Building a goat stable this fall was a family (and friends) affair.
FamFitter
By Adam & Kristin Kleinert
It’s that time again. We feel compelled to close the year with a little reflection, and, this time, we decided to ask the family to give us some feedback. In an effort to keep it simple, we posed two questions to be answered by each member of our crew. We’re hoping to gain a little insight into what worked for us this year, and what we can do in the upcoming one to keep working toward our goal of becoming a fitter family. We encourage you to try something similar with your tribe; it’s fun to hear the different answers and may even be helpful in your own journeys.
THE QUESTIONS
In regard to food, fitness or lifestyle, what did we do this year that you liked or didn’t like?
What could we do next year?
Brahm, 2nd grade, age 8
I like going camping. You know I always want to go camping. I wish we could stay more and more days and go to more new places. Let’s take everyone.
Also, I like taking my lunch to school and not eating school lunch. Next year, I want to take my lunch to school every day and go camping all the time.
Molly, 5th grade, age 10
I love the goats! They are the best new thing we did this year and I can’t wait to show them at the 4H Fair. Now we should get some chickens. They go good with goats, right?
I vote next year we get chickens!
Eli, 8th grade, age 13
So this year I learned I need a schedule. I want to participate in all the sports and
activities I can, but I know I have to do my stuff at home (chores and homework) so
that I’m allowed to do the things I like. I didn’t love having to make a schedule at first,
but once I had one, it seemed like there was a ton of time in my day.
For 2019, I’m going to try to keep a good schedule and stick with it.
Sydney, 10th grade, age 15
We cooked some really good meals with things from our little garden this year; especially with the basil, tomatoes and peppers. The homemade pizza we grilled outside on the fire, the lasagna, the caprese orzo salad – those are my favorite things we made.
Next year we should try to use as much as possible from the garden, and maybe add another box. Strawberries would be good.
Kristin, mom, 30-something
I feel like our focus on family is usually a strong suit for us, and that was no exception
in 2018. Though we are often super busy, overall we were able to strike some balance
this year between the stress of over-commitment and the hustle and bustle of daily
family life.
In 2019, as cliche as it sounds, I want to maintain a more consistent exercise schedule. It seems I begin to form a good routine, and then it goes by the wayside before becoming an actual lifestyle regimen. I know plenty of other busy moms who manage to fit in a workout almost daily, so I realize my excuses aren’t unique. I feel so much better, both mentally and physically, when I’m consistently active.
Adam, dad, older than Kristin
Risking redundancy, my thoughts are actually a mix of all the others. I would love to do
more camping, look into the possibility of adding more livestock, and I’d most definitely like to cook with more homegrown produce. However, I am excited to try and create more of a schedule than we currently use. No military-type boot camps and bed checks, and nothing that covers every minute of every day. It just seems we are always worried about what we could or should be doing.
My goal is to utilize a calendar that is efficient enough to allow us to actually enjoy our free time when we have it.
