I love going to the gym. I do, I swear. If only I hated food as much as I love going to the gym, I’d be buying a teeny weenie yellow polka dot bikini. Why do I love it, you ask? Because, other than the fact that I have a great gym located near our house, I’ve made it as pleasurable and easy as possible. Here’s how you can do it that way too:

•    First and foremost, you have to pick a gym that has a great child-care room. For me, that’s number one. The gym I joined in Texas had only adequate care, and the boys only came with me a handful of times. This forced me to work around my husband’s schedule, which meant half the time I never even went. Plus, it’s never a great situation to come home sweaty to a messy house and hungry children. Pass.

The gym we go to now (It’s a YMCA. Love, love, LOVE!) has fantastic child watch. The staff knows my boys by name, and they both just run in without hesitation because THEY love it, which is vital. Knowing my boys are safe, being attended too, and are having FUN, gives me the opportunity to work out with peace of mind. When you tour a gym, get a good look at the childcare room. Ask to talk to the manager. Get to know the staff by name.

•    Shower there. Before you get dorm room flashbacks, hear me out. Wouldn’t it be great to get home already showered and dressed? It takes a little bit of prep work, but I’d MUCH rather prep then come home, turn on the TV, give the boys a snack, sneak in a quick shower with your little one opening the curtain getting wet... I promise you’ll very quickly get over the flip flops and shower caddy when you get an extra 20 minutes of peace and quiet, and can leave the gym fully rejuvenated and ready to move on with your day. Hey, you might even get to do your hair!

•   If you don’t have time to shower, just bring a change of clothes. Even that much will help you leave “it all” at the gym.

•    Work it into your schedule. With rising gas prices, it doesn’t make sense to drive to similar locations twice in one day. Once you’ve showered at the gym, you can make that quick stop to the grocery store or Target. Hit the park on your way home. Meet some friends for lunch. Duck out of playgroup a bit early, and skip showering at the gym, since it will be naptime when you get home. Or better yet, get going right away in the morning and workout before a play date (If you have any tips on how to do that, please let me know. I am SO not a morning person)!

•    Have a specific gym bag, and keep it packed at all times. Sometimes finding the motivation to pack all the bags, on top of changing diapers and putting on shoes is enough to keep you at home. Fill your bag with extras- hair products, make-up bag, toothbrush, deodorant... just make sure it’s a big bag. =)

I got a HUGE backpack, which is great when I’m carrying one kiddo and holding hands with another. My boys have a gym bag too, with their diapers, wipes and sippy cups. We only use this for the gym, so it stays packed and I don’t have to think about it when we’re leaving in a hurry.

•    Buy yourself some nice workout clothes. It’s worth the investment.

•    If it’s a gorgeous day out, and a friend you keep playing phone tag with invites you to a picnic at the park, by all means- skip the gym and go to the park. Forcing yourself to go to the gym will only build resentment. Make the gym a place that you love to go to. Be spontaneous and go on a whim when your kids are driving you particularly NUTS (this is where that packed bag comes in handy).

•    Get a gym buddy. They work wonders.

•    Start taking a class. Get to know the regulars in the class. The accountability and socializing will keep you going week after week.

•    Just run. If you’re feeling overwhelmed with the infinite ways of working out, just run. Start with 1 mile. A mile is nothing, right? Well, once you’re comfortable there keep lengthening the distance. I started this a few months ago, and I’m up to running 2.5 miles and will be doing my first 5K!

•    When all else fails, get the most out of your gym membership by forcing your husband to go and take the kids. Bliss.

By Guest Blogger Joanna from The Bragging Mommy

I heart Target. Doesn’t everyone? It’s such a beautiful, peaceful place, filled with aisle after aisle of ways to fuel my nasty shopping addiction. For me, Target is retail therapy at its best. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good old fashioned mall trip when I’m feeling the blues, but the mall is filled with things that don’t fit my post-two-baby-body, and that I can’t afford. Yes, I love to shop at Target. The only issue I have with the place is their lack of daycare. I mean really, wouldn’t that be a goldmine? Until that day arrives, I’m forced to enter my favorite place in the world with two whiney toddlers in tow. Ugh. My boys are, for the most part, well-behaved. But any well-behaved child can grow a couple horns and a tail when they are forced to be buckled into a cart and simply look at all the things they want to get their hands (and mouths) on. I think I would despise the place too. The trick to avoiding this fate is to make it an enjoyable experience for all.

