This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of UnitedHealthcare. All opinions are 100% mine.
Summer is in full bloom and I could not be happier.
Longer days mean more time to spend outside, the sun kissing my skin, wind caressing my face and beautiful surroundings stirring my soul.
As you know, we are an outdoorsy kind of family and we relish every opportunity to go on an adventure. We are blessed to be living in Southern California within driving distance of some of the most spectacular parks in the world. Joshua Tree is a mere two and half hours drive and a favorite destination any time of year. We love to explore this majestic park and, of course, do a little rock climbing. The views from the top of every climb are truly breath taking!
And what a way to stay fit and healthy! The girls are always as eager as Cris and I to defy gravity, and they never cease to amaze me with their fearlessness and tenacity.
Sequoia National Park is a little bit further but well worth the drive. We took the girls there a few years ago and had a few interesting encounters! We’re looking forward to another visit later this summer.
Wanting to stretch our boundaries and explore a few more parks we took the girls on a 10 day camping trip a year ago through Nevada, Utah and Arizona. It was a truly magical trip with magnificent vistas at every turn. We hiked every day, sometimes up to 8 miles, and I was amazed that our little Sabrina kept up with the rest of the family, always with a smile on her face. When she pooped out she found her way to my shoulders which was fine by me.
Wherever we stopped Alexandra found a spot where she could do a handstand. It has become her signature pose and her own special way to share the joy she feels as she discovers these phenomenal places.
As much as we relish these big adventures, we are just as happy with an impromptu visit to one of our local parks. One of the many blessings in our lives is being surrounded by many fabulous outdoor destinations! We’ll often ride our bikes a couple of miles, play around on the swings and monkey bars, or even throw a blanket on the ground and enjoy a lovely picnic. It’s been our way of life since the girls were little and a wonderful way to enjoy some quality family time and stay healthy together, mind, body and spirit.
What about you? Do you have a favorite local park? A special moment you’ve shared with your family that makes you smile every time you think about it?
Share your favorite park moment for a chance to win a $400 Amazon gift card courtesy of United Healthcare. I’ve shared a few already so make sure you look for my pictures while you’re visiting.
Through their “We Dare You To Share Program” UnitedHealthcare is inviting families everywhere to share the the joy of playing outdoors.
It’s super easy to participate:
- Visit the “We Dare You To Share” page here: http://wedareyoutoshare.com/share
- Click the blue button that says ‘ENTER”
- Enter your information
- Upload a photo or video
- Click ‘SUBMIT”
Voila you are done. Feel free to peruse the site for other ways to win that $400 gift card. With Back-To-School just around the corner, I’m sure you’ll find plenty of things to spend it on. In addition the the $400 grand prize UnitedHealthcare is giving away one $25 gift card a week. You’ll find additional ways to enter while on their site.
What is your favorite outdoor destination? Have you taken full advantage of your local parks this summer? Please share a special story, or a special place… I’d love to discover it through your eyes.
What an awesome idea! I love parks, and could spend hours in them. I spend my exercise in the park every day. I am definitely going to enter this competition.
What a great place to do your exercise Elizabeth! Enjoy your time at the park and best of luck with the photo competition!
I love the handstand photos!! And all the places you’ve been are gorgeous. My kiddos would love them, especially my daughter.
Thank you Nicole! I feel so blessed that we have been able to visit all of the magnificent places! I visited all of our national parks with my mom, grandma and 3 siblings when we were younger… over the course of several summers. We have so much beauty in the US it is astounding!
Looks like you guys had an amazing time! We’ve got a lot to explore here since we just moved to a new state. We’ve been so busy we haven’t been able to check out the area! I’d be like your daughter in the open spaces. hahahaha
I love that Mimi… We all love being outdoors and we loved discovering the beauty all around us, near and far! Enjoy discovering your new area 🙂
What great memories you are making! I love to try new things, but some times let fear get in the way.
We are Crystal and I have my parents to thank for that because that is how they raised us. Please don’t let fear stop you. Fear is only temporary. Face it, embrace it and push through it.. Go ahead and “Do it afraid” You’ll be sooooo exited you did! I have faith in you!
Well, it’s not my favorite, but my most memorable park moment was the time my husband, kids (about ages 6 and 1) and I were hiking through a park. I thought I was watching where I was going, but I tripped over a tree stump in the middle of the path. I fell on my face. I was bruised on the way down the front of my body. Luckily, I wasn’t carrying my little guy!
