Sharing Gym Space

Ever since my very first weights class in high school, I have loved lifting!  

When I met my husband, he was a senior in high school, and one of his few classes he was taking that year was weights, because he loved lifting!

I don't know what it is about lifting heavy things that makes you feel fierce and strong, but it is the best feeling!

In college, I had a gym membership.  After college, I had a gym membership.  Up until we moved a couple of years ago to our current house, we had a gym membership.  When I look back at all of the money we have paid in gym memberships--I could probably pay off my student loans. . . and then some!!

Because guess what??  In spite of having a gym membership, I didn't use it all that often.  My husband did.  He liked the social aspect and the huge variety of equipment. . . but he didn't like sharing.  He would get super annoyed when someone was hogging the leg press or didn't clean their weights off the squat rack.  And while he liked talking, some of those guys could talk and his planned 1 hour work out would turn into 2 - 2.5 hours.  I, on the other hand, did not like being around all the people, I just wanted to do my thing!   


So, when we moved into this house and I realized we had a pretty good sized space and no immediate plans for it, we took the money we would have spent in gym fees and began investing it into our own equipment a little bit at a time.  Starting with a squat rack, a bar and weights, then adding dumbbells when we could.  

And the best thing. . . my kids can use it too!  At the gym, we couldn't take our kids, except during certain times which wasn't always convenient.  Now, they can go anytime!  
So technically, we still have to share, this morning, my husband used it from 6 - 7 am before work.  My son and I did a workout at 8 am and one of my girls used it at 10 am.  We make it work!

Also, I don't force my kids to workout. . . they do it because they want to.  They don't necessarily lift weights either, there are a lot of good cardio options as well!  I have one daughter who prefers not to use the gym, but take the dog for a walk, ride her bike and play outside!  That works too!!  

And the best part. . . you don't have to have ALL the equipment to have a home gym.  Just a little bit of space that you can move around in, a device to stream from, and a plan!!  

Johnson Family Fit

I am not a writer.

I consider myself a numbers person. I can see numbers in my head and the awesome patterns they create.   I can see how they work together to make the world work!  But when I sit down to write something---anything--words tend to fall out of my head.  When I attempt to put them together they sound anything but eloquent.  But I once heard someone say that if it doesn't challenge you it's not worth doing and if it was easy, everyone would do it, so here I am. . . taking on the challenge of words!  

I started this blog along time ago as a way to keep my friends and extended family in touch with us--back when blogs were cool and everyone was doing them!  However, with the evolution of social media, I myself got away from the blog and as you can see, have not posted anything in over 5 years!  

So why start up again??? . . . .I have a lot to say!!  I have a lot to share!!  And while I feel like Facebook and Instagram are great platforms for me, I also feel like they have become saturated to a point where a lot just scroll. . . and scroll. . . and scroll!  So my theory is--I will still post on social media, but this is where I will share!!  

I have also changed the name from "The Johnson Family" to "Johnson Family Fit". . . and while this blog will be written from my point of view, you will see that we are making healthy living a family affair!!

So welcome!!

Top 12 for 2012

It's been a long time since I've updated this blog.  My plan was to start again in 2011--that didn't happen.  Then 2012 came and went and here we are in 2013 and halfway through the month of January at that.  Well, I'm gonna do this!!  I'll start 2013 with a best of 2012.  So without further ado, her it is.

 

Top 12 of 2012

 

 

12.  We (finally) re-tile our fireplace:  When we moved to this house in 2007 I had an idea of several things I wanted to change/fix in this house.  We got the walls all repainted and most of the floors have been re-surfaced.  With my extra time over Christmas break, I decided with the help of my husband and good friends, it was time to give the fireplace a makeover.

 

BEFORE                                                   AFTER

 

11. Jayd and Jett started taking Karate: Jett is total boy and likes to pretend fight.  The idea was that Karate will give him the discipline he needs so that when he finally starts kindergarten, we won't get constant calls from the principal.  Jayd decided to join him. 

   

Jayd is ready to go!                                  Jett kicks it!!!



 

 

10.  Kaidyn is a 3 sport athlete and Jayd plays soccer:  Kaidyn has played soccer since kindergarten and she started basketball last year.  This year I finally convinced her to give softball a try.  And guess what?  She liked it--shocking right!!  Jayd also played soccer for the 2nd year.  She definitely was more concerned about how her uniform looked than the game, but I'm sure it'll come.

