Happy NSV's! Activity, adventure, and beauty with family and friends

As I mentioned in today's "what's on your menu" thread, I have spent the past month-plus in a whirlwind of activity with my family.  In fact, it has been a kind of whirlwind since about April. 

I wanted to share some photos of some of the NSV things I have done with my family lately.  In previous years, even as a child, I always loved to be outdoors.  As my obesity got worse and worse, however, it became so hard to do so many things.  I developed chronic injuries--these still trouble me, but I am able to manage them at my new weight.  And, now, I am able to do these things--some again, and some for the first time.

Best one, for me:  hiking the Zion Narrows, in Zion National Park.  I had wanted to do this hike for many years, but raising little kids, then obesity and injury prohibited it.  Finally, two weeks ago, we took our three boys, plus a cousin and some of one boy's friends.  This is a slot canyon where you hike up the river, most of the time wading in the quick river itself, working your way through the boulders under the current, dwarfed by the sheer red cliffs rising beside you.  About a 5 hour round trip hike.  As we turned around and walked back down the river, returning to the start, my 12-yr-old son kept saying, "Mom, why are you smiling so big!"  It was for the joy I felt.  I want to do this hike every year.  Absolutely spectacular.

We also biked twelve miles on a new multi-use trail between Bryce National Canyon and Red Canyon State Park.  Beautiful!  Some parts (not in the photo) look like they were the model for Disney's Thunder Mountain Railroad.

At a mountain lake just a week before the Bryce/Zion adventures, I learned to do stand-up paddle board and did a very long island paddle with some friends there.  This photo shows my friend on the paddle board, and me in one of my kayaks--Although I could kayak when obese, it was getting harder and harder to load they kayaks and to get in and out of them.  BTW, I LOVED the stand up paddle board!  It feels so good to try new physical challenges.

We explored one of the islands with the kids. Hiking, exploring, walking on the rock ledges in the water--I am so happy to have confidence now being adventurous, to no longer fear "making a fool of myself."  It is OK to fall down!  When obese, I felt I had to do everything well, so I did not do things for fear of failure.

These last two photos are actually from April, when we went on some great hikes in and around Arches National Park.  The day we hiked to Delicate Arch, the wind was so strong that the grit from the sandstone exfoliated your skin.  :-)

I have spent too many years keeping myself out--not just from the physical difficulty, but from the fear of it being too much.  That fear was making non-participation a habit.  And I was missing out on so many things.

Eating right can be hard.  But I want to remember these NSVs, and the joy I have felt doing them, feeling free and capable, and smiling ear to ear.  So in love with the earth, so in love with moving, so appreciative of my surgery and the renewal I feel. 

These are beautiful NSVs-- I think mainly because they show how your life has changed! Thanks for sharing. 

Thanks for looking and reading!  I want to remember how my life has changed.  That is why I keep coming back to this OH community!  

I'm in love with this post! This is an amazing reminder of how we can all make choices to sit on the side lines and watch life go by OR get out there and LIVE !!!! I'm so proud of you !

Thank you.  It is so easy to get into the habit of sitting out, even if it was not intentional to beginning with.  I do not want to sit out anymore, and have to remind myself of that every day.

I read your words, gazed at your photos, looked up where in the heck all those places are, then ended with wondering why raising kids and obesity happens so easily for some of us moms and not for others.  Do we have common genes or is it common personalities?  Could it be we care too much for others and too little for ourselves?  You are making up for lost time and helping inspire us to stay on track.  Thank You, Pokemom.

I have wondered about that too.  Does extra weight and care taking have a correlation?  I wonder.  I know many caring people who are not overweight of course.  In any case, for those of us who do struggle with weight, I think it is easy to fall into the mindset that we only matter if we serve others--that we in and of ourselves are "not worthy."  If we have a chronic condition, we have to make managing that a priority in order to have the ability to care for others.  Like putting on the oxygen mask first in the airplane.  This is so hard.  I am not good at honoring my own needs.  Culturally, that is hard for women and mothers.  And I do believe that true greatness lies in helping and honoring our connections to others.  But I have to help myself in order to help others.  Hard.  But I am working on it, on finding the right balance there.

i am so glad you looked up all those places!  I grew up in Utah, and although I always thought I would settle somewhere else, (adventure away!),  I have ended up here, and now appreciate how much adventure is in my part of the world.  We live in the greener, mountainous area of the state--the high desert-- and the truly amazing red rock parks are within 4-5 hours of home.  My 18 yr old son has really gotten into canyoneering, where you rappel down the slot canyons on ropes.  (Like, 50-100 foot drops!). He has done some guiding, and it has been a fun thing to connect to canyoneering through him.  (The mountain lake is in McCall ID.  Look that place up too.)

We often do fall or spring break in Southern Utah because of money.  It is within driving range, so it is less expensive.  Sometimes our kids say, "all we do on iur vacations is look at ROCKS!"  We tell them that people from all over the world spend thousands of dollars to come see these red rocks.  One day, I hope, they will fully appreciate that.  

I think there is something to that. I have struggled with weight throughout my whole life, but definitely gained weight once I had kids. And had lots 50 pounds or so then my Mom had cancer and I gained every pound back and more while I was caring for her that last year of her life.  Rocks are amazing!!! It is a running joke with my kids because I said that throughout our 2 month camping trip one year.  I kept saying, "Look at those rocks.  They are so cool...so amazing."  They still tease me about it.  Although now they sort of get it and agree.  I want to go back through all of Utah again, but there are so many other places I want to visit.  Work sure gets in the way.  

That is a good analogy about the oxygen mask and taking care of ourselves first so we can help others. We all need to remember that.

Wow that whole trip looks so worth the journey to get there !  You look so happy

I do feel so much more happiness now, able to do more of what brings me joy. Thanks for reading!