The first of many!

So, soon after the lst post about the February blues...that began in January... We decided to do what ever it takes to get out and enjoy the warm days.




Its so strange around Calgary this time of year, because we get a lot of warm days, but its so hard to get out enjoy them - but I feel a little shift has begun, helping us live in a new way - a way that involves the outdoors, even in winter.




It all started with Mark suggesting we buy our gear for the summer camping trip now. So that we can start planning, and getting excited.




Then I thought - hey! Why wait till summer? So what if we are inexperienced and poorly equipped... we can start small! We've had the tent up in the basement for the week - playing in there, trying out the sleeping bags and the new mattresses. And we've been planning and getting set up for our first expedition - a trip to "Big Hill Springs Provincial Park." A full-on day hike, complete with a back-packers stove for hot chocolate, all the special gear to make it comfortable, and cameras to record it. We planned all week for today's excursion.




And we learned some - (like hiking boots would really help with the sheet of vertical ice on the decent when you have a baby on your back!) and that sitting on a sunny rock painting for hours may not be in order when you have a baby and two year old with you...but hey! WE DID IT! I'd love to hear from others about getting into the outdoors with kids and babies...I wish I could find a local forum or something...As I'd love to share some of the things we're learning, and know what others do.




Hot chocolate in the woods. There's not much I can think of that's as good.