It's almost time to Spring forward! One hour, that is.
I love this time of year when daylight savings arrives and the days gradually get longer. I seem to have more energy with more daylight hours. Don't you?
An added bonus is that more daylight hours and warmer temperatures means this mama gets to enjoy more opportunities for outdoor jogging! Woo Hoo!
Of course there are a few downsides to springing ahead. Longer days mean it's harder to get my kiddos to sleep at night, with all that day light shining through their windows. As a result, it's more difficult to get their sleepy heads out of bed in the morning. But after a few weeks we adapt! :)
Spring in Western PA also means the likelihood for severe weather conditions, like tornado warnings. I'm not gonna lie. It's been an adjustment for this Southern California girl to get used to the good and the bad of the four seasons.
I thought it would be fun to think about and share some ways our family will be celebrating {and burning off extra energy} during these longer daylight hours.
After Dinner Walk
I'm really looking forward to being able to go for a walk around the neighborhood with my sweet family after dinner each night. Our neighborhood is extremely pitch-black-dark once the sun goes down, so we haven't been able to really enjoy after-dinner walks lately.
We walked in the darkness once before and I have to admit I was a little freaked out, silently praying we wouldn't get attacked by some wild animal or something. Of course, I held it together so as not to let on to my husband and kids that I was very scared. Lol! {They may have noticed I was speed walking.}
Afternoon Playground Fun
I say "afternoon playground fun" because the first Spring we lived in Pennsylvania I quickly learned the challenge of muddy parks. If it rains through the night or at all the prior day, mud is guaranteed to be everywhere you step at the local playground the next morning.
Usually by afternoon it's had some time to dry out. Plus, my school-age daughter can participate in the playground fun if we wait until after school. Let's face it! I'm looking forward to dinner in the crockpot, grabbing a good book, finding a bench near the play equipment, and letting the kids burn off some built up energy from the day.
Nature Scavenger Hunts
My daughters are at the age where they love to hunt for things. So I plan to stimulate their hunting senses by sending them outdoors for a nature scavenger hunt. God's creations are many and I want them to enjoy exploring.
I'll have a list of things for them to be hunting: a caterpillar, a particular kind of flower, the color yellow, a Robin, or a line of ants marching along. They also enjoy researching different facts on the computer, so afterwards I may have them Google their favorite "treasure" from the hunt and see what they can learn about it.
Plant Some Seeds
The past few years I've developed a love for gardening. I haven't planted seeds indoors yet, but this Spring season I plan to give it a try. One of the things I'll be doing with my daughters is taking them with me to pick out seeds and purchase indoor planting supplies.
Then together, we'll plant the seeds and nurture them for future outdoor planting. That reminds me...I need to get busy planning the where and the what for the garden this summer.
Afternoon Swimming
We recently got our new gym membership activated and my daughters LOVE to swim. I'll be checking on open swim times and plan to take full advantage of the gym pool facilities to burn energy out of those girls.
I actually can't wait for my youngest to be a stronger and more independent swimmer so I can jump in and swim alongside them. It's great exercise!
Dust Off the Bikes
Last year my seven year old got a new bike for her birthday. She picked it out and specifically asked for one without training wheels. Unfortunately, the bike was a bit too heavy for her so she really struggled to learn how to ride it last summer.
She's grown since then and I'm hoping she'll have better luck holding it upright on her own. I see a lot of late afternoon practice in our future.
...
What fun things will you be doing as you celebrate longer daylight hours? Do you enjoy Spring? What's your favorite thing about Spring?
Rosann Cunningham
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The LG Family LOVES the longer days -- we LOVE the extra day-light. Yes, we enjoy Spring (but, as you know - it's basically "spring" every single day in San Diego). I do love Spring-time because it means more pastel colors AND it also means EASTER (which is SUCH a fabulous time).
I know that we will be camping a lot with the longer days..and there will be bike rides (Husband just had a hitch installed on his car so we can take our bikes all over). AND - it means more daylight time for me to run/jog. All-in-all, losing the 1 hour of sleep is totally worth it
Elizabeth, I must admit I do miss San Diego weather...except for the June gloom. Lol! And it's a beautiful place for jogging!
Rosann Cunningham recently posted..When God Inspires a Child to Raise Her Hands in Worship
I hate the daylight change - but just the first day, when they (who, actually?!) drags me out of bed one hour sooner
But you are right, the more sunny hours the better. I can't wait to start riding my bike again! I know there are people who do it even in a snowstorm but I freeze too easily to do that. So yeah, I am preparing my bike for new season soon!
Alexandra, people around the area I currently live in run during freezing temperatures, snow storms, and freezing rain. Talk about dedication! I'd rather wait until Spring... Lol! Thanks for stopping by!
Rosann Cunningham recently posted..When God Inspires a Child to Raise Her Hands in Worship