What Winning The Vitamin N Challenge Means To Us
We are so honored to be one of 10 Vitamin N Challenge winners that The Children and Nature Network announced today. When we began the challenge last Spring we were really just sharing our weekly adventures and outings as a family, not expecting any acknowledgement besides the loads of love we got from all of you on the blog and through social media.
To us, the challenge was more than just how to spend time on our favorite trail, or creating nature mandalas with friends or even finding new ways on how to get the most out of park play. It was about engaging with each other outside and observing how incredible families with different backgrounds from all over the country and beyond, play together. 
As a blended family of 6, getting outside is what keeps us thriving as individuals. But we have also gained so much more as a unit–we have potty training conundrums that we navigate through as parents. We don’t focus our energy on cleaning and chores as much and rather devote our time to fresh air fun. We forget gear on the trail and sometimes getting outside means standing on the porch and breathing in. We don’t always track our outings, but we celebrate long treks as a goal reached. 
My husband James and I found it important to spend time together outdoors alone without any kids. We have learned to take it slower and enjoy our nature walks more by playing games or by Geocaching and because of this, turned our attention to what being an “outdoorsy family” encompasses. Our first Raising Kids Wild challenge and giveaway was launched on the blog and we even re-evaluated our idea of home around our lifestyle–we’re trading our city/suburban living in for the mountains when we move to Asheville, North Carolina at the end of this month. 
We’ve learned a lot through this challenge and by sharing our time outdoors as a family. Hopefully by continuing focusing our energy on what our experience means outside we can inspire you to also get your daily dose of Vitamin N in whatever way you can.
