Fit Kid Gift List: Jump Ropes and Rhymes

I realize I just wrote about jump ropes yesterday for you, however I didn't want to leave the kids out.  Jump ropes for kids are fantastic.  I'm not kidding.

Old school jump ropes -- love them.

When I taught kindergarten, it was a goal of mine to get more kids jump roping.  We'd bring out the ropes and turn and turn and turn for these little guys.

They are cheap.

They get the kids moving.

What more can we ask for?

Some things I look for in a jump rope for the kiddos are weight and length.  I like the segmented old school jump ropes.  The are the perfect weight for the kids to turn and they have the swivel handles so the rope doesn't get twisted.  

As far as length, it really does depend how big they are.  I just bought my boys some 7 and 8-foot ropes for their stockings.  If they are too long, they just wrap them around their hands.  My daughter is really getting into Double Dutch, so I got her two 16-foot ropes.  

Home Depot special

My very thoughtful mother gave my daughter this 16-foot nylon jump rope last year.  We have used it and used it and used it.  She just went to Home Depot, chose a heavier nylon rope, then burned the edges.  Brilliant.

Wanna see something even more brilliant?  She also gave her this:

A notebook full of Jump Rope Rhymes

This homemade notebook of Jump Rope Rhymes has kept my little gal and her brothers busy many a day after school.  After all that jumping and rhyming, Tressa has even come up with her own rhymes and written them down in the back of the notebook.

Again, 

it is cheap.  

It gets my kids moving.  

What more could I want?

Fit Kid Gift List:

Go! Go! Girl Sports Doll

Zip Lines

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Fit Momma Question: Active Holiday Traditions?

Fit Momma Jen sent this question over recently.  Her husband has recently dropped some weight and they are trying to navigate the upcoming holidays:

The holidays are coming up...  Do you have traditions that aren't food related?  Traditions are really important to me, but so is supporting my husband in his weight loss and having a healthy family. So, any suggestions?

Suggestions?  Me?  ABSOLUTELY!

Before I jump into them, I must stress that these activities HAVE to be scheduled in to your busy week.  Whether you spend the holidays with extended family or not, putting some active traditions on the calendar will make sure you don't get buried with all the cooking, shopping, and sports watching.

Another thing I adore about active traditions is that they typically are free or very low cost.  With the holidays and all the money that is being sucked away during that time, this is quite a nice relief for the pocketbook.

Some things our family is doing or has done over the holidays:

Family Hikes
Over the years I've found several kid-friendly hikes back home.  My kids look forward to doing them every holiday season when we return home to AZ.  We always invite cousins to come and we have a little party on the mountain (it's really a hill, but don't tell them that :).

Grown-up Hikes
I've already gotten the emails from my sister arranging the time and date of the adult-level hike.  These are quite more challenging and totally a blast to do with siblings.  We leave the kiddos with a sitter during nap time then hit the mountain for a few hours.  Heaven on earth.

Family Bike Rides
The day after Thanksgiving my sister and her family have invited us for years to join them on their family bike ride.  If the kids can ride and hang with the crew, great.  If not, we break out with the bike carriers and baby seats. They have an easy ride that takes us to some fun parts of town.  The kids feel as accomplished as Lance Armstrong winning his seventh, I swear.

Grown-up Bike Rides
Last year the Doc and I joined my BIL and a few other hundred riders for an early morning 40-mile bike ride.  It was challenging (for me, not for my BIL or the Doc) and we torched through a ton of calories.  It was the perfect set up for Thanksgiving day:  we could eat and sleep and not feel one ounce of guilt about it.

Turkey Trot
A few members of my extended family got together last year and put together their own Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving morning.  They were sick of the entry fees and long drives to the local Turkey Trot, so they made their own.  Brilliant!  They mapped out a 1 mile fun run, a 5K and a 10K route and opened it up to all of us.  I plan on running in it this year and am looking forward to the finish line with my kids and family cheering me on.

