If there’s one thing that never ceases to amaze me it’s how difficult and exhausting it can be when you return home from a vacation. I mean aside from all the normal stuff – unpacking, laundry, grocery shopping, etc. – but the mental need to catch up on things or to snap back into your normal “routine” immediately. Couple that with the start of school and it’s a madhouse. So, I’m just going to pretend that I’m still in Montauk, sitting on the beach watching this gentleman paddle his way across the ocean, OK?
Here are some of my favorite posts from this week that I wanted to share with you.
Priorities
This post from Alison at Writing, Wishing struck a chord with me. During my summer sabbatical and attempt to unplug, I realized that I was starting to obsess about this blog and its associated metrics. Who am I kidding, I had been obsessing for a while and frankly, while of course I love seeing this blog grow, it’s not the be-all, end-all.
Top 5 Health, Sex & Relationship Benefits of Working Out with Your Spouse or Partner #FitRomance
My husband and I used to workout together. We use to run together and even trained for 3 marathons together. It was great to have a partner to help motivate me and keep me accountable. Then we had kids and well, we don’t workout together anymore. I think it’s because someone has to watch the kids. But, there are definitely times that I miss having a workout buddy. If your on the fence about working out with your partner or spouse, or even if you already do, Bex shares some great reasons to work towards a #fitromance.
Active Parents Equal Active Children
Oh, I loved this post from Hank from The Business of Losing Weight and not just because there are awesome pictures of his daughter surfing. Well, fine. That is part of it because I too can’t wait to get my boys up on a surfboard but Hank talks about the power of modeling an active lifestyle and healthy behaviors.
Boobie Tuesday – A Moment and A Choice
Krysten at The Misadventures of a Darwinian Fail is one amazing lady. If you don’t already know her, earlier this year, she made a strong, brave and powerful choice; she choose to be healthy and cancer-free. Now, she’s fighting so that more women can make a similar choice. She’s also running the Collingswood CIBC Run for the Cure on September 30 and is raising money to support breast cancer research. If you can, consider making a donation.
How @Rev3Tri #Rev3CP Training Rocked Me To The Core
There’s so much I love about Heidi’s post on her blog Banana Buzzbomb but it’s her honesty about her experience training for a triathlon that really got me. I can totally identify with Heidi when she says, “I don’t claim to be a super athlete but I can usually hold my own.” So much of training is mental and the physical challenges often force us to look deep inside ourselves and reflect and sometimes can really rock us to our core.
Tell me, do you transition from vacation to “normal life” easily? Or do you often feel like you need a vacation from your vacation?
Great link ups!
A lot happens like this when your kids are young. i went thru the same.
when they get a little older you will find the ability to train together again.
i look forward to finding someone to workout with. but my girl friends from work do a pretty good job.
enjoy the weekend, girl! hopefully it will feel like a long weekend even though its not.
(and this short week feels sooo long) TGIF!
Christine @ Oatmeal Bowl recently posted..30 Heart Healthy Oatmeal Recipes
ohmygod this week was the longest ever! You know what’s funny? If we workout together, we don’t actually interact much. At the gym, we’re at opposites sides. Surfing – we are nowhere near each other. Running – we run next to each other but we don’t really talk. Bizarre, I know. I hope that you have a great weekend too!!
The first week back from vacation is always the hardest. I always feel like I need to put the brakes on and get a little bit of vacation mode back.
Thanks for sharing the link ups especially Alison’s. It’s funny how we start off blogging for ourselves and then it becomes about the numbers.
Have a great weekend!
Angela @ Happy Fit Mama recently posted..Friday Fit – “Eight is Enough” HIIT
I totally wish that I could press the pause button! I know, the whole blogging things goes in cycles for me between caring and not caring about the numbers and coming back to the reason why I started writing the blog to start with. Continual work in progress? Hope you have a great weekend too!
It seems like it took forever but as out kids got older my husband I have been able to run together more often. When they were little it never happened. Getting back to the regular routine of life is tough the first week of post-vacation.
Jill @ Fitness, Health and Happiness recently posted..Fitness Friday || Tips for Making Salad-In-A-Jar
I see my neighbors with older kids go for runs together and I’m kind of envious
I’m hoping that we can start running together again as the kids get older. Have a great weekend!
Great round up! I hate the post vacation week. Can’t life just be vacation?
Working out with your husband is a great idea, mine woukd never go for it. But I can definitely see how it would be great for the relationship.
Jess recently posted..How early is too early?
I *wish* life could be just vacation! Wouldn’t it be nice if we all had long summer vacations again like we did as kids? It’s funny because when my husband and I workout together, we don’t actually interact much. Odd, right? I think that it’s more about the moral support and accountability more than anything.
