"Growing Adventure"
Growing up I always loved being outside- taking long walks with my parents through the trails in our backyard, looking for “buried treasure” and digging for dinosaur bones, or simply helping with our backyard garden. So when Hank and I found out we were expecting Henry, I was over the moon. A million thoughts and excited plans swirled through my head, and one of the best things on the horizon were all the adventures I’d eventually take with our future son. And now that he’s three, adventuring is exactly what we do- we wake up each morning and ask ourselves “what should we do today; where should we go?” The other morning we decided to take a walk across the street to check out a new area of the park that was being built. As we got closer Henry started to get really excited when he realized that today was the day the flowers were being planted. We must have sat there for an hour, just watching the landscapers put in the beautiful bright blooms. It sparked something in Henry, and on our walk home you could tell he was inspired. Amidst his curious questions about flowers and plants he asked, "Mommy, can we plant pretty flowers in our backyard too?" Seeing those bright colors gave him an idea, and that idea turned into a whole trip to the garden store that afternoon, walking up and down the aisles, an excited glimmer in his eye, so happy to be doing something so new to him. And I hope he's always like this; I hope that he always finds inspiration in nature, and a sense of adventure and excitement wherever he goes. And now when we go in our own backyard and see our soon to be growing flower garden, I'm reminded of what lies ahead- a whole childhood with Henry, exploring and learning new things every single day.
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This month I'm teaming up with Miracle-Gro on their "Grow Something Greater" Campaign- a movement designed to encourage all of us to "grow something greater" ourselves, in all that we do. I love the whole concept and the idea of encouraging community and public gardening, and this spring and summer Hank and I hope to really try out our green thumbs and see what we do in our own backyard. I've also been loving reading all the stories via this project, and have found even more inspiration through the awesome "growing" projects and stories featured.
So to celebrate springtime and the idea of growth, Miracle-Gro is giving away one grow kit to a lucky reader.
Here's what it includes:
-Gardening Moleskin Journal
-Gardening Shears
-Gardener’s Hand Therapy Lotion
-Gardener’s Soap
-$50 Amex gift card to purchase seeds and gardening supplies of your choice
To enter, first visit the Grow Something Greater page and check out all the ways people are growing something great themselves, then see ways to enter below!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
this post was sponsored by Miracle-Gro
I like the grow kitchen courage story by Terilyn Hutcheon.
ReplyDeleteAmber Lewis "grow party favors" - it reminded me of all the hard work my mom did to grow the flowers for my wedding. :)
ReplyDeleteGrow Green Smoothies! Plus, she has twins like me. :)
ReplyDeleteOH! would be so helpful with my garden!
ReplyDeleteI liked the grow community story, as a high school art teacher, it's something I've been interested in doing with my students, just trying to find the right place to do so.
DeleteThe story of Jen Lula, NY- Grow Wonder inspires me to grow and explore the wonder with my kids.
ReplyDeleteI can't wait for spring to finally get here so I can start digging in my garden! What a great gardener's giveaway!
ReplyDeleteWhat an awesome giveaway! The stories I related to the most was yours, as well as "Grow Family" by The Martins. Some of my best childhood memories are exploring the wilderness behind my house with my brothers, and camping in the forest with my family. Growing up exploring and going on so many adventures outside really cultivated my appreciation for nature and plants. I also really love the Grow Family story. My grandmother and grandfather had rain lilies, and they have been passed down to my Dad, who has passed them down to me and my brothers. I think it's amazing that those plants connect 3 generations.
ReplyDeleteI am just starting to think about my garden for this year. I love the journal!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the giveaway!
ReplyDeleteto be honest I love to see my sister working on her garden.Mostly she grows a tons of vegetables and obviously for the front garden we add flowers. My favorite is Jasmine!! I can't wait for summer!!
Have a nice weekend! ♥
Love this. We love getting our girls involved in the garden, it's so good for them.
ReplyDeletelike the My Nguyen grow green smoothies story
ReplyDeleteAnother wonderful post! My oldest is 3, and it's amazing how much they bring you back to enjoying all the little things you might take for granted. I know Atticus is very interested in nature right now, and is loving to stop and literally smell the flowers a lot lately! I can't wait for it to get warmer!!
