Outdoor Life Challenge: Week 4 Log

More catching up to do! Last week we still had one sick child, so we weren't operating at our best. I didn't get outside with the kids every day, although they played outside every day.

Monday

We found our very first dandelion of the season! It was on the south side of the house. We decided that was nature journal worthy, so we brought out our supplies and each made our own entry. Funny how such a common little flower can bring so much joy.

Mom's and Arden's journal entries

I think the passing cars may have been wondering what we were doing lying beside the house staring at the ground!

This is Arden's shorthand for dandelion! She was careful to observe and replicate the colour of the stem. 

Jack's entry

We also had our afternoon snack outside!

And dried some winter outdoor clothes on the line, with the hopes that they can be put away for the season. . .

All together: 90 min in the afternoon

Tuesday

No entry!

Wednesday

We were in town in the afternoon, but once we got home we all did some yard work together. That's always fun. :) We even did a bit of garden weeding. Arden was delighted with all the worms she found in her little plot, particularly with a big, fat one that she decided was the grandma of them all!

All together: 60-90 min in the afternoon

Thursday

It rained in the morning, but the kids have been making good use of their MEC rain gear so far this year! I decided last year that if we were going to be spending more time outside "whatever the weather," that we would need the right kind of clothing. The one piece rain suits are great. On chilly days the kids put warm layers underneath. So far, so good! They played outside by themselves in the morning.

By afternoon, the clouds had moved away and things were dryer. While the baby napped, we snuggled together on the front porch swing under some blankets and read a few chapters of Farmer Boy.

All together: 60ish min?

Friday

No entry, and I'm drawing a blank on that day! I keep thinking I'll remember what I did on what day, but if I don't write it down, things get foggy.

Goals

1. Spend a portion of our day together outside

This didn't happen every day this week. However, I went out at least 3/5 days. The times we did spend outside were good.

2. Have a snack or lunch outside

The kids had a few afternoon snacks outside.

3. Nature journaling 

We all made an entry on Monday - the humble dandelion!

4. Make outdoor play our default play

This is slowly progressing. This week Micah got out the baseball bats and we rounded up various balls. The kids spent quite a bit of time with their dad hitting balls in the backyard. I love to see them playing together! With warmer and lighter evenings, the kids will often head back out after supper for awhile.

The weekend was also great for family time outside! Weekends aren't technically part of my challenge, but we're making more of an effort as a family to get out together too. On Sunday, Micah had the older two off for an expedition, and I took Ivy for a walk down to the pond. She is getting used to crawling around on the grass now, but it still spooks her a bit! I'm looking forward to her discovering so much for the very first time this year.

5. Continue my own nature education

I read a little further in "Home Education."

A few random thoughts . . . 

I can't tell you how refreshing and almost healing it is to hear the robin song again. There was one evening in particular where Mr. Robin was singing right outside the dining room window. It must have been about 8:30, because it was almost dark. I opened the window and sat in the dim light and just listened. There were many things competing for my mental attention that night, but the robin song seemed to cut right through all of that. We live in an age of distraction and mental stress. I think God has a way of calling us back to more natural rhythms, if we have ears to hear.


Happy outdoorsing!

~ Lindsey