Deutschland: Park Tour

During our year of taking reducing our impact on the earth very seriously, for a fun (and free! and eco friendly! except for the gas to get there...) activity this summer, we've decided to map out and visit as many parks in Colorado Springs as we can. {Utilizing and enjoying natural resources!} So far, we've been to Palmer Park, Monument Valley Park, Shooks Run, and Portal Park. We pack a lunch/dinner each time and eat on a blanket, (I even bring our cloth napkins in the cooler rather than paper towels. Uh, can you say hard core? ☺) then stop for (low impact, next-to-no-waste, low cost) ice cream cones afterward at a local business.

I have to say, the hours spent at these parks, away from electronics and the work of the house, have proven to be some of the happiest family time we have spent together. These moments are refreshing to my soul - when I feel like I am really taking in the joy of life with my husband and children, in a truly simple way. Don't you think being in nature has a unique ability for grounding and rejuvenating a person? I definitely do. I walk the dog around if there is a trail, we play with the kids without distraction, we meet new friends, and savor the truly breathtaking Colorado scenery. We admire God's handywork, saying ((thank you Lord!)) for the beauty of His creation. (No, unfortunately for the sake of my family, I'm not kidding. I make them look up at the great big, wide open sky and utter ((thank you Lord!))....outloud. Whatever they may say, I know that secretly, way down deep in the inside, despite their best attempts at making-themselves-seem-too-cool eye-rolling, they like it....a lot...☺)

My babies. Who choose their own clothes as a form of self expression.

I can not be held responsible for red-on-red getup. "They match!"