Outdoor Family

The power of the outdoors is amazing. I recently realized that we rarely just hang out around the house on weeknights or weekends. And not because we don’t love where we live, not bececause we’re overbooked with activities. We choose to leave the house and get outside because everyone’s attitudes are awesome when we’re spending time outside together (and we have a ton of outdoor summer hobbies).

There’s something about being outside that gives the kids a sense of calm and cooperation with each other. 

Last weekend we spent a ton of time outside. By Sunday night, we were perfectly exhausted. We started with a 20 mile bike ride on Friday. Calhoun, Lake Harriet, Minnehaha Creek trail, Minnehaha Falls, Longfellow for dinner, and then the Greenway back to the car. Ryder biked and Logan and Brecken rode in the trailer together.

On Saturday, we were spoiled with some new toys (thank you Nana & Bumpa!!) that gave the boys an opportunity to learn to wakeboard. Logan was the first to volunteer (no surprise) and he got up on his third try! I was shocked and proud of him :) 

Logan’s success gave Ryder the courage to try next. He also got up on his third try and took a couple laps.

Shawn and I got out for the first time in a while, too. I am so used to catering fun for the kids, that it was great to have some fun myself, too :)

We followed this with a handful of flips on the trampoline (again - my and Shawn’s first in a while) and called it a [great] day.

On Sunday, Shawn went out for his 5th longest bike ride ever with Nick (81 miles) and the kids spent a chunk of the afternoon swimming with Autumn at her pool.

Such a fun, active summer weekend!