The reality is…
No matter how much you plan, things are not going to always go as planned. You might as well get used to that now. Unexpected parts of adventures is what makes it fun though!
Instagram is a snapshot of the exciting moments, that perfectly timed picture. But it doesn’t show you
✨the hour I spent digging snow out of my car trying to get my sunroof to close (and failing)
✨the countless failed attempts to get the fireplace to light because the wood was too fresh
✨ the silly fights because you’re both tired and hungry
The smiles were probably bribed, the epic music is probably to cover up whining or my own huffing and puffing.
I’ve said it before and I will continue to say it, here’s your daily reminder that Instagram isn’t reality 🤪❤️☺️
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sb.wandering
SB | Adventure, Hiking Mama
SB �Travel + Photography
Coffee � Mountain � Adventure
Weekend adventurer
Operating as usual
Winter hikes take your hiking to a whole new level. You can do the same trail multiple times and the time you do it in snow completely changes it 😍
Here are some tips for winter hiking:
🏔 micro spikes are so helpful! Even if you don’t think you need them you will be thankful for them when coming down.
🏔 base layers/warm gear is needed but remember you’re going to warm up when you’re hiking. Layers will be key
🏔 even if you don’t think it’s necessary you should always check for avalanche conditions
🏔 you might not feel as thirsty since it’s cold but you should still be drinking water
📍Liesure Trail, Wintergreen Resort - what a great short winter trail with amazing views
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I’ve repeated this phrase to myself more times than I can count.
We each have our own season of life and just because we could run 10 miles four years ago, that doesn’t need to be the standard for what you can do today. Your life changes over the years but that doesn’t have to be a bad thing.
Mine has changed not only with my fitness level but also with my everyday lifestyle.
I used to hike every weekend and I’d go on trips every chance I got. But then I moved further from the mountains, got a job, had kids, and that season of life cannot be the standard I hold myself to right now. It doesn’t mean it couldn’t be that way again, just that I can’t hold myself to that right now.
Here is to embracing your current season of life!
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Happy International Woman’s Day 👧🏽
“I raise up my voice not so I can shout, but so that those without a voice can be heard. We cannot succeed when half of us are held back.” – Malala Yousafzai
I heard some interesting statistics that talked about women in the outdoors.
⛺️ toddler girls are 16% less likely to be taken outdoors than toddler boys.
📉 while girls are more likely to play outside at a young age, the percentage will steadily drop. By the time they are adults 20% are in the outdoors compared to the 40% of men.
Socialization and personality starts with parents and turns to their peers once they hit their teen years. My goal as a momma to a wild hearted little girl is to start breaking this statistic. If I teach my little you don’t she has the opportunity to influence her peers who then have the opportunity to influence theirs…
❤️ 💐 💗
“Her messy hair is a visible attribute of her stubborn spirit.
As she shakes it free she smiles knowing wild is her favorite color. “
- j. Iron word
We are coming to the end of February! Here are some inspirational quotes to get you back on the motivational train.
12 Inspirational quotes to Inspire you Sometimes all we need a little spark to ignite the fire in us -
Things I’ll remind her of when she’s in her 30s….
There truly once was a time you hated taking naps. I know you beg and plead for them now but I promise you you used to despise them.
You were the ultimate sour patch kid, either sweet as can be and all you wanna do is snuggle, or an absolute terror with a temper to match
Your fearlessness is an absolute strength. You have an older brother that you have had to match every step of the way and that makes you unstoppable.
Continue to speak your truth, be bold. Be brave. And continue to search for adventure.
To my little firecracker on her birthday,
I am so proud of the strong, independent, caring, and oh so wild little woman you’re growing up to be.
You are a sour patch kid through and through, but I love you nonetheless. No matter how much I tell you I love you, know that I love you even more than that 💕
Every time I get frustrated that you want to “do it yourself”, or that you “don’t need my help”, I am reminded that I am raising you into that little firecracker and I wouldn’t want it any other way. Just lord help me some days I have to remind myself more than others.
Happy birthday Mighty Mouse
Happy Valentines Day from these two little love bugs 💕
To be an outdoors momma you need:
1️⃣ a good pair of hiking shoes;
2️⃣ to be outdoors; and
3️⃣ your littles to hike with
✨bonus✨ a super cute shepherd to help you wrangle said littles!
When I first moved to Virginia Beach my heart ached for the mountains. To this day when we go back to visit family, I can tell you the exact moment on our drive that I will see the mountains again. I didn't grow up hiking but I grew up out in nature and sometimes that truly feels like the same thing!
If there is one thing that I have learned since living in Virginia Beach, being near the ocean does not mean that you have to forfeit a good hiking spot. Just because you might not get the same elevation as being further inland doesn't mean it's not still a good spot to adventure!
