At our last Mom Heart group, we listened to a podcast titled “Intentional Summer”. It covered the topic of how we can plan our summers so that we can spent more time with our kids. How can we use school summer breaks more productively?
It’s not that easy to do when you work full time during the summer. It’s not that easy to do when you don’t have extra finances to send your kids to summer camps. It’s not that easy to do when you live in an apartment and don’t have a backyard for your kids to enjoy during long summer evenings. But it is possible!
That’s why I think INTENTIONAL is the most important word here. We as parents need to be more strategic when it comes to summer breaks. Planning is important. Yes, we can’t spend 24/7 with our kids when we have jobs, but we can plan some time together on our free days and free evenings.
So today I’m sharing one of the things, or one activity, that you can do with your kids. It’s hiking. Depending on your kids age, you can decide on the difficulty and time you will spend on the trail.
The great thing is that it won’t cost you much. Just a bit of planning 🙂 It’s also more fun if you do it with other family members or friends.

Last Saturday we did exactly that. My brother chose the trail and we all agreed to go. We live in such a place where you can find a hike for any level or distance without any problem. If you live in Sacramento area, this is a nearby trail.

We met at 6 am and drove to the trail called Loch Leven Lakes Trail. The trail is considered a hard-difficulty level trail. I would say it is a more medium difficulty level. It’s located directly off Interstate 80, exit 166 towards Big Bend. The trail is about 8 miles long out and back.
As you get off of the freeway and pass the fire station, a small parking lot will be on your left. It’s better to get there earlier since the parking lot is small. It conveniently has bathrooms.
We hiked up the mountain. This trail takes you up to the scenic high alpine Sierra Nevada lakes. When we got to the big lake, we enjoyed our lunch there with an amazing view. We had time to rest, fellowship and swim there.

Speaking of lunch. I often make pigs in a blanket or some kind of savory pie that I can cut into serving slices. Add some fresh veggies, fruits, and lots of hot tea (obviously), and you have a delicious meal in the woods. Oh, and don’t forget dessert! Also, bring lots of water with you. You will need to have some water breaks during your hike. We at least stopped a few times to catch our breath, get some water, and take some pictures. We learned to leave some water in the car, you will need it when you get back.
My youngest brother joined us with his camera this time. And you know if he joins you, you will have some epic shots. Here are some of them.

It was a great hike with family and friends. I love spending time outside and making memories with my people. We were safely back home sometime after 3pm. Perfect time to finish a few chores at home like making dinner, doing the laundry, and most importantly, getting ready for church. The beauty of motherhood!

I encourage you to be intentional this summer and beyond. We only have our kids with us for a short period of time. Why not use that time wisely, sow as many seeds as you can, create memories, and have lots of fun along the way.

With love,

Natasha

P.S. I don’t usually want to get up at 4:45 am on Saturday morning, but every time I do, I get rewarded by amazing experiences on the trail and great fellowship with my people.