Summer Smiles and Six Packs

It's summer vacation and the Isbells are eating it up.  Runs, hikes, day trip adventures, backyard projects, visits with cousins, play dates with friends, and a week long day camp.  Still to come are swim lessons, day raft trip, a trip to Silver Bay in upstate NY, more hikes, backyard campouts, two waterslide parks, and endless adventures.

Fitness has been a big theme this summer.  Those of you that know me are probably guessing that I've pounded the mantra into the family complete with excel spreadsheets and fitness apps.  You'd be wrong.

In addition to school fitness and the completion of the quarter mile decomposed granite running/walking track which repurposed the back field of Fort Jones Elementary school, my boys have worked on a fitness project of their own.  Their bods.  In fact, my three boys have (independent of me) all committed to a routine of push ups and sit ups every day.  They knock them out together and usually follow up each session by commenting on how big each other's guns are getting.  It's a little frustrating how easily each of their six packs have gained definition in the last few weeks.  I've busted my ass for sixteen years and haven't seen that definition yet.  

In addition to their daily routine, the boys have competed in the local YMCA running series, Carter ran the Mt. Shasta 4th of July Run and placed fourth in his age group, and he joined me for America's Friendliest 5K in which we raced to the top of Mt. Ashland and back.  He was the first finisher under the age of 18.

The boys have also hiked into lakes and enjoyed bike rides while I run.  While the boys were at day camp for a week, I enjoyed four hours to myself each day.  I relieved my child-free days and enjoyed trail runs into mountain lakes and bike rides up local summits.  I did manage to throw my neck out of whack (possibly from taking euphoric running selfies), but it's nothing that the neighbor veterinarian couldn't fix with his laser treatments, inversion chair, and homeopathic antiinflammatory meds.

We enjoyed a visit from the southern CA cousins on Marcia's side earlier this month.  A ride on the jet boats and some family bonding over hiking and BINGO made three days go by very quickly.  It is so rewarding to see the friendships between family members pick up from year to year.

Once the Southern CA cousins left, it was time for the Northern CA cousins to take over the local day camp at Kidder Creek.  Six Isbell boys at a local Christian based camp?  You're darn right I was a little nervous.  After the first day I lost my given name.  I became known as "Smilin' Miles's Mom".  The small statured, quick witted, raspy voiced five year old won over the junior counselors.   Four days into the camp and much praise about him later, I figured that perhaps the Christian based premise had truly indoctrinated our fun-loving boy.

Don't get me wrong, he's a very good boy, but as his mother we do engage in the occasional (every day) power struggle.  I attended the last day performance for parents and listened to the group of campers sing "Deuteronomy 6:5.  .  .  Love the Lord your God with.  .  ."  I was now positive that Miles must have really soaked up the lessons in scripture.  Later that night I heard him singing the same tune, but with the words "Do you wanna be.  .  .  6, 5????".   I'm sure he grasped some of the lessons, but he's still the same Smilin' Miles.  Such a sweet hearted boy with a passion for fun.  Case in point, yesterday evening, after a night of not feeling well, he made sure to ask me how my toe was feeling before he went to bed.  Thank you for your kind heart my little man.

We're about halfway through our summer.  We're building memories, six-packs, a backyard pool, and family bonds.  Let's just hope mom doesn't throw her neck out of whack and dad keeps his back in check.  If not, we can run down to the vet for some laser treatments and can count on sympathy from Smilin' Miles.