Get outside and enjoy the sunshine with your family. Sharing my thoughts on the benefits of outdoor recreation.
Thank you Columbia for sponsoring this post. While this was a sponsored opportunity from Columbia, all
content and opinions expressed here are my own.
Families are constantly being pulled in different directions. Over scheduled-ness is a real thing, and though I love for our family to go and support each other in various activities, it’s important to me that we get outside and enjoy the sunshine together. I think we all KNOW it’s important to get outside for the sunshine and vitamin D, but how often do you get outside TOGETHER just for the sake of a fun family activity?
Our family loves a good hike, and we like to take opportunities to do that whenever we can. I partnered with Columbia to share some great hiking clothes, perfect for family togetherness time. As with any adventure, gotta have the best clothes for the occasion, and I love Columbia for the outdoor casual wear, perfect for the family hike. Columbia is perfect for keeping me cool and protected and helps me stay outdoors longer.
Why we love the family hike:
- Reduces stress levels. Life is STRESSFUL! For adults, for kids, especially those teenagers. The levels of anxiety diagnosis are rising, and I’m constantly trying to think of how to reduce the stress level of my kids. There is nothing like a good walk or run to reduce stress, but a family hike, where we are out in nature together, we are all letting the stress of life just ooze out of us.
- Family Bonding Conversation. Shared experiences bond us together. I wish we lived near mountains and could take a convenient family hike every weekend to a new and different location, but that’s not our reality. In Texas, it’s hot in the summer, but we still find ways to squeeze in a hike. When we hike, we have nothing else to do besides shoot the breeze! I love a good casual walk-n-talk, it’s the perfect way I’ve found to have open communication with my kids.
- Physicality. The family that exercises together, stays together. We did not do exercise together as a family when I was growing up. It was fine, we did other things, but my husband is who taught me the importance of being physically fit, and I’ve been grateful for his example. I love to exercise as a family, and talk about the health benefits, and the family hike is just my favorite way to exercise together.
- Help each other out. When we were in Hawaii recently, one of our hikes was a tricky one. There was a lot reaching out with hands to help each other along. My heart was taking pictures all the way down as I watched my boys help their sisters and ME. There is a lot of give and take and “watch out for that branch” kind of thing.
The pants I’m wearing from Columbia below were the perfect hiking pants. They have Omni-Shade™ UPF 50 sun protection, which is some pretty fabulous technology. Even though it’s hot in Texas (upwards of 100 degrees) it felt comfortable and lightweight enough to wear on this hiking adventure. And I’ve fallen in love with my new shirt, even though I could feel the sweat of the hike on my skin, but with the Omni-Wick™ technology, it didn’t show, which I’m GRATEFUL! I encourage you to check out all that Columbia has to offer in the way of sportswear, you won’t be disappointed!
Below, my daughter and I are both wearing Columbia tops, as well as my pants. You can find them here:
- (my shirt) Women’s Outerspaced™ II Tee
- Women’s Anytime Outdoor™ Boot Cut Pant
- Women’s PFG Harborside™ Pocket Tee
Not picture, we also purchased:
The pants and the shorts felt the same, just give me options depending on if I feel like wearing long or short! The tank is also made of the same material sun protected material as the shirt, also…options!
I joined the Columbia Loyalty Program, which includes free shipping all the time, along with some member only offers. I can’t be sad about free shipping! Click the link for a special summer promotion that goes through August 14th with up to 50% off select gear.
