We came back last week Friday from a much needed (aren’t they always though?) vacation where else, but upstate.  We had a great time – doing nothing!  We’re trying to save every penny we have so it limits what we can & can’t do.  Not to mention we just didn’t feel like doing much.  Sometimes you need those kinds of vacation, right?!

Well, it’s not like we sat on our butts all week.  We played & played hard!  When we’re upstate we love to go for family bike rides.  Natie LOVES animals, so being farms are-a-plenty up there we always ride our bikes to a local farm & visit the animals.  It’s become our tradition to do this every day after breakfast.  But, Natie’s hitting the max limit on the bike seat that is on Rich’s bike & when Rich hits a bump it’s not fun for either of them (umm…me either!)  So, the next thing for his size is a bike trailer.  For some reason they always freaked us (Rich & I) out, not sure why either.  I guess we felt they’d be unsafe?  Who knows.  I found several that were just too $$$$ for our pennies budget.  I checked a few sites I know for used items & no one was selling one – found several people looking for them though!  Thankfully my brain clicked on & I checked Craigslist.  We lucked out!  We got a $175 bike trailer for only $75 & it’s practically new!  It still had the little rubber spike-thingies hanging on the tires.  I think the guy said he ended up using it twice – we used it EVERY day on vacation.  It was a dream come true!  We rode our bikes to the farm, to the playground, to the library & well…to get ice cream!  We rode everywhere we could – sometimes just riding just to ride.  We put a lot of miles on it & all had so much fun.  I made sure to put the trailer on my bike so I could get the extra resistance & boy did it work!  I wore my HRM on every bike ride…up the hills & down the hills – it was awesome!

Natie loved the fact that he could have his water, snacks & “buddies” in the trailer with him too!

We had so much fun that we realized this is something we want to do more often so we stepped it up in the safety dept. & all got new helmets.

I also found another great calorie burning workout is a playing & chasing around a 2 year old in a bounce place.  You know, those places that have inflatable slides, mazes, etc.?  We like to go during the week when we’re up there because we tend to have the run of the place.  We were there when they opened & back again after nap & stayed until closing.  I decided to wear my HRM being I’m always working up a sweat…well, between the two visits I burned over 1,100 calories – & it was pure fun!!!

To show you how my little guy has no fear – check this kid out! 

So all in all it was a great vacation!  I tracked my calories both consumed & burned in MFP.  I feel I did well – stayed in control 90% of the vacation with the exception of some major emotional eating with the “f” it attitude when I got some news I dreaded hearing.  Since then I’m back in control & back on track!