I'm not going to lie, it's usually easier to stay home. But somewhere in the chaos of packing up the car with all the gear, snacks for days and extra clothes (because you know something will happen to the ones they're wearing), long drives with inevitable whining, and the slivers of peace and awe and beauty of experiencing the outdoors together...well, that's where life happens.

The Weekends Are For Adventures

One of the most meaningful values we've made a priority for raising our little family is experiencing adventures together, big and small. For us, that often means outdoor adventures (biking, hiking, fishing, skiing, swimming, paddle-boarding, or just simple walks to the park) and taking advantage of all of the beauty and opportunity that Colorado has in spades.

Someone recently told me that all you need is 30 seconds of bravery to do anything. Well, not to do the thing in its entirety, but to be brave enough to start, to move, to lift your head/voice/heart to a place of action. I love that thought. That's how I feel sometimes about getting outside with small children. By far, the hardest part is typically just being brave enough to make the choice to go, and then mobilizing to actually get out the door.

After you get out the door though, I find that it's almost always worth it. Kids are in their element in the outdoors; their curiosity is sparked, there is so much to explore, and there is space to run, jump, and climb. I believe spending time outdoors fosters some wonderful qualities in kids, including flexibility, resilience, and an appreciation for our natural environment. It's also a great way to form connections with the people you are with, which I hope will continue to help us grow strong bonds as a family.

Is It Spring Yet?

Crazy enough, since we just had a bomb cyclone roll through Colorado last week, resulting in a foot of snow on the ground and three days off from school (because of resulting power outages), the previous weekend was 60 degrees and sunny. We decided to head out to Chatfield State Park, which is only 30 minutes from us, but the scenery feels like we are much farther from home, with its expansive wide open views of the mountains and huge reservoir (still frozen over at this point). We rode our bikes (the little one is still pulled in a trailer, but we bring along her Strider bike so she can "ride" too, when we get to our destination). We found a playground, my husband and son fished (we found an adjacent Audubon Center, that had perfect little fishing ponds), and I took the little one exploring with my camera in hand.

"Yes Day"

I first heard about the term "Yes Day" from a Click Photo School breakout by Maggie Fuller called Permission to Play, which I highly recommend if you're a parent looking to both take better photos and simultaneously have more fun with your kids. Maybe it's not a full day, but a Yes Day (or hour) is all about giving kids space to truly make the choices sometimes, and for them to be given permission to live in a space of having fun, being silly, and getting messy. I feel like Yes Days should really transcend childhood...after all, we all need time to frolic in the grass, eat all the ice cream, or laugh with a friend until our sides hurt.

When we were getting ready to leave after spending this particular day fishing, biking, and exploring, our daughter found a giant muddy puddle in the parking lot. She did happen to have her rain boots on, and in our family, rain boots typically mean you are allowed to splash in puddles (within reason). Spur of the moment, I decided to give her some Yes Time, and said, go for it (even though this particular puddle was super muddy and very deep)!

Tentative splashing turned into full-blown running through the water and getting completely soaked with muddy water. Five minutes in my husband and son joined us, and my son was thrilled by what he saw. It was a Yes Day! He joined right in, and got equally covered with mud. Complete hog heaven. When it was time to head home, we had to strip their clothes off and they got to ride home in their carseat in their underwear (which they thought was hilarious). Remember those extra clothes you should always pack? Yeah, we forgot them. Regardless, I love the memories and the photos of the pure childhood joy they got to experience that day, and I don't think they will forget that big muddy puddle anytime soon.

What are your favorite family adventures? I'd love to hear from you if you have outings your family loves, especially if they might be more unexpected. If there is anything you're curious about, or would find useful in my next posts, just let me know!