This week was a flurry of physical activity, from daily workouts and running up and down the stairs at work, to the 8.5-mile hike I struggled through yesterday. (I will say that I feel less sore today than the day after my last long hike, so I’ll take that as progress!) Yesterday’s hike made me think about the Law of Diminishing Returns. It’s the idea that beyond a certain point, adding more has a negative impact on the production of a certain activity. I contemplated this after tripping up a hill around mile 7 of yesterday’s very hilly hike. Had I reached peak happiness around mile 4, when the sun was shining, the birds were chirping, and my toenail was still un-bruised? Perhaps. When applied to hiking, the Law of Diminishing Returns clearly does not factor in future bragging rights assumed by the stalwart hiker. I’m experimenting with trail running, though, and shorter hikes are necessary for developing the skill to run without tripping (a skill I clearly haven’t yet mastered!). Time will tell if I keep incorporating longer hikes into my weekly routine. For now, I enjoy groaning loudly as a walk up the stairs from the basement :).
Reading & Listening
I just started Cal Newport’s Slow Productivity (the verdict is still out) and enjoyed listening to Linda Castillo’s Among the Wicked and Down a Dark Road.
At night I’ve been reading James Ponti’s Framed series to the kids. It’s about junior sleuth Florian Bates, who solves crimes using T.O.A.S.T. (The Theory of All Small Things). Florian and his best friend Margaret are recruited by the FBI and end up working on cases involving espionage, kidnapping, and stolen artifacts. I love reading in different voices for each character, and despite my end-of-day tiredness, I often read “just one more chapter” to a chorus of “Please mom, don’t stop!” We’re on the third and final book of the series, and I’ll be sad once it’s over. On a related note, we’ve read so. many. good books over the last couple years. I sit in the hallway each night between both kids’ rooms and read for at least a half hour. With my busy work schedule, it’s become a tradition the kids can count on–I rarely come home before 6pm, but I’m always on time for bedtime. A few favorites: any of Carl Hiaasen’s kids’ books, the FunJungle series, the National Parks Mystery series (a treat!), the Mr. Lemoncello’s Library series, and the Vanderbeekers series. Highly recommend, especially Carl Hiaasen, who weaves in his passion for the environment and doesn’t shy away from political topics.
Other highlights
Every Wednesday, Gray and I go on a date. This week I let him drive my car in an empty, remote parking lot. He’s only ten, but he’s almost as tall as me and let’s just say, all of his video game time has paid off. He quickly got the hang of it, and we only had one heart-stopping moment that made me grateful Mike was not in the car. Graydon is already really into his friendships and activities. I know that as he gets older our time together will be less frequent, so I’m thankful he chooses to prioritize time together now. It probably doesn’t hurt that I always buy him dinner out, too.
Margie and I spent time this week playing both inside and outside. We had hot chocolate and played Disney Princess Hedbanz. We jumped on the trampoline until I got too nauseous. After that, we played dragons in the yard (Who knows? I ended up pulling up a few weeds in between games ;). Margaret doesn’t yet want to go out on weekly dates like Graydon does, but she loves being at home with her family. And a family trip to the zoo today was the cherry on top of her week.
Mike and I didn’t have a designated date night, but continue to connect in pockets throughout the week, including a couple of hours this afternoon while the kids were away. We’re watching Tokyo Vice, which is based on a book we both loved.
We’re approaching our 12th wedding anniversary and while some days I still wonder how we make it work despite our many differences, we’re both equally dedicated to the cause. (I was reminded of our opposite personalities when yesterday I spent the day hiking, then went to bed early. He spent the day with the kids, then stayed up really late playing a video game with his brother. To each their own!). On another note, I’m forever grateful for Mike’s ability to be there for our kids. Margaret, especially, has benefited from Mike’s calming presence. While I am an energizer bunny like Gray, Mike meets Margaret where she’s at. His training and work at the Baby Fold come in handy quite often, too. He is clearly her favorite and I’m completely fine with that.
Looking forward
Mike and I are tentatively planning a trip to San Miguel de Allende in Guanajuato, Mexico in the fall and have a weekend without kids coming up. We’re going to save money by staying home instead of going out of town. We’ll spend some time landscaping (it’s been two years since we had our front bushes pulled out and there’s still nothing there but dirt!), and we’ll go out to eat too. I’m looking forward to the 1:1 time.
Next week is an exceptionally busy one at work (plus spring soccer starts for Margaret and lacrosse continues for Gray), so I’m committed to staying present and doing my best. I’m also going to focus on the following week, spring break, when we’ll be hiking in Cuyahoga Valley National Park!
