The Ordinary Moments // A Snow Day

It isn't really all that ordinary for us to get snow.  We live on the Kent coast and I don't know if it is something about the salt in the air, our location or the fact our area seems to have its own little microclimate, but we see snow only every few years down here.  When I saw it was forecast for today I was reluctant to believe it, thinking we would get the usual rain whilst the rest of the country was covered in snow, but I was woken up to the sound of children squealing in delight as they opened the curtain with the same excitement of Christmas morning. 

We layered up in our winter warmest, put on snow boots, mittens and hats and headed to the park with a sledge we borrowed.  The snow was still falling and it was the coldest weather we have had all winter but it was glorious to have something different.  In a winter that has felt so monotonous, having something new and novel is exactly what we all needed.  Groundhog day paused for a while whilst we ventured out into the white world and threw snowballs at each other, built tiny snowmen that barely reached Cora's knees and left footprints that stayed behind us.  

We are exhausted after the excitement of something different, the children have rosy cheeks and don't seem able to fill their bellies up and I am desperately hoping it all transfers into a good night's sleep!

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The Ordinary Moments - At the Park

I have fallen behind a bit in documenting our lives on here, sharing the photos I take and those moments I want to look back on.  Instagram is so easy to use but one picture never seems enough and I love taking my camera out and taking some proper photographs.  I want to start sharing a post each week (possibly each fortnight) with more photos, more ordinary moments again. 

This series is from a Sunday walk to the park after a lazy morning watching TV and snuggling under blankets.  These two needed a walk and were desperate to test out their new (gifted) Reima boots which are both waterproof and machine washable (a very good thing as these are messy children!).  They insisted they didn't need proper coats and they wanted to match again (both are wearing all Little Green Radicals clothing, some gifted, some bought), their favourite thing at the moment.  We live so close to the park that it is easy to pop over to and it really helps wake me up when I am feeling lazy and wears them out.  The wooden obstacle course has finally been reopened after a few weeks being out of action and they are both getting so confident hopping along the stepping stones and walking along the balance beams.  

The sun was getting low in the sky even though it wasn't even 3pm when we arrived and the sun shone through the park keeping us a bit warmer.  The park was empty most of the time we were in there, other children probably doing nice warm festive things but for us it felt the perfect balance to the indoor activities and Christmas fun.  We had already opened advent calenders and written cards that morning and now they needed to run off some of the energy. The day felt much more balanced and there were lots of giggles.

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5 Ways to Play Outdoors in Winter

As the days get colder and the daylight hours shorter, it becomes more and more tempting to stay indoors but this is the time when my children need to be outdoors more than ever.  The crisp fresh air helps wear them out and the change in season gives them something new to explore and discover.  I strongly believe that there is no such thing as the wrong weather, there is just the wrong clothing so the best place to start is with your winter gear.

Either waterproof trousers and a waterproof jacket or an all in one is vital, along with good quality boots, a hat, scarf and gloves.  We also have ski trousers and jackets for when it gets really cold.  Merino wool makes a great base layer and you can get great value products from places like Mountain Warerhouse or invest in great quality like Reima.  Fleece is an ideal mid-layer and combining it all means no matter how cold or wet it may be, no adventure is off limits.

Here are some of our favourite ways to play outdoors over the Autumn and Winter

Outdoor Playgroups / Forest Schools

In some Scandinavian countries, children attend outdoor schools all year round and they build resilience as well as developing knowledge of the world.  Most areas have local outdoor playgroups or forest schools for preschoolers and we love visiting one nearby to us where the little ones can explore in a safe environment.  With mud kitchens, wooden climbing frames, mud pits for digging and all sorts it brings the games and toys most children are familiar with into a different environment.

Searching for Gruffalos in the Woods

It doesn't have to be a Gruffalo, you could play stick men, or go on a bear hunt instead. Bringing story books to life is becoming more popular with story sacks but it is even more exciting outdoors and the cold weather often helps with the stories.  Wet grass is swooshy, wet mud is squishy and everywhere is quieter in the Autumn and Winter too.

Scooting through Puddles

Stomping through muddles is a well known rainy day activity but have you ever tried scooting through them? Make sure everyone is in waterproof trousers and find the best puddles. There is a great one in our local park that fills up as soon as it starts raining and the children love racing through it watching the water spray out to the sides. 

Collecting Craft Materials

Skip the glitter (I think most parents are more than happy to do that) and use nature as your craft materials.  Take out a bucket or basket and collect fallen leaves, twigs, pine cones and anything else that doesn't impact the environment by removing it and use if for painting, crafting and making Christmas tree decorations or spring garlands.

Don't Rule out the Summer Favourites

The beach is certainly not just for summer.  We love building stone towers, throwing rocks into the sea and walking along the built up sand barriers.  We love how quiet it is as the children can explore further from me alone and it still feels safe.

Scavenger Hunt

In the spring we love to do a colour based scavenger hunt and this works just as well in the winter.  Write lists for older kids and draw pictures for younger ones and send them out with baskets to collect their treasures.  Not only does it get them moving outdoors but it is a great way to explore the changing environment and the new colours each season brings to the natural world

I would love to hear your tips for getting kids outdoors in winter

PIN ME!

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An Ordinary Half Term Day

It is half term which means a week off of school and nursery and we have a week full of little plans rather than big ones.  The weather is set to get wetter as it gets on, so we made sure we got outside whilst we could.  It was one of those rare winter days where the sun blinded us as we drove over to a seafront park and it warmer our faces as we explored the ruins of an old castle built right on the cliff top.

