I took the kids to Hocking Hills State Park today. It was a relatively spontaneous trip, and it’s been a little while since I’ve done anything like this with the kids. I’ve been so stressed out and distracted lately, and I feel like I’ve not spent much quality time with my kids. I needed this, and the kids definitely needed it too.

It was just the three of us because the hiking would have been too much for Gavin, and he was spending a few days with his grandparents anyway.

The 5 hour’s drive wasn’t too bad, and we spent the afternoon exploring Old Man’s Cave and The Rock House.

The hiking wasn’t too bad, and they both did great. Emmett’s been in physical therapy because he’s dealing with back pain, so I wanted to make sure whatever we did was accessible to him. I think in total; we, we hiked two or 3 miles.

It was so nice getting away for a little bit. Gavin was due home shortly after we left and took care of the dogs. He’s a massive fan of having the house to himself, so it was a win-win for all of us.

I sometimes get tunnel vision and lose sight of the bigger picture. I don’t know if that’s an ADHD thing, but it’s definitely my thing. I’ve been under a lot of pressure lately, and I need to strike a better balance. There’s been a lot of changes in my life recently, and I’m trying to find my groove once again.

The goal for this summer is to take more of these day trips. There’s a lot going on, and I need to make sure we take time to step back from our lives for a little while and explore nature. Being among the trees is so therapeutic, and the memories made will be carried for years to come. It won’t be too long before I have an empty nest, and these opportunities will be much harder to come by. I get all emotional just thinking about that.

Time moves way too fast, and these moments with my kids seem to slow things down just a little bit.