I am fortunate to have a job that pretty much follows my kids’ school calendar. We spend a lot of time scheming, plotting and planning fun summer activities. When summer first arrives we often have a few activities on the agenda, then comes WORCA bike camp for Oliver, Take Action Leadership Academy for Alyssa – some fiction filled days for me!

When the kids get back from their independent activities what you’re left with is a lot of fun for sure but also a real disruption in routine. Some people thrive on routine – I’ve never been very good at it. What I have discovered is that there are certain routines that keep me sane. Things like running and going to the gym. What I get out of running and gym time is time for me, time to exercise, time to chat with my close girlfriends.

Once the kids are home all the time it can really put a dent in the exercise routine. I’m dragging them to workout with me or missing my workout time because one or the other one just can’t get it together in time:) Ahh, the down side to lack of routine!

I tend to get a little grumpy with a lack of exercise. What to do?

Last week I pulled out the tie downs, wrangled both bikes into the car and zoomed off to the gravel pit. With both kids on bikes I was able to run. The kids had a blast, I sweat a lot as we biked/ran a good loop along MacKenzie road and through bath tub trail, back to the gravel pit. The kids would occaisonally double back to check that mum was still there and they looked a little stunned when I scooted by them on the hills:)

We’ve decided that this bike/run is something we would like to establish as a bit of a routine – good thing we figured it out with at least 3 weeks left of summer.