How We Spent Our Summer 2021 | 1000 Hours Outside Challenge | Chesapeake Photographer

If you follow me on social media (if you don't, here's my Instagram and here's my Facebook ) you've probably heard me whine and complain that summer is gone. Officially. It's just...gone. I'm like a child- I'm just plain sad and a big ball of big emotions. I love the warmth of summer, the freedom, the beach, the sunshine, the laid back summer vibes... and it's just slowly ended and faded to Fall. 
You also might know that as a family, we participate in something known as the 1000 Hours Outside Challenge. It's a big part of our life. We aim to spend 1000 hours each year outside. And to say that it's been life changing is an understatement. It truly has changed our lives and how we view our time outside. I also know that I really, really, really struggle in the winter, so we try to pack in as many hours outside as possible in the summer months. 

So, I try to update ya'll on what we've been doing to keep busy and how we spend our time outside. Honestly, for us, summer is the easiest month to spend time outside. We don't mind the heat. We stay hydrated and seek shade when possible. We get our hours in early in the morning and late in the afternoon. This year the kids pooled all of their money together (and with a little help  from mom and dad) got a blow up water slide and that has been a HUGE hit! We have enjoyed it so much and so have the neighborhood kids! 

Here are some of our favorite ways to rack up hours in the summer:

• Eat Outside (and cook outside too!)! We have a little table that is shaded most of the day that we eat at and if not that, we will throw a blanket under a tree.
• Go to the beach
• Walk the boardwalk at the beach
• Fly Kites
• Swim
• Skateboard
• Visit different parks in the area
• Ride bikes with neighborhood friends
• Nerf gun battles with friends
• Eat ice cream or popsicles outside
• Walk around town in the beach front communities
• Play with water toys outside
• Play Sports
• Have a garden (our kids learned a bit about cutting grass!) 
• Go on a hike in the woods
• Science Experiments outside 
• Read books in the hammock under the tree

We have had so much fun this summer. I enjoy our time together and I like to think we make the best of it. Winter becomes a lot more challenging for me, but it's all about harmony and prioritizing your time. 
If you'd like to read more about what we did previously, check out this blog post. 
If you'd like more information about the 1000 Hours Outside Challenge, click here to be taken to their website. 
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