We have a new PE program.

Because we are kind of a nerd-bookish family, we have a hard time getting enough exercise. When given the choice, everybody picks reading a book over just about anything else.

Last Christmas, I tried to break this trend by buying a gym membership for myself and my two oldest girls. That didn't work out so well. My older girls have a 6 am scripture study class on most week days, so we couldn't leave for the gym until after 7 am. This meant that we didn't get home until 8 am or later and then with showers and breakfast, the kids didn't get to school work until after 9 am.

It was also bad for me. It was hard to get the younger ones started, especially our son's therapy routine. I found that if I didn't do his therapy first thing, it just didn't happen.

Going to the gym in the middle of the day or afternoon doesn't work well for me. As a diabetic, exercise in the middle of the day can drop my blood sugar levels very quickly. However, if I exercise in the morning, I don't have the issue. The girls didn't like the afternoon much either. I could only take one older girl at a time because the other was needed at home to be with the younger children while I was gone. That made it hard for the one at home to get any school work done while keeping the younger kids out of trouble.

So, this is our solution: We bought a gently used NordicTrack Audiostrider 990 Pro Elliptical. A friend moved from a house into an apartment as part of a job relocation and didn't have room for it in their smaller home.

Thus far it has been a big hit. I've worked out for the first time in months. Every one in the family has used it but Baby Bop.

When not in use, it can be folded up to take less space and to make it less attractive to climb on for the little guy.