Oh, Glorious Spring

Spring is such a happy time of year.  As temperatures rise, the earth stirs and begins to wake from months of peaceful dreaming.  New life abounds.  And children are ready to spend endless hours with mother nature.

Sometimes it is hard for my family to experience the seasons to their fullest.  It's hard to explore nature and love all it has to offer when one member of the family is unable to spend more than minutes in temperatures above 75.

Our family has become a bit creative when in comes to spending time outdoors.  Early spring and late fall are both perfect times of year to get out and about with modest temperatures.

Here are some Ways My Family Celebrates the Arrival of Spring:

• yard work... clearing and weeding beds, mowing the lawn again, designing garden nooks and crannies.  This year Little J wanted his own garden.  With my help, J was able to plant 4 daisy plants in a reused shallow pot.  The flowers look fantastic on my front porch and make an inviting display when we have visitors.  The benefit of this small container garden is that it will require little maintenance and J can do the work outside with the porch light on when the temperatures begin to rise.
• woodland walks... strolling through a secluded woodsy area has become a favorite pastime for my boys.  We load up the camera, our Nature Bags, and some water for the adventure.  The best times to walk are early morning or late afternoon.  The sun is not as high in the sky.  The temperatures are moderate.  And the trees provide protections from the heat that still remains.  If you decide to venture into undisturbed woods, do be careful.  You never know what could be lurking about. 
• tending to the gardens... weeding, watering , and gathering... We usually do this in the early morning or late afternoon as well.  If it is a bit too warm for our youngest, he gets to have extra fun because we wet his clothes down completely before we begin.  This acts as artificial sweat and cools the body when there is a breeze.
• biking... This is something I would like us to do as a family.  I think after dinner would be the perfect time to take a family bike ride in the evenings.  That is as long as I can make it.  The roads in our neighborhood are hilly.  You are constantly going up and down which means you need to shift gears on the bike alot.  I'm not the best bike rider or as fit as I would like.  I am hoping if we incorporate this into a nightly routine it will have multiple benefits: improving the health of my entire family, providing wonderful memories for my boys, & start a healthy habit that will hopefully remain with my boys for the rest of their lives.
• visiting local sites... Places to consider: local famers' markets, natural caverns, public trails, public gardens, pick your own farms, dog parks, zoos, animal rescues, etc.  Research the kind of places available in your area.  You could make visiting these local sites a monthly tradition.
• local events... Here in Central Texas there is always a local festival or music event available.  Spring is the perfect time to choose a few of these events and get the family out in the community.  Be sure to read reviews and to know what kind of event you are actually attending.  I know in our town there is at least one event known as Eeyore's Birthday that is not kind friendly in the least... tons of nudity and drinking.  Though I am not opposed to either,  I think that I would get more questions than I would like to answer on a family outing. 

What are some ways you celebrate spring?

What are some of your family plans for this coming season?