 

 

 

 

 

 

9.  Levi and I run a half-marathon together:  For the second year in a row, we ran the Oktoberfest Half-Marathon in Leavenworth.  We stayed together for most of it.  And enjoyed a nice refreshing beverage at the end.   

 

(Sorry no picture)

 

 

8. Kaidyn and I run several races together: We ran the Canal Caper 10k, Sage-and-Sun 5 mile, Halloween 5K, Thanksgiving Turkey Trot 5K and The Jingle Bell Run. I love running with my girl. We have some good bonding conversations on our runs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7. Kaidyn starts 5th grade and Jayd starts 2nd grade: Yep, their getting older. Kaidyn is now 10, Jayd is 7 and Jett is 5--but not until October, so he has another year until Kindergarten. 

6. Visit my brother Ryan in Salt Lake: We decided to do another road trip this summer and this year it took us through Salt Lake City, so we stopped to see my littlest brother who moved there last spring. Our road trip also took us to Denver, Las Vegas and San Francisco! Over 3500 miles.  

 

5.  I gain a niece:  My middle little brother and his wife gave birth to their first child in September, a beautiful little girl name Kaylen. 

 

Jett loves is new little cousin!!

 

4.  Visit AT&T Park in San Francisco and watch a Giants Game:  Our road trip also took us to San Francisco.  In my quest to visit all 30 MLB baseball parks, we got to see 2 more over the summer. AT&T Park is a beautiful park (#4 of 30) and it was fun watching the World Series this year and the kids could say they had been to that park. 

 

3.  Visit Coors Field in Denver and watch a Rockies Game:  We also went through Denver on our road trip, and watched a Rockies game (#3 of 30).  Coors Field is  also a beautiful ball park and the beer is relatively cheap :)

 

2.  Visit Alcatraz in San Francisco: An amazing landmark.  I highly recommend it.  But keep in mind, you need to reserve your tickets 3-4 weeks in advance.  Luckily we did!

   

1.   Levi and I celebrate 12 years as a happily married couple:  We definitely have had our ups and downs, but somehow we make it work, maybe because we're both too stubborn to do it any other way.  And somehow after all these years (14 in total together) I still love this man, more and more everyday!! Can't wait to see what the next 50 years bring us!! 

 

 

Honorable Mention:  There was also so much more, I competed in a triathlon, we visited the King Tut exhibit, we went to several Mariners games as well as a game they played the Yankees, Kaidyn took a field trip to Cama State Park on Camano Island (and I got to chaperon) and much more. 

 

 

Well there you have it.  More to come in 2013!!

 



The best of 2010

So a friend reminded me that it has been almost a year since I last updated my blog--for the record it has only been 10 months--but boy a lot has happened in those 10 months!!
I am very glad my two younger kids a still pretty young, reflecting back and all the stuff Kaidyn is in too, keeps up pretty busy. I can't even imagine what it is going to be like when the other 2 are older.
First of all I will start with the kids:
Kaidyn--ended her year as a 2nd grader and is now in 3rd grade!! She is one of the best readers and math students in her class. She loves to read and is constantly asking me to bring home books from school. She joined Grant singers this year--it's the schools "special" choir that performs at various events throughout the school year as well as most school programs. She also recently joined the 3rd grade math team and hopes to be one of the top 4 math students so that she can go to the competitions. She played soccer last spring and continued with fall soccer. She is now in the U-9 division and her team totally rocked, and she scored at least 1 goal in all games except the last one. The team played together all last year and added 2 new members this year, but stayed pretty much the same. The only games they lost were during a tournament, in which one of the losses was in a shoot out and they ended up placing 4th. They should continue to play together in the spring and she is so excited about it. She is currently playing basketball, but missed her first game due to illness. She will play through mid-December.
Jayd--is now in Kindergarten. She is learning her letter sounds and basic reading and math. She also played soccer this fall and really enjoyed it. Other than that not much is new in the world of Jayd.







Jett--is now a boisterous, no fear 3 year old. He climbs, he jumps, he runs, he punches, he throws balls and temper tantrums. Watch out when he runs up to you (especially if your a guy) because you never know what he's going to do! He got Seahawk football tickets for his 3rd birthday this year from Levi's cousin and he and Levi went to the game November 7th. The Seahawks were totally creamed by the Giants, but he didn't care and had a total blast!




Now on to Levi and I:
Levi is still working as a Grant County Correctional Officer. He comes home with some pretty interesting stories and with some hellos from some of my former students. He also played for the Moses Lake "semi-pro" football team, the Columbia Basin Riverhawks, last spring. The team totally sucked and never one a game, but I think he had fun and with only some minor injuries. He is debating between playing again next spring and playing more golf instead--my vote is more golf!!

