Last year we started taking weekly hikes in the nature preserve just behind our house. As our kids developed a love of exploring and hiking, we started venturing out further and love exploring the incredible trails all around the Austin Area. Recently took our crew to hike on the Bull Creek Trail, which is right in the middle of a business and residential area, but seems a world away. It’s actually walking distance from Dave’s office, and was the one of the places I visited when we were here for his interview, before he was hired and we moved. I remember thinking it was incredible to have such a beautiful place so in the middle of everything! It’s still one of my favorite places to explore with the kids.I’ve been in the habit of throwing together a green smoothie for breakfast each morning, but when we want to get up and out to explore, I love tossing a couple   Naked Juice bottles into our pack to bring along. The kids all love them (including the little boys giggling about the name “Naked” Juice! Haha.) The new Berry Almond Nutmilk contains: 26 blueberries, 8 blackberries, 2 raspberries, 1 strawberry, 24 almonds, 1 3/4 apples and 1/3 banana! No wonder my kids down it with a smile. That packs 11g of plant protein between the fruit, almond milk, and soy protein. And with no preservatives or added sugar I can feel super good about pouring it into Plum’s sippy cup for her to share with me on the trail!Because of the intense rain that the Austin Area has experienced this spring, the creeks are all running high, which for this area means the most beautiful waterfalls! We climbed down to explore at the bottom of the falls and spotted a toad, lots of spiders, and piles of branches and brush that the flooding has left behind.I took a break to watch the boys play, throw sticks into the water, and wander while I got my morning greens with a Kale Blazer. This was the first time I had tried it (my usual Naked Juice go-to is Green Machine, which comes as part of my favorite mini-bottle combo pack at Costco!) and the flavor is super refreshing and interesting. Each bottle is 100% juice and contains 5 3/4 kale leaves, cucumber, 15 spinach leaves, celery, oranges and apple with a hint of ginger and lemon, which makes it a great source of potassium, vitamin A and vitamin C. The ginger and lemon support the fresh celery and spinach, and it’s not too sweet, but still doesn’t taste like pure veggies. I used to joke with Dave when he put celery and cucumber in his morning smoothies that he was making a “garden” smoothie. But on a hot day in the summer, this cold, fresh juice was perfect. No extras, just the important stuff.
When we get out together in nature on these adventures, I can’t help but remember my own childhood. I grew up in the mountains and deserts of Utah, hiking, camping, and backpacking with my Dad. Being out in nature always connected me to God, to my family, and to myself in a way nothing else could. There is something about being outside with no distractions that helps strip away the meaningless fluff we can get so wrapped up in, and leaves behind the realness of what’s truly important. These relationships. This big family love.  I hope my kids feel that, too. The way that life becomes so simple without all the extra stuff. How we can experience so much goodness, happiness, and adventure with just ourselves outside.

 I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.