Now That the Weather is Warmer–Let’s Indulge
Hallelujah the sun is shining. After a never-ending winter, it seems there is nothing better than this spring. The birds are singing, the air is warming, and my family can take part in as much natural fun as possible. A few weeks ago, Kelly wrote about indulging, and now that it’s nice outside, here is how my family indulges.
Outdoor Workouts
I am one of those runners who despises the treadmill. When I pound out two miles on the belt, it seems as if I am counting every….single….second. It’s frustrating to try to make it interesting, and I can only stare at the same snowbank out of our weight room window for so long. That’s why when the snow melts and the sun comes out, running outside is so freeing.
The first few runs don’t even feel like workouts; they are magical, and when I run outside, I feel like a kid again. I usually have my audio-book on and my puppy’s leash in my hand. I have just recently finished Educated by Tara Westover and have moved on to Becoming by Michelle Obama. Running outside is the greatest workout indulgence for me, but I like any kind of workout outside. In addition to running, my town offers yoga in the forest. We live down the street from a beautiful nature center, and we are lucky that it offers yoga outside on nice days. While I’m in tree pose in the spring, I can stare off into the gorgeous green canopy of the deciduous forest. It’s the best of the best when it comes to zen.
Pedicure Time
Although I don’t like getting my nails done most of the year, the first sign of spring brings out my inner diva. Even if the mornings are crisp, April days call for flip flops, and that means my girly and I are out to find the best pedicure. We enjoy the ones where they massage our calves while we chat up the current happenings at her elementary school. This is the best kind of indulgence because I get to do it with my daughter.
New Plants, New Pots, New Soil
I have made it a goal to make my front and back yard greener. I have to wait to buy plants, but that doesn’t mean that my family hasn’t already raked, fertilized, and arranged for a gorgeous garden this year. I am spending some hard-earned cash to get my backyard thriving like I know it can. Last year, we purchased a compost bucket and are looking forward to spreading it on our lawn and garden. Knowing that we cut down on waste and created our own fertilizer is a good feeling. I’m hoping to be cultivating lettuce in the early summer and tomatoes in the early fall.
Book a Small Adventure
We are so stir crazy by the end of winter that vacation is calling. We have booked an Airbnb right off of an Arkansas lake for the beginning of summer. My crew plans to fish and swim and fish and swim and fish and swim again for the entirety of our short getaway. We don’t take vacations often, but now that the weather is nice, the possibilities of family fun are endless.
Winter is a necessity. I believe that there is beauty in hibernating, calming down, and gathering inside with family, but if I’m honest, my family is at its happiest in the other three seasons. Once we endure winter, and the thaw occurs, we hit the ground running, and we indulge in mother nature. How are you spending your spring? We’d love to hear.