Tag: workout challenge

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The Only Covered Bridge In Minnesota!

5 Week Workout Challenge: Week 3, Day 3
2nd Convention Day, Covered Bridge Park

The second day of the “Don’t Give Up!” convention was great!  I felt bad for the people next to us because the kids had to get up and go the bathroom in alternating shifts.  I suppose that’s typical with kids.  Since my kids are all getting older, they sit pretty well except for the bathroom breaks.

After the convention, Princess wanted to go all the way to the top of the parking ramp.  I brought us up and parked the van so the kids could take in the view.  It was a beautiful and windy day in Rochester.

On the way home, we stopped in Zumbrota to see the covered bridge.  I have always wanted to go check it out.  It’s really beautiful and in great shape!  I’m so glad we got a chance to visit!

We took a walk along the creek and then stopped at an amazing wooden park.  It reminded me of a park that used to be in Burnsville called Skyland.  It was torn down to put in a modern park several years ago, which has always made me sad.  I loved playing at Skyland when I was younger.  I’m really glad the children had the chance to enjoy this park.  They want to come back every time there is a convention.

Park Info: http://www.ci.zumbrota.mn.us/index.asp?SEC=F8BD36E0-EA64-410F-B42C-3C819352F226&DE=05948FF6-7AB9-4FDC-996C-29FBF2FD779B&Type=B_BASIC

Have you been to the covered bridge in Zumbrota or do you have one near where you live?  I’d love to hear about it or see your pictures!

UPDATE: I made a typo!  It turns out that it was advertised as the only remaining “original” covered bridge in the state.  There are other “non-original” covered bridges.  I did find a list of all of the covered bridges, check it out!  http://www.dalejtravis.com/cblist/cbmn.htm

5 Week Workout Challenge
Previous Week: Week 3, Day 2: 1st Convention Day, Rochester
Next Week: Week 3, Day 4: 4-Year-Old Adventure

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Enjoying A Lovely Day In Rochester

5 Week Workout Challenge: Week 3, Day 2
1st Convention Day, Rochester MN

Today was the first day of the “Don’t Give Up!” convention.  We really enjoyed it!  We left right before lunchtime.  Every time I’ve tried to stay for the second half, I’ve had an anaphylactic attack from airborne food allergies.  The last time, I had to have my dear friend Karen drive me home because I couldn’t walk, much less drive.

I could have gone to the E.R., but I usually try to avoid it if at all possible because there’s always the potential that they could do more harm than good with corn allergies.  Hospitals are full of corn derivatives.  In the severe allergy support group I’m part of, I often hear stories about how the ER accidentally gave them something that made them worse because they didn’t understand what was safe and what wasn’t.

This was the first time I left during the final song instead of after.  I think this was also the only time I’ve ever left not gasping for air or incredibly dizzy.  From now on, I’ll always leave during the final song before lunch.  I always wish that I could stay, but I’m thankful that I’m at least able to attend the first half.

My favorite part of the conventions is hearing the singing of thousands of people.  I love the Kingdom songs and hearing that many beautiful voices always brings tears to my eyes.  Seeing everyone work together to pull off such a large event is always another of my favorite parts.  There are always so many smiles, helpful people and a feeling of love and unity that I haven’t found anywhere else.

After leaving, the kids and I enjoyed a walk along the river in Rochester.  It was a beautiful day.  When we got home, Cat and I stopped by our local health food store for gluten free tortillas, then made a quick trip to the library to return books.

I’ve challenged Cat to read four classics over the summer.  She really enjoyed Romeo and Juliet during school.  Hopefully, she’ll learn to love the older classics as I have.  Lately, she’s been into learning about Japan and learning more about drawing.

Have you attended the “Don’t Give Up!” convention yet?  What was your favorite part?

5 Week Workout Challenge
Previous Week: Week 3, Day 1: Hastings Riverwalk
Next Week: Week 3, Day 3: Covered Bridge Park

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Hastings Riverwalk

5 Week Workout Challenge: Week 3, Day 1
Hastings Riverwalk

We started off week three with a walk along the river in Hastings, Minnesota.

Before leaving for our walk, Princess enjoyed checking out our lilies at home.  This is the third year since we planted them and they’re doing great!  I can’t believe how many came up this year!

We’ve enjoyed walking Hastings Riverwalk many times.  This is where I took the kids pictures a few years ago.  The Hastings Rivertown Carnival is also hosted here every year.  Earlier this year, Cat and I came here for our 52 project, cold.

