Growing up in a world of adventure.

February 25, 2015

Preschool Hikes: Discovering More in Seattle’s Discovery Park

Places often remain wonderful in mind because I haven’t quite discovered all they have to offer. The mystery and unknown give me reason to come back and explore. Magic remains.

Seattle’s Discovery Park is one example. Maybe its because we usually fall into the same routine: Parking in the same area, hiking down the same stairs toward the beach, walking along the same stretch of shore. Still beautiful, but I always knew there was more.

For this visit, I switched it up and we saw several aspects of the park that I’ve never seen. And because of that I have an even greater appreciation for the place. Even better, as you might expect my two little adventurers were also along for the ride, and for one of them (Georgia, 2 months) this was her very first visit.

Environmental Learning Center

I’d heard that there was an indoor learning space here, but never visited myself. So to make sure we had a chance check it out, I made it our starting point. The center proved to be a great spot to get our nature juices flowing. The space is filled with books, puppets, and tons of other hands on materials for little ones to investigate before or after heading off on an outdoor adventure.

February 17, 2015

Preschool Hikes: Learning and Exploring at Squak Mountain State Park

What would you do if you were stuck between a Cougar and a Tiger?

…SQUAK!

A little joke that gets tossed around in the outdoor world as an answer for why Squak Mountain has such a name since it is situated between Cougar Mountain (to the West), and Tiger Mountain (to the East).

I don’t exactly know the real reason for the name–I believe it has to do with the native people of the region–but we did go on a sweet little hike here this past weekend and found our time to be a perfectly pleasant family adventure.

February 13, 2015

Last Family of 3 Travel Adventure: Wallace Falls State Park

Before welcoming our newest family member into the world, we had one last travel adventure as a family of three. It was important to use to spend some quality time together just before our lives turned upside down with new routines, a new normal, and new responsibilities.

Some time away brought a chance to bond and strengthen our unit, which inevitably brought along a lot of refection as well as anticipation.

What will one more member do to our dynamic?

Surely it could only get better.

January 4, 2015

Wild Tales of…2014 Travel and Adventure Highlights

Happy 2015! We hope your new year is off to a great start. Here in Seattle we enjoyed a quiet celebration with all four of us sleeping soundly when the clock officially struck midnight. Not to worry though: Two of us were up soon after though as someone was in search of another meal.

With a fresh start and a brand-new addition to the family, I’ve found myself reflecting often on the past year because let’s face it: Things will never be the same! Growing from 3 family members to 4 is a big change and babies create a whole new dynamic of family life. Routines, sleep habits, and the way we go about doing life are all shifting, so I’ve actually found it fascinating to look back at 2014’s adventures.

In order to get a complete look at our year, I decided to take it month by month. Some months were busier than others making it hard to choose just one highlight, so here you’ll find our most memorable and significant explorations.

January-Cle Elum, Washington

In search of quick cold weather getaway, we traveled just an hour and a half or so to the small central Washington town of Cle Elum. Instead of mounds of snow, we found sheets of ice creating difficult hiking conditions, but we enjoyed the escape and chance to unplug (no phone service or internet access!) nonetheless.

December 14, 2014

Dawn Day in the Wildlife: Sea Lion Release

Over 18,000 animals rescued and treated since 1975…
Over 30,000 adults and children educated each year…
Over 1,100 volunteers from Medocino County in Northern California to San Luis Obispo County on the Central Coast…

Why do the animal rescue professionals and volunteers work so hard in the research and rehabilitation of the animals that come into the Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito, California?

For these moments of glory: The opportunity to return sea lions, seals and other marine wildlife to their natural habitats knowing that they have the strength and skills to stay alive and thrive.

Dawn Day in the Wildlife: Sea Lion Release | WildTalesof.com

Photo Courtesy of Susan Goldman

November 6, 2014

Quick Escape to Hope, BC: 4 Fun Little Adventures

Our consistently rainy, gray days have returned here in Seattle, and I’m reminded of a quick weekend trip we had last spring.

We were in need of a getaway and wanted Bergen to finally get the chance to use his passport, so we headed north to Hope, British Columbia. We could have gone with the more obvious choice of Vancouver (or there abouts), but we were not only looking for a change of scenery. We also wanted to get away from the hustle and bustle, and weren’t at all interested in crowded border crossings.