Check out my new blog post for the best hikes in Virginia Beach ✨ link in bio ✨
Happy Friday, y'all!!!
New Blog Post is up! Just because we don't live in the mountains doesn't mean we cant still hike, come check out some of the best hikes in Virginia Beach.
If you want to stay up to date on my posts then sign up for my email subscription and you can be the first to know when new posts are up :)
The Best Hikes in Virginia Beach Here are some of the best hiking spots in the Virginia Beach area.
Last night while my littles were playing Uno and I was cleaning up, my daughter looked at me and matter of factly told me “momma, you’re my best friend”
To which my son responded “hey! Momma is my best friend!”
Nothing has made this momma’s heart swell more than this.
The past couple of weeks I have been feeling that feeling that I think most moms struggle with at one moment or another. That “not good enough” feeling. That “I’m not a good enough mom” feeling.
There’s nothing that should make me feel this way, but the devil likes to slide in and whisper lies in your ear. So hearing them tell me this let me wake up this morning saying “Not today satan, not today!”
So today I got to spend this snow day with my two broke best friends 😂
I am proud to admit, I am a hot mess momma. I do not have it all together. 🙋🏽♀️
My house is not Pinterest worthy, nor is it clean on the regular basis. Let's be honest, we are making memories!
I go into more details in my new blog post over at . Click on the link in my bio to continue reading.
“𝑁𝑜 𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑑𝑜𝑒𝑠 𝑖𝑡 𝑎𝑙𝑙.”
I want a hat that says that.
Maybe a shirt that says that.
What the heck,
I want a flag the size of my house that says that.
Because then maybe, just maybe, when I’m feeling like I’m the only one not keeping up in this race, I can look at my hat (or shirt. or flag) and realize that there is indeed no race -
And no one is winning anything.
Just remember that when you look at snapshots of peoples lives. You are not seeing the mess they pushed aside to get that picture. Or the tears that were involved to get the perfect “candid”.
Life is messy and chaotic and beautiful ❤️
Things I wish I could bottle up:
💫 That first sip of coffee in the morning
💫 The smell right before a summer rain storm
💫 The feeling in your chest the moment the bass drops
💫 Toddler giggles
💫 The feeling you get when you hit the summit
And so much more……
What would you bottle up and hold onto just a little longer?
2021 might not have been your year, I know that it wasn't mine.
Maybe you had goals that you didn't meet.
Maybe you didn't lose that 15 lbs. you were aiming to lose.
Maybe you had goals of paying off your debt and that didn't happen.
Maybe you didn't organize the house like you wanted, or got to any of the house projects that you were hoping to finish.
Maybe you got angry with your littles when you had decided you wanted to be more patient.
And maybe, you didn't hit your reading goal for the year or your sweat goal. You didn't move your body for 30 minutes a day, or watch your monthly spending...
Maybe, just maybe, 2021 just wasn't your year.
Check out the rest of my blog post on MomsBeyond. ✨ Link in Bio ✨
#2022 *t
People keep saying that this is going to be “their year” but what are you doing to make sure that it is?
I am not one for resolutions. I make goals but I’ve always believed that the first of the year isn’t a “special time” to start anew.
You can start over at any time!
With that being said, this is the question I have for you…
What lessons did you learn in 2021 that you plan on using to help you grow in 2022? And what little steps are you going to take to get there?
I’ve learned that most of my stress came from the pressure/my own pressure of hat others think of me. Therefore 2022 will simply be the year I focus on me and not what others think.
Let me know what your goal for 22 is!
#2022
This girls energy! I am here for all of it.
She is wild.
She is free.
She is a girl all her own.
And I am so incredibly proud to be this fierce firecrackers momma. Though I have to admit that there are some days that fierceness makes me want to pull my own hair out.
Happy Christmas 🎄
🎄
"I wish we could put up some of the Christmas spirit in jars and open a jar of it every month." — Harlan Miller
It hit me a few days ago that the Christmas season is almost over. And I got a little sad….
It quite literally is my favorite time of year. The magic that is in the air, the joy on peoples faces. I really wish we could have that bottled up and release it each month of the year.
But who says we can’t?!?
That magical feeling is all about your own perspective! So here’s to making every day of 2022 feel like the Christmas season 🎅🏽
P.s. can we talk about how stinking cute my littles are?!?! How did they get so big??
Let me know in the comments how you can bring the magic of Christmas all year round 👇🏼
I am Not a Pinterest Mom The Christmas season is approaching fast. Everywhere I look, there is an advent calendar to do with your kids, or a post about DIY Christmas
The greatest honor of my life was the day you made me a mama.
Happy birthday little man, I am thankful for your energy and wandering spirit.
Here’s to another year of adventures 🏕
Solo hiking does not have to be scary as a female. Here are my tips to help you feel more comfortable when you start Solo Female Hiking (these are overall great tips even if you're not hiking).