Along the trail, there are a lot of interesting things to see.  There are giant vine woven orbs hanging in the trees as part of an art installation.  I got the privilege to see the artist creating them since his studio is not too far from my house.  There is a great view of the new Hastings bridge.  There’s a spot on the side of the trail that has a piece of the old Hastings bridge.  Along the trail, there are signs with bits of history of the area.  There are a lot of beautiful wildflowers everywhere too.

At one point when we were exploring the edge of the river, Nate found a tiny, baby frog.  As it turns out, they were all over the place!  They blend in so well with the ground that it’s difficult to see them, even if you’re looking right at them!  I really hope we didn’t step on any of the little guys!

After our walk, we went to pick up a desk for Cat’s room that we found on Craigslist.  We got to travel quite a ways into Wisconsin and explore an area we’d never been before.  After that, we picked up pizza at Papa Murphy’s for the gluten tolerant side of the family.  Then we came home and made gluten free pizza for Cat, Princess and me.  We watched Enchanted for family night while eating in the living room.  It was a great way to end a fun day!

Have you been on the Hastings Riverwalk?  What is your favorite part?

5 Week Workout Challenge
Previous Week: Week 2, Day 4: 2nd Plank Challenge
Next Day: Week 3, Day 2: 1st Convention Day, Rochester

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Attempting to Break My Plank Record

Attempting to Break My Plank Record
5 Week Workout Challenge: Week 2, Day 4

After my first plank yesterday, I wanted to try again, with my arms rested.  Planking is a lot harder than it looks!  Trying to hold it for long is incredibly difficult!  I might try again throughout the summer to see how much I’ve built up my arm strength.

I was amazed at how long Mr. Awesome was able to hold his plank for!  Princess had a hard time not slipping on the carpet.  Maybe in the future, we’ll have to figure out a way to be less slippery.

Have you tried planking?  How long did you make it your first time?  What is your plank record?

5 Week Workout Challenge
Previous Day: Week 2, Day 3: Challenge at Home
Next Day: Week 3, Day 1: Hastings Riverwalk

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My First Time Planking!

My First Time Planking!
5 Week Workout Challenge: Week 2, Day 3

We tried something new for this workout!  We challenged ourselves with sit ups, push ups and planks.  It was a lot of fun!

Unfortunately, there was a camera glitch for sit ups, so my sit ups were not filmed.  I did reach my goal though!  The kids all did awesome jobs and were really excited about challenging themselves.  I think we might give this another try in the future.

We probably did not do the exercises as they should be done, but that’s ok.  My goal was to get the kids excited about exercising and work out.  We can work on being more precise as we become more experienced.

Having never done a plank before, I was shocked at how difficult they are!  They appear incredibly easy!  I even looked up the average plank time.  This article suggests that two minutes is a good goal, so that’s what I set mine as.  I did not even get close!  Perhaps in the future, I’ll be able to work my way up to a minute!  Haha!

Sit Ups
Name-Goal-Completed
Melissa-40-40
Cat-45-50
Cupcake-25-25
Mr.Awesome-42-81
Princess-A Lot-18

Push Ups
Name-Goal-Completed
Melissa-15-15
Cat-25-25
Cupcake-10-11
Mr.Awesome-30-14
Princess-A Lot-10

Planks
Name-Goal-Completed
Melissa-2 mins-20 sec
Cat-2mins, 30sec-1min 30sec
Cupcake-1min-1min 30sec
Mr.Awesome-5min-2min 41sec
Princess-1min-1min 22sec

Check out our video!

What is your favorite way to challenge yourself, or your children, in a workout?

5 Week Workout Challenge
Previous Day: Week 2, Day 2: Old Mill Park
Next Day: Week 2, Day 4: 2nd Plank Challenge

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Swimming By The Ruins of an Old Mill

Swimming By The Ruins of an Old Mill
5 Week Workout Challenge: Week 2, Day 2
Old Mill Park

Nate has been working on the RV a lot recently.  He took off a week of work and spent most of that time taking off the old roof and damaged wood and rebuilding it.  By taking the kids on hikes, I can keep them out of the way while the debris is on the ground.  At the end of the day, I help him clean up the garbage and put the tarp back on.  I plan on making a few posts on the progress he’s made.

Since it was a hot day, I let the kids wear swimming suits for our hike.  With swimming on their little minds, the idea of a hot hike to view the falls was not an exciting prospect.  They were little troopers and made the whole hike there and back before making our way down to the river.