Unfortunately, the weather didn’t cooperate as much as we had hoped. It Rained. Continuously. Really. It rained during our entire visit. The skies never let up, but we weren’t going to let that stop us from exploring. We armed ourselves with raincoats, rainsuits, hats, and boots, and braved the elements. Thanks to some cozy spots to eat in town, we were always able to get a break to warm-up and refuel, and as for the outdoors, we managed 4 fun little adventures:

Chainsaw Carving Tour

Their mission to become a chainsaw carving capitol started in 1991, and now Hope has over 50 chainsaw carvings throughout their community. Of course each one has its own unique story, significance, and style. From mystical creatures to wildlife to pieces of local past, these carvings captured our attention, made us laugh, and even taught us a little bit about what makes the town of Hope tick.

October 28, 2014

Keepng Feet Warm, Dry and Supported: Muddy Munchkin Boots by MyMayu Review

I’ve been disappointed by kids rain boots ever since Bergen started to walk.

We live in Seattle.

We need boots that keep his feet dry and stay relatively dry inside. Rain here isn’t just a once in a while thing. Boots can be necessary multiple days in a row, and often more than once a day. We don’t have time to wait for wet boot linings to dry.

We also need boots that last. With frequent use, we can’t worry about tears and gaps developing after just a season (or a few wears). Our son is very active. Between playground romping, hiking, scooting around on his balance bike, and trekking through the neighborhood, he’s quite hard on shoes.

Plus with this frequent use, the boots have to be supportive. Clunky rain boots that cause him to trip and fall just won’t work.

Up until this recently, we made do, but we really weren’t happy with the (run of the mill) rain boots we’d purchased, and even with a lot of research for alternatives and trying to scope out what other kids were wearing, we were coming up short.

October 24, 2014

Western Washington Preschool Hikes: Franklin Falls

With the honeymoon phase of quiet, kid-free mornings due to our little guy (now 3 years-old) being an unusually late sleeper now officially over, we are looking at the bright side.

Yes, he used to sleep until 9, 9:30, even 10 (talk about being spoiled) o’clock in the morning, and still manage (and need) a 2-hour nap in the afternoon. Now that he’s transitioned to a regular bed though, the late mornings are a distant memory. Maybe it’s his new found freedom of being able to get out on his own. Maybe it’s an age thing. Maybe the change of space changed his mindset. Regardless, we are adjusting.

As I was saying, the bright side is…more time for adventure! We can now mange a decent hike, a decent distance away from home, and still be able to return for nap time.

Franklin Falls near Snoqualmie Pass (about an hour’s drive from Seattle) is just on the verge of being too far for a morning excursion. As long as we get into gear early enough and pack a lunch to enjoy en route, it’s possible to accomplish.

On this particular early October day, we found the trail (2 miles out and back) to be filled with mushrooms. Vibrant colors and so many different varieties, thanks to the tiny fungi spotter, we probably stopped and viewed nearly every single specimen available that day.

September 24, 2014

Savoring the Season with a Fall Bucket List

When I took the time to sit down to compile our end-of-summer bucket list, I wasn’t sure if it would actually work for us. To be honest, I thought we might get around to a few things here and there, but ultimately would be left with some disappointment.

Not the case!

Maybe my doubts helped to drive the force of accomplishing or rather getting to enjoy each of our items, but I’d also like to think that creating the plan gave us a road map to navigate our way out of summer. Choosing items with each family member in mind also gave us some guidance on those occasions where we may have been stuck with the question, “What should be do this morning, afternoon, evening, etc..?”

A quick wrap-up post will come soon so you can catch a glimpse of all the end-of-summer fun, but in the meantime, since our first “go-round” went so well, we’ve created a fall bucket list! Included in the list are nature and outdoor focused activities that we would like to get to this season.

With our great Pacific Northwest region in mind and with the help of the Kids’ Outdoor Adventure Book, for a little more inspiration, we came up with 10 things that we think will allow us to completely savor fall. You’ll also hopefully notice that they all involve getting outdoors in some way or another. We want to make sure that the inevitable rains don’t keep us from taking advantage the beauty and goodness of fall in the Seattle area.

September 16, 2014

Hiking with a Preschooler: Out of Carriers and Into Independence

As we’ve reached late summer and move into early fall, the feeling of a new season and new (school) year makes me feel like I need to set goals. Do you feel that same? I’m not one to pass-up a fresh start.

One goal that we are currently making a priority is the no-carrier hike for Bergen (3 years old). As I’ve described in our end-of-summer bucket list and recent hike, I’m in no shape to be carrying around a 40-pound little boy, and with