Is painting the same as running?

Let's see...I'm tired, sweaty, smelly, slightly sun-burned and ready for bed by 9:00.  Yep, painting sounds a lot like running!

So, maybe I shouldn't feel so guilty about taking a break from running, while I am consumed with summer projects around the house.  And, maybe there's no need to join an expensive gym or embark on a complicated exercise schedule when there are hundreds of chores to do right here at home.  Just be sure that when you're doing everyday tasks, you're performing them with conviction... you know, with some real vim and vigor!

Here is a list of chores and the corresponding calories you can burn by doing about 30 minutes of activity:

Making the bed:  94 calories

Washing the dishes: 144 Calories

Vacuuming: 196 Calories (How many people actually move the furniture?  I'm curious.) 

Raking the lawn: 206 Calories

Grocery shopping (and my personal favorite chore): 190 calories (Unless you're at Costco, eating samples the entire time!).

Here's my husband showing some serious vim and vigor...and no shame!

Have a great week doing whatever you do to burn calories.

This first-time gardener is too easily impressed.

Our family started our first vegetable garden this year and although the spring started out cold and wet and nothing seemed to want to grow, after just a few days of summer sunshine and warmer temps our garden burst into life!

This is Faith's sugar pie pumpkin plant.  Yep, that is just one plant! 

Do you know what plant this flower blooms from?  An eggplant!

Yellow summer squash!

My kids love beets.  I know, they're weird!

Faith's carrots.

Kids eat more vegetables when they grow them! Try it.  Oh yeah, and my daughter says her favorite chore is weeding!

The jury is still out on the Topsy Turvy tomato planter.  My poor plant spends all it's time trying to be upright.

I planted this tomato plant at the same time as the Topsy Turvy.  He seems happier, don't you think?

Almost knee-high by the 13th of July? Hummm....

Green beans!

Baby fennel is so cute!  I have no idea what I'll do with it when it grows up. 

Did you know that chives deter aphids?  I planted several plants in my rose garden.  Plus, they are great on baked potatoes and come back year after year!

What's your favorite vegetable to grow?  I'm already planning for next year...