Getting from the top of the cliff down to the river is not an easy feat.  It’s not extremely difficult, but it’s also not an easy climb.  There are two ways down, one is through the debris of the old mill.  The other is down some very small wooden steps.  The wooden steps end and leave one to slowly work down the rocks that have become smooth and slippery from frequent visitors.

Once you arrive at the bottom, the view is breathtaking.  The river is bordered by tall limestone cliffs.  On one side, the old mill towers into the sky.  It’s amazing that it’s still standing after a fire 123 years ago.  If you look close enough, you can see charred wood on some of the pieces up higher on the wall.  I can only imagine, that if it hadn’t been burned by arsonists, it would still be a beautiful and impressive building today.

The kids had a lot of fun playing in the water, building sand castles and relaxing in the cool water.  We found a spot in the rocks where a small spring trickles down to the river.  Cat found a little creature that may have been a baby crayfish.  Mr. Awesome built it a giant wall so it would have more space to move about in.

This is one of our favorite spots to visit and we recommend it for all ages.  There are parking lots on both the side of the falls and the ruins which make it easy for a short walk to a view.  Most of the paths are asphalt and easy to walk.  We took a few off road paths on this day since we are more familiar with the area.

Have you been to see the Vermillion Falls of the old mill ruins?  Let us know in the comments!

Basic Park Info: http://www.hastingsmn.gov/Home/Components/FacilityDirectory/FacilityDirectory/76/485
All Trails: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/minnesota/vermillion-river-old-mill-park-to-vermillion-slough

 

5 Week Workout Challenge
Previous Day: Week 2, Day 1: Workout At Home
Next Day: Week 2, Day 3: Challenge at Home

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I Bribed My Kids to Workout with Me

I Bribed My Kids to Workout with Me
5 Week Workout Challenge: Week 2, Day 1

Starting week two of the workout challenge was a bit easier.  My muscles are still aching from last week, but some of that is allergy related.  The kids were really excited to workout again, which was a surprise.  I’m so happy they enjoy it!

We started the workout week with a new workout video! The kids and I had a lot of fun. I had to bribe them with a little bit of iPad time to motivate them to try and finish the entire workout with me.  It worked great!

What’s your favorite video to work out to with your kids?

5 Week Workout Challenge
Previous Day: Day 5: Spring Lake Park
Next Day: Week 2, Day 2: Old Mill Park

 

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A Park Merges Rich History With Green Design

5 Week Workout Challenge: Week 1, Day 5
Spring Lake Park, Schaar’s Bluff

Spring Lake Park is one of my favorite places to take walks with the family.  The views are breathtaking, the trails are very well maintained and there are bonfire pits at several locations throughout the park.

Spring Lake Park has an interesting history.  There are native american artifacts that show evidence of villages and campsites dating from 1000 B.C to A.D. 1400!  In the 1930’s, a dam was built, flooding the river basin and spring lake merged to join the Mississippi.  In more recent history, Schaar’s Bluff was a family farm that was eventually sold to Dakota County.

Since then, the park has been working on providing a place where visitors can learn about American Indian history.  Nine years ago, the park opened Dakota County’s first net-zero-energy building.  The Gathering Hall gets 90 percent of it’s energy from an onsite wind turbine.  This spring, it opened it’s recently expanded trail to merge with the Mississippi River Trail.

We had originally planned on hiking a hidden trail we hadn’t previously explored.  Upon arrival, we saw that the new trail had been completed.  We were really excited to check it out.

We enjoyed seeing the beautiful prairie, full of wildflowers.  As we progressed on the trail, we could see several newly planted oak trees and strips of wheat bordering the path.  We took time to rest at the picnic tables overlooking the river and planned a future picnic.  The kids enjoyed climbing the rocks in the newly carved limestone wall.  The huge bridge crossing a ravine was an interesting design of plain lumber and rusted metal that made the kids question it’s age and safety.  I assured them that it was new and probably quite safe.

I have a feeling that we’ll love visiting and walking the new trail just as much as we love the old ones.  I really recommend this park for anyone interested.  It’s great for biking, hiking, picnics, outdoor gatherings, photo shoots, weddings, playing at the park, and watching the sun set.

Have you ever visited Schaar’s Bluff?  What is your favorite spot?

