Have I got a summer soundtrack for you! It is an instant family camping classic! My husband heard a review of the Okee Dokee Brothers latest album Can You Canoe on NPR and being the wise man he is downloaded it from iTunes before the review was even over.  He knew I would flip for it and boy was he right.   It is the perfect music to play in the car on the long drive to a camping adventure and has the perfect songs to learn for singing around the campfire.  My husband already has the title track down on guitar and I happily have the song playing on repeat in my head. Every song on it is a treasure.  I like to think that twenty years from now these songs  will instantly transport my boys back to this special, happy, simple time of family camping and discovering the wonders of the natural world.

The catchy title track:

All this video needs is a Bell Tent! :

 A fun look at the birth of a beautiful song:

Yesterday we went for a walk in the rain. It was a wonderful warm rain that never let up. What started as a light sprinkle turned into a complete downpour and we couldn't have been happier! We all had our rainboots and hats on and the boys had their nets for exploring the streams and shallow lake water. Our senses were awakened in every way. Our eyes took in the brilliant greens while our ears heard the sound of rain falling on leaves and the lake. Our tongues tasted honeysuckle and caught raindrops while our noses smelled the freshness of the air and the earthiness of the wet ground. But I think the best part for all of us was feeling the drops on our bare arms and legs knowing were getting soaked and not caring. It felt so good to just walk in a downpour and not be running to get out of it. It was just me and my boys fully experiencing the moment together. We were invigorated and happy!

So I signed up for my second e-course created by the fantastic Susannah Conway. It is called Exploring the Senses and coincides with the release of her new book This I Know. I'm excited for my copy to arrive this week. In the meantime I'm happy to be diving into my class assignments! It will be a fun month focusing on my senses through photography and journaling.  The timing could not be better.  My oldest son is finished with kindergarten this week so we'll be spending all of our days (and nights!) together soaking up the world around us with all of our senses and finding answers to the questions that arise. 

  There are a number of things in life that are hard to do without smiling.   Tap dancing, chasing butterflies, and trying to jump over ocean waves are all things that fall into that category for me.  Another is hula hooping. 
  While at Del Fest we found ourselves captivated by hula hoopers! They were scattered all around the concert meadow grooving to the music while spinning a hula hoop in a variety of ways.  Their techniques and skills altered my perception of what hula hooping is.  On the rare occasions in my past when I have used a hula hoop I would merely try (often unsuccessfully) to keep it spinning around my waist.  Since the festival I have been intrigued by the possibilities and so yesterday I did a "how to hula hoop" search and came across this gem of a youtube video.  I dare you to watch it without smiling. Then I dare you to go out and get yourself a hula hoop and give it a spin!