Autumn's Saturday Larks: A Recap

Someday's our adventures are grand, but most of the time they are ordinary. Sometimes they are new & bring a smile to J's face and other's just a little bit scary as all firsts can be. 

Your little face, J, says it all in this photo below, swinging on the swings for the first time can be a little scary even if all the other children are quite interesting to watch. And can I just say we are swinging outside in November! 

November 12, Swinging in the Park for the First Time

I've been sitting on this post for a long time trying to assemble my photos. So here it is a retrospective of our Saturday Larks from August 27-November 19. 

1. Picking out a Juniper Tree to plant in the backyard at the greenhouse, August 27

2. Playing Pokemon-go with Dad at the park, September 3

3 & 4. Walks in the wetlands, September 10

5. Picking out Fruit & Vegetables at the Farmer's Market, September 17

(See below for September 24 and October 1st when I used my big camera)

6. A Trip to the Local Museum, October 8

7. A Trip to the Local Library & Book Sale, October 15

8. A Trip to Edmonton & lunch at Dad's cousin's restaurant, October 22

9. Out Shopping with Mom, October 29

10. A Hospital Stay for Tonsillitis, November 5

(November 12 photo above swinging in the park)

11 & 12. A Trip to the Queen City to a craft fair, the mall, & book store, November 19

Yes, we finally did get your Juniper Tree planted after it sat in the garage for quite some time... and oh dear your fall coat is much too large. It looks like we have some weeding and landscaping to do next summer.

September 24

I was so delighted when we found a local pumpkin patch this summer with a hot chili lunch & entertainment. L thought the clown's magic tricks were a little ridiculous but just the same it was the first time J had ever seen a clown. The clown announced just when we approached that he was not making any more balloon animals beyond the balloons he had already distributed as he had another engagement to get to.

There was a balloon floating around on the ground near J and no one appeared interested in claiming it so I picked it up for J and she was delighted to hold it and watch the clown's silly magic tricks and hear the songs.

We got the obligatory pumpkin patch picture and J munched on some hay too.  

October 1

It's been fun thinking of ways to get out and exciting to see them through J's eyes. 

Where have your Saturday larks taken you this fall?

A Day at the Beach

"Rediscover the carefree holidays of your childhood when life was filled with simple pleasures - ice cream cones on a hot summer day and lazy afternoons of boating, fishing and swimming. Spend a day at the beach..." 

Regina Beach can be found on the south shore of Last Mountain Lake in Southern Saskatchewan. We arrived early to have breakfast at The Bluebird Cafe. The Blue Bird Cafe is an old-time classic, opened first in the 1920s, with wooden floors and creaky screen doors. We then ventured out to the wharf & shores of the beach.

J had her first taste of sand. I dipped her feet in the lake with the tide coming in. She loved to sink her feet into the sand. After I sat her on the sand so she could feel the sand & I could take a picture she gathered a handful that went right into her mouth. As I was cleaning her mouth out she had another handful ready to shovel in. Apparently it tasted delicious. Yipes! 

In the early afternoon when J had fallen asleep in her stroller & we had quite enough sun we stopped at Chachalacas for a margarita for me & a beer for L. J, of course, not wanting to miss out on the fun awoke and so we shared a burrito with her. She enjoyed the rice and refried beans. 

It was a fun day spent at the beach! I'm looking forward to next summer when water wings, sandcastles, swimsuits! We forgot to bring a blanket to sit on the sand & lawn chairs. You can bet next year I will be prepared with a summer bucket of water & sand toys & blanket to lay on the sand & umbrella. The next time we spend a day at the beach I'll be chasing after J as she runs into the lake. 

Forestry Farm Park & Zoo, Saskatoon

This past weekend we went to Saskatoon for a mini summer vacation.

We often stop at the university. 

I think universities in the summer are some of the most peaceful, beautiful places. 

On Saturday we went to the Forestry Farm Park & Zoo. 

It is a small zoo & very worthwhile experience! Bring your picnic baskets and enjoy walking around the park & seeing animals. It is economical also if you have kids. A family rate is only $23 or $11.50 per adult & under preschool free. 

We saw cougars, bison, wolves, grizzly bears, deer, turkeys, peacocks, roosters, a python, a porcupine, owls, and lots of goats among others. 

J even got up close & personal with this fawn that came to visit us. 

Check out those two front teeth that J is now sporting. They came in on July 31st. 

Saturday Larks

Lark: (noun) a merry, carefree adventure; frolic; escapade.

 I love to go on larks & awhile ago I was thinking I want my baby to grow up on picnics in the park, jumping into a cool lake on a hot summer day, intently watching ants on the march or spending hours just laying back and looking at clouds.  Slowing down to savor the season, to be outside, to play, to be imaginative & curious, to experience the culture & community of a place. 

Dr. Lawrence Rosen published in Mind Body Green 7 science-backed reasons to get our kids outside including: getting outside encourages exercise, it reduces anxiety, it improves focus, makes kids smarter, builds a sense of community, it helps them develop deeper connections with family, it raises their interest in the environment.

  I came across a book titled 940 Saturdays -- along while back -- this is the number of Saturdays between the time a child is born and turns 18. It seems like a lot of Saturdays, and now, I realized we are already 7 months in! Where has the time gone!  It is so true that the days are long but the years are short. 

I realized I need to start being intentional about growing my baby up on picnics in the park or somehow, somewhere, someway she will be 15 and I will wonder why my baby prefers the comfort of the basement. That is not to say we have not had a number of larks so far because I love to get outside...but rather I want to be intentional about sharing my love of larking with my baby & you, my friends, in hopes of converting everyone to be a larker.

My first entry was:

August 6, 2016

J...I can't even imagine 940 Saturdays from now where we will be or what we will be doing. Maybe you will be getting ready to go to university or to travel to Europe. It will be summer. Perhaps we will be at a park as we are today. Today you experienced bubbles for the first time. It was such fun to see you reach for the bubbles & giggle. You are learning to sit up and only toppled over twice. You picked a marigold and after carefully examining it, tasted it. Eww! yucky. I love your inquisitive nature. 

After five years I have finally come up with a theme & intent for my blog --which deserved a name change! Some of us are just late bloomers... 

Here's to sharing my love of Saturday larks.

Saturday larks are munching on popcorn while watching cinema in the park, building sandcastles in summer & snowmen in winter, picnics in the park, getting out to explore an art gallery or museum- you would be surprised but art galleries often have sculpture gardens or outdoor displays & there are a number of outdoor museums, blowing & catching bubbles, playing hopscotch, wiggling our toes in the sand at the beach, planting flowers, painting pet rocks, sipping rootbeer floats, playing frisbee tic-tac-toe, going on a bug hunt, cheering at a football game, catching a live outdoor play like Shakespear in the Park, touring a historic fortress, picking berries, getting wet at spray pads, attending the fair, digging for fossils, swimming in the lake, hiking in the mountains...etc

That is not to say all our Saturday Larks will be outdoors, as sometimes the weather prevails, but rather the intent will be to build memories together as a family and have a record of that journey. 

Did you grow up on catching frogs and skating on the pond? What are some of your favorite memories of activities that you & your family enjoyed outdoors? Do share some of your ideas for great outdoor activities that you & your loved ones enjoy...