Main Park Info:
https://www.co.dakota.mn.us/parks/parksTrails/SpringLake/Pages/schaars-bluff-trailhead.aspx
https://www.co.dakota.mn.us/parks/parksTrails/SpringLake

5 Week Workout Challenge
Previous Week: Day 4: Minnehaha Falls
Next Week: Week 2, Day 1: Workout At Home

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Minnehaha Falls

5 Week Workout Challenge: Week 1, Day 4
Minnehaha Creek Trail

I haven’t been to Minnehaha Falls for a while, so I was really looking forward to our hike.  Minnehaha Falls feels like home.  My Maternal Grandparents used to live not too far from the park, so we frequently enjoyed walks along the river’s edge, flying kites in the fields, family gatherings at the pavilion, family reunions, outdoor concerts and events, picnics, playing at the park and so much more.

I can remember being little and looking up at the huge oak trees with wonder.  I love oak trees, maybe because they live in so many of my happy memories.  I remember going on walks with my parents or grandparents and taking in the beautiful marvels that are everywhere.  I love being able to share its beauty with my children and allowing them to make their own memories.

As I walked the paths, I mulled over the memories of a lifetime at this park.  I saw myself grow up.  I saw my Mother, and my Grandmother, who also grew up here.  My great-grandmother would have seen the park when it was new.  I wondered about the Native Americans who lived here before us and the history of the park.  I hope someday my children will pass on the legacy of love of Minnehaha Falls and bring their own children here.

I found that that the park had more history than I could have imagined!  There is a great blog about the history of the falls here.  It was once the location to a zoo!  I knew about the mill that once was a bit further away from the falls because I had climbed down the remains once.  The dog park was once a limestone quarry, which ended up supplying much of the park with limestone for steps and walls.  I loved learning about the different bridges at the bottom of the falls and seeing images of how the falls have looked over the years.

Basic Park Info: https://www.minneapolisparks.org/parks__destinations/parks__lakes/minnehaha_regional_park/
All Trails: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/minnesota/minnehaha-creek-trail

5 Week Workout Challenge
Previous Week: Day 3: Hay Creek
Next Week: Day 5: Spring Lake Park

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Cooling Off in Hay Creek

5 Week Workout Challenge: Week 1, Day 3
Hay Creek

For day three, we drove to Red Wing to check out the Hay Creek Cross Country Trail.  The kids loved playing with the tongue twister of a name after I accidentally mispronounced it Cross Crunchy Trail.  None of us had been there before, so we weren’t sure what kind of a trail we’d find.

As it turns out, there isn’t an exact address for the parking lot, or at least, it’s not easy to find.  Instead, we followed the directions on the state’s website.  On the way there, we hit some major road construction.  The entire road was closed to through traffic.  Thankfully, we were able to get through on a scenic dirt road which led to the park.

Once at the park, we could not figure out where the correct trail for the cross country trail was.  There were several trails all in the same area, all crisscrossing and none were clearly marked.  Several were not well maintained and looked overgrown.  We ended up finding faded hand-painted signs in the overgrown brush for a couple of the trails, but none of them was the cross country trail.  Eventually, we gave up and followed the clearest path.

The Goodhue Pioneer State Trail is a wide, paved walking path.  We encountered several bikers and a couple of other walkers, but it was relatively quiet and peaceful.  There did happen to be a lot of gnats, but that’s pretty typical for this time of year.  The trail was strangely covered with dead snails, perhaps from the recent rain storms.

At one point, we found a wooden bridge with a path leading down to the creek.  We took off our shoes and waded into the clear, shallow water.  It was ice cold and felt great on such a hot and humid day.

We walked a little further past the bridge till we had walked a mile.  We stopped in the shade and let the kids have a snack.  Then we turned around to head back.

At one point, the kids found a live snail.  They gave it some fresh water to drink before putting it in the woods.  I had no idea snails lived out of the water.

Although the cross country trail might not be good for summertime hikes, maybe it’s a good trail to check out for cross-country skiing.  I recommend the Goodhue Trail if you’re in the area and looking for a relaxing walk or bike ride.

Basic Park Info: http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_forests/facilities/cmp00040/index.html
Map: http://files.dnr.state.mn.us/maps/state_forests/cmp00040.pdf
All Trails Info: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/minnesota/hay-creek-unit-rj-dorer-memorial-hardwood-state-forest

5 Week Workout Challenge
Previous Week: Day 2: Jensen Lake Trail
Next Week: Week 1, Day 4: Minnehaha Falls