Share Your Outdoors

My memories of childhood involve building sandcastles on the beach, swimming in the sea, climbing trees, rolling down grassy slopes and being outdoors.  My childhood was before the days of laptops and tablets, when kids TV was only on for a short while each day and when playing 'out' on the street was the normal.

My children are growing up in a different time - technology is everywhere, staying indoors is becoming more fun and too many things are considered too dangerous for them.  We still love getting out though, exploring our environment, discovering nature in all its glory.

This is what our outdoors looks like . . .

Being outdoors means fresh air, dirty fingernails, scuffed knees, windswept hair, worn out children, blue skies and feeling good.  Our go-to spot is always the beach - it is only a short walk from our house and the possibilities are endless.  We never get fed up of going, we never get bored and there is something so healing about watching the tide

We have a harbour down at our local beach and it is the perfect spot to sit and watch.  The water lies more still, the boats all line up and there is so much to take in.  We sit outside and eat our ice cream discussing which boat we would like and why and we love to watch the world go by.

There is nothing quite like the freedom of exploring the woods - there are insects to discover, log piles to navigate and trees to climb on.  There is always something new to discover and their imaginations run wild.

The Aspinall Foundation are asking bloggers to #ShareYourOutdoors for a chance to win some amazing prizes and I nominate Victoria (VeViVos), Hayley (Sparkles and Stretchmarks ), Sushi (Beach, Walk, Muse), Kara (innocent Charms Chats) and Jennie (Edspire) to take part.  You can win an overnight stay at Pinewood Shepherds Hut including dinner and breakfast!

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Forget the routine

Our lives are mostly ruled by routine.  Our mornings are spent between a variety of playgroups and the odd morning at the beach.  We come home for a picnic lunch on the living room  floor and then nap time for the littlies and a bit of work (or a nap) for me.  Our afternoons are about play dates and trips to the park and dinner is followed by a bath (sometimes), book and bed.  

Every now and again, we break the routine, and these days are the most exciting.  We woke up yesterday with plans for playgroup, but blew them off for a train ride into the city, armed with a bag of stale bread, plenty of sunscreen and a camera.

It took twice as long to get to the train station as we stopped to sniff flowers, entertain Archie and let Dylan walk along every wall he could manage.  A quick train ride into the city and a short walk to the beautiful gardens that run along the river.  We fed the ducks with our slices of bread, taking it in turns to throw chunks in, watching the ducks swim towards us, huddling in anticipation.

When our bread ran out, we went on adventures, through 'the deep, dark woods' (can you guess which book we have been reading recently?) and into 'the jungle'.  Dylan loved exploring the different areas and finding flowers hidden in the bushes.  Archie loved the pine cones - mostly throwing them to be honest.  

They ended up muddy, with leaves in their pockets and smiles on their faces (and they took a lovely long nap together in the double buggy whilst I shopped!).  Our day carried on with babyccinos and gingerbread men in the cafe and a wander round the town before meeting Daddy from work to travel home together.

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Our Little Garden

We are lucky to have an outdoor space and whilst it isn't ideal for a young family, we are making it our own.  It is on three levels and mostly paved or concrete but there is a border that was full of overgrown weeds when we moved in.   This summer is the first that both boys will be walking and playing and we are looking forward to spending as much as possible of it outdoors.

With a little a lot of help from my lovely Dad, we cleared all the weeds leaving two trees and lots of soil and the lovely folks over at Plant Me Now offered us something to brighten it up as part of their project to #GetKidsGardening.  I sat down with the boys to take a look at their summer bedding collection and allowed Dylan full control of plant ordering.  He went for a theme of blue, white and yellow and seemed very insistent that all the flowers should be in these colours!

I have no admit to having never really done any gardening before, but I managed (with a little help), to plant our collection of flowers in the garden.  The boys loved getting involved, and whilst Archie mostly wanted to pull the plants back out of the ground, Dylan loved pulling them out of the plant pots and helping dig the holes.  We had treated him to a new watering can so he was on hand to make sure all the plants were well fed.

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Playing Outdoors with Megablocks

I have noticed a direct correlation between how much of the day my children spend outdoors, and how well they sleep.  They are boys who love to be outside, who thrive on freedom, space and fresh air.  From the moment they wake up in the morning, Dylan is asking me where we are going, and Archie is making a pile of shoes at my feet in, letting me know in his not-so-subtle way that he is ready to get out.

Megabloks sent us some of their outdoor toys to help us get out to play and they were a huge hit with the boys.  I hadn't realised that the Megabloks range went further than the blocks we know and love, but their ride ons and trucks helped us take the toys outdoors and we have been having lots of fun in the garden.

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Little Explorers

We are a family who loves to be outdoors, from festival loving parents, to the little boy who could have a picnic everyday of the year, to the baby who spends all morning bringing me random shoes until I finally take him outside.  We love exploring and we love adventure.

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The Very First Picnic of the Year

He refuses to keep either socks or shoes on, and any exposed skin looks grubby, covered in a thin layer of mud.  He crawls, cruises and explores every surface, touching everything he sees.  He is inquisitive, adventurous and determined and he is loving the weather getting warmer and the excuse to spend as much time as possible outside.

Archie is in his element in the park, and although he isn't quite walking yet, he loves the freedom when I let him explore his own way.  The warm weather meant we spent the first of many long days at the park, and the picnic blanket made its way out of the cupboard for the first time in months.