Family Walk
In our family we are dealing with babies, nursing moms and kids of all ages.  This year we've decided to check out a Riparian Preserve nearby my parents house for an interesting walk.

Dance-Off
This deserves an entire blog of its own, but I will try to explain briefly.  I come from a clan of dancers and years ago -- I'm talking at least 20 -- my cousins started a "Dance-Off" in their living room.  Basically you bring your music, best dance moves, and maybe a costume to the floor and slap them down for all to see.  It has grown into something so big and crazy I cannot begin to do it justice (there are some very incriminating pictures out there of me from Dance-Offs of yesteryear, I'm sure :).  We do this on a smaller level at home all the time.  My kids beg to have family Dance-Offs and they are a huge hit every time.

Family Olympics
My mother and I are in the middle of planning our family's first annual Family Olympics for the evening before Thanksgiving.  We have events for the kids, for the grown ups, and family events.  When we pull it off, I will definitely share the details.  In a nutshell, we are making it participation based and the kid events are open to all ages (if they can walk, they can participate).  Everyone will get a medal from the Olympic Officials (Grandma and Grandpa).  Every family is bringing a family cheer to perform.  It should be a ton of fun and get us all moving before the turkey, stuffing, and pie hit us the next day.

Some more ideas:
Family kickball, basketball, football, soccer (you get the picture) game
Roller Skating
Ice Skating
Snow skiing
Snow shoeing
Sledding
Roller blading
Bowling
Musical Chairs
Limbo Contest

Hey Fit Mommas, what active traditions do you enjoy with your family over the holidays?  Comment below and tell us WHAT WORKS!

Related Posts:
More "Fit Momma Question" Posts
Kid-Friendly Hikes
Hiking
Great Holiday!

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Trainer Momma November GIVEAWAY #1: 15 Healthy Kids Plates!

OK, guys...  It's time for a giveaway, but this time it is for the kids.  I just couldn't resist this one.

A fellow blogger and now online friend, Amy of the fantastico blog Super Healthy Kids, asked if I wanted to giveaway one of her plates on Trainer Momma.  Of course I would!  It goes hand in hand with what I believe.  She actually made a plate of exactly what I've been telling my clients.

Brilliant.

Well, just one plate isn't enough love to spread around, so I tweaked it Trainer Momma-style:

Trainer Momma 

November Giveaway #1:

Fifteen (15)

Healthy Kids Plates

(valued at $4.99)

to 

15 Trainer Momma readers!

RULES, RULES, RULES

This giveaway is short and simple.  It runs from today, Monday, November 1st until Thursday, November 4th at midnight.  Just fill out the brief form below and I'll randomly choose 15 winners and announce them on Friday of this week.

1.  One entry per person please.

2.  If you are a winner, please be in contact with me within 48 hours so we can get this goodie to your little one ASAP.

Like I always say, if I don't spoil your kids, who will? :)

Oh, and yes.  Giveaway #1 implies that there is a Giveaway #2.  Stay tuned!  Tell your friends and your friends' friends.  It's gonna be a fun week over here.


**  Full Disclosure:  Amy did send 3 complimentary plates for my children to learn from and enjoy.  And the 15 I'm giving away?  Those are provided by yours truly.  Once I find a good thing, I've got to pass it along.

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Dear Fall, You Are Welcome Anytime

Guess what?  The October Giveaway ends tomorrow night at midnight.  Two $50 Gift Cards to Title Nine!  Tell your friends, your neighbors, your crosswalk volunteers!  Click here to enter.

Onto your regularly scheduled post:

The kids have been home all day from school which makes it muy dificil for me to get my thoughts together for a coherent post (thus the intermittent espanol -- not that I even know espanol).

We've taken the day to get ready for fall, despite the near 90 degrees outside.  I convinced if I wear my pants, boots, and cardigans fall will come sooner.

So far, my theory is bunk.  All I do is walk around with sweat rings and hot feet all day.

Onto another theory:

Maybe if we decorate the house like it is fall, the fall weather will come.

I will let you know how that goes.

