Blog Award

Parent Club has been honoured with the HONEST SCRAP award from Another Day, Another Thought or Two... (glad that S is in there because I'm not sure how to take an HONEST CRAP award).

Anyway, thank you - thank you for the award.

So as recipient of this great honesty award, I now need to tell you 10 truths about me:

10. I love to write. More than ice cream
9. I broke my finger catching Thing 1 before she hit the ground
8. I take oreos 4 at a time
7. I fret, distress, worry - a lot
6. I'm an acknowledged researcher for a New York Times bestseller
5. I don't believe every kid deserves a trophy
4. I met Deepak Chopra on a work assignment
3. My last labour was 1 hour - from 1st contraction to birth
2. I haven't parallel parked since my exam
1. I screen my calls

Day 7 - Fit-in 15 - Ipod Winner

Thanks to the whole Parent Club community who participated in the Fit-in 15 Challenge! Your tweets were appreciated and your comments motivating.

I for one, will continue with dedicating 15 minutes (at least) a day to focused activity. I overcame my fitness issue, met my objectives and used my Fit-in 15 secret plan effectively. Though I didn't think I could find the time between work deadlines and family activities - I made the time - and that makes all the difference. I chose to be active rather than sedentary. I think it's the right choice. Fit-in 15 is an important activity (for yourself and for your family)!

And now...drum roll please...the winner of the
4GB iPod Shuffle and a $20 iTunes gift certificate courtesy of Fit-in 15.

Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:

5
Timestamp: 2009-06-24 12:50:34 UTC

(www.http://www.random.org/integers)

The 5th comment to the Fit-in 15 challenge was from:

Karen said...

"Mowing the lawn definitely counts, if house work does then so does lawn mowing...especially if you have a crazy rechargeable electric lawnmower that weighs 80lbs like I do...
I'm going to try and get out for a walk at lunch today...but it is getting pretty hot for that and I may not be too welcome back in the office once I am done!!
If I make it out for 15 minutes (at least we usually do more like 30 - 40 when we go at lunch time) I will certainly add another comment to help with the challenge!!"

Congratulations to everyone in the Parent Club for getting active - keep it going!...

Day 6 - Fit-in 15

It was so close! Thanks to all the Parent Club readers who commented on yesterday's friendly (yet non-official) Fit-in 15 challenge with Bargainista. You were all great participants! We would like to congratulate Bargainista readers a walk-well-done!

All comments, from the Fit-in 15 series, will be tossed into a virtual hat for a chance to win a 4GB iPod Shuffle and a $20 iTunes gift certificate courtesy of Fit-in 15. (The randomly chosen winner will be announced here on Thursday June, 25, 2009 - Canadian residents only please.)

On a separate note: This is a public announcement to remind you (and your families) to WEAR HELMETS when you partake focused fitness activity like biking, scooters, roller blades, etc. My prince went out for a bike ride, slipped on a wet patch, and took a nasty fall. It was a good "teachable moment" to show Thing 1 & Thing 2 the importance of wearing helmets for protection (his road rash showed that even grown-ups can get hurt).

It's important (and fun) to do 15 minutes (or more) of focused activity - but don't let safety slide. The adult human body has about 206 bones - you don't want to break any of them. That is why you need to have a zero-tolerance policy on protective gear for fitness activities with your family. No helmet - no scooter. No shin pads - no soccer.

Today's Fitness Menu

• Going for a 15 minute walk with my ipod. Love how music motivates me. Love getting outside. (am getting addicted to this daily walk!) Also, going to Thing 1's soccer game today and will do some gentle stretching while I cheer the team on.

Day 6 - Fit-in 15 - Challenge

Parent Club and Bargainista have arranged a friendly Fit-in 15 competition between our two sites. Who will win the much coveted (very-non-official) Fit-in 15 trophy*?!

How you can get involved...go for a 15 minute brisk walk. You could do it downtown - on your lunch break (take advantage of the P.A.T.H. to beat the heat.) Quick step your way to your favourite store for some power shopping. Push the stroller to the park (have a healthy snack under a shady tree). Walk to pick the kids up from school. However you can fit-in 15 minutes of fitness into your day.

Then, (pah-leez), come over to Parent Club and comment, to this post, before 6pm. The blog with the most reader comments today (up to 6pm) "wins" the competition and get the virtual trophy.

What can YOU win?

All comments will be tossed into a virtual hat for a chance to win a 4GB iPod Shuffle and a $20 iTunes gift certificate courtesy of Fit-in 15. (The randomly chosen winner will be announced here on Thursday June, 25, 2009 - Canadian residents only please.)

[Disclaimer: we devised the trophy/competition all-by-ourselves. It is not an actual competition endorsed by Fit-in 15. It's a buddy-system competition to get ourselves - and you - moving]

Day 5 - Fit-in 15

I must say - I'm enjoying the little motivational tip e-mails from the Fit-in 15 website (you sign up for the e-mail tips on the site). The e-mails aren't too wordy yet they are providing interesting information.

Like this:

Health Fact: Did you know the average human heart beating at 72 beats per minute, will beat approximately 2.5 billion times from birth to age 66. Regular exercise will help keep your heart in good health.

File that in the "things I didn't know" file! You're a resource - Canadian Chiropractic Association.

Yesterday's Day 4 Fitness Menu got a little messed up because of the rain. However, a little rain was no excuse to not do 15 minutes of focused activity (no excuses people - this is for health - and - quite honestly - habit only happens when it's habitual). So we parked furthest away from the store and walked - and walked - and walked. All good.

Today's Fitness Menu

• Divide and conquer. Each parent in our household will take a child to their respective morning classes - by bike. I'm not-a-bike-by-nature kind of gal - but I'm trying to get in the habit of biking as it is a good (free) family activity.
  
• A walk along the boardwalk at the beach would be a nice Father's Day activity. hmmm...
  
• Does mowing the lawn count as a focused fitness activity? It is a walk. And you are pushing something has has a bit of resistance to it. I wonder...