Golden Gate Bridge After the Fog. San Francisco, CA USA

Photographer's STORY: The deep, strange SF Fog pulls back by noon today and the Golden Gate Bridge steps out in her full glory. Every time I see her I want to shout out "Hello Gorgeous!" 'Cause that's how passionate she makes us feel. You just can't help but worship her beautiful lines from every single sweeping angle. #goldenGate #SF #photoStory -a

Motherhood Just Got an Adventure Makeover: Redefine Your Motherhood Now #GetOutside

Writer, photographer, adventurer mom of three.

Have you ever seen that pic of the mama opossum with her seemingly 17,000 baby opossums clinging to her from every available space on her body. Her eyes are wide as if in shock and you can just hear her fuzzy, overwhelmed, marsupial self saying: How the hedge did I get myself into this…

That was me for years with three little kids: hello 3 year old son and brand new, girl twins. Tiny, pink humans clinging to me. Stuck all over me as if I was made of Velcro. Attached to me as if with Super Glue. Bound to my every limb as if with yards and yards and miles and miles of silver Duct Tape.

And, ahhh, yes, I loved every minute of it because my kids are my heart and my joy and my pride and my every, single, waking breath. However, I was also completely, 100% overwhelmed and completely, 100% lonely for my former mountain mama life that came to a screeching halt while I went into solitary, mama survival mode.

If only the Adventure Mamas Initiative and their bad-ass, kick-ass, empowering, adventure tribe were around at that time for an outdoorsy mama like me. Well, with the advent of social media and mass, social communication, thank god they are here NOW for outdoor women turned moms who need the support and clarity and vision and wisdom of a like-minded community.

Whoop!! Bring it on gnarly, outdoor ladies! We are so ready for this movement.

So what is this Adventure Mamas Initiative and why do we care and want to support them? 

“When we pursue our passions and prioritize self-care, we are better able to fulfill all of our roles. For mothers though, this statement is both especially true and especially challenging. Women's maternal health and well-being directly affects the health and well-being of families, communities, and our culture at large - that's no exaggeration. And yet, it's a shrouded community where honesty is not often encouraged and depression, anxiety, guilt, and shame run rampant." 

“Adventure Mamas Initiative is a women’s health non-profit that is using adventure to combat this. Currently, we are working to raise $30,000 to implement programs, build community, and extend our ability to empower women around the world. To learn more about our efforts, check out our REDEFINING MOTHERHOOD campaign. Your donation supports a revolution in women’s health in a real and tangible way.”

Photo Credit: IG @thatgirlshont

Photo Credit: IG @shrediger

Photo Credit: IG @lilearthmuffin 

I am honored to be a writer-contributor to this incredible group. I dug myself out. I reclaimed my adventures both with and without my kiddos. So I know it deeply, feel it, have lived this truth. 

Start now. It’s never, ever too late. Jump in.

Redefine your motherhood NOW. 

-Annie IG @OutdoorsyMama 

come play!

Sutro Baths on the Ocean. San Francisco, California. USA

Photographer's STORY: Clamoring up and over the remains of Sutro Baths near the Cliff House in San Francisco. Odd to see the park service leaving everything to erode with the will of both weather and ocean. Sutro Baths were a massive complex of pools filled with saltwater built in 1896. Hordes of SF locals and tourists in funny looking, striped and cotton-y, long bathing suits paddled around in these baths until it burned down in 1966. I'm so, so glad not to have to wear those bathing suits, tho the pools would have been WOW. #travel #explore #californiaStories -a

Ocean Beach Girl. San Francisco, California. USA

Photographer's STORY: Not my kid. Not my model. Setting up for a gorgeous flotsam and sunset shot and a little German girl with flying skirt and braids photobombs me. She has no idea and no inhibitions. Just pure joy that comes when giddy with ocean air and salt water. Touch the light. #pacificOcean #SF #epicstory -a

Clouds on the Pacific Ocean. Coastal CA. USA

Photographer's STORY: Instantly I'm inspired by the giant heart that the clouds are so clearly trying to make. To fit into the cleavage of the green landscape below. However as i fiddle and gaze at it more, it becomes almost a piece of modern art for me. The tones and stripes and colors and rays and splotches on the Pacific Ocean. This is the beauty of mother nature's work. She creates masterpiece after masterpiece for our delicious interpretation. #publicLands #masterpiece #epicstory -a

Rolling Waves of Green. Sunset Hike. California. USA

Photographer's STORY: 
Sometimes we give up on words. And we just stare in a dumbfounded way. And just soak the Awe in. #glow #nature #epicstory -a

Spring Wildflowers. Mt Tam State Park. California. USA

Photographer's STORY: Heavy, constant rains all winter into spring turn our hiking hills into wildflower gardens and glowing, green waves this year. Looking out over the Pacific Ocean feeling that natural nature buzz. Hills so bright and gorgeous we need to wear our polarized shades... #poppiesWow #epicStory #thisNowYes -a