• Give in to popcorn - It may seem over-indulgent to buy your kids a snack just so you can go shopping, but I’m here to tell you I’m not above it. You have to ask yourself which is worse: not being able to shop without a snack in your child’s hand, or have your children continually rebel against shopping trips. I made my choice. If you are shopping at Target or other superstore, you can easily find coupons on their website or even via smart phone which make popcorn and other snacks dirt cheap, so you don’t have to feel guilty about spending the money. It only took me one instance of my son dropping a half bag of popcorn ALL OVER the aisle for me to start bringing little bowls with handles. Now when they drop it, I can manage the clean-up by myself. And don’t forget drinks/sippy cups, it doesn’t make sense to pay for drinks too.
• Better yet, eat lunch there - A lot of grocery stores in our area have great food options, even if they are a bit pricey. Target’s food is affordable and many Walmarts have McDonalds or Subways. The trip becomes more like a fun event, rather than a chore. Once properly fed your child will be a lot less likely to melt down. Just make sure it isn’t near naptime!
• Do the work at home! - Don’t wander the aisles aimlessly trying to think of something else you need. Check the circulars from your Sunday paper, or online, so you already know what is on sale. Keep a good list, then stick to it while at the store. It keeps the cost down as well! Save browsing for times when you can escape your house without the kids.
• If you are an extreme couponer- wear a backpack - You will look silly, but it makes getting in and out of the store that much easier. You can also tote anything your kid will need as well.
• Bring a friend - Who says playdates have to be at a park, your home or even the mall?  Meet for lunch, then get some shopping done while catching up and letting your kids interact from cart to cart. You might get a little more talking done than shopping, but at least you can check the essentials off your list.
• Let them help - If your child is older, let them help with a few things on the list.

By guest blogger Joanna from the Bragging Mommy

We all have them. They may not all be colorful, but they dwell in the corners of our homes. They make our husbands cringe at the thought of picking them up at the store solo. You guessed it –Tampons. We all know their intended purpose- but did you know, they can also help your child identify colors? A certain brand that shall remain nameless recently came out with BRIGHT, colorful tampon wrappers. And hey, before I weird you out too much, let me get you up to speed on my current living situation. Having moved from Texas to New York, we are now living in a hotel for 2 months, with 2 weeks to go. We came with only what fit in our van. I’m trying to get creative with toys here, people. The first time my 2-year-old came running out with the box of tampons and dumped them out on the couch, I started to say “No, no,” but then decided my energy level was too low to fight it. I’d just hide them better next time. That was until Harrison exclaimed “Geen!” (Green). Wow. How long had I been working on colors with him? Months? How many times had I asked, “What color is your shirt?” only to have him reply with an incorrect guess? And here he is, using the most random green thing in the whole hotel room as his triumphant moment of mastery over color identification. Well hello tampons, welcome to the toy room. They make their appearance from time to time, and whenever they do my son and I spend 15 minutes joyously naming off color after neon color. Wonderful! Now, I understand that some of you may be looking for a more traditional approach to teaching colors. I still love all those ways- crayons, books, clothes, street signs, while shopping... they are all great. Keep colors on your mind, and I promise your child will pick up on them before you know it.

Here are a few additional tips:

• Use their favorite things. For instance, my son is O.B.S.E.S.S. E. D. with matchbox cars. They have to come everywhere with us. He plays with them all day long. So, what better way to help him learn colors then with a few of his favorite things? When I go out shopping for new cars (because we all know they get lost ever so easily) I look for bright, colorful ones. Now Harrison makes sure to say “green car, red car, etc.”
• Pick colorful toys that serve multiple purposes. We have magnet letters on our fridge that are bright, primary colors, which I love because we can work on both at the same time. Bingo! Look for puzzles, books, flashcards, or toys that are going to kill two birds with one stone.
• Ask the question multiple ways. Instead of always saying “What color is this?” be sure to mix it up. “Which one is blue? Is this yellow or green? Can you bring me the red one? Can you find something orange?”
• Work on it. All the time. Before you know it, your child will be spouting them off everywhere you go.

At the end of the day, this is all just supposed to be fun. It is a way to bond with your child, as you get the satisfaction of teaching them something! Enjoy it, and your child will enjoy it too!

By Gust Blogger Joanna from The Bragging Mommy