(Maybe I need to hang out with more homeschooling mamas, so this is probably a no brain-er...)

I got a brilliant idea this last week!

See, it is getting colder and colder around here with each passing day and while the kids and I used to take bike rides and walks every day or so, we are now in need of new physical activities because, well, it's cold and I am a wuss. (And I don't jog/run.)

My brilliant idea... EXERCISE VIDEOS from the library!

My first brilliant choice... Sweatin' to the Oldies! 80's Songs! with Richard Simmons!

All this week we have been sweatin' to 80's music for a half hour each morning. Wo/man, do I sweat! Naw, the video isn't that hard, I am just not an actual exercise type of person and am not in shape for a daily exercise video. I *heart* my nordic track and I have done abs/crunch videos, but this is actual jazzercise type of stuff, continuous jumping and bouncing (though much lower key I guess?) and wo/man does it keep you moving.

I don't think Richard is off his rocker either.

There is something to be said for exercising, watching Richard Simmons, watching all these regular people of all shapes and sizes, all the bright colors of the costumes and stage, the regular people smiling their hearts out while doing 30 minutes of moves. As crazy as Dave Letterman makes Richard out to be, I think this video series is inspiring. The outrageous-ness of the whole premise can reel you in but then listening to Richard encourage the viewer on, you can tell that he is actually sincere. He actually cares.

Granted he didn't go to school for this but still, the guy wears sparkly shirts and can make a grown person cry, he has lost considerable amounts of weight himself and has helped thousands of people do the same. Did I mention the sparkly shirts?

And the kids? They like it and are singing the songs and doing little versions of the dance moves here and there just like I am. Miriam the most, then Max, and Zeke fluctuates between trying to break his continuous jump rope record during the half hour, which is still a half hour of exercise in my book, so I am cool with that. It is a great PE class time for them and even though they don't do everything exactly like Richard, they are moving and jumping and getting their little hearts working and loving every minute.

The video is due on Sunday (major bummer to the whole library portion of my bright idea) and even though my initial plan was to swap out with different exercise vids each week, I am now leaning toward a Richard video theme for a while... we still have the 70's and 60's to try out.