Tag Archives: parks

In Search of the Elusive White Deer

We moved to Nashville in September of 2005 from Jacksonville, Florida. Among the top priorities when we moved was to find a place for Murphy and me to walk like we had with the beach. Somewhere that let us commune with nature. To my delight, Nashville is more than home to country music and honky tonks. Who knew there were a plethora of parks within the city? Ones with paths and trails galore. The Percy Warner Parks system is the largest and has many hiking trails. It’s one of my favorites. But it’s a little bit of a drive from … Continue reading →

Visiting California’s Yosemite National Park

If your days are spent juggling the stress that comes with getting everything ready for the holidays and the everyday stress that comes with raising a family then I’m sure you there is a least a part of each day that you long for a Calgon moment. The rigors of getting your home ready for the holidays is enough for anyone to want to escape… and take a nice long vacation. When I am being run ragged I think back to my trip to one of the most peaceful places on Earth– California’s Yosemite National Park. It is one of … Continue reading →

Wisconsin: Family Friendly Parks

There is no way I am going to be able to convince you that the beaches in Wisconsin are as breathtaking as the ones in Hawaii, so I won’t even try. However, since I now call Wisconsin home (instead of Hawaii) I try to make the most of my given situation. Which is to say, on a hot summer day my toddler daughter and I don’t count out Wisconsin beaches. She loves to dig around in the sand, which works out perfectly because many of Wisconsin’s parks include miles of sand dunes. Two of our favorite “sand spots” are Whitefish … Continue reading →

I Go Out Walking ….

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Walking is one of the most popular forms of fitness activity. In summertime, walking as the activity of choice increases in popularity because the weather is nicer and the days are longer. The mornings are cool and crisp; the dew is damp on the grass and the sun is warm on the skin. A low risk activity, walking is also growing in popularity for those who want to engage in regular fitness workouts and there are many proven benefits to regularly, daily walks. Where do you like to go walking? Some popular places for you to explore on your walking … Continue reading →

A Hands-On History Lesson

As children my brothers and I would often trek down to the end of our street and climb into a makeshift fort made out of a few rotting boards and some tree branches. It was flimsy and small, but our imaginations more than made up for what it lacked in space and design. I thought about that fort just the other day when some friends invited us to travel with them to Fort Williams, one of Maine’s most popular destinations for families. In 1894, President McKinley named Fort Williams the first military defense in Cape Elizabeth, Maine. Today, it is … Continue reading →

Destination: Hawaii–A Great Family Beach

My daughter loves to look at pictures of our family trips. Her most memorable moments have come during our trips to visit family and friends in Hawaii. The other day she pulled out a picture taken of her enjoying the day at a popular beach near my parent’s home. She’s decked out in a bright pink swimsuit with matching floppy hat happily splashing about in a crystal clear tide pool. It got me thinking about what a great time we had there and how kid-friendly the beach is. It’s called Onekahakaha Beach Park and I would highly recommend it to … Continue reading →

Get Out of the House

That’s right. Get out of the house. It is springtime, you and your kids need to get outside and enjoy the beauty of the day. I read a review of a book today that really struck a nerve. The book is called Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder. Written by Richard Louv in 2005, the book discusses the profound impacts on the physical, spiritual and emotional health our children are dealing with because fewer and fewer actually just go outside to play. Allergies, schedules and the increasing popularity of games are keeping our kids inside … Continue reading →