Kelly Olson Creative

I’m back on a podcast kick (I seem to go in and out of seasons with listening). But a recent episode I’d listened to had me thinking a lot about adventures as a family.

It’s a notion I’m sure I considered before having Nora but now that we are in the thick of parenting a busy infant, it all just feels so much more important. Essentially, the thought is that spontaneity and adventure is really important to a relationship as well as a family dynamic.

My sense of adventure these days looks less like skydiving and more like packing up the car last minute for an evening out. But I think however small our family’s adventures are right now, they’re still setting the tone for how Dillon and I handle the unexpected together, and how ultimately we work through it as a family.

Not only is it important for D and I to experience new things together, but for Nora to see that and live in that growing up is important for her too. We could very easily hang out at home every single day. And many days we do- I’m a big homebody and love our safe little haven. But, to know that there is room for successful spontaneity is really liberating.

We had been looking at our summer calendar and trying to plan our weekend trips and getaways and activities and family outings. Like for everyone, the summer fills up quick with so much to do. At first, we were really concerned with doing too much. “Should we really plan two back to back road trips without a weekend of rest?”

We were nervous but we realized that our fear of something being less than ideal meant we’d have to sacrifice experiences as a family. So, we went for it. Two back to back mini road trips, even during a sleep regression. And while we all may have been a little bit tired, it was a small price to pay for some really fun trips.

All this to say, while I love home there is so much beauty in stepping out of our comfort zones. We hope to enjoy our little home this summer, while leaving room for plenty of little adventures.