I was able to coax my littlest guy into a jog stroller recently so I could walk the hilly streets in my neighborhood, but I'm not always so lucky. Usually, he bucks the system and refuses to tag along. He and his brother don't love the gym childcare center either. And when I hop on my treadmill at home, it's like an invitation for my guys to start making demands -- they want snacks, want to play a game, need help with something or other -- and if they're not making demands, they're fighting, which isn't too conducive to focusing on exercise. Needless to say, kids and exercise are not always compatible in my house, unless I find a way to combine the two without being so obvious about it. The other day, I found a way.

We were all playing in the back yard when it hit me. My back yard is perfect. It's big, it's fenced, and my kids are completely content in their little slice of nature. Just then, I started squatting. So did Joey, my seven-year-old. Then I did some lunges. I started mid-yard and worked my way all the way to the fence and back. Joey led the way, knocking out his lunges with a speed I've never known. Then I did some leg lifts and used our sliding glass door as a mirror -- I could see my reflection clearly and watched my form the whole time. I'd lost Joey as a workout partner by this time -- he transitioned into a Spiderman game -- but I kept at my workout until my legs felt like Jell-O. The next day, I felt every move I'd made.

Now that I've given this back yard thing some thought, I realize I can do some BOSU work out there too. I can hook my resistance bands to the swing set, lift my light little weights out yonder, even run mini-laps in the grass -- all while my kids romp around in the great outdoors. If I feel an extra jolt of energy, I can join in the Spiderman games too.