opting to be outside
This Mother’s Day weekend I am thrilled to partner with Athleta to promote getting outside, being active, and soaking up time with family. This post is sponsored by Athleta.
Growing up my house backed up to a beautiful 40 acre park full of trails, wildlife, and a few random old structures we made stories up about as kids. My parents still live in the same house and we take our kids there to hike pretty often. It is one of my favorite places in our town – partially because of its beauty and a whole lot because of the memories.
Over 100 years ago the park was a main source of water for our town. The water from the spring nestled in the center of the park was pumped to City Hall. During the Depression the city used the land to grow Christmas trees that were sold in town. Eventually the town grew, other water sources were secured, and the area became a nature park.
I know every trail and could tell you stories about things I did growing up on each one. From running the paths as a kid to playing hide-n-seek in the dark as a teenager – I grew up in this park.
There is a creek that runs through the middle, but it is away from a trail. You have to leave the path to get to it. One Christmas as a kid I was hiking with my uncle and grandpa. They decided to take a short cut and try to cross the ice covered creek. Despite my strong warnings that it was a bad idea – no one listened to me and we crossed. I was dropped in that icy creek. I remember climbing out and demanding they all listen to me and follow my lead back home. I’m pretty sure I stomped all the way back to my house! I was more mad about no one listening to me when I knew I was right than I was about being dropped in the creek!
One of my first dates with Chris also involved hiking around the park. Before I knew it I was the parent taking my kids to the park. I was the mom throwing birthday parties in the little covered areas. I was the mom packing the snacks and the bug spray and the bikes.
A few years ago I took one of those tests that tells you what you are good at – I am good at exploring, being active, and being alone. Chris told me those are not necessarily skills, but I disagree! Exploring and being outside are on the top of my list for favorite ways to spend time. If you add my kids to the mix, it is pretty hard for me to be in a bad mood.
Each year we try to spend Mother’s Day weekend outside – camping, hiking, riding bikes, or exploring somewhere new. Selfishly, I want to be active and I want to be outside. However, I also know those are things I want to instill in my kids. I want them to see me active, to watch me riding down steep hills, and to laugh as I chase them up a ravine. I know I feel better – physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually – when I living an active lifestyle. I want that for them too. The best part is we can do it all together.
You can’t see it in the picture below, but there is a pretty steep hill in front of us. I remember when I first rode down it as a kid. It is kind of like a rite of passage in our family. My youngest daughter decided this was her day to tackle it. Right after this picture was shot, she took off down the hill. Her nervous grin turned into the biggest smile of achievement. It was awesome.
The combination of being outside and being active is my favorite way to spend a day – especially Mother’s Day. When they think of me, I hope they think of my love for being in nature, for going on adventures, for being active, and for always wanting to do those things with them.
If you are local, I highly recommend checking out Ray Harrel Nature Park. It isn’t a huge park, so you don’t need all day (or even half a day). Nearby is a middle school and an elementary school – the ones I went to as a kid! Pack a lunch and a nature journal if you keep one.
If you are looking for durable, versatile, and CUTE athletic clothes, click here to view the Athleta products featured in this post. We are huge Athleta fans around here!
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