Because these cuties don't care...

how much I weigh.

I have a habit. Every morning I get up, weigh myself, drink two glasses of water and then get dressed for the gym or to run or swim or bike or some kind of fitness. The weighing myself everyday routine began several years ago when Dave wanted a body fat scale and I obliged and got him one for Christmas. I knew I would become obsessed and I did. Some days getting on that scale feels great. Some days (usually the days where I am two pounds heavier) are awful. It is a vicious cycle as some would say.

I am breaking this habit, at least the weighing myself habit. I am finding that my mental attitude is so tied to what the scale says that day. For the next eight weeks, I have decided to only weigh myself once a week, on Fridays. I am tired of seeing the daily fluctuations, and trying to explain away the ups and downs knowing the amount of calories I take in and expend in any given day. Generally, I am a very healthy eater and I religiously work out. So, I decided that I will use Friday as my gage. As long as every Friday is the same, or close, I am good.

Do you have any idea how liberating this feels?

I am loving this. We will see if I love this as much on Friday - I will let you know.

Boys will be Boys

I spent some time in a car this week with six 10-year old boys. One was my son, the others, friends of my son. Being 10, I was not ready to send my son away to a week of basketball camp at KU. I decided day camp was still the best option. I am thinking next year we will make the transition.

Things I learned this week...

1. Boys think farting, talking about farting and smelling farts is funny. I do not.

2. Ten-year old boys like rap music. I became the coolest mom when I informed them Run DMC was around when I was in high-school. But quickly lost my status when they saw I had the Zac Brown Band album loaded on my iPhone.

3. I am convinced noise canceling head phones were invented for mother's driving six ten-year old boys to basketball camp.

4. A box of Chips Ahoy, box of Vanilla Wafers, Twizzlers, Peanut M&Ms and a bag of Fritos are no match for six boys who just spent 12 hours playing basketball.

But, for all I learned, I am sure they learned much more. And I don't think I want to know what that is.

Lions, Tigers and Louisburg

Looking for something fun to do with your kids over the weekend?

Head south. And not South Africa. Just to Louisburg.

A few Saturdays back we drove to the Cedar Cove Feline Conservation Park & Education Center in Louisburg, Kansas. It is just about 20 minutes from our house - probably about 45 minutes from downtown Kansas City - just down 69 highway.

You really won't believe this place. They have seven bengal tigers, beautiful cats. Two lions. And numerous other "wild" cats. On Saturdays, check the hours before you go, you will be assigned a very knowledgeable guide who can answer all your questions about these large cats.

Did you know that in the next 10 - 15 years they expect Tigers to be extinct? Hard to imagine that my kids' kids may never see a tiger.

So make a trip. Check out their website here for hours, etc.

I had a dream...

and it was not about world peace, equal rights or universal health care.

I woke up on Monday morning (I know today is Tuesday) and had this crazy dream that Dave and I drove an hour south of Kansas City to a hunting lodge that I would compare to 5-star private home in Aspen where we were greeted by four other couples, a private chef and an unlimited supply of wine, food and fun.

We sat by an outdoor firepit on 500 acres until the wee hours of the morning (a time I have not seen since I was waking up in the middle of the night to feed Eden and Clara). Every minute of it was absolute heaven.

The best part of the dream...when I realized it was in fact, not a dream.

Go Outside - National Trails Day

Are you ready for National Trails Day®? Did you know the United States celebrates such an event? Well, we do! Since 1993, the first Saturday of every June is known as National Trails Day, inspiring the public and trail enthusiasts nationwide to seek out, discover, learn about, and celebrate America's trail system. And this Saturday, June 4th, marks the 18th annual National Trails Day!

National Trails Day evolved from the 1987 report of President Ronald Reagan's President's Commission on Americans Outdoors. The report recommended that Americans should be able to walk out their front doors and within 15 minutes, be on trails that take them through their cities or towns and bring them back without retracing any steps. The recommendation, also known as Trails for All Americans, inevitably motivated several public and private parties to join the American Hiking Society in launching National Trails Day in 1993.

Kansas City's North Face Store is sponsoring a hike through the Parkville Nature Sanctuary from 9 a.m. until 11 a.m., tomorrow, June 4th.

The Baxyard is going to drive north and see what this is all about. Very excited. I didn't know a Nature Sanctuary existed in Parkville.

See you outdoors!