Family Travels and Great Outdoors: Asheville, NC

 

One of the reasons we love homeschooling so much is because it gives us the opportunity to travel whenever it is convenient and affordable for us as a family. Both of us being self-employed means irregular work schedules and a lot of responsibility on our shoulders. We don't take breaks nearly as much as we'd like to! (Yet!) Since both businesses are kind of in their toddlerhood, they require fine tuning and constant supervision. 

This fall we were blessed to take a short break from the toils of daily life and breathe in the fresh air of the Blue Ridge Mountains. A trip we've been putting off for years, visiting family that has been inviting us over for what seems like a decade. We were greeted by atypical Asheville weather, rain for three days. It didn't stop us from enjoying it, but it kind of sealed the deal on having to come back in the spring or summer to really enjoy the outdoors. 

I'm in the "my kids could live outside" camp. Most days I'm on the same page with them, or want to be. When it comes to running a household and a full-time business though it's so hard to balance their need for the outdoors and my need to get things done! Can you relate?

This is why this trip was so important, for us to just pause our work and truly enjoy being outdoors with our kids. I think subconsciously we all crave more of this as parents and caregivers. Our lifestyles have become so unavoidably indoor and isolated, especially for those of us up north. It is a great challenge for any parent to make intentional decisions to be outside with our kids. 

It was different when I was mostly a stay-at-home-mom, working part-time only fifteen hours a week online. We were always outdoors. The kids got so used to that, and I'm thankful I was able to be with them where they really wanted to be - outside. They were never locked up in a building for long parts of the day. Now I have to be even more intentional - being a full-time business owner mom to two active kids who need the outdoors. A balancing act for sure. 

Our trip to Asheville re-centered my desire to be outdoors with them more. I knew it all along, but it can so easily get lost somewhere among clients, contracts, photo sessions, marketing plans, never ending meal making and food shopping trips, and well - LIFE. We all need reminders like this - don't we?

I was cherishing and gulping down these moments. 

Hiking up a mountain (yes, she was so tired she crawled on all fours).

Taking in the beautiful views. 

Realizing just how high up we are. 

Relishing in how much the kids love, no how much they need this. 

Realizing how much we need this.

How do you make time for the outdoors with your kids whether you are a stay at home parent, working parent, or business owner?