I did come across one of my favorito (there's that espanol!) things about fall and did a cha-cha right there in the mountains of produce at Costco:

Yes, ma'am.  Some kind, charitable person recognized the value of peeling and chopping butternut squash up FOR US.

I am in love with that person.

I am throwing it in by the handfuls into a pot of this soup right now.  Dinner is gonna be fantastic.

Happy Fall, ya'll! :)

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Family Fitness: Kid Friendly Hikes

Well, well, well.  Right when I was at my breaking point with the 100 degree days and weird species of mosquitos, some cooler weather has come into town and you know what that means:  time to get out!

I live close to the hill country.  I had no idea what that was until we drove into town pulling a U-Haul behind my minivan.  Literally -- rolling hills.  And trees.  Lots of trees.  And green!  Oh, the green was overwhelming for this desert dweller.

I did learn quickly that rolling hills also translated to no mountains. Although I miss my Camelbacks and Squaw Peaks (oops!  I mean Piestewa Peak.  I must be PC) -- I have come to appreciate these rolling hills.

This also means there are a few kid-friendly hikes nearby.

Although this trail has a paved road, we opt for the natural trails.  Now that my kids are a little older I've ditched the strollers and baby backpacks and make them use their own two feet.  The little one is not too sure about this, but with some prodding (a several piggy back rides from mom), he can hang with the big kids.

With very little planning and a backpack filled with TONS of water and food, a family hike is the perfect way to get out of the house, burn of some energy, kill a morning, and enjoy the cooler weather.

Kids:

Hikers.

Adventure heros.

Discoverers.

Water guzzlers.

Biologists.

Ninjas.

Look at those red cheeks -- how could I say no?

Mom:  

Caterer.

Wrangler.

Pack mule.

Cheerleader.

Hey, Fit Mommas!  Now that fall has arrived (insert singing angel chorus here), what are you doing to GET OUT?  Comment below and tell us WHAT WORKS!

A few sites to get your family on the trail:

Top Ten Family-Friendly Trails

Family-Friendly Hikes from REI

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Fit Momma Question: How to Juggle Kids' Activities?

Oh my, I deserve a medal.

A gold one.

I just survived the eternal process of getting passports for all three of my kids.  It has taken endless errands just to get us to that point, then an HOUR wait in the post office.  An hour in a small room, with a long line full of already grouchy folks, getting grouchier because my kids are scaling the walls.

So, ahem.  OK, I'm pulling myself together, and am going to defuse my tension by blogging.

It works every time :)

Fit Momma Lori asked last week:

I’d love some suggestions on how to manage sports for kids with an already busy schedule. It seems to cut right into dinner time and can really make me stressed.

Lori, I hear you. We just started soccer this week. For us that translates to:

two kids playing

one kid not playing

two teams

three nights of practice

60 to 90 minute practices

30 minute drive one way to get to practice

dozens of ants on my feet and legs

1.2 billion mosquitos biting me 

one really disgusting, really full port-a-potty

two games every Saturday for the next eight weeks

Notice family dinner time is NOT on that list?  

Somedays it seems like a faint echo...

Now, I know I sound like I’m complaining. Really, I am very happy my kids are doing this. I realize these type of activities are completely optional, but for my kids this type of thing is right up their alley. They love their coaches (I’m not one of them this year -- YEEHA! I get a break this season!), enjoy meeting new friends, and just love sweating their little blonde heads off while chasing a ball.

And I cannot tell you how much the Doc and I LOVE watching them do this.  It is a thrill.

However, this cuts right into family dinner time.

 Like SMACK-DAB-IN-THE-MIDDLE.

Bullseye.  

I have been been dealing with this issue for years and have thought about this issue every which way. I don’t think there is one way to slice it. We do something slightly different every night, but here are some of my methods:

Serve dinner early
We have to hit the road for practice at 5:30 PM. So, that means for us dinner is an early 5:10 PM. I let the Doc know, my parents know, and the kids know it is an early eating day. I do slightly restrict their after school snacks somewhat, so by dinner time they are truly hungry. This takes extra planning and prep for me, but it does work.