The playground next door had a castle theme and the children loved it.  Some of our local ones are a bit of a struggle for Cora's little legs but this one was perfectly designed for children of all ages and I could sit back and relax as they ran around.  The cafe served fresh cake and hot coffee and it felt like half term got off to a great start.

Of course there were tantrums as we had to leave, a child who refused to eat any of his lunch and the day certainly wasn't perfect - it very rarely is, but we had fun and I took a few photos that I wanted to share to look back on.  I know that one day they won't all be so content with a seesaw and roundabout but for now, this is their perfect start to half term.

There they are, my baby girl with a fringe that just won't stay out of her eyes, my toddler boy who goes one way whilst we all go the other, my four year old whose tongue can't help but poke out his mouth when he is concentrating and my big boy who looks so grown up with his two front teeth missing.

It was just an ordinary half term moment, but it was just as worthy of recording as the big moments.

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The End of Winter

Somehow Winter always seems like the longest season.  I know that just like Spring, Summer and Autumn it lasts for three months, but when those months are cold, wet and usually full of snot, it can seem to drag.  Spring is on the horizon and the temperature seems to be picking up already so we have been busy enjoying it.

The beach is my favourite place to go, I love the space, the smell, the freedom, how it soothes my soul.  At this time of year it is pretty much deserted, but it still holds so much beauty, it still captures my children's attention for hours and we still come home with that sand in our socks, glow on our cheeks feeling that makes me think of the summer.  

There are things I love about each season and as Spring begins, I am looking forward to being outdoors more, rediscovering our favourite places, not coming home until dinner time because it is still light, shedding our coats and some of those layers and moving more freely, the beautiful yellows and greens that are suddenly appearing in the parks, bringing my Saltwater sandals back out and painting my toenails pretty colours.  

Winter is ending and I will miss the warmth of walking into a heated house after an outdoor stroll, the excuse to drink hot chocolate with cream and marshmallows every night, snuggling under blankets on the sofa and watching the frost settling on the windows. 

This was the Winter that Cora learned to sit, that she tried her first taste of food.  It was the winter Finn started sleeping better and putting more words together.  It was the Winter that Archie turned 4 and grew tall enough to press the buzzer at preschool.  It was the Winter that Dylan got his confidence in the water and wrote all his own Christmas cards.  I am excited to see what Spring will bring.

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What the Boys Wore // Bogs Wellies

When I was looking for wellies for Finn, Baby Bogs were repeatedly recommended to me so I was excited when we were offered some to try.  Finn has only been walking for a couple of months and he still has the swagger of a toddler so I wanted boots that he would find easy and comfortable to walk in.  The baby bogs are perfect for his little feet, they are so much more than just a welly boot.

These boots are machine washable with a soft fluffy lining.  The 3mm Neo-Tech™ insulation keeps Finn's feet at an optimum temperature and of course they are 100% waterproof.  The insulation and cosy lining makes these perfect winter boots whether there are puddles or not.  Finn has very wide feet and I was worried about the fit but I can get them on easily and he seems comfortable in them.  The handles at the side make them easy for slightly bigger small people to dress themselves and I find them useful to help pull them on.  Finn's have velcro on the back too to get a cosy fit.

He is loving splashing and kicking through puddles and I know he is going to get a lot of wear from these boots this winter!  The boots come in lots of different designs and I love the colours and bears on these ones.

Bogs don't just make baby footwear and the big boys were sent a pair of wellies each as well.  Their boots are lightweight and flexible and perfect for puddle jumping and scooting.  Trying to take a picture of a 3 and 5 year old in wellies proved to be very difficult as they really weren't going to stay still for me!  If you want to look at the designs you would be better looking at the Bogs website, my photos show how much fun you can have in them though. Dylans are blue and Archie's are covered in sharks.   

I am really impressed with the quality of these boots, we are a family that likes to be outdoors whatever the weather so it is important that the children are dressed appropriately.  These boots are designed to be worn for adventures and that is exactly what we intend to have in them.

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It's beginning to look a lot like Winter.

Whether we like it or not, winter is on the way, and we are choosing to embrace it.  I seem to be the only one apprehensive about going out in the rain and wind, and the boys have the attitude that in the right wellies they can go anywhere.  

Whilst we have plenty of bleak days where the rain seems relentless and I would be happy to curl up with some films, we also have glorious days, where the wind is quiet, and the sun even makes an appearance.  We wrap up warm, and we enjoy as much of the day outdoors as we can.  

These photos are from two separate days, a park trip with Archie whilst Dylan was at preschool, where he was actually happy to keep his hat on all morning, and a day out in London with Dylan where he enjoyed running around the Christmas tree in Covent Garden and feeding the reindeer.  On both days the sun shone and we had fun exploring outdoors.

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Buggy Snuggle

With winter on its way, my priority is keeping my beautiful babies warm.  We love to be out an about come snow or sun and so a footmuff is an essential.

I have previously bought the footmuffs that go with our pushchairs but as Dylan has grown, he has grown out of some and we also have a few new pushchairs since last winter, so I have been looking for some universal footmuffs that we can transfer between double and single.  

Buggysnuggle are known for their funky designs and adaptable footmuffs and we were not dissapointed.  I went for the same print but in different colours and I love how they look in the double buggy.

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Simple Pleasures

I can give my toddler all the shiny plastic toys in the world, but at the end of the day, the thing that makes him happiest is the great outdoors.  He has always preferred being outside, since his newborn days and come rain, snow or shine - if he is given a choice, he will be in the garden.

We can spend half an hour in the park enjoying the swings and the slides, and then

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