Summer in my mind equates with good old fashioned mess. Squishy wet beach sand between your toes as you prance along without shoes. The tangy sweet smell of sunscreen on warm, tan skin fresh from the lake. Sticky, gooey and delicious campfire s’mores and burnt marshmallows squashed between your finger tips. Before you head off…
Mini-Adventure: Spontaneous Spray Park Visit
The last few weeks have been tough. Living away from my children makes me miss them everyday. So right now, I live for weekends. On the weekends, there’s nothing else I have to do but play. The weather has turned gorgeous with those hot summer days that we fantasize about all cold winter long. Our…
How To Ditch the Training Wheels
Ditch The Training Wheels Already! Our little secret is that both of our kids have been on their bikes since they were about 18 months. We’ve never used training wheels. Starting from a run bike (aka balance bike), there simply wasn’t a need to. We allowed them both of our kids to find their balance at…
Mini-Adventures: Dining En Plein Air
It’s been a hectic couple of weeks while we pack our house to move. There is very little remaining to do, and the choices for what to play with, what to entertain ourselves with and what to eat grow slim. Thankfully, kids are incredibly adaptable. I think we should all take a lesson from them…
Montessori Monday: 5 Ways To Get Gardening with Toddlers
I’m already starting to plan my garden for 2014! It’s hard to believe that the growing season is almost upon us with all the snow we’ve been having. It’s no secret that I’m big into growing my own food. I sit on the board of the local greenhouse society, I grow edibles in my front garden,…
My Outdoor Roots Were Forged in Guiding (or Why You Should Enroll Your Daughter in Girl Guides)
We all have to start somewhere. For me, my love of camping and being outdoors were forged in tents, and on the shores of Lake Erie. From ages 7 to 16, I attended a Girl Guide summer camp for at least a week. These were not the type of camps we think of…