After practice snack
After a normal dinner, I typically let my kids know that the kitchen is closed. However, after an early dinner, a 90 minute soccer practice, the poor chillin’s are starving. So, they can grab a quick bowl of cereal, fruit, yogurt, or PB&J before bed to tide them over until morning.

Bring dinner
I often will schedule dinners that can be eaten in the Mom Taxi or when we get to practice. If they are hot, I will cook them at home, wrap them in foil, then throw them in the car for eating on the go. I also am the Cooler Queen.  I bring a small cooler with fresh fruit, some baby carrots or other fast vegetable, some healthy baked treats and TONS of water. It’s our very own picnic!

Some fast, healthy dinners on the go are:

Turkey Burgers

Whole Wheat Pizza

Bean and Cheese Burritos

Tacos
Chicken Nuggets
Mexican Pizza
Stromboli

Breakfast Burritos

Egg Sandwiches

Tuna Sandwiches

Turkey Sandwiches

Just because our kids are in sports or activities doesn’t mean we are sentenced to eating by way of a drive-thru or at restaurants all the time. With a little planning, or even if you don't plan at all, the busiest of us can run home, throw some scrambled eggs together with some fruit and milk and call it good.

Lori, I agree whole-heartedly this can make a mother stressed.

Exhibit A:  ME.

Many mothers opt not to do extra curricular activities for this reason alone. I honestly do not blame them. For our family, however, we’ve decided the stress is worth braving the all the elements involved.

We do it for the kids.
The exercise.
The chance to be on a team.
The chance to win.
The chance to lose.
The memories.

So, despite my raging hatred for the monstrous, Texas mosquitoes -- we're in it for the long haul.

Hey, Fit Mommas, I know a lot of you are in this same boat.  What do you do to manage the craziness of the kids' sports, dance, rehearsals, etc.?  Comment below and tell us WHAT WORKS!

Thanks for questions and emails!  I don't make cute headbands or bows for my gal or nieces-- this is what I do.  So send any questions or feedback my way!

Related Posts:
Kids and Exercise:  How Much?
More "Fit Momma Question" Posts

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Fit Momma Question: Working In the Workout

I was all set to post another question today, however, this one just landed in my inbox and I loved it.  Fit Momma Tyler asked:

How do you fit in exercise so seamlessly with three kids? How did you do it when they were younger and not in school? 


FOR THE RECORD:
Tyler, first thing is first, there is NOTHING SEAMLESS about my life, trust me!  A day in the life of me consists of crazy tears, unexpected rips, and jagged edges at every turn.  JUST LIKE EVERY MOTHER OUT THERE.  My kids are sick, my kitchen has crusty oatmeal bowls in it, my laundry stays unfolded all week, I am chronically late, and my dog escapes regularly.  One thing about blogging that I dislike is the "perfection myth" that is conveyed -- we often only show our perfect homes, children, husbands, and lives. If I have portrayed myself has having all of this mastered, then I apologize.  If you know me for more than 60 seconds, I am usually a mess  I have a long way to go!


So, now that I have that cleared up (and have my 3-yr-old on my lap while he recovers from his brother shooting him in the cheek with a Nerf gun) -- here's how I work in the work out.  There are difference stages of motherhood, as you well know, so my methods have changed over the years:

THEN:

Infants/babies

Gym Membership
Years before we had children, I signed up for a gym membership at a big box gym near our apartment.  Being young and a small town girl -- OK, let's say it -- TOTALLY IGNORANT I agreed to make monthly payments with 22% interest.  So, we were paying through the nose and to top it all off, I NEVER USED IT.  For six years, I think I pass through the doors less than a dozen times.  I'd show them for ripping me off!  I'll just never go!  HA!  Yeah, I was also 50 lbs overweight.  Who got the last laugh?

Well, it turns out -- I DID.  When I had my first child, I decided that I was going to make up for those lost six years.  I ended up going 5-6 times a week.

