I think this is going to be a really good year! ✨

To kick it off right, I took advantage of a brisk, sunny day last week and went romping through my grandma’s woods with my 80lb puppy, Rusty (pictured at the bottom of this email with me).

These woods hold so many memories and so much of my family’s history.

And even on the coldest winter day, there’s life tucked away everywhere, if you know where to look.

There’s nothing like trudging through the snow, breathing in cold air, and letting nature reset everything that feels stagnant. 💙

It’s the kind of thing that reminds me what really matters when life has been out of sorts—two solid weeks of holidays and wayyy too much sugar!

The best part about winter hikes? The animal tracks. It’s like reading a secret story about what happens when we’re not around! 🐾

Check out the photos below from left to right, top to bottom:

Empty beehive dangling from the tiniest twig!

Deer digging for acorns

Woodpecker trying out a new tree

Rabbits nibbling on buried grass

When I stop and let it sink in, I’m always comforted knowing there’s a whole world of life happening in those woods.

While I’m off running errands and checking things off my list, the woods keep going—simple, steady, real.

It’s a place where I can visit and rediscover myself.

If you’re ever going stir-crazy at home with the kids, bundle everyone up and hit a local trail.

Bring a thermos of hot chocolate and turn it into a “track detective” game—let them follow prints and guess what animal made them.

Even thirty minutes outside can be a total game-changer for everyone’s mood (and energy levels!).

Need some ideas of where to go? Here are some easy local trails to try:

These have stroller-friendly or toddler-manageable paths, as well as play-sets:

  • Millennium Park, Walker (GR)
  • Ada Park
  • Roselle Park, Ada

These are trails for older elementary-middle school kids, longer hikes, dirt paths:

  • Seidman Park, Ada
  • Cascade Peace Park, Ada
  • Thornapple Riverbend Greenspace, Caledonia
  • Wittenbach Center, Lowell

Here’s to getting outside and staying sane this winter!

Maybe I’ll see you on the trail🌲❄️

Growing with you,

Caroline Thomet