I feel like by the time my vacation is over I just started to get into the groove of being on vacation lol
Kierston recently posted..7 Weeks Out: Turn Your Can’ts into Cans!
Yes! I just start to unwind and relax and poof! It’s over. That doesn’t seem quite fair!
Great links, Christine! I missed a few of those. Happy Friday!
Laura @ Mommy Run Fast recently posted..A special day and a SPIbelt giveaway
Thanks Laura and Happy Birthday to you!!
I love your roundup. Thanks for leading me to such great posts as always! I loved Alison’s post too on priorities.
ilene recently posted..I Got Your Back
When reading Alison’s post, i was totally nodding my head in agreement. I may have even shouted, “YES!” It makes me happy to share other people’s amazing posts.
Thanks for all the great links! I missed several of them. I always appreciate posts like this because it leads me to find other great blogs.
Debbie @ Live from La Quinta recently posted..Wednesday Workout: Yoga Moves to Make You Stronger
Thanks Debbie! I hope that enjoy some of these posts and discover some fun new blogs! Have a great weekend!
Christine, thank you so much for including my post in your round up! So thrilled and flattered.
Getting back into routine is so hard, and you’re topping it off with back to school stuff? Ack. Take it easy and have a good weekend!
Alison recently posted..Why Yes, That’s A Tent In My Living Room
I think that it’s the whole Back-to-School that’s really done me in. So.Much.To.Do. But the boys are happy and excited and that’s what matters. Thanks for writing your lovely post. It totally struck a chord. PS I love the tent in your living room!
I love your Friday roundups–you always find the good ones! I am particularly interested in the first post. I, too, went through this post vacation this year. Kind of puts things in perspective, huh?
Love that picture at the top–no wonder you want to stay there mentally!
misszippy recently posted..Running always wins
Definitely puts things in perspective. I feel like lots of folks are going through something similar. I hope that you enjoy the posts and have a good weekend!! (I’m still pretending that I’m on the beach.)
Awesome round up, as usual! As far as my transition from vacation to real life…I’m still in summer vacation mode. It’s really tough for me to kick my butt into gear.
Amanda @ Run Principessa recently posted..Let’s Talk About Stretch, Baby
Thanks Amanda!! Vacation transition is rough! I’m still pretending that I’m sitting on the beach
I love that you take such care of your blog, but I totally get what you are saying about it not being the be all end all. Now that I’ve been blogging again, I find myself obsessing, but I feel like I’m doing what has to be done.
One area I want to grow, you have covered! Love your Friday roundups! It takes work and time to read other blogs and then spread the word. I need to get better at doing that.
It’s a hard balance I think and I think that I go in cycles of caring and then not caring. But we create these little spaces for ourselves and you want to take care of it and nourish it. It’s a question of how much is enough and how much is too much, you know?
I like doing the Friday Round-Ups because I feel like it’s a gift to read some of the amazing posts that people write and share and that I want to be able to share that with others. One little way of giving back I guess.
PS – I have heard of Hootsuite but have been using a combination of Tweetdeck and Buffer for Twitter. I still haven’t quite figured out the perfect system for me but it works for now. Let me know what you think of Hootsuite
p.s. Have you heard about Hootsuite? I’m looking into it… will let you know if I think it will help!
I always feel like I need a vacation after a vacation…ALWAYS. Well, maybe not always. If it is just Chris and I then I can handle it but if the girls are with us…book me a ticket for an island with crystal blue waters for a few days to relax.
Kristen recently posted..A Shift Change Of The Seasons
Traveling with the kids is no vacation! It’s so exhausting. Yes, one way ticket to an island getaway for me please!
Great collection of posts! The working out with your spouse one definitely resonates with me since my husband and I do train together, we are very lucky!
Jamie @ couchtoironwoman recently posted..Fitness Friday: Changing My Schedule
Nice round-up with some inspiring posts for sure. Glad you had such a nice time on your vacation. It is always difficult to transition back to reality, yes? Just the pressure of modern life, it’s all too much sometimes. These last few weeks that I have been unplugged I have not missed or cared at all about my blog. Sometimes I ask myself… why am I doing this? And then suddenly I am writing again and connecting with people. I think it’s about finding the right balance is all. Rambling, sorry
Lisa @ RunWiki recently posted..Hello Again
The return to ‘normal life’ from vacation is tough – it can be exhausting. Especially the laundry – I get overwhelmed just remembering it!
Co-Pilot Mom recently posted..I’ll Never Be a Foodie
i just went and read a couple of these. such great women and wonderful writing! thank you christine for sharing the best of the best!
lindsay recently posted..Challenge This
Good reads, no? I’m glad that you enjoyed them. There’s so much great stuff out there. I love being able to share them with other folks. But I just realized that I do mostly share women writers. Hmmm, have to find some more men bloggers to follow!