ReplyDeleteAs a volunteer community garden leader this giveaway would go so far in helping our community! Thank you for the opportunity!
ReplyDeleteGrow Joy <3
ReplyDeleteI like "Gardening With Children".
ReplyDeleteThis would be a perfect bday gift for my Earth Day baby as he turns 5!
ReplyDeleteI love the grow wonder story about growing a family herb garden. This really is a great way to create some great family memories.
ReplyDeleteEntered the rafflecopter as “Wild orchid”
Thanks for the chance to win!
wildorchid985 at gmail dot com
Can I come and play with Henry?
ReplyDeleteI like the "grow get togethers" story here http://www.growsomethinggreater.com/#id=ugcItem-2030
ReplyDeleteThis will be our second year planting a garden on the back porch of our apartment- it's small, but very special to us. jona.favreau@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteThe story grow potential resonated with me.
ReplyDeleteI am so looking forward to spending more time outside and cultivating this summer!
ReplyDeleteI like Grow Imagination by Katie Rodgers. This is so me..I love watching how things blossom.
ReplyDeletetweety800265(at)yahoo(dot)com
I liked the grow community story.
ReplyDeleteGrow appreciation. Sharing the love of food and cooking with the next generation is a wonderful thing.
ReplyDeleteI liked the "Grow Joy" story
ReplyDeleteI love the Martins story - sharing a garden with the whole family in a way!
ReplyDeleteI love the Martins story. What a fun and special way to stay connected. I have a spider plant right now that everyone in my family gets a piece of when they buy their first home.
ReplyDeletei love this whole concept, one of the favorites i read was "grow sandwiches". i cannot wait for ny to thaw out so we can begin planting our gardens this year..a front yard full of veggies should be everyone's dream!
ReplyDeletexx
trisha
veranellies.blogspot.com
I liked the Grow Joy story by Jenn Quillen about her grandmother.
ReplyDeleteI liked the grow green smoothies story because that's what I want to be able to do this year.
ReplyDeleteI like the Grow Joy story of Jenn Quillen
ReplyDeleteI liked the story by Danielle Hampton in Prescott, AZ -- getting their child interested in planting and flowers is cool!
ReplyDeleteDigicats {at} Sbcglobal {dot} Net
I loved our backyard growing up! It was so much fun exploring, playing, going on adventures (minus the ticks!). I remember always loving having our job be to put the little flower stick info cards into the ground by each type of flower. I can't wait to do that with Lucy, but we are pretty limited to what we can plant down here in the heat. Henry loves mom's garden so much, I know he will love whatever you guys do in the backyard. I can't wait to come visit and see!
ReplyDeleteThe Grow Sandwiches story is the one that resonated with me because my family eats sandwiches a lot and we can make them a lot healthier by adding organic veggies from our garden.
ReplyDeletekellywcu8888ATgmailDOTcom
I like the Grow Party Favors story by Amber Lewis in Los Angeles CA.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the nice giveaway!
I love this idea... Your story as well as the Grow Green Smoothies story both resonated with me. My husband and I keep talking about starting our own little backyard garden but the Phoenix heat is our excuse. I would love to win so we could actually attempt it!
ReplyDeleteThanks for another great post!
Life is Peaches
I can't wait until our son is old enough to play in the dirt and plant seeds, and grow veggies and flowers!
ReplyDeleteI like the Grow Curiosity section. I used to do the same thing with my children and now they love to grow things and fix stuff! I have always wanted a rose/flower garden but have not had a place to grow one until now. I am so excited to be able to watch them grow!
ReplyDeleteThis is one thing I've really wanted to add into my life, growing!!! I'm excited about this giveaway
ReplyDeleteWe're planning a trip to the nursery tomorrow to grab a few spring things!...can't wait for summer gardening....already making big plans!
ReplyDeleteGardening with children!! Thank you for a lovely giveaway!
ReplyDeleteGrow Imagination by Katie Rodgers was adorable. That one really got to me.
ReplyDeleteMy husband and I were just discussing our new garden today! We can only hope our little one due in June will love being outside as much as we do and playing in the dirt!
