Live. Laugh. Love.: A Very ACTIVE Day!

On Sunday, I learned just how fit and energetic my kids can be.

We had a pretty low-key weekend with not much planned.

Nice, right?

Well, I thought it would be nice to drive up to Maumee Bay and take a hike on the trail behind the big hill. Last I was there, the trees were so pretty on either side of the road and I made a mental note to come back for a walk to enjoy the fall colors. I guess we waited a little too long, because many of the leaves were gone, though some were still lush and beautiful. (I wish all trees kept their leaves for the same amount of time.) The day was very nice and the kids and I really enjoyed the fresh air and exercise... for the first half of the walk. I haven't actually been on this trail since high school Cross Country and didn't remember just how long it was. Well we started out - all three of us on foot and no carrier or stroller to speak of - with no real goal of how far out we'd walk. It was just going so well and Sophie was even walking and running with Will most of the time... Are you getting where I'm going with this? At about the point I thought would be halfway, I could still see the hill and figured we might as well keep going around instead of turning back. Turns out the whole walk was probably 2.5-3 miles and I probably carried both of them together for a half mile of it and separately for another mile on and off. And then to top off the end of the walk, we reached the bottom of the other side of the big hill. Our options were to trudge through the high brush around the base of the hill, walk on the road another quarter mile or so around to the other side, or take the fastest route up and over. Will really didn't want to go up the hill. Sooo... I picked them up... one in each arm... nearly 60# of children that I was holding... and up we went. I seriously thought. I. would. die. :) When we got to the top I was totally panting. I put Will down for a minute to catch my breath and then managed to have him get up on my back (arms around my neck) and I held him behind me with one arm and her on my hip with the other for the trek downhill. We made it. And I've never been so happy to see my own vehicle. Problem was: my original promise to the kids (Will, mainly) was to play on the playground after our walk. I just did not have it in me at that point. So I told Will if he'd just get in the car, we'd go home and eat lunch, take a nap, and then see if we couldn't arrange a playground trip with Mya & Stella after nap. God bless that boy... he agreed. And thank God Mya & Stella were able to join us or that would have really made me look bad. :(

So here are a bunch of pictures of the first half (the lovely part) of our walk. :) It really was nice and I was so pleased that both kids were totally into being outside and getting some exercise.

Running :)

Eek! Extreme close-up!

Will's "hiking stick".

We've reached the water! We have to be getting close to the end now right?

You know, it's funny: it only takes me about seven minutes or so to drive to MB... but I just don't ever really think about how close we live to the lake. Like it doesn't really cross my mind that we could make a trip to the beach so easily.

Okay after that last picture, we were all getting a little too tired and crabby. By the time we got home, my forearms were seriously shaking. LOL Guess that tells you how in shape I am right now, huh?

Lunch and nap followed and then, as promised, we met up with the Rethman twins at the playground. Actually, we beat them there and I was able to take pictures of my kids playing for awhile. But somehow, when four kids are running around playing, it's more about keeping an eye on everyone and making sure no one gets hurt than taking pictures. ;) So I don't really have pictures of my nieces, unfortunately. (Except one of Stella on the slide.)

Merry-go-round.