As a glorious respite to The Longest Winter Ever, last week graced us with a few amazingly springish days.  (Let’s not even talk about the fact that possible ICE is in the forecast tomorrow.  Seriously.  Don’t even.)

They were so excited.  Almost as if they hadn’t seen the sun shining in ages.  Oh that’s RIGHT.  They hadn’t.

In an act of total nostalgia, we headed out back to the woods and creek behind our house.  You see, as a kid, I practically lived at our creek.  My friends and I would log countless hours in “our” woods building, creating, dreaming.

And it’s those memories- those experiences- that I want for my kids.  I never want them to become so enamored with our iThings that they miss out on unadulterated time outside to explore, create, and get really ridiculously dirty.

But let’s just chat for a minute about Matt’s reaction to my utter glee over “the creek! the woods! the tadpoles! and oh you guys, do you hear all of those birds chirping?!”  As he watched my levels of excitement heightening, he looked at me quizzically and remarked, “uh, Catherine.  I’ve never really thought of you as the… uh, outdoorsy type.”

WHATEVER.  I totally am.

I quickly set him straight.  “I don’t know what you’re talking about. Of course I love the outdoors, Matt.  Obviously.  I mean, I don’t like camping really.  Put me in a Marriott instead of a tent any day.  But still!  Check me out loving this nature!  I’m just sooo outdoorsy!”

(Yes, I even packed a picnic lunch.  Because I’m ONE with nature, y’all.)

I told the kids to enjoy our time out there- that we only had a few weeks left to hang out in the woods before it’s snake and tick and poison ivy season.  Because we so don’t have time for that mess.

Totally outdoorsy.