{defeated}

This morning I had in my head a little plan to get out and exercise...especially after throwing out three bags of clothes before going to work (yes, I still have a few to wear, but I figured I was done wearing things I had in high school, my fat clothes for after giving birth, and my skinny clothes without any hope of ever fitting back into them...).

As soon as dinner was done, complete with Ryan doing the dishes (I know, you're all jealous), I changed my clothes into some workout attire. After getting the kids wiped up and strapped in the jogging stroller we purchased last summer but we've never jogged with, I took off to the local community park, where there is a paved track. Simple enough of a plan, right?

*I alternately jogged, pulled Ryan's shorts up, walked, pulled my shirt down (you know how those things ride...), jogged, reprimanded the kids for fighting, walked, etc, etc, etc. After that single mile, we FINALLY reached our destination. Now the real fun could begin...running.

For anybody who claims they know me, knows how much I LOATHE running. I HATE it with a passion. I swam competitively for 12 years, so I feel most comfortable layered in three swimsuits, my head shrink wrapped in latex and my eyes bugging out in goggles. Besides, it's just sexier not watching all the blubber wiggle with every bounce on land...water is much more forgiving, and you feel lighter!

I wish I would have known if anybody had a lame-o Memorial Day weekend, because then I could have invited you to watch the show my boys and I put on at the park. It was hilarious! and free. And it would probably make anybody feel better about themselves after watching me try to exercise.

It was a continuation of the previous "alternating jog, pulling my pants up, walking, pulling my shirt down, jogging, reprimanding the kids for fighting, walking, etc, etc, etc" and my kids screaming for three laps, topped by a 70-ish year old woman speed walking faster than my poor attempt to run.

I was humiliated, so I gave up and took the kids to the playground area where we played on the swings for a good 45 minutes. (I'll conveniently skip the fiasco Tanner and I had on the soccer field...I'm surprised Child Services wasn't in the parking lot by the time I reached the playground. Okay, I'll tell: Tanner wanted to walk, so I let him out. I was apparently going 'the wrong way' to the playground and Tanner wanted to go the 'other' way (backtracking) so I left him on the field where he threw a 10 minute tantrum, jumping at least 8 inches off the ground and purposely throwing his body all over, screaming, "Come back! Moooooooom!" and "bwahhhhhhhh.") Regardless, they loved it, I loved it....once again, those Simple Pleasures topped the cake!

So now I'm a little sore, my hips are achy and the growing wart on the ball of my left foot is throbbing, but I got to show off my fake-baked legs to a lot of concerned community members, making sure I didn't hurt myself (or my children, for that matter!).

Oh, the sweet smell of {defeat}!

And as a side note, for any of you who have the June issue of the church magazines, the Ensign has a fabulous article about better aligning the day and not feeling overwhelmed as a mother...Something I really needed...It's in the Questions & Answers section, pages 12 through17 (apparently it needed a five-page spread). Here's the link to the church website if you read it online: June 2009 Ensign**

*Don't worry, there are no pictures for your viewing pleasure to accompany this post.
**Okay, they don't publish it online until June, but you could get to it from the link above.