With a new baby, however, I was uncomfortable with the germ issue and frankly the workers there were not what I'd call, um, very professional.  If they were awake, it was a good day.  It has turned out that to avoid my germ phobia and since I am a sleep Nazi with my babies, they typically didn't visit the gym childcare until after they are 6-months-old.  Other moms feel comfortable taking their babies at 6 weeks.  Whatever works.

Because of this 6-month-old thing, I ended up hitting the gym EARLY, we're talking when it opened at 5:00 AM.  Yes, I was always the woman pounding on the door in the dark, wearing nothing but a tank top and shorts in 40 degree weather saying, "Open, open, open!"  I was on the clock and on a mission.

Here are more reasons why a gym membership might be for you.

Young children not in school.

When my children got past that infant stage, I started hitting the child care hard.  I'm talking every day.  For them, it became their preschool before preschool.  The child care worker was their teacher and we'd even pack a little lunch box with snacks (if allowed) It was part of our daily routine.

Before I started working as a personal trainer, I broke up my workouts into two sessions most days.  I'd go early morning 3 or 4 times a week to do my lifting, then go back when the childcare opened with the little ones in tow to do my cardio, shower, etc.  The workers at the front desk and I became fast friends and I worked the system hard core.

NOW:

School-age kids

I still get up at the crack of dawn and work out.  This is because I am a lousy sleeper and I also now have clients or writing I have to get done during school hours.

As you can tell, I am not a huge "at-home" worker outer (is that a real word?), but have several options just in case things don't go according to plan (which happens all the time):

Cardio Equipment

One hot day when we were living in Tucson, the Doc called me and asked if I'd ever be interested in an elliptical trainer.  He was at an estate sale (which is highly unusual for him) and saw a very basic one for sale for $100.  We were poor, so I told him no thanks.  I'd just continue to take the baby on walks using our jogging stroller that went perpetually crooked.  Well, sweet man that he was, he bought it any way and brought it home for me.  I cannot tell you how much I use that thing when my kids are babies and for whatever reason I could not get to the gym.

Jump rope

I also liked to add in some HIIT by jumping rope in the middle of my elliptical workouts.  I have diagnosed myself with ADHD when it comes to my workouts and to stay in one spot in the garage looking at bugs flying around the fluorescent light bulb will really make me go nuts.  I started adding in a minute of jumping, then two minutes, then five periodically during my elliptical workout.  I loved it.  And all my neighbors would just wave to me when they'd come out and pick up their newspapers.

Adjustable weights

Read my post about the awesomest adjustable weights on the planet here.

DVD's
Not a favorite of this gym rat, but there are some admittedly excellent DVD's out there.

Here are my posts about P90X and Insanity.  

I have heard from many of you readers that your other favorite are Cathe Friedrich and Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred (I personally have not done those).

So, Tyler, that's how I have "swung it" with having multiple kids over the years.  I have actually felt quite spoiled with being a SAHM for so many years and being able now choose my work hours.  Between the gym, my stroller, and my workout equipment at home -- I could pretty much work in the workout every day.

Hey Fit Mommas, how to do swing the whole working in the working out?  What works for you?  Comment below and tell us WHAT WORKS!

Thanks for the question!  Loved it!  And, as you know, I love your questions.  Just give me a few days, and I really make an effort to answer them all.  Send them here.

For more Fit Momma Questions, click here.

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Why I Workout

I get this question all the time at the gym:

"What are you training for?"

Typically, the only answer I can give them is:

"Motherhood."

Exhibit A:

These three give me a lot to keep up with.

I'm glad that I can.

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Summer Time Snacks for the Kids

Yippee-yi-yea, we are past the week o' sick.  Now that things are nuts resembling normal around here, we seem to be leaving the house.  A lot.  There are a few reasons for this:

1. I am a stay-at-home mom who doesn't like being at home all the time.  I get cabin fever.
2. My kids just trash the house when we are home all day.  We might as well leave and give the house a chance.
3. My kids get along better when we are active and out.  
4. It is so stinking hot outside, we've got to swim at least once a day if not more.
5. This is how my mom did it.  I'm a clone of her, I swear.

