I declared my New Year’s Resolution a little early this year. I said that I want more time. More time to enjoy my family, more time to move my body, more time to do things other than work. This has meant taking stock of my life, of my relationships, and my various jobs. Obviously there are some activities that have rewards (love, pleasure, health benefits, emotional/spiritual growth, learning or even money) and others that just don’t do anything for me…or don’t do anything for me anymore.

There was a time in my life when Friday meant a few drinks with friends and an evening out on the town. It was fun while it lasted, lots of fun, but now that I have children the weekend means something different.

Summer is over for my family here in Germany, for my relatives in Canada and the rest of the Northern Hemisphere. Make no mistake, I am not melancholy about the return to school, to routine, to grey skies. No. This time of year is full of opportunities to start fresh, to think anew, to harvest what we’ve planted.
There’s a seed of hope and inspiration in each of the carnival posts this month. As usual, the ten best of all submissions received are full if thought-provoking, practical tips for staying fit and getting healthy as a family. And, as an …read more

July and it’s already time for the thirteenth Healthy & Fit Family. There are plenty of people who still believe that 13 is unlucky, but I am feeling pretty confident about this edition. As usual, the carnival is limited to the ten submissions I thought were most family-oriented, health-oriented and fitness-oriented.

 
The First of May is Labour/Labor day in Europe. It’s a chance for unions to parade, families to relax and outdoor swimming pools to open. Not that I am going near the cold, cold water in our local park. No, I have other ideas for how our family is going to splash around in warm water this afternoon. Have I become a temperature wimp? Probably, but it’s a great way to introduce the Eleventh Healthy & Fit Family.
It seems to me that the old adage “no pain, no gain” is especially destructive when you want to be active as a …read more

 Take one popular blog carnival, run it monthly, limit it to ten spots and you’ve got a very readable, very competitive collection of posts. Hopefully, Craig Harper is right and all of us need to learn to have our work judged and evaluated. Still, managing expectations of perfection is tough for everyone.
I do worry about the decision to limit the carnival to 10 spots sometimes, but I want it to be completely readable. Parents who want to head healthier families are often overwhelmed with blame guilt information and it can often seem impossible to counteract the billions of dollars in advertising …read more

Writing up this week’s carnival has been a test of my evil editorial powers. For staters, the powers feel less evil now. I feel more like a major league talent scout.
In my quest to bring you the 10 most practical, most family-oriented tips for health and fitness, I have been inundated with submissions from people who want to make the team. Naturally, there are obvious and less obvious ways to choose which ones to post.
With only ten spots available, I have to make sure everyone gets a turn at bat which means not every blogger can be featured every week.
And, …read more

Inspired by My Name is Mommy and her well-communicated efforts to lead a healthier life, I am pleased to present the Healthy & Fit Family, a blog carnival.