Today was one of those wonderful days when your internet goes down and it becomes time to embark on being in the great outdoors.  My favorite thing right now is eating a picnic lunch in the back of our truck in bean bags, with huge stuffed bears for pillows and a cooler full of la Croix and Honest juices.  It makes me so happy to be out somewhere exploring with my little family and still have the comforts of home in the truck.

My favorite part about hiking is pretending I am actually shopping.  I love finding out where something grows regularly or seasonally, so I can go collecting when I need it for a craft project.  It is a goal of mine to someday not need a craft store to supply me with goods but to go out to find them and know exactly where to get the things I need in nature.  So, I found all this lichen growing in the oaks.  Clearly, it grows year round and in abundance.  It’s easy to collect.  I’m gearing up for a little fairy house build soon.  And then there’s the mustard and wildflowers all around.  It’s due time to press flowers!

The entire day I was reminded of my childhood since I spent most of it building forts in the oak trees, dry grass, and hanging out around a lake.  I was getting a whiff of scents that threw me back in time.  Isn’t it strange when you smell something and it catapults you back somewhere so nostalgic, but you still can’t pin point exactly why or what it is, but still it is familiar?  I think I will go to this spot to think about my grandparents and these sweet childhood memories.

Other shopping ideas that have been fun lately:

My daughter and I are really into making a REAL grocery store.  We have been saving everything that is still clean and reusable for play before it hits the trash.  I’ve been saving egg cartons, cereal, jars, anything that I can make a fun grocery experience with.  It is reminding me of one of my favorite silly pleasures (embarrassing really) I LOVE the Price is Right.  Like LOVE this show and I want to go on it too.  So, keeping track of all these groceries is right up my alley and it’s making it extra fun for my child.

It’s getting pretty real how fast my child is growing up.  She just graduated from preschool the other day.  I was so proud of her and amazed that she was on her way to Kindergarten.  It’s shocking really.  I’m trying to soak up every moment since before I know it she will be going 5 days a week!  These roses were another opportunity to use something we had in our yard.

Enjoy planning your summer activities and trips.  We are staying close to home this year and preparing for a My Little Pony birthday bash.  I hope to be coming up with some fun summer camp-ish ideas to share, good books, and party treats.

What are your plans this summer?  XO