Each day brings another outing and another reason to pack up snacks since we won't be back until the next meal.  Now, ideally, I prefer baking my healthy cookies, muffins, and breads for my kids and still do that regularly.  However, recently convenience has been trumping my best of intentions and I've found I find myself throwing a few boxes and bags of pre-packaged snacks in my cart each week when I shop.

Here are my highly scientific (not really) requirements:

It needs to be pretty nutritious.  On a scale of 1 - 10 it should be at least a 6 or higher.

Low in sugar.

 Has some sort of fiber.  

No high fructose corn syrup.

Very low or no saturated fats.

This is very important: it has got to survive the backpack!  Most of the time, I have a "Mom Backpack" on my back where all the snacks safely are stored.  When I take out the baggie of _____________(fill the blank), it can't be crumbs or smooshy (their word).  My kids won't have anything to do with that.

The snacks have to be able to survive without needing to be cool.  On long, day trips I will bring an ice chest or something similar, however for the hours at the pool, that typically doesn't happen.

I'm feeding a lot of kids.  Most of them need to like what I bring.

Now before you read on, I realize that we won't agree 100% about what is nutritious or not.  For our family, this is where we are right now.  It is way better from where we were (fruit snacks, crackers, granola bars) and much better from where we could be (Cheetos, donuts, candy, etc.).

So, what am I throwing in the cart?  It is definitely not complete and not 100% awesome-- but good enough:

Fresh stuff is always the first thing packed:

apples

oranges

grapes (if we aren't gone too long, I don't need to keep them cold)

dried fruit

Kashi Cereal Bars (This brand has no HFCS.  Yes, Nutri-Grain bars have HFCS and are high in sugar.)

Kashi crackers (I love the higher fiber and no HFCS in their foods)

Pretzels (not a 10 on the nutrition scale, I know)

Flavored rice cakes

MultiGrain Cheerios (in a bag, no milk required :)

Pirate's Booty (our version of Cheetos)

Applesauce, unsweetened (that's IF I remember the spoons)

Another homerun snack not pictured:  Clif Z Bars

And as for drinks:

WATER.  

Period.

Nope, no fruit juice, no Caprisun, no Sunni-D, no Gatorade, or sugar water.

So, there you have it.  The good, the bad, and the ugly. Sure, it would be great if my kids were eating ultra healthy snacks like raw asparagus with smoked salmon on rye bread and quinoa for dessert -- but that ain't happening 'round these parts.  We're just a bit too typical for that.

What about you, Fit Mommas?  What on-the-go snacks that lean towards the healthy side do your kids love?  Or tolerate?  Comment below and tell us WHAT WORKS!  

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Summer Sickos

This pretty much sums up our week around here.  My two boys have been SO ill, but are actually eating a few things and keeping down some liquids now.  My hopes are cautiously rising.

Thankfully, I had more than a few handfuls of these:

a fresh slice or two of this:

and these,

 Tony, 

and Shawn-T 

to keep Nurse Mom sane ready for some long shifts.

HAPPY 4TH of JULY

this weekend!  

Hopefully, we can join you under some fireworks 

(if I can pry my sick kids off the couch).

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Travel Snacks for the Rascals

After posting last week about my Vegas-style-all-you-can-eat-buffet in the front seat of my car during our latest road trip, I received several requests to show what snacks I provided for my kiddos.

 I will openly admit what I bought for the passengers in my car was not 100% Trainer Momma approved.  I had a lot of factors to weigh:

2 day drive

22 hours in the car

1 night in a hotel

5 kids in the car (I had my two teenage nieces with me)

1 day travel through a foreign country

1 week stay in a foreign country

My "Snacks for the Road Trip Theory" is derived from the same vein as the "Movies in the Car Theory".  We do not have a television at our house, movie time is limited to Saturdays or when a babysitter comes over, and our car does not have a built-in DVD player.  Movies are a treat at our house.  BUT, when we travel long distances I do have a portable DVD player for the car that I strap onto the back of the seats.  I demand that they watch videos.  The more the better.  When one goes off, I am barking to throw another one in ASAP.  Why?  Survival.  

