Fifteen years ago when I first discovered that I was going to have twin boys, I must admit I was a little freaked out. Initially because of the fact I was going to have two babies, and then because those two babies were going to grow into boys. OMG! I couldn't imagine having two hyper-active beings like my little brother Mark. Because I had a four year old daughter already, I really thought I was more suited to being a mum of girls. Silly thing, isn't it?
 |
| Last year when the skater dudes started high school |
As you can imagine, the boys have certainly been adventurous. We used to call them Search and Destroy because they demolished everything in sight...on purpose. Now that they have grown into teenagers I have tried to find common ground with them, things that we can do together to bond, despite the fact that I am their Mum...and female. Last year the boys joined Little Athletics and I became an Athletics Mum, cheering them on at tournaments and taking them to training. This term I will be a gymnastics mum...just watching mind you. The boys are getting stronger, growing up and trying out new sports....and I can finally join in on some things with them.
With the flooding downstairs we eventually gave up on having a lounge room. Lounge suites are big and heavy things to cart upstairs, and they take up too much space. When we are all camped upstairs during a flood it is pretty squishy.
We had a ping pong table set up until we got bored with it, and now our lounge room is a home gym.
The boys got this gym set from Santa a few years back. It has flooded twice as we can't readily move it, but it is still operational.
We all have bikes to ride around the farm. I am not really confident on the dirt road yet but have been for a few small rides down to the bridge.
I picked up this Elliptical Trainer secondhand and it usually gets moved outside to enjoy the view while training.
Last weekend the boys and I drove into town (Gympie) to check out an interesting area to train. Not sure if too many towns have one of these. I have not seen one elsewhere.
Interestingly enough, it is set up in the grounds of the Senior Citizens centre, but as it was 35 degrees we had the gym to ourselves.
 |
| Lachlan on the cross-trainer |
The boys make great models for the gym equipment, I think. No bias there at all, ha. There are no weights. Most of the machines use perpetual motion and your body weight to function, so there is pretty strong resistance.
 |
| Cameron lifting his own body weight |
It was lovely to spend some quality time with my boys. It's been several years since we have mucked around at a playground together. I used to love those moments when they were little and happy just to swing...hang on, that was Lauren....oh yeah the boys used to go nuts climbing to the top of things and scaring me half to death. Maybe it is much more fun now they have matured :)
Anyway, I am glad I was holding the camera and not them because no 46yo Mum looks great after working out in the heat...unless they are supermodel material.
What do you and your family do together? If you have teenage boys, where do you find common ground?
