31 THINGS | DAY TWENTY-FIVE

Outside

I grew up outside.

My brothers and I were always playing on the swing set, in the field, shooting BB guns, building sand castles at the Oregon Coast, pulling weeds, feeding animals, being chased by animals, building forts, going camping in the National Forest, going trot fishing in the Clackamas River, Snowboarding down Mt. Hood, foraging for river clovers, biking to McIver park, we had picnics in the Gorge, playing basketball and baseball at the park and sooo much more.

I knew that land. I knew the outdoors

I’m raising children in the Midwest now. The outdoors are different here. Here when I am outside I sneeze. Here in the outdoors you get ticks.
I am learning this land. I am learning the outdoors here.
My sons, husband and I play on the playground, run in the corn fields, shoot BB guns, pull weeds sometimes confused with plants, we go camping, we go cat fishing, we go sledding down ‘hills’, we go mushroom hunting, we play t-ball at the park. We are teaching our children to appreciate the hunting and game that is outdoors.

I love that I am able to learn the outdoors with our children.

The outdoors here is much different than back home. Sometimes it’s so hot you can’t breathe. Sometimes all you wish is for the rain so that you can go play outside. Sometimes you can’t stop hoping that the snow will stop.

We’re raising our children to grow up outside.