Same with the car snacks.  There are many snacks that come in a box that my kids love. The longer I've been a trainer, nutritionist, and mother, the less of that stuff I buy.   They just don't have enough real ingredients for me to classify them as food.  However, when a long road trip rolls around, I go back to Wal-Mart and load up on the crackers and snack-ish foods they miss.  The kids are thrilled, I turn my head, and again -- we survive.

When I road trip I don't like to stop for McDonald's or Subway.  I have tried it enough to know that it takes at least 30 minutes, the kids only want the toy from their Happy Meal, don't eat a bite of what is called a "chicken nugget", they only eat the fries and drink too much soda.  Then we are stopping for a potty break an hour later.  This brings on the the Crazy Momma mode, so I've learned to pack it and they snack on it.  They are like cows grazing all day back there. And I don't care.  My car is trashed, I practically need to pick up the car and shake it out by the end of the trip.  But you know what I care about -- survival.

Here's a look at our latest stash of travel food for the kids:

 Graham Crackers

Cheese-Its

Wheat Thins

Granola Bars (reduced sugar)

Fiber One Pop Tarts

Fruit Leather

Peanut Butter Puffins

Chocolate Flavored Rice Cakes

Ginger Snaps

Newman-O's (healthier version of the Oreo)

Natural Mellow-Oats (healthier version of Lucky Charms)

Annie's Bunnies (healthier version of Teddy Grahams)

Jolly Ranchers

Smarties

Dum-Dums

(I am the keeper of the candy and pass a piece out every hour or so)

All these snacks are typically banned from the Reading kitchen (Minus the Smarties and Dum Dums.  Those are staples for us.  Sometimes a little Smartie is the only way to get through church :). They really think they are getting away with something when they eat this stuff.

Fruit!  There's always a high demand for this after eating so many crackers.  We went through tons of apples and oranges.  

Homemade whole wheat bread

Healthy cookies

On the road or at home, these are our favs.

String cheese

Turkey slices

The kids just roll turkey around string cheese and eat these for lunch.  And dinner.  We call them Turkey Roll-Ups.

Luckily, my kids are young (9 and under) and are easy to please!

Boiled eggs

Since my kids typically only eat the egg white, I let them eat these with abandon.  At 17 calories and 3.5 grams of protein per egg white, they can knock themselves out.

What's on the beverage menu during our road trip?

Water.  

That's it.  

No juice, soda, sugar water, etc.  And, to make me seem even more of a meany mom, I limit their water throughout the day.  My goal is to get there, not stop on the side of the road for endless potty breaks.  So, I throw a diaper on the three-year-old, restrict the older kids' water drinking, share my ice with them and we drive.  And drive.  And drive.

Other things I brought but did not snap a pic of:

Peanut Butter

Low-fat Yogurt (don't forget the spoons!)

Stoneyfield Low-Fat Yogurt  tubes (healthier version of Go-gurts)

They surprisingly don't eat a lot of this food.  We had plenty to last us throughout the week in Mexico.  I think they are so thrilled to have unlimited movie time, they forget to eat.
Whatever works, man.  

We survived.

Hey Fit Mommas, what do you pack for your kids on long road trips?  What do they love?  What has bombed?  I'm always looking for more and better ideas.  Comment below!

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Mexico en Numeros

2 days in the minivan

22 hours driving

27,000 DVDs watched

5 hours solid I heard "Bob the Builder" in my ear

1 night we stayed in a hotel in AZ

1 night I was up all night with a sicko kiddo while in the hotel

2 hours of sleep

1 Vivarin (that was a first for me)

5 times I had to pull over on Mexican roads for puking kids and nursing babies

1 1/2 hours spent at the border trying to get everyone across (we all made it)

$150 in bribes to Mexican police -- we are just getting started

3 moms

0 dads (besides my own)

2 grandparents

7 kids under the age of 8

2 babysitters (bless them)

3 times my 3-year old has slept in a big boy bed - ever

4 times my 3-year has fallen out of his big boy bed

1 air conditioner unit that is broken

83 degrees in my condo

2 fans we've purchased

14 mosquito bites on my legs from the knees down

1 perfect beach

1 perfect sunset

1 happy mom

I'm having a ball.
I'm reading a book.

