A Weekend of Good Decisions

This weekend we met the family for a weekend excursion to a cabin at Oglebay. We get a cabin there about twice a year, and have ever since I was a little kid. The place holds great memories for all of us, and we relish our chances to meet up there.

I had asked my sisters and mom last week if they wanted to do a Girls Free Spa Morning while we were there, which pretty much meant going to the indoor pool / hot tub / sauna / fitness center very early in the morning, before husbands and kids would know or care that we had gone. My youngest sister Annie and I decided on 7am as the official time, and I figured I’d be lucky if even she alone accompanied me, let alone my two other sisters and Mom.

Friday night we were up soo late, and even had trouble sleeping once we went to bed. With kids asleep on an air mattress at our feet, Bryan, me, Annie, and her husband Paul talked till after 2am like kids at a sleepover. It was so fun, but I knew my 6:30 alarm would come early! I slept restlessly, pretty much waiting for the alarm to go off, and finally it did.

Annie and I got up wordlessly, grabbed our stuff and exited the room in the dark. I got dressed, left the bathroom, and was pretty surprised to see that my sister Sara and even my mom were up too! Only Beth decided sleep was too pressing an engagement, and who could blame her.

It was cold and dark, so we decided to drive up to the lodge to get our spa on. When we got there, Sara really wanted to use the gym, but it was practically full of people. One elliptical trainer opened up, however, and I coaxed her into trying it while I did some weights. She did it, and it was her first time ever on one! I was so proud of her. Didn’t tell her that I probably wouldn’t have had the ovaries to do it the first time with other exercisers all around.

After the gym, we all ended up in the pool, then the sauna, and the hot tub. Went back to the gym with Annie while Sara and Mom showered up. It was great. I was so happy we all did that together.

Bryan and I drove home late Saturday night, and it was a lovely drive. Dark, empty roads, kids worn out asleep in the back… and we had all day yesterday to chill and get ready for our week. Made an awesome pot of chili for dinner, and we’re set up to have chicken Caesar salads tonight… with homemade croutons!

This morning was awesome, because Sara and I decided to initiate a new 3-day-a-week ritual of meeting early in the morning to walk our dogs together. We walked about 2 miles, and it was great. A great start to what will be a very healthy and rewarding Summer of Exercise.