Breathtaking. That's one word to describe Edward Ball Wakulla Springs State Park. Wakulla Springs is a hidden treasure that has a special place in my heart. As much as I like to think of it as a hidden treasure, it is actually a very famous place. If you have ever seen the movies Creature from the Black Lagoon, Tarzan or Airport 77, then you have seen Wakulla Springs. The scenery is so beautiful and majestic that it has lured Hollywood producers and directors to film major movies in the park for years and years. Aside from movies, Wakulla Springs offers swimming, nature trails, boat tours, a lodge and restaurant.

Most days if you were to ask me to describe life at my house, I could sum it up with just a few words.  "My life seems like a circus".  So every spring it is such a treat when I get to leave "my" circus to go to a real circus right here in Tallahassee.

The FSU Flying High Circus is really a treat.  One of only two collegiate circuses in the United States where every performer is a student at the university.  I guess in some ways you might even consider me an FSU Flying High Circus Groupie, since I have been going since I was a little girl.  I remember being 8 or 9 years old and the excitement I felt as we entered the big tent.  During the summers we would go to Callaway Gardens for a week, which is the summer home of the Flying High Circus (where you can still find the Flying High Circus in the summer).  We got to actually be circus performers for a week and hang out with the cool college kids who were performers/camp counselors.  

My nose is running, my throat is a little scratchy and my car is covered in pollen.  Springtime has officially arrived in Tallahassee!  I will take the runny nose, scratchy throat and pollen any day in exchange for springtime in Tallahassee.

Springtime rolls into town every year and takes my breath away (and I don’t mean because of the pollen!).  The weather is amazing.  Warm, sunny days are accompanied by cool breezes that make me never want to go inside (which is evident after the first day or two when my face is burnt from forgetting that even with the cool breeze, you still need sunscreen).  Every where I look there are beautiful flowers in full bloom.  The pink and white azalea bushes blanket the city and the dogwood trees are breathtaking. I wish I could go on and on about the correct names of all the flowers and plants that are in bloom, but I can’t.   Over the years the kids and I have come up with our own names for them.  During the springtime we take long walks and they excitedly point out the gumdrop tree with its purple flowers, the fairy princess plant with its draping greenery and the red dragon, which is a single flower that pops up from the ground in my front yard as if to announce the arrival of spring.  I am a little biased because I love this city, but Tallahassee in the spring is truly one of the most beautiful places to be.<

I am happy to say that I have stuck with my New Year's Resolution to get my family in shape. I would love to say that all six of my children have shared my enthusiasm, but that would be telling a fib. The other day we attempted a bike ride around the neighborhood. It took two hours just to get all of the bikes out of the garage and air in all of the tires. That took longer than the ride around the neighborhood which lasted less than 15 minutes! The older kids rode so fast that by the time the little ones and myself made it up the first small hill, they were already home. It was then that I realized that if we are going to bond while we are getting in shape, than I am going to have to find some things to do that are new for all of us.

Raising children in Florida's Capital City, I would like to say that they know everything about how the government runs.  I would like to tell you that they are well versed in the history of our state and that they know who our state representatives are and what policies they are fighting for.  The reality is that raising six children doesn't always lend itself to finding time for a history lesson, but once a year I can guarantee that you will find us at the Capitol.

We are starting the fourth week of the New Year and I would like to say that I have stuck to my New Year's Resolution of getting in shape, but that would not be true.  There have been days when I have found myself spending most of the afternoon and evening driving kids to and from their work-outs for the day (soccer, basketball, dance, etc) and my opportunities to exercise have vanished.  It is really too bad that pushing a gas pedal doesn't count as a work-out!

This Year, I have a whole list of resolutions.  Of course there are the usual ones, like finally lose the 20 pounds that seems to have permanently taken residency around my waist, eat smart and exercise each day.  The more I thought about the changes I wanted to make for me, I realized that as a family we could use a make-over.  All of us could do with a little more exercise.  My kids play a variety of sports and sometimes while they are at their practices I will walk around the fields for exercise.  But I want this year to be about us taking the time to exercise together.  The first two days we went on a walk around the neighborhood.  Then the boredom set in of doing the same routine.  So this mom set out to find a new place to go to get our exercise together. 
So welcome to the first edition of "A mom and six kids exercise adventures".

When I started this blog, my intention was to let people know about all the many fun things to do in and around Tallahassee during the year.  Since I am a Tallahassee native, I thought I would be a pro because I know everything there is to do around here.  What an exciting journey this has been and so much of it is because I am learning how little I really do know about Tallahassee and how many new things there are for me to experience with my children.

Football in the south is huge.  People here live and breath for the start of fall which means it is the start of football season.  If you are coming to Tallahassee on a football weekend, I can promise you that you will have lots to do!

My oldest daughter is a very gifted artist.  It is fascinating to me to see how amazing her work is when I don't have an artistic bone in my body.  She had heard about these art galleries down at a place called Railroad Square and had been begging me to take her.  I had heard that the first Friday of every month there was something called First Friday Gallery Hop at Railroad Square where all the galleries were opened late, but I was hesitant to go, not sure if it was appropriate for the younger kids.  I had images of dressy people looking at beautiful artwork while my kids ran through the gallery knocking valuable pieces off the wall.  After months of her trying to convince me that it would be fun for all of us, I agreed and we all loaded up to see what the hype was about.