Get Some Exercise

I promised myself I would get back on the treadmill after spring break.  It doesn't have to be anything crazy, just walk, put in a little work.  I'll feel better for doing it, I know.

The kids have been fed, so that's done.  They are outside playing in the last bits of daylight.  Todd went to town to pick up the oldest from his school event.  If I get with it now, I might have forty minutes.

Up the stairs while pulling my shirt over my head, I change clothes quickly.  My walking shoes are on the lowest closet shelf behind two pair of boots, indicators of the long, inactive winter.  I hook them onto my fingers and head back downstairs.

After sticking my head out the patio door to check on the boys, I hop onto the machine and press the start button.  A trail from Mongolia pops onto the screen, and I'm instantly walking in the mountains...or the valley between the mountains anyway.

Less than two minutes in and the boys tear through the storm door, talking over each other and laughing about something I've been left out of.  "Where is G?" I ask without turning around.  It's been a while, so I'm not feeling confident or agile on the treadmill.  I won't be looking around.

"He's coming in," the middle boys reply, barely giving me a sideways glance.  They continue into the house and downstairs, discarding their shoes on the way despite my directions otherwise.

"Boys?  Hello?" I can hear them talking and messing around in the basement.

I smack the red STOP button.  It's frustrating because I didn't even have time to get my earbuds in or choose any music for that matter.  I pull on my freshly tied strings, toe-to-heel each shoe off, and slip on some flip flops. 

Out the door and up the hill to play with the little.  I'll have to get my exercise out here with him.  At least he is cute and smiling to see me.