One of my favorite things to do with my family is go on a nice evening stroll (especially in the fall)! Everyone enjoys being outside, and it is such good family time that even gets to include the dog.
Caroline really enjoys looking at the moon. So much so, she always says she wants to go to the moon when she sees it! I decided on a whim, that I wanted to throw out Caroline’s schedule for one night, and have an extra special family walk. Instead of putting Caroline to bed at 7/7:15, we actually headed out of the house at 6:30. Our destination- the golf course that my husband works at.
There is something about golf courses that make them perfect for a nice walk. They are so peaceful, and so beautiful. Obviously, it is not ok to go for a walk when golfers would be out, but, since my husband works there, we can go out after dark and have the place to ourselves!
The golf course at night is the perfect amount of darkness to see the stars. It is quiet, so you get to hear all of the crickets and critters. There are ponds to walk by, and the occasional fox that runs by. The deer are all over the place if you don’t scare them away. I could do this every night. We bundled up, and even brought our dog (Moose) along with us.
Caroline was pretty excited to be out past her bedtime. She handled it so well! She ran down the path and chose which direction we’d go next. She pointed out rocks, the sidewalk, found holes, and saw the moon. I even got her to lay down on the cart path with me and look up at the stars for a split second! Moose ran around and did his own thing. He jumped in the ponds and explored. I watched as my daughter, my husband, and my dog all had a blast in their own ways. I was content and so incredibly happy.
This was one of those nights that I didn’t have a worry to be found. My pains melted away, and all I could feel was happiness and love. I could do this every night. It always feels good to be outside with my family, and this time after-dark made it even more special. I know Caroline won’t remember this particular trip, but I hope that we do many more of these so she does remember them as something special that she got to do. This trip was so enjoyable, I never even got my phone out to take a picture… all I wanted to do was take it all in and be in the moment.