8/25/08

Stretching and Panting

I think my back might fall off. Have you heard of that happening? I'm quite sure it's possible.

Yesterday Ryan and I took the boys to the tennis courts at the park near our house. Then we played tennis. If you want to call it "playing" tennis. You can if you want. But it was more like playing hit-the-ball-once-and-then-chase-it-because-it-didn't-go-over-the-net. Or it went to the other court or something. I honestly can't believe we were both once kind of good at this sport.

It's been over four years since we last played. We could tell in more than one way that it had been far too long:
1. See above about the ball.
2. We were saying things like, "I can feel my belly jiggle while I run."
3. We were sweating and panting even though we hardly had to run.
4. The lady on the next court over asked if we wanted to switch courts so we could be in the shade. I think maybe we looked a bit tired and hot.
5. I kept using the kids as an excuse to take breaks ("Oh, look they need a snack.")
6. Today my body feels like rubber. It's 8am and I need a nap. (but I guess that's not new.)

After "playing" tennis, we walked over to the park and hit the swings and such. I was feeling very athletic so I bet Ryan I could go half-way across the monkey bars with my awesome arm strength. He said "No way!" But I DID IT! (It was SO hard!) I think my arms are about double the length today, from trying to stay off the ground with only arm strength, while really just dangling there, stretching things that shouldn't stretch. I'm still very cool. I mean I'm sure I looked cool. The look on Miles' face after I finished my monkey bar red-in-the-face-not-breathing challenge said that I wasn't cool. But what does he know? He's only three.

13 clicked right here to comment:

joolee said...

Too funny! We've decided to stick with racquetball. Less chasing the ball and fewer people exposed to our jiggling bellies.

Anonymous said...

Hahaha! Sounds like OUR family tennis matches! Er, um, I mean ball chases. Our kids are getting pretty good now, though, so don't give up!

Oh, and just so you know, any mom who does the monkey bars is WAY cool!

Melanie Jacobson said...

Monkey bars? Definitely cool. You get extra points if you go on the swings, get really high, and then jump off. It blows my son's mind.

Melanie Jacobson said...

Oh, and that's just "high" from the swinging. I mean it.

Kimberly Vanderhorst said...

I am giggling SO hard right now!

Kelly @ Love Well said...

This is why I don't exercise with my husband. He is a jock in the best shape of his life. And I am a "journalist" who lacks depth perception.

By the way, I just now noticed your "talk to me goose" line under the comments. Snort. I think I love you.

Becky said...

I'm unbelievably impressed at your monkey bar feat. Those are NOT as easy to get across as they used to be! But I have to admit, it's a lot of fun being the type of parent to play with the kids instead of just smiling and waving from park bench.

Brillig said...

Oh my gosh. Hilarious. Haha. You're much braver than I, though. I just avoid all things athletic at all costs.

And wow! I love the new look in here!

The Three 22nds said...

Sounds like our park adventures! What is with the monkey bars? As a kid I could do them over and over, skipping ones etc. I blaime it on most of them being too short for me now. It makes it much harder :)

Aquaspce said...

Kudos to you for making it through the monkey bars! I know what you mean about the cool factor our kids rate us at.
Piper and I did cartwheels last summer, I was cool for like an hour.

happygeek said...

Excercise is highly overrated.
You don't hear about jolly skinny people do you?

The Mama's said...

This is hilarious. My husband is a really good tennis player and we tried playing together. Once. It was horrible. I was playing softball and he was playing tennis. It was s doubles match and the other couple was really good. Awful. Awful. Awful.

I can relate to the monkey bars. I tried to "show my daughter" how to do them the other day at the park. I grabbed on and then, all of the sudden, I was parilyzed. I seriously just held on swaying my lower body with a grunting look on my face. I finally made it to the SECOND BAR.

I jumped down with aching tendons and sore shoulders. And, then, my 4 year old said, "Is that really how you do it? "

My reply, "Lets go swing!!!!!!!!!"

Thanks for the awesome visuals. I love it!

Mozi Esme said...

That tennis sounds like fun - and something I need to do! Especially the playing in the shade part . . .

And I'm sure you did better than I would have on the monkey bars. It's hard to believe I used to love those things.

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