Yikes Sara, that sounds so painful! Kudos for not letting it ruin your hike! I can’t say I was so lucky years ago when my oldest was still small enough for piggy back rides, we were walking home from a friend’s house. Like you I was not watching where I was going and I stepped on a tiny rock. My ankle buckled and I fell so hard! Ended up with an avulsion fracture. Thankfully I had the reflex to roll but my poor baby fell pretty hard nonetheless 🙁 She forgave me and gingerly climbed on my back at the next opportunity 🙂
Wow, what amazing photos! You are definitely an outdoorsy family – the rock climbing pictures make my stomach clench a little bit, but the handstands are awesome! Now you’ve inspired me to try to get my husband and kids out more and discover some great places like these for ourselves!
YAY! So happy to inspire! We love the outdoors and are so grateful that our girls are eager to put all the electronics aside to get out there and LIVE! Take the DARE and go take some photos! I look forward to seeing them 🙂
I really wish that I lived somewhere where it would be easier to walk places or to ride bikes. Unfortunately we are pretty sedentary.
I love the photos of the handstands. I think that is fabulous.
Thank you Lynda! My daughter has so much fun doing the handstands! I hope you find places that aren’t too far… even a short drive is worth the amazing feeling you get from breathing in the fresh air and filling your mind with beautiful views 🙂
My favorite park isn’t this gorgeous, yet still gorgeous, nonetheless. It is so peaceful and relaxing!
I love parks of all kinds HilLesha because of what you say.. so peaceful and relaxing!
My daughter would absolutely love this place. She loves to rock climb! And that handstand photo! WOW!
We love rock climbing so much Lisa, it is so empowering! I remember when I reached the top of my first climb, after pushing back my fear and pushing through, I felt like I could conquer the world! It’s the most exhilarating feeling! My daughter makes me smile with her handstands. I love that she does them everywhere we go!
Wow, looks like you guys are having an awesome summer.
Our big trip was last spring but we visit Joshua tree as often as we can because it is such a gift to be there. Even one day there is so refreshing … we come home recharged with all troubles forgotten and ready for whatever comes our way.
Wow, what an amazing experience! We just have the local parks with walking trails and playgrounds near us. I would love to visit something like this though!
We are blessed to have a lot of local parks with walking trails Kecia! Our favorite thing to do is to go on a hike right before sunset and catch the sunset on our way down! It is so magical!
I’d love to visit that part of the country sometime very soon. I live in an area of flat lands and corn fields, so mountains and cliffs are like magical to me.
I hear you Crystal! I feel so blessed to have such easy access to beautiful hills and mountains.. This country has so much to offer though. I can’t wait to take the girls to New Mexico, for example, with the flat mesas and rose colored rocks…
I wish that growing up my family was more outdoor-oriented! But I’m making up for it now. I’m in Central California with a view of the Sierra Nevada mountains from my backyard (when you can see them through the haze!). Since being here, my hubby and I have been to Sequoia National Park, Kings Canyon and Yosemite. We even trekked 7.2 miles of the valley floor trail at Yosemite that started off great, but neither of us had appropriate footwear for that kind of hike. We laugh thinking about limping through the final mile to our car, as I seriously didn’t think I would make it! We drove to the lodge for a beer and could barely walk. I’m getting good hiking boots before we go back!!
What a blessing that you are making up for it now Pamela! How lucky you are to be so close to all these astonishing places! You are such a trooper. What adventure you had in Yosemite! I went as a teenager but my husband has never been. We are dying to take the girls there, hopefully in the spring after the snow melts and when the pressure of college admissions for my oldest are behind us 🙂
Wow, is that a dead snake like that??
Actually it wasn’t quite dead when we found it Trisha, though it was clearly injured and on his way “out”. It was in the middle of the street and when we pulled up it tried to move. Cris grabbed the longest branch he could find and tossed it away from the road. It was a little bit scary but the girls were in awe!
Wow, I love seeing the photos of the places you have been! We live at the lake, so that is our favorite playground…all the trails around through the woods. Love nature!
That sounds so wonderful Brandy! When I was in college we had a beautiful lake just a short drive away… Occasionally we would ride our bikes. I lvoed going there. It was so peaceful… The perfect place to unwind, recharge and just breathe!!! Happy trails!
I just went walking in my local park today. I haven’t been in awhile and it was great to be out and about! Go Healthy!
That sounds so lovely Kerri and I hope, now that you have rekindled that sense of joy at being out there you will spend many more lovely hours enjoying your local park. Go healthy indeed, woohoo!!!