As for me, I have become a "runner" in the loosest sense of the word. If you know me, you know that my idea of running was between and around bases. Last winter I decided I needed a life change. Nothing drastic, just different. I quit drinking soda, from 6-8 Pepsi's a day to 0, and I started running. It was a rough start, and I hated every minute of it. Looking back, I don't know why I even kept with it, but I did. I ran in Ephrata's Canal Caper (10K) last March and finished in a little over an hour. Then it was Bloomsday (12K) in May and a half-Marathon in July in Missoula. After that some friends talked me into training for a Marathon in Portland in October. So I did. My goal was just to finish, and I did, 5 hours and 14 minutes later. It was the hardest thing I have ever done, next to childbirth, but without the drugs, and looking back I loved every minute of it. I inspired Levi and he's going to run a couple halves with me next year.
I also began my 8th year teaching at Royal Middle School. I'm still teaching 7th grade math with a couple of additions of an intervention class.

Well that's the Johnson's in a nut shell for the 2010 year. We went camping this summer and went to a couple of Mariners games. We got a couple of cats, Griffey and Felix, and hopefully will have no mice this winter. We still have our 2 dogs, Rocco and Kiya, and they are not liking this cold weather.

Good Times!!!

Fanfest 2010

Yesterday marked the unofficial start to baseball season with our annual trip to Fanfest at Safeco Field!

We arrived at Safeco Field about 30 minutes before the gates opened in hopes of getting vouchers for a Edgar Martinez of Dan Wilson autograph--along with everyone else. We joined a line that wrapped around the stadium and across the street in front of Safeco Field. Since the Edgar and Dan autograph sessions were limited to 500 people, we did not get a voucher (oh well, maybe next year), but we did for some of the other players, however we didn't feel like standing in line for those so we skipped those autograph sessions.

We had a blast anyway--

The first thing we did was run around the bases. To see Jetts face light up while he was running from base to base was so awesome, it made all the fussing while waiting in line totally worth it.

Next, we went to catch pop-flies in the outfield. When it was my turn Jett was being fussy again, so I picked him up and propped him on my hip as I went to catch my ball, Jayd also decided she wanted to join us and clung to my other leg, just as I made a perfect catch. Those watching were quite impressed with my combination of baseball/mom skills!! The girls and Jett also tried to catch balls and although they were unsuccessful, they still had fun.

Last we went to center field to the "homerun challenge". Basically we hit a ball off the tea over the centerfield wall from about 40-50 feet away. All 3 kids loved it and Levi and I both hit a ball over the wall!! Swinging the bat felt sooooooo good!!

After lunch and a stroll through the Mariners Hall of Fame, we hit the team store and then we were ready to hit the road and head home!!

Can't wait for April 12 when the Mariners open the regular season at home against Oakland and the Big Unit is throwing out the opening pitch!! I'm making my prediction right now that the Mariners will win the west this year--maybe even the World Series!!!

Way overdue--

So I am way overdue updating this blog. I used to be so good, but not so much anymore.
Anyway--we had a way busy summer. We built a deck, went to Vegas, went camping, hosted birthday parties, went to Silverwood and before we knew it summer was over and it was time to go back to school.
Kaidyn is now in 2nd grade and loves it. She is in the high reading group and also enjoys math. She is also playing soccer right now. Her team--the Wildcats--are fun to watch. Kaidyn has been playing for 3 seasons now and it's amazing to see how much growth she has made. From playing bunchball to actually passing the ball to teammates and playing defense. She's not super aggressive, but I'm sure that'll come with time and experience. She scored her first goal of the season last Saturday, and it was so awesome that I was actually there to see it, the last couple of seasons when she scored a goal for some reason I have missed the games she scored goals in.
Jayd is going to pre-school three days a week for about 2 and 1/2 hours a day. She loves it. She is making lots of friends and is learning lots. Her speech seems to be getting a little clearer too. It's hard to believe she'll be in kindergarten next year.
Jett turned 2 a couple of weeks ago--2!!--so hard to believe my baby is 2. He is now in a big boy bed and we're working on potty training. He is doing so awesome. He loves to sit on the potty and go, he just needs to work on telling us every time, he gets it about half the time. Whoever said potty training girls was easier never had my children. The girls were stubborn and defiant. Jett is totally the opposite--at least in the realm of potty training!!
I started my 7th year at Royal Middle School. I am teaching math again this year in the 7th grade, but I also have a PE class this year--totally love that.
Well that's about it. Hopefully I haven't forgot anything--although I'm sure I have.

