Fighting Childhood Obesity....One Clean Carpet At a Time

It's true. Clean Carpet = Healthier Kids. Why? you may ask? I'll tell ya. (never one for a SHORT story...) Fathers Day weekend we picked out a new recliner for my man. Elle and I really wanted the leather one, but he chose something else. She was completely confused. Why don't we just get the chair, and surprise him? She did not think that letting him pick it out himself was as fun. And, I have to admit, I like the one we chose better, BUT, it was a gift for HIM. THE NEXT DAY: While he is trying out different chairs and looking at swatches, I am wandering around the store..I had checked out all the recliners the day before. I came across this lovely little "Chair and a Half". Sat myself down, and reclined a bit. I motioned to my friend Teresa to come on over. And yup, we both fit. I have been coveting a "Chair and a Half" every since my other friend Rachel told me how great it was to be able to sit in a comfy recliner, breastfeed her baby and still have room to read to her 2 year old. And guess what? in December that is what I am going to be doing... 90% of my time. By now, my man has chose his chair, swatch color, and has come looking for me. Thinks its a bit ridiculous that two grown women are sitting in the same chair, in a store full of CHAIRS. He then notices that the matching sofa reclines as well, and that both pieces are on SALE! So, then we fall into the whole: "do you want them?" "I don't know, do YOU?" Mind you, this entire time we have our stimulus check just burning a hole in our checkbook. We paid for 3 new pieces of furniture. I then realize there is NO WAY I am going to put my new furniture on our very, very dirty carpet. One short phone call later, I have an appointment for the carpet cleaner. You would not believe how FABULOUS it looks. The carpet has returned to its original splendor. The new furniture looks great, and we all love to sit in it. So much, that all of us have been sleeping in it too. Now that you have suffered through this long story, you may be asking, so what does this have to do with childhood obesity? My children are no longer allowed to eat in the living room. If I was completely shocked at how great the carpet looks, I am even more shocked at how it has cut down on our snacking.


Although, I have to admit, my children are very smart. They have figured out how to get around the no food/drink rule. You just set up a chair in the dining room, (on the hard wood) and turn up the volume on the t.v. They also realize that sitting in the dining room is not as good as sitting on the comfy new couch... But look how cute they are..sharing a chair. That also equates lazy. They'd rather share then set up TWO chairs. Don't give me any crap. We are fighting childhood obesity one rule at a time.