Someone posed a question the other day, “what does being an outdoor mom really mean?” For some moms it means teaching their kids to love, respect, and be knowledgable about nature. For others it means living in such a way as to preserve the environment. I know moms who have taken to the road with their family, living very much outdoors most of the time. For others, they are urban dwellers striving to find nature and adventure amidst city life. There isn’t really a wrong answer.

But here is what being an outdoor mom means to me:

• Making my true home the mountains.
• Being outdoors enough that my kids feel at home there too.
• Not letting weather get in the way. Meaning being prepared gear-wise and ambition-wise.
• I might not be a professional mountain guide, but my kids trust me as one. I must take this seriously.
• I need to keep my body fit so I can climb, ski, run, hike, camp, bike, swim, and adventure safely and efficiently.
• I need to keep my body fit so when we bring the kids, my husband isn’t the only one bearing a heavier load.
• Keeping our outdoor pursuits fun; our goals realistic.
• Moving beyond comfortable.
• Moving beyond what I know.
• Sharing the beauty of creation with my kids.

Mostly it means doing what every mom does:

• Wiping runny noses / cooking and planning meals / refereeing sibling arguments / serving up snacks / laughing at new discoveries / building forts / and potty training
• But doing it here: 
• 

And here: 

And here: 

And Here: