My little one woke early so she was pretty tired and mostly observed from the stroller. My oldest cruised the whole time on her bike. Some places were still a bit icy where the shadow of trees hadn't melted it away but really that just added to the adventure. My preschooler really enjoyed trying to ride on the ice. And we all got to take in the beauty of Canadian Geese, Mallard Ducks, assorted other small wildlife, and even saw two trains up close!
It was a so refreshing to be outside. Usually in the winter I am snuggled up in layers avoiding going out. I'm still not a fan of being cold but I made a mental commitment this year to see if getting outside more in the winter would also help the seasonal affective disorder. It really does seem to make a big difference! There is always a nice warm home to come back to, thankfully, to thaw in later.
What elevates your mood? What invigorates you? What motivates you to try something new or do something you normally wouldn't?
I'm grateful to get outside today. I'm grateful to be keeping my commitment to get outdoors this winter. I'm grateful my girls love being outside and the cold doesn't seem to bother them. I'm grateful for warm hats and coats. I'm grateful for a cute knitted hat. I'm grateful for a warm fuzzy blanket now that I am back inside. I'm grateful for strollers that allow tired little ones to cruise along and keep up. I'm equally grateful to slow down a bit when they want to walk and participate more fully. I'm grateful and proud for how well my preschooler is doing with her bike. I'm grateful for the multitude of questions she can come up with that make me slow down and really see things I otherwise would have missed. I'm grateful for so many beautiful parks to choose from in our area. I'm grateful for some that even have some flatter trails for beginner bikers. I'm grateful for the fresh air and feeling the coolness as it went into my lungs. I'm grateful to watch my breath as it curled and floated back out into the world. I'm grateful for these beautiful little moments.
May today be the breath of fresh air we needed. May we choose to push ourselves to grow and love each minute of the process. Have a beautiful day!