Play!! and updated goals

I am too wrapped up most days in my own self imposed deadlines and expectations of a checked off item on a made up to do list.  This is crazy considering I do contract work here and there and mostly have all the time in the world to do whatever strikes my fancy.

  Some things are mandatory like doing homework with Jupiter.  We have homework from his Homestead program and the homework is to play with him.  Why do I find this so hard?  Its play...
The goal of this play is to keep his attention on a shared activity for the longest amount of time possible.  Usually this is about 5-8 minutes.  We try and get him to communicate using his voice or voice output device (his "talker").  I am proud to say that after reading the below mentioned article I played with him.  It was 5 minutes and 8 seconds of playing a fishing game.  It was fun and I was engrossed in this simple game!

The hubby posted this link today from the Huffington Post. I highly recommended you read it!  It is not about running or barefoot running although I find both of those to be fun.  The article talks about adults having lost touch with playing and why playing makes us better people.
  With barefoot running I am lucky that it is fun whether I want it to be or not. Many times I still find myself focused  on a destination instead of the journey and yet the feedback from my feet always pulls me back to the present moment and why I believe that I have yet to have a crappy barefoot run.  Don't get me wrong there have been times when I gave myself nasty blisters from doing too much too soon or I didn't prepare well but I , so far, have always been able to look back on my most recent run and say matter of factly that it was fun.  Not everything in life is like barefoot running though.  I have to actively stop being so dang adultish often.

  I can feel this intuitively about myself, this idea that I have lost touch with my inner kid.  Part of the problem is winter and how confined to indoor activities we are and we are on a stricter schedule with Jupiters time in therapy.   I do know that I need and appreciate my limitations and if I am not happy its because of choices that I am making.  
Today I colored a Valentine with my almost 5 year old spawn, Milo.  My teddy bear holding a heart was the best on the window and I am not too proud to admit it.  Yes the rest were probably colored by folks much younger and less experienced in Crayon technique but I do know how to add depth and shade with a crayon and my bear was cute.  The best part was where it says "To: Milo, Love: Mama".

  I mentioned goals.  One of my goals was to connect with my 11 year old spawn.  I think that I know how to do that.  We need to have  shared activity.  So I am going to learn how to play Ukulele.  He taught himself how to play and has been trying to teach me for a while and I always have something else to do.  If this post is disjointed its because I am typing like a mad woman as he is waiting for me to finish so we can start!  
He has a brand new hand drum set with a set of Congas and Bongos so the Uke is freed up for now for me to practice on.  We love Jack Johnson, Bob Marley, Ziggy Marley, and so many more so music will bring us together.  Thats the plan anyways.

My running goals are too restrictive.  I am pretty far behind on my goal to hit 1500 miles this year. I know its only the first 3 weeks of the year but I don't feel like it and am having some health issues that I need to figure out. I might make it to 1500 and might not.  My bottom line goal is to get to 1200 for the year.  I will not force myself to run just to hit that goal.  I will force myself out that door when I know that a run will do me good even if I don't feel like it but I don't want to feel like I have to do something.  I don't want to risk it not being fun anymore.

Happy running, happy music making, happy playing to you!!