Camping at Spring Canyon

Just returned from an awesome week (well 4 days really) camping with the family and our friends Bree and Davie and their baby Major.
We left Monday morning for Spring Canyon on Lake Roosevelt, with the hopes of getting a camping spot since the sites were first come, first served! and an even bigger challenge of finding two sites next to each other since we were going with friends and one of the sites needed to be big enough to accommodate a fifth wheel (unfortunately not ours). We found sites--not next to each other, but across, so it worked.
While Levi and David went to get the fifth wheel from Bree's grandparents, who live nearby in Electric City, Bree helped me set up our camp. As we were setting up the tent, I thought about putting on the rain fly, but Bree convinced me not to as it was in the high 90s and not a cloud in sight. After setting up camp, I took the girls down to the lake for some swimming. They both did swimming lessons this summer and were eager to show me what they had learned.
Since we are now a family of 5, we need a bigger tent. Last year we went and bought a bigger one, but the zipper was broken when we opened it up, we returned it. This year instead of another new tent, we decided to get a second small tent and let the girls sleep in their own tent. I wasn't sure how they would do in their own tent, but they were great!
The girls wanted to make s'mores, but it was too hot for a fire, so we convinced them to wait. It was a very hot night and I was glad that I hadn't put on the rain fly, as we had a little more ventilation without it. The top of the tent is open with a screen, so it allowed more air to flow through.
Tuesday was a day for more swimming and playing at the park. Levi and David went fishing and while Levi caught a couple small mouth bass, they were too small to keep. Fortunately it was a little cooler Tuesday night, but still too hot for a fire. The kids were dying to make s'mores again, so we used the propane cook stove instead!
That night I was suddenly awaken by a pounding noise. It took me a moment to realize that it was raining very hard. As I looked up at the opening at the top of the tent, I was taken back in time to the day we set-up and Bree saying the chances of needing the rain fly were almost non-existent! Ha ha! But it wasn't as bad as I thought. I couldn't feel much rain getting in the tent. Levi was next to me and was hogging the sleeping bag and had it totally covering him. Well, the temperature had dropped significantly because of the rain, and I was cold so I grabbed the bag from him. This was when I realized that even though I was not getting wet, Levi was getting soaked, since he was in the middle of the tent, directly under the opening. I waited for the rain to let up and the ran out of the tent in search of the rain fly. As I was outside, I realized I was not the only person struggling to get the rain fly on! I got it put on, just in time for the rain to stop completely. Oh well, Levi told me I probably didn't need to worry about it afterall, since the rain had stopped, but I wasn't about to go back outside to take it off! I'm glad I didn't, it rained off and on for the rest of the night!
Wednesday was to be Levi's last day of camping since he had to work that night! David had him talked in to calling in sick, but I told him that he should go to work and save his sick time for when he really was sick!
We went out in Bree and David's boat and found a secluded beach to play on and swim! Jett had such a blast swimming and kicking his little feet (while wearing his life jacket ofcourse). Kaidyn even took her life jacket off and worked on swimming without it. When we returned to camp, Bree's parents had arrived from Spokane, so we sat to visit with them and the girls decided to go play cards. A few minutes later I heard this blood curdling scream from Jayd. She had been stung by a bee! It was a first for her so I wasn't sure how she would react to the sting. We put ice on it and I cuddled her. It started to swell, so fortunately Bree had some Benedryl. She took that and passed out. I let her sleep it off and when she woke she was better. No swelling and you could hardly tell where it had stung her. Thank goodness! Then we played a little game of whiffle ball and then it was bedtime, and since Levi had left, the girls slept in the tent with me and Jett! (and it rained a little more, thankfully I left the rain fly on!)
Thursday comes and it is time to pack up and leave. Bree and David helped me load the truck and we're off, but not before on more time at the playground. They had a merry-go-round there, and Jayd was dying to play on it! So I spun the kids on it. Jett decided he wanted to get off, but I didn't get it stopped in time, so a more-or-less fell off, which wasn't too bad except that he fell face first right into a puddle of water--the only puddle anywhere around the toy--he must have planned it!
All-in-all a fun, and eventful, camping trip! Can't wait to do it again!!!!

***pictures to be posted as soon as I find the cord that connects my camera to my computer!