ReplyDeleteThe grow community story about the school garden as I'm very much for kids learning how to grow their own veggies
ReplyDeleteThis is a great concept! I can definitely get behind the idea that Miracle Gro puts forth. I think my favorite story I stumbled across was the "grow inspiration" one by Kat Irlin.
ReplyDeleteI love the Grow Creativity story. As a self-proclaimed DIY-er, I constantly find myself taking average, everyday items and giving them new purpose.
ReplyDeleteGreat post, Danielle! Henry is going to have so much fun watching his flowers grow. Last year my husband dug me a raised garden and I took such pleasure working in it every day. I can't wait for gardening season to start in a couple months again!
gardening is one of our family's favorite things--there is something magical about watching your little's anticipation of things sprouting and then getting to pick the fruits (or flowers) of his labor.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite is Grow Curiosity
ReplyDeleteJen Lula's story
ReplyDeleteCuriosity! Isn't that the point of life? Keep exploring...
ReplyDeleteI have a few vegetable garden beds in my side yard. Every year I plant with gusto and about 75% of my gardening fails...black thumb here, I guess. Now spring is on the horizon and I'm all set to plant my veggies again with hope and heart. Maybe this year will be better!
ReplyDeleteGrow Curiousity without a doubt. This is the first year my son is going to really get to watch us create a garden, and I'm so excited to show him the joys of watching things grow. I can see so many days ahead this summer of him helping in the garden while my daughter happily watches us from her blanket.
ReplyDeleteI love Jenn Quillen's idea of an indoor garden to remember her grandmother. I am moving soon to a smaller apartment in DC, so I won't be able to garden as much as I am used to. I'll be growing Tulips though, for my Grandpa :)
ReplyDeleteDefinitely the sangria story!!
ReplyDeleteWith spring (maybe) looming around the corner I am really wanting to start an herb garden with my little, just like Jen did with her Rowan on the Grow Something Great site!
ReplyDeleteI love my backyard. It's a bit of a work in progress but it's getting there. We just purchased lavender this weekend and can't wait to plant them!
ReplyDeleteGrow Family....my best memories growing up were outside.
ReplyDeleteI am itching to start gardening in our new home's blank slate of a back yard! I never thought to go on Miracle Grow's site for inspiration but it really is quite beautiful. I would love that grow kit but I would love the end of this brutal winter just as much!
ReplyDeleteThe growing kitchen courage resonates best with me. I've found that growing my own produce makes me use it more in my day to day
ReplyDeleteI love the Martin's story. What a wonderful way to share family!
ReplyDeleteI liked the grow family story!
ReplyDeleteI like the grow kitchen courage story!
ReplyDeleteI like the grow kitchen courage story
ReplyDeleteI love the grow wonder story
ReplyDeleteI like the grow perspective -Stef Andrews story.
ReplyDeleterounder9834 @yahoo.com
I like Ian Padgham grow rewards story
ReplyDeleteOh I loved the Grow Curiosity Jennifer Medeiros story!!!
ReplyDeleteI love the Grow Perspective with Stef Andrews. The garden in the truck bed is such a great idea - talk about recycling!
ReplyDeletethe grow kitchen story
ReplyDeletethanks
aunteegem@yahoo.com
Grow Kitchen Courage because it motivated me to start an indoor herb garden.
ReplyDeleteThank you
I like Grow Curiosity story by Jennifer Medeiros.
ReplyDeleteI love the grow green smoothies story! :) so inspiring!
ReplyDeleteSuch a great giveaway! Especially with Spring right on the horizon.
ReplyDeleteGreat giveaway. I liked Crissy Page's story the best.
ReplyDeleteI love Amber Lewis' story about growing party favors! Gets me excited about throwing get-togethers this summer.
ReplyDeleteI love the Gro Communities story. I think it's something that's missing in too many lives, the knowlegde of where food comes from.
ReplyDeleteI really like the gro curiosity story - great ideas for kids
ReplyDeleteI Love The " Gro Imagination" Story From Katie Rodgers!
ReplyDeleteThe Gro Family story is awesome. I love that they have been passing down clippings from generation to generation!
ReplyDeleteI liked Gro Potential. I'm also on a path for personal growth, so I can relate to her story.
ReplyDelete