Wednesday on Wednesday

May is here. The weather is gorgeous and we are still trying to get outside as often as possible. The Great Outdoor Adventure Challenge being hosted by 5 Orange Potatoes is technically over but the spirit keeps on. In light of last month being so very wonderful partly in thanks to the challenge for Wednesday on Wednesday I am posting a slide show of my Outdoor Adventure Challenge Flickr Photo set.






Thank you Lisa and family for giving us that extra bit of motivation we may have needed on those cloudy and cool days. Here is to many more days of making dandelion chains and jumping in puddles.

Wednesday on Wednesday

It has been the most beautiful last few days and so it was easy to get outside to play. Not so easy to snap any pics though, she just wouldn't slow down long enough. But I managed to get a few still of my gorgeous little girl.

Last time I left you, we had played in some puddles on Friday and trash bashed on Saturday...in continuing with the 2010 Great Outdoor Challenge here are some pictures from Sunday through today.



Sunday ~ Sandbox work is serious business.

Monday ~ I was about to go down the slide when I felt someone tagging along.


Tuesday ~ Wednesday finding her zen.


And today, peeing in the grass like a champ.


Look at that hair!

And that is it folks...that is right up until about 11:30 this morning.

Have you gone outside to play lately?


All you have to do is go outside! And take a picture...but even that is optional.

How To: Trash Bash!

This weekend The Mister, Wednesday and I participated in our communities annual Trash Bash. In light of Earth Day on Thursday, our (and I am assuming thousands of others) community hosts an event where they supply the bags, the gloves, the dumpsters and the BBQ (complete with veggie dogs) and we supply the man power and the whereabouts. Seems like a pretty decent deal. It is. It was a bittersweet experience though.

Mud-luscious & Puddle Wonderful

Today the weather was incredibly intermittent. It would rain and stop and rain and stop and at one point it was sunny long enough to warm the air so that Wednesday could do this:


Take off the pretty shoes.


Step into the puddle and ask "Where are my feet?"


And sit her little bum down in the driveway and throw rocks into some puddles.

I am not sure what I love more, her asking "where are my feet?" or the utter disregard for her girlishness. (She really does hate muck!) I think I love the dirt on the knees and the shiny pink shoes tossed aside. (After walking through a puddle with them of course!)

Have you been outside lately?

All you have to do is go outside! And take a picture...but even that is optional. 

Have you entered the giveaway for Jennifer Ward's book Let's Go Outside? You have until this Sunday at midnight to do so. Go here to put your name in the hat.

While you're at it, visit some other Challenge participants!
lisa, sanders, angelina, phyllis, sarah, christie, jennifer, debbie, dong dong, denise,luisa, joy, stephanie, cori, alex, dawn, kristen, catherine, tricia,becky, christy, ruth, kari, courtney,branflakes,jessica, renee, haiku,brynn, amy, clemencia, sherry, leslie, lise, renee, anet, jenn, marina, amy, ella, marcia, karen, beth,julie,kyndale,kelly,lizzie, eileen,ag, mari-ann, cindy, robin, nicole, debbie, julia, renee, anita,lisa, jenn, montessori, marita,jeannie, hallie, mandy, kangaroo, andrea, joey, carmen, teena, stephinie, gidget, elizabeth, emma, rosina, saminda, melissa, katie, becca, atouria, barbara, ariella,missy, elizabeth, sarah, eileen, lisa, stacy, jennifer, tulsileaf, lisa C, morticia, angela, rana,jamie,lisa c, luz, charley, heather, valerie, kirsten, rachel, annie, kendra, beth s, lindsey, michelle, megan, jen, jenni, gabby, renee,korina, linda, adventurekerrs, laura, melissa, eva, jenny, amber, deb, wendy, courtney, shanti, msrev, kellyi, tammy, julia  , maureen,indigomum, andrea, mindy, becky, dawn, sarah,michelle, shelley, amber, nicole, cara, ginny, kris, tawnie, nancy, alex, kathi, ana, sarah m, stephanie

Wednesday on Wednesday

Good afternoon! And what a good afternoon it is! The sun is shining, birds are singing and I can here children playing outside. It is Wednesday which means it is time to show off Wednesday doing Wednesday things...outside! because April is The Great Outdoor Adventure Challenge month. This is where we make time to go outside and get some exercise, trying to commune with nature but most importantly bonding with our children whilst breathing fresh air!

We did not make it outside on Thursday as I mentioned, Wednesday was just not up to it. And even the days following we didn't stay outside long (Half an hour, forty five minutes tops) because she tired quickly with the fresh air and exercise, but we did make it out every day! Although I forgot my camera yesterday. I have a picture of her playing in an indoor sandbox but I don't think that counts ;) You will just have to believe me when I say we went for a very nice, leisurely stroll in the neighborhood. And Saturday's trip to the park, missing for some reason...but here are some of my favourites from this week regardless!



Rolling in the grassy sunshine on Friday.

Learning how to Hopscotch on Sunday.

Smellin' the good stuff on Monday.

Examining a serious infusion of colour in the scenery today.
Have you gone outside to play lately?



All you have to do is go outside! And take a picture...but even that is optional.

Storybook Sunday : Let's Go Outside!

The Great Outdoor Adventure Challenge : Storybook Sunday Edition!

I know that Storybook Sunday (although few and far between) is usually about storybooks, this one is for grown-ups. But for kids too. Well, written to grown-ups for the benefit of children. Sound good? How about sounds great?! This book is wonderful. I cannot sing it's praises enough.

