a date of sorts. I laid cushions on the living room floor and set up our new backgammon board and a candle on our side table and we played two rounds with the baby monitor on alert. It was great, just like tonight.

You see, there is this big giant warning out there (especially if you like the outdoors) that once you have kids it's all over. What is 'it'? It is freedom, whimsy, serendipity all those quixotic things. Well, the advice givers are wrong. I'm here to tell you! Wrong, wrong, wrong. We've taken LD camping, he's been to a climbing gym, and we take him hiking. I've got plans to get him on the lake (via kayak) that his great grandparents house sits on, hopes of snowshoeing next year, and finally putting up the climbing wall in his bedroom. I think A is planning on a slack line for LD too. Plus, there's disc golf. When did I have to give it all up? It does take a certain amount of either planning or "roll with it" attitude though. I'm still training for races, still climbing, still knitting, still sewing, still quilting. A is still enjoying the occasional tobacco product (seldom), beard competing, climbing, hiking, slack lining, and soon backpacking.

It's not about losing freedom, it's about making sure you maintain it. It's being conscientious and intentional with your time. Teaching your kids that family is NOT and either/or situation but an all situation. Why do I say all? Because right now, I have it all. I have an amazing son, a wonderful husband, calloused hands, and climbing gear. Because I walk through REI and I can't wait until LD can start climbing and join the local team. Because my idea of a gym membership is Pipeworks or GA, not 24hr Fitness. It can be done.

Catch Up

Its been a while since my last post and I apologize. Our lives got turned upside and I haven't had any spare time. Bug, I'm going to try to make some so I can continue this blog. For all 2 of you that read it. So, what have the outdoorsy parents been up to?? I don't know where we left off so I'll just start through things out there. In late August we redecorate LD's room in a national parks theme, but it's not done yet. We need to finish one wall. That wall will be covered with climbing holds. I know, he's still young. But trust me, this kid loves to climb!! So, he will get a wall full of climbing holds!!

Over the summer I decided to go to school to get my license for massage therapy and that has taken up most of my free time. So it's time to find a balance. Plus, LD has been sick. Yes, he spent some time back around Thanksgiving in the Pediatric ICU and was very sick. Then I was sick for all of December and poor A has been taking care of everything. While I prefer to stay away from the doctors as much as possible, it has been a rough road for us and the vitamin C wasn't cutting it. But, we all have little head colds right now, and vitamin C is really all we need.

Head colds? But it only just started raining. Yes, and I've been running in the rain. Trying to keep my training schedule has meant running in the rain. But with a head cold that is out of the picture for now. I may have to adapt my program to a 10k instead of a half marathon. We shall see. The running is important to our parenting. We want our kids to learn that physical fitness isn't just important, but that without it we have no lives. Without it we miss out on sunrise atop Half Dome, sunsets on El Cap, backpacking the JMT, PCT, & AT and so many more things. So running I go. Plus it's like an old friend. Its a commitment, I'm teaching my kids to honor their commitments, but accept when it is not the best option and readjust.