From the Hip

 Winter is coming. If you live in the midwest, you know: winter is coming. And after the summer of Covid, the cold long nights that are awaiting us seems like a dreary forecast. I grew up in sunny Southern California and move to the Mitten State when I was in high school. I've lived in Michigan for over 28 years and I still resist the winter months. It's hard to get outside when it's cold. On top of that, kids add another layer of planning that has to take place when we want to be outside of the house. I was talking with two gal pals both have a newborn + other little ones. We were exploring this issue: How do I get my little kids outside in the cold while managing the effort it takes so that I can enjoy the experience?"   If you have little ones under let's say under 6 years old, it can be hard to bring them along with the idea of "walking in nature." Yet we know based on research, being in nature is an important part of all around health. In the early S...