Solo Female Hiking Solo Female Hiking is always a liberating experience and this article is to help you feel more comfortable with solo hiking.
✨ Monthly goals ✨
We are coming up in the end of the year! Wow that has gone by quick. At the start of the month I like to look at some goals I’d like to get done for the month, and since it’s the last month of the year I also like to prepare myself for the next year.
🥾 I want to get at least one hike in this month with my kids. We have a packed December but I’m hoping if I low ball it maybe I can manage at least one hike!
📝 get at least 4 new blog posts out this month and prep all of next months blog posts.
🎞 Create some new content! I am super excited about this one so make sure you stay tuned!!
🗓 Prepare my calendar for next month. I start classes back up on the 7th of January and the more I do now the better next year will feel!
📚 Read 2 more books. My goal for the year was to hit 60 books and I am already at 59 so I just need one more but if I can do 2 that would be awesome. Let’s be real here, my internal goal was 65 so if I hit that then I’ll be excited!
🎄 Complete my advent calendar with my kids. In all honesty I put this last but it is my most important one. My littles love the Christmas season and I try to make it as special as possible for them. This is by far my favorite time of the year!
What are your goals to finish out the year?
💪
The holiday is here and all I can think about is how I can manage sneaking a hike in this week 🤦🏽♀️
Here is my advice to you:
Make more time for the things that make you happy. For me, it’s being outside and a hot cup of coffee. Bonus points if I am drinking said coffee in the mountains ⛰
What are you looking forward to this week?
“I know as a woman I’m supposed to be afraid of getting older, but I love this s*** so much.
Every year I sink deeper into this bath of unapologetic realness and it’s amazing.”
Age is just a number, that’s what they say.
If age has taught me anything, it’s been to brush things off and not care as much what people think.
You’d be amazed how much more you can enjoy when you don’t care what others are thinking about you. Now if only the next few years would teach this mamas inner voice to not be so critical that would be great 😅
Thank you to everyone who wished me happy birthday. I got a little rest and a lot of family time 💕
Happy 246th Birthday to the United States Marine Corps.
This day is always a bitter sweet day for me.
You see, my husband is a proud marine and I am even more proud of him every day for it. But this day also reminds me of a dream that a 7 year old girl missed out on.
I’ve dreamed of joining the Marines ever since I was a little girl —> swipe to see little SB 😆 I was accepted into the JAG program when I found out I was pregnant and my husband and I made the decision that the Marines was not in the cards.
I still get a little green with envy whenever I see someone in uniform, but then I look at my son and I thank my lucky stars for the boy god gave me.
Have your dreams changed at all over the years?
**rs
With all the deals out right now I wanted to share my best toddler gift picks 😍
My littles have been super picky with their toys and I have had a lot of trial and error with my gifts over the years but these have been some number one go to’s for my littles.
All the details in the blog post. Link in bio.
We are coming closer to that time! Check out my Toddler Christmas guide here.
Toddlers Christmas Guide Christmas Gift Guide for your littles.
Just a nature loving momma raising her nature loving boy 🥰
It melts this mommas heart when he begs me to take him for a hike. He pulled out his hydration pack and said “okay mom I’m ready”!
I’ve been asked before how do I get my kids to love the outdoors, and honestly it starts with you. I love being outside in the woods, it’s my happy place. Kids will lead by example so show them your love and they will follow!
Had such a fun weekend with these wild littles.
💀 We painted spooky skeletons.
🦠 made glow in the dark Halloween slime
🦁 went to the zoo boo and saw all the animals running around. On Halloween they give the animals a special treat for them to be a little more lively so we saw animals we’d never seen up and about before!
👻 danced to some Halloween jams
🍪 made Halloween cookies.
And so much more!!
Loving this season of Halloween with them, they’re at the best age where they enjoy it all with me.
We are officially looking at a “big girl”!
We’ve been working on potty training on and off again with Mighty Mouse for a while and it just never really stuck.
Then last week she put her foot down and said she was a big girl and she was going to school in underwear. So we tried it. Then tried it again the next day, and now a week and a half later she only wears pull-ups at bedtime!
What worked for her brother did NOT work for her. We always heard that girls were easier but I would say that was not the case for ours. But I am so proud of her and her determination!
I’m curious, at what age did your littles potty train and what worked for you?
It’s been my favorite “tradition”.
When mommy is having a bad day, we bake cookies and every time they sit at the oven and watch as the cookies bake.
Thankful for the slow times When they still want to sit and bake cookies with me 🥰
If you love fall as much as me, here are some fun Halloween wallpapers!!
Fall Wallpaper Join the Spaces by Wix app to read this blog and stay updated on the go.
“Mountains are the beginning and the end of all-natural scenery.” –John Ruskin
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