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The Smart Trike 4 in 1

Archie was sent one of the new Smart Trike 4 in 1s to try out and he has been having a great time exploring from a different level.  Whilst a pushchair may be snuggly and warm, the view is restricted and my nosy little man loved the change when we take him out on his new SmarTrike.  He could suddenly see everything and he delighted in the fact.

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A Mile in Memory of Matilda Mae

This weekend we visited the Rare Breeds Centre in Kent to join in on a sponsored walk in memory of a beautiful little girl, Matilda Mae who was found sleeping at only 9 months old.

We Joined Matilda's family and friends to walk a mile in memory through the beautiful bluebell lined paths around the park and it was wonderful to see so many people come together to celebrate a life.  We helped raise money for the Lullaby trust who provide support for families affected by cot death.

Dylan walked with Grandma and Grandpa

The rain held off and after our mile, we blew bubbles up to Matilda.  We met the animals on the farms, we played in the park and we enjoyed a family day out. The only thing missing was Matilda Mae.

If you would like to donate, you can do so on  Matilda Mae's just giving page 

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A Beautiful Place to Be

There are of course, certain things I would change about where I live, but there is so much that I just wouldn't have any other way and  I have ended up settling down only 5 miles from the house I grew up in.  My family are close and I still see friends from both primary and secondary school.  I know the area like the back of my hand and there are some really beautiful parts.

My little town alone has numerous parks, three children's centres and a beautiful sandy beach.  We have shops, cafes and restauraunts and are surrounded by people we love.  As spring appears to finally have arrived, we have been enjoying staying exactly where we are and making the most of our town.

This weekend has seen a fair arrive to the green on the cliff top and we went exploring as a family.  Dylan loved the merry-go-round and fishing for ducks and Archie. . . well Archie had a lovely nap in the sling!

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Spring

The start of spring brings new life, new colours and the return of my beloved flip flops.  With the weather finally warming up though, I have been remembering all the things I love about this new season:

Washing drying on the line.  There is something really satisfying about a line of clean washing drying in the breeze and it always smells so fresh and feels so soft.

Not wearing a coat! After picking out outfits all winter and then hiding them under a coat it is nice to have a bit more freedom and a lot less bulk finally.

Walks along the Prom.  Living so close to the sea, spring gives us the perfect excuse to stretch our legs as we can go for long strolls along the sea front with an ice cream as a reward when we get to the end.

Messy play in the garden.  I may not be the most house proud, but I am not confident getting messy inside, so with a bit less chill in the air, we can go outdoors for painting and getting dirty and I am much less worried!

Eating Al Fresco.  There is something about eating outdoors that makes me pick healthier options and this can only be a good thing! There is nothing quite like sitting outdoors and enjoying a lovely meal with a beautiful view.

Getting my flip flops back out.  I love being barefoot and the next best thing is simple sandals.  As soon as the risk of frostbite has gone, I am in my flip flops and the boots don't come back out until I really have no choice!

Painting my toenails.  With the return of sandals, comes the nail varnish.  I love painting my toenails in every shade of bright and showing them off.

Fresh flowers. Suddenly gardens and parks are awash with colour and it can't help but brighten my day to see the flowers blossoming.  Dylan is already getting excited when he spots a daffodil so I can't wait for more to bloom.

Not spending a Penny. With the beach within walking distance of my house, we don't need to spend any money to have a lovely day out and Dylan is entertained for hours with a bucket and spade and somewhere to run around!

The light. Earlier mornings and later evenings mean there is so much more natural light and this makes taking a good picture much easier. I rely on my smart phone for a camera and so sunlight is definitely my friend.

Picnics in the park. As a breastfeeding mummy,  there is only so long I can spend in the park when it is chilly but with the spring sunshine we can spend all day outside.



 It may not be as warm as I would like yet, but spring is definitely on the way, and I can't wait!  What do you love about spring?

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The Start of Spring

After rain, snow, wind and more snow, we finally appear to be getting some of the spring sunshine we have been waiting for.  Saturday was the first time I wasn't worried about packing extra blankets in the pushchair and we took a short journey on the train to a local town, Whitstable to explore.

Whitstable is a beautiful town with lots of quirky little stores selling all sorts of beautiful things, from vintage clothing to tea sets and gorgeous baby bits that I really wanted to buy. Luckily as they are all old buildings my double pushchair was a challenge to get inside, so my pennies remained (mostly) safe. 

 After a lovely lunch, we took the boys for a stroll and enjoyed our first dose of sunshine this year. Whitstable has a lovely pebble beach which we are not used to as our closest beaches are sand but Dylan loved looking at all the rocks and stones as he explored. He ran around in his new Superman top (complete with cape!) and made friends with every parent, child and dog in sight.

Superman!

It certainly wasn't warm but with no breeze and bright sunshine it wasn't too cold and we took a stroll along the sea front, admiring the boats and little cafes selling fresh oysters and seafood.  Archie was unusually settled in the Bugaboo, and Dylan was his usual excitable self, running around with squeals of excitement at everything he saw.

Anyone for Oysters?

A lovely coffee with friends and we got home just in time to put two rather exhausted little boys to bed! I am really hoping this weather sticks around as it is lovely being able to spend more time outside without worrying about frozen fingers and hundreds of layers!

Welcome Spring!

 

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