Sunshine Blogger Award: Most Inspirational Parenting Blogs

I am honored to accept the Sunshine Blogger Award that Collect. Make. Explore. has been nominated for (yay!). I'm also going to give a huge shout out to so many others who are building communities and sharing passions daily. I am excited to share with you, those that inspire me most. And hope that the questions I answer here will light up some of you too!

Thanks to Nino, from Rainy Day, Sunny Play for the nomination. This peer recognition award is a wonderful way to connect bloggers and audiences alike who share creativity and positivity. So...let's get started!

SUNSHINE BLOGGER AWARD RULES

1. Thank the Blogger who nominated you in a blog post and link back to their blog.

Huge thank you again to Rainy Day, Sunny Play for the nomination!

2. Answer the 11 Questions the Blogger asked about you

What is your favorite creative activity with kids?
Land Art. It is a beautiful act of creation that is a very meditative, tactile, and allows an immediate response to the world around you. It can be done anywhere, within any time frame, in any weather, and with any materials on hand.
Who do you look up to / who inspires you and why?
Anyone who chases their dreams yet still rocks the parenting!
What is your favorite place in the world?
I don't have just one. I love the beach, the woods, the mountains, the dessert. I love the variations and emotional draw that all of the places provide.
What are you most proud of in your life?
My children and the parents that my husband and I have become.
What was the biggest struggle you have overcome?
Still struggling but making strides on figuring out how to balance personal creative activities and parenting. I am in the middle of learning how to make art WHILE parenting rather than keeping the two acts in separate containers. The two are beginning to dovetail nicely in many ways, which I am super excited about.
What does your ideal school look like?
One that incorporates the natural world in very hands on ways. One that promotes movement. One that is diverse. One that does not rely on standardized texts but rather the broader learning style of each individual. One that shortens the normal length of time the children are in school. One that promotes experience and play. One that emphasizes the arts.
What is your greatest parenting challenge?
I am super motivated and driven and having to slow down my pace for a bit and change my approach has definitely been a challenge.
If you could travel anywhere right now, where would you go?
I would love to revisit the southwest U.S. AND travel back in time so my children could meet those much loved relaitves that have gone before them.
How much time do you spend outdoors on daily basis?
Average around 1-3 hours.
When and how did you decide to start a blog?
I've been blogging on and off for years, mostly on my own personal artwork. Then in 2015 I began Collect. Make. Explore., a blog about simple ways to incorporate creativity and nature into our day to day lives. It began in response to a book I have written by the same name.
Why do you continue to blog?
I was a tenured professor for ten years. I have a strong desire to teach and to inspire others. I am also an artist, so I love to create and share my work. These two passions, teaching and creating, combined with my love of the outdoors, has allowed me to find the drive to keep writing.