Snowshoeing for Total Beginners
As I've made clear before, I am not naturally an outdoorsy person - especially in the winter. I'm better suited to reading a book under a soft blanket while sipping a cup of coffee, or booking vacations to warmer climates during the Midwest's long winters. But I'm getting better at embracing the outdoors (even when it's cold) and even enjoying the beauty of freshly fallen snow. Today, I stepped it up a notch. The nature center near our home offers snowshoe rentals on Sunday afternoons, and since we are already familiar with the trails, that seemed like an inexpensive way to try a new winter activity. The 11-year-old decided to go sledding with Dad instead, but I made the short drive with the 6-year-old and 4-year-old, got assistance strapping on the snowshoes, and took them out into the woods. Here's what I learned. 1. It's okay to have really, really low expectations. I tried to set my expectations low and not imagine that it would be a