I'm sleeping.

Trainer Momma will be back in full blogging force next week!

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Coach Mandi

Time to play ball.  Spring was on its way and that meant it was time for my six-year-old to spend some time on the baseball diamond.  My dad is a baseball fanatic, both my brothers played some serious ball, even the Doc did a few seasons of little league.  I, however, think I did one season of t-ball when I was eight-years-old.  Baseball and I were virtual strangers.

As I sat in the mandatory parent meeting for the league, the director droned on and on about the rules, uniforms, the season in general.  He finally ended the spiel, then added, "OK, it's time to talk amongst yourselves and decide which one of you is going coach your team."

I hate this part. All of us parents suddenly had the urgent need to check our phones, dig through our purse, or examine our fingernails.  Then, the typical excuses begin to fly:

“I can’t do it, I work crazy hours.”

“I don’t get off work until 7:30 PM”

“I’m going through a divorce.”

“His dad’s in jail and I am handling 4 kids by myself.”

"I'm his grandma.  His parents are deployed to Afghanistan."

I hadn't given my excuse yet -- However, which one should I choose?

I don’t have time?
My plate is totally full as it is?
I have this blog that I need time to write each day?
I work part-time?
I have a three-year-old who thinks he's a teenager? 
My husband is never home and can’t help me with watching the other kids?
Cooking a good dinner every night is a huge priority for me?
I like sitting in the bleachers for an hour while someone else deals with my child and gives me a break?
I haven’t played t-ball, softball, or baseball in something like 30 years, so I’m completely unqualified to coach?
I just really, really don't want to?

The table stayed quiet amid all the chaos that filled the rest of the room.

“I’ll do it.” Everyone's heads turned towards me.

I had the privilege of coaching this little t-ball team of twelve 5-6 year old boys for the past 2 months. When I volunteered, I just took a big sigh and added it to my endless list of things I commit to.  In the end, however, it surprised me how much I enjoyed this experience.

Some of the ups:

I learned how to play baseball.

Everyone called me Coach Mandi.  It rocked.

I was able to set the time, day, and location of practice. This was AWESOME for this mother of three. In the future, I will be very motivated to coach for this reason alone. It actually simplified my schedule in many ways.

I worked with different parents from all walks of life: from lawyers and mechanics to DJ's and hairdressers. These parents were not sideline parents at all;  they figuratively and literally stepped up to the plate and helped me out willingly.  Together we created a very positive atmosphere for our children.

I got to work with 5-6 year olds again. Yes, in my heart I still am a kindergarten teacher without a classroom. To joke with the kids, play with them, see them progress, push them a bit, and discover their personalities put me right back into my teacher mode that has been dormant for the past nine years. To see them hit a line drive or see their toothless smiles as they rounded third base thrilled me every time.

It forced me to leave my house, my kitchen, my emails, and my laundry twice a week and be outside. It was so refreshing and helped me destress at the end of the day. I found myself looking forward to tossing a baseball at practice for that reason alone.

I was able to spend two hours a week with this kid. I can’t remember the last time I got to do that. He is my middle, very mild and gentle child. His needs often are overlooked due to a baby that needs to be fed, or an older sister that needs to be run to another lesson. He patiently plays his middle child role day in and day out.  Only he and I shared this memory together:  Brian, me, and baseball.

The season is over. 

I’ll most likely never see those little, dusty faces again.  

They reminded me of something that I had forgotten:  

Giving of my time and myself does not take away from me.  

It fills me.

Have you ever coached a team for your kids? What did you think? Was it worth it? What did you gain from doing it?

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