the kidlets

Let’s Get Dirty.

May 14, 2012 By kborchert 7 Comments

Last week Lisa asked if I wanted to do the Muddy Buddy race with her…on Saturday. Absolutely no training and four miles of running and obstacles followed by a mud pit. Are you kidding? I was in before she could even get the question out. I mentioned that I wished my kids could do it too and she told me they had a Mini Muddy Buddy race for the littles. I immediately registered my kids and we were ready to go.

Once again my children were there for the start of my race. They cheered me on as Lisa and I took off running to the first obstacle.

They started us off easy with a short cargo rope climb, then a balance beam, water crossing, “spider webs” and a river walk. We couldn’t run as much as either of us would have liked because this really was more trail running than anything else. I can run on trails from my experience living in Utah and doing so much hiking. However, this was totally new terrain for Lisa, so I let her set the pace. It was such a beautiful trail, so it was great just to take our time, have fun, and enjoy the scenery.

After we’d been out for a while, and done quite a few obstacles, I knew it was getting late and was afraid we were going to miss seeing the kids do their race. I suggested we pick up our step a bit. We started to run and then came upon the last 3 obstacles. First up was the cargo climb/giant slide. You know those big bounce house slides? Yeah, that, twice in a row. I was SO tired after that. Then came the rope climb (I kind of did that) followed by a climb up a wet and soapy wall. I was determined to get over that wall. Twice I tried, and twice I made it to the top and found myself just short of the ability to get my body up and over. Both times just as I was at the top and ready to go over, I lost my grip and fell to the ground. I have some awesome bruises and scrapes from that one. After falling two times, Lisa and I looked at each other and said, “screw this” and walked around it.

This is the first time we caught a glimpse of our families we were tired, sweaty, sore and ready to climb into the mud pit. I was ready to get dirty and to be done. We slid down a small slope and landed in the muddy water. I tried to figure out what would be a better strategy, army crawl or baby crawl. Either way it hurt since the mud pit was filled with small pebbles and gravel.

We climbed out of the pit and gingerly made our way through the sticky mud to the finish line. As we approached I first saw a darling girl with golden locks – I realized she was mine. My sweet Libby came to cross the finish line with me. She wouldn’t hold my muddy hand but she was running with me. Shortly after she joined me, I spotted Seth, he was also coming to finish with me.

I loved crossing the finish line with two of my children.

I got my medal, then took my kids to the starting line for their race. I was nervous for Seth. I knew that Amelia would stay with me, but he is older and more independent and wanted to just do it. We lined up with the 6 year olds (she’s 5, he’s 7, so we split the difference) and when the airhorn blew, we took off. They took the kids on a little quarter mile run, over a wall, through some tires and into the mud pit. Amelia was pretty cautious through the pit and at one point lost a shoe. We couldn’t find it so I told her not to worry about it. As we went to run the final part, her feet were hurting from the rocks, so I put her on my back. She and I crossed the line together.

Seth went back to look for us, but couldn’t find us and while he waited, his shoes got stuck in the sticky mud. He was finally able to extract them and found us. It was so great to be back with my babies and for all 3 of us to be covered head to toe in mud.

It was so much fun to share this experience with my kids. To watch them run and have fun. To see the pride on their faces as they wear their medals.

Lisa and I agreed that this is a race that will become a tradition for our two families. What a great way to spend a Saturday.

Filed Under: exercise, my life, the kidlets Tagged With: exercise, exercise with kids, muddy buddy race series

Four on the Fourth: May 4

May 4, 2012 By kborchert Leave a Comment

Trying to get all 4 of them to sit still for a picture is often very comical.

Eh, I give up. There they are. All together. And not fighting. I’ll take it

Filed Under: 4 on the 4th, my life, the baby boy, the baby girl, the boy, the girl, the kidlets

Just a Spoonful of Sugar

March 20, 2012 By kborchert 11 Comments

Just whistle while you work
And cheerfully together we can tidy up the place
So hum a merry tune
It won’t take long when there’s a song to help you set the pace

When it comes to raising my children, I like to think of myself as a mix of Mary Poppins and Snow White. I am fun, but firm. I can make any task an adventure, the toys and clothes can put themselves away with a snap of my fingers and small woodland creatures come to my window to help me sweep.

The key to that phrase is that I like to THINK. I am not even close to Mary Poppins or Snow White. No woodland creatures love me (except the squirrel that lives in our tree out back who the kids have named Fastest). When it comes to cleaning, it is all up to the people living in this house. No amount of magic will get it done, although I really do wish Seth’s magic wand worked!

Spring has sprung and it is time to sweep out the last bits of Winter and make this house fresh and clean. I save the deep cleaning for myself and Jeremy, but the children help out too. Every Saturday around these parts is cleaning day. The children have their chores, and we spruce up the house for the coming week. We sweep, mop, vacuum, clean the bathrooms, clean the kitchen and generally get the house looking like I wish it looked all week.

Despite the fact that my cleaning efforts will only last for a few minutes, we do it anyway.

My children are like all children. They don’t like to clean. It is a chore. It isn’t fun. It is W-O-R-K and Mooooooooom, I don’t want to do it! It’s too hard! She isn’t helping me! He isn’t helping! Why do I have to clean all the time? Have you ever heard these excuses?

So, I have called upon Mary Poppins to help me get the job done. My kids have made a playlist of songs they love. The songs range from Billy Joel to Ralph’s World to Taio Cruz. They find songs they like and as long as the music is blasting through the house, they can get their jobs done.

In ev’ry job that must be done
There is an element of fun
You find the fun and snap!
The job’s a game

And ev’ry task you undertake
Becomes a piece of cake
A lark! A spree! It’s very clear to see that

A Spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down…
in the most delightful way.

And if my Mary Poppins tactics fail…there is always bribery
How do you get your kids to help clean up around the house? What does Spring Cleaning look like in your home?

This is a sponsored post from Hallmark as part of the Life is a Special Occasion campaign. I am so thrilled to be working with this fabulous company this year and to have the opportunity to share ways to make everyday occasions (even cleaning!!) special.
For the latest on Hallmark deals and ideas, be sure to sign up for their newsletter, you just might see me there from time to time.

Filed Under: hallmark, Life is a Special Occasion, my life, sponsored post, the kidlets Tagged With: hallmark, life is a special occasion

Bring On the S’mores!

March 16, 2012 By kborchert 9 Comments

We are going camping today. My kids are more than excited. In fact, Seth is not happy with me that we are not leaving rightthissecondMom! (he just came up to me and let out a big “huffy breath”)

I love camping. I love the outdoors, the fresh air, campfires, hotdogs and s’mores. I love dirty kids, sleeping in a tent and the general feeling of happiness that comes with camping. Back in the day, I used to go camping quite a bit. It is one of my favorite things to do.

So why am I so scared?

We haven’t been camping as a family since Seth was a year old. That is a long time folks. We tried to go Memorial Day weekend when Seth was 4, Amelia was 2 and Libby was 9 months old. When we couldn’t find a campsite up in the canyon (go figure! Memorial Day weekend? All the campsites are taken??) we did some backyard camping. That ended with all of us inside in our beds. We haven’t tried since.

But tonight we are doing it. I’ve bought hotdogs and all the fixin’s for s’mores. A new (and bigger) tent has been purchased and put in the van. The kids are packed and we are ready to go. Wish us luck because there isn’t the option of going inside this time

Filed Under: camping with children, my life, the kidlets

Time to throw off the gloom and doom.

February 1, 2012 By kborchert 5 Comments

Things have been WAY too serious around here.

We have been having fun amidst all the chaos, I promise! This video is really more for my folks, but anyone who loves 2 1/2 minutes of happy baby squeals can watch. Cause really, this baby? He is DIVINE. I love to eat him up.