Mommy Hiker: mother nature

It is no secret that I have been pretty absent from you all, my beloved Mommy and Daddy Hikers! I certainly didn't expect it to happen, but about 11 months ago life took off on a completely different trajectory and I, being the heart-follower that I am, went for it!

Not only have I been busy developing and executive producing a pretty awesome new television series, but more importantly to you guys, I have been busting my butt working on a project that probably would have never entered into my life had I not started this blog. So it is with the greatest pride and excitement that I announce to you, my loyal readers, the launch of my newest baby!

Outdoor Families Magazine! OFM launches in t-minus four days (January 15, 2015) and it will be a free digital magazine that encourages families toward lifelong appreciation of outside spaces. The magazine, available at http://www.outdoorfamiliesonline.com will strive to enrich the lives of multi-generational families worldwide by providing unparalleled outdoor and adventure related content meant to inspire a connection to, participation in, and stewardship of the natural world.

January Issue's Cover

To commemorate our inaugural issue January 15, 2015, Outdoor Families Magazine will also launch the “Great Family Adventure” Photo Contest, inviting families from around the world to show off their awesome family adventures pictures! At the end of the two week contest, we'll be presenting one lucky family with a two-night stay and three adventure-packed days on southern California’s Central Coast in the city of Oxnard, gateway to the Channel Islands National Park and Marine Sanctuary. In addition, our finalists will receive cool prizes from ten other awesome outdoor retailers including Hi-Tec footwear and Sierra Trading Post.

The magazine’s advisory board is comprised of more than 30 business and thought leaders in the outdoor family and adventure market, including my partners, our managing editor, Erin Kirkland, author of Alaska on the Go: Exploring the 49th state with children and our operations manager, Traci Lehman who will also be leading the magazine's team of research and development experts who are passionate about supporting our magazine's mission by documenting the benefits of outdoor time and identifying the barriers families face with regards to getting outside, so we can face these issues head on and find real world solutions.

Outdoor Families Magazine will be the go-to resource hub, supporting our already robust, engaged #OutdoorFamilies community and connecting with others who are interested in obtaining information related to family outdoor sports, activities and play, environmental stewardship, volunteering, adventure travel, mind and body nourishment and green living resources, ideas and tips.

When I got into this crazy blogging world I never, in a million years, would have expected it to lead me where I am today; a member of The North American Travel Journalists Association, founder of a magazine, part of an absolutely incredible community of people. Throughout my wee three years, the one thing I noticed blatantly missing was a lack of relatable content available to families who simply want motivation and inspiration to get outdoors with their kids. I was dumbfounded by it actually and it is our hope that this magazine will fill that void. There are a lot of us out there, families who choose to go off-the-beaten-path, with our kids right beside us, along for the adventure. In the rapidly-growing market of outdoor family adventure we intend to thoughtfully lead the movement. I hope you'll join us for the ride!

Join the Outdoor Families community on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Google+, and YouTube!

The face of depression has an infinite number of sides. Its expressions may even seem, at times to be smiling right back at you. But, when it settles in for an extended stay, often times, depression can become a way of life. This is where I found myself, a seemingly endless, 6 months ago.

Depression runs in my family. We talk about it frequently and we all have a pretty good idea of what it looks like when it manifests in us. I have battled it a few times in my early 20's and spent many sleepless nights trying to drug it away, drink it away, and even submitting to it completely. I wear my battle scars as badges and am proud of what I overcame and who I am today as a result of it, which is why I was blind-sided in late January when I woke up and found myself peeking through a haze which I (later) discovered I had been sitting in for going on two months.

Everyone has their own set of reasons and their own triggers and it is important to mention, their own CHOICE to allow those reasons and triggers to carry you to that dark place. In the end, no single reason or trigger is worthy of taking your joy and power away, but I'll be damned if I didn't have some pretty great justifications. A miscarriage, two failed insemination attempts, all of the crazy hormones that come along with said attempts, not being able to get pregnant; all of them, my reasons. And I allowed all of them to affect me, my husband, our daughter, my family and my friends, whether they actually realized it or not.

Waking up to depression is only the first step. Then, there are the subsequent steps that you have to remain hyper aware of every single waking second until you reach the colossal steps which you then must arduously climb upward and finally out. I am happy to say, I am finally out and I am sharing with you, for whatever it is worth, the most precious moments that, even while I was still in the dark, helped me to climb every single one of those massive steps, up and out and back in to the beautiful world of my life.

Feel the Warmth of the Sun

This first one just takes one step. That first crucial step. Just get out. Get up, get out and feel the warmth of the sun on your face. That's it. It may seem so simple and maybe even silly, but it can be the turning point for many. That one baby step forward has the potential to propel you towards a reawakening which in turn can lead you to a path of healing. The first step is the hardest. I know. Just do it. Seriously. Trust me.

Listen to Soft Sounds of the Creek

The simple act of sitting and listening to the sounds around you has a wonderfully calming effect. It allows you the time to see the immense beauty that is constantly surrounding you. For me, personally, there is nothing in the world that is more calming than sitting creek-side, listening to the trickle of the water passing by, imagining where it has come from and pondering what other wonders it will see on its journey. A perfect metaphor for our lives, just like all of us, moments are fleeting and nothing stays the same forever, we float by the hard times, the good times and everything in between and we are always the navigators of our course. Oh! And while you're at it, smell the roses and the honeysuckle and the evergreen and feel roughness of the the dirt and the softness of a smooth rock and watch the bees buzzing by and the ants trek across the terrain and...everything else! Just be still and soak all of its wonder in to your soul.

Seeing the Bigger Picture Instills Hope

We are big fans of volunteering in our family. We have witnessed first hand how Giving Back, Gives Right Back to YOU. Try donating your time and your services to paying it forward and it will come back to you a thousand fold. Putting yourself in the service of those who need help is one of the best ways to not only give a smile to someone else, but it will, most-assuredly put a smile on your face! When we place ourselves in a situation where we have the ability to empathize with others and realize a bigger picture of the world around us it helps keep us grounded in reality and is a great way to keep our own problems in perspective.

So, go out in to your community and give a helping hand! Plant a tree, pick up trash, get dirty, find a way to reconnect with Mother Nature and all of its inhabitants and you will immediately feel her loving arms wrap around you like a warm, comforting blanket. I know it worked for me!