I’m not going to lie, we have too much stuff.
I say that with so much gratitude, but also with a whole lot of overwhelmingness (yes, I know that’s not a real world, but it fits).
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You see, we are so blessed by so many people who love us dearly. So, we receive a lot of gifts. Add an Amazon Prime membership, 3 young kids and a mom who stress shops, and you end up with a lot of clutter. This growing collection of things is certainly a cause of a lot of stress and frustration, and is something I’m trying to get control of. Because of all this stuff, holidays and birthdays often come with a bit of dread – the dread of more stuff. Seriously, we just don’t have the room for it and for some reason it’s really hard to just get rid of.
So when these special gift giving occasions occur and people ask what we’d like, I always ask for experiences. In reality, my kids really don’t need another Paw Patrol figurine, but we can always use a trip to a museum, a movie pass, or a day spent with a beloved friend or family member (of course we are always grateful for anything giving to us with love).
This year, we were blessed with season passes to African Lion Safari. It’s about half an hour from us, and a favourite summer destination. We typically spend one or two days there each week during the summer, learning about animals, conservation and just looking at cute animals and playing on the awesome equipment.
The park opened earlier this month, and we have taken advantage of the beautiful weather and made a few trips out. It’s been especially wonderful as the park is much quieter during the school season, and since school is still in session, we aren’t faced with crowds and chaos. It is really such a wonderful way to spend a day, with so many opportunities for bonding, exercise and learning!
We are so excited to spend may summer days enjoying this wonderful gift!