I adored this book and all it had to offer. Wonderful quotes themed for play and nature. Wonderful activities from the simple Kick the Can, (Which by the way is not as simple as I though, I honestly learned how to play kick the can.) to the more complicated Personal backyard feild guide, there is something for all ages and all interests.

As I said before, I do not need a book to tell me how or why I need to go outside to play with Wednesday. We go outside almost every single day weather permitting. But, sometimes it is nice to do something more than watch her climb a jungle gym or walk the boardwalk at the local nature reserve. This book gave me just that. Each activity is enthusiastically described and there is a "Take it Further" feature for each activity. These are like 'extra credit' assignments. Great ideas for older kids, or even the more enlightened younger ones.

This is the second book of the same sort by Jennifer Ward. The first is called 'I Love Dirt: 52 Activities to Helt You and Your Child Discover the Wonder of Nature' I have yet to read it but you can bet it is on my Chapters wishlist! She also has a plethora of story books written with appreciating nature in mind. I have one (Forest Bright, Forest Night) reserved at my local library, the rest will come in time. I am excited though.

I think you could not ask for a better book when you are playing along with Lisa of 5 Orange Potatoes Great Outdoor Adventure Challenge. Although we missed out on outing on Friday, we made it out yesterday and today. On Saturday we rolled around in the grass and collected dandelion bouquets for Grandma and today we played hopscotch and went for a nice long walk in a green space ending with a romp on the jungle gym.

To celebrate so many things this month; my 100th post, 55th reader, The Great outdoor Adventure Challenge, the arrival of Spring, etc. etc. and so on and so forth...I am giving away a copy of this book. I love it so much and fee that more people should both read it and go outside more I feel the need to buy one and send it off! So, for sticking with me this far all you need do is leave a comment on this entry. You can Retweet this for a second entry (You must comment telling me so) but if that is too much effort just comment. PLEASE make sure you leave a way for me to contact you either a valid email address in the comment or attached to your profile! Contest closes midnight on the following Sunday, April 18th whereby I will use random.org to choose a number and the winner will be both posted and notified via email the Monday, April 19th after.

Can you see the yellow glow from the dandelions?

For more awesome pictures of our days outside you can to my flickr set here. For more entries in the challenge you can visit any of these wonderful blogs:
lisa, sanders, angelina, phyllis, sarah, christie, jennifer, debbie, dong dong, denise, luisa, joy, stephanie, cori, alex, dawn, kristen, catherine, tricia, becky, christy, ruth, kari, courtney, branflakes, jessica, haiku, brynn, amy, clemencia, sherry, leslie, lise, renee, anet, jenn, marina, amy, ella, marcia, karen, beth, julie, kyndale, kelly, lizzie, eileen, ag, mari-ann, cindy, robin, nicole, debbie, julia, renee, anita, lisa, jenn, montessori, marita, jeannie, hallie, mandy, kangaroo, andrea, lisa, carmen, teena, joey, stephinie, rosina, saminda, emma, elizabeth, gidget, melissa, katie, becca, barbara, atouria, missy, ariella, elizabeth, sarah, eileen, stacy, lisa, jennifer, tulsileaf, lisa c, morticia, angela, rana, jamie,  lisa c, luz, charley, heather, valerie, kirsten, rachel, annie, kendra, beth s, lindsey, michelle, megan, renee, korina, linda, kerrs, laura,  jen, jenni, gabby





All you have to do is go outside! And take a picture...but even that is optional.

After the Rain...

As I sit in bed with Wednesday, breathing in the steamy eucalyptus and peppermint vapours half watching Disney's Alice's Adventures In Wonderland I thought I might share with you our adventure from yesterday. Wednesday is ill today, her sinuses have her just a snorting and sniffling away and instead of taking her outside I thought I would just let her rest and I will share with you pictures from when we did go outside.

Like today, yesterday was particularly grey and even brought three separate down pours, one bringing the most brilliant bolt of lightening and a frighteningly loud clap of thunder. I was loving it (As almost every person in South Eastern Ontario does when a thunderstorm rolls in.) but Wednesday was admittedly afraid of the thunder. It will be a while before she learns to love it as well. But after the rain stopped and the skies began to clear just a little we went outside. Not for long as it was not just wet but cold and wet but we packed in quite a bit of wonderful in only forty five minutes.

Wednesday on Wednesday

Just a pre-note (is that even proper English?) For the rest of April, I will be using Wednesday on Wednesday posts to both show off my brilliant daughter and plugging the Great Outdoor Challenge. I will use Wednesday's posts to show my favourite photos from Wednesday through Tuesday. One each from each day. :) Since I showed my lot Monday today I'll show you my favourites from yesterday (Tuesday).


Hiding from Mommy.

Children and Nature Awareness Month

Good morning! I would love to say it is a beautiful one and the sun is shining but alas, it is a beautiful one with rains and grey skies. But that is ok, it is a good day for puddle jumping in bright yellow boots!

I know that I usually bring you a tutorial on Tuesdays (at least I have been trying to keep up that pace) but today I wanted to talk to you about something super important. Children and more importantly, children in nature. In today's hustle and bustling society with dance classes, homework and family dinner time it is hard to squeeze in that outdoors time. Doubly hard in colder, wetter climates like ours here in South Eastern Ontario. But it is so important! And to help us realize the importance, and to motivate us to get out more it is Children and Nature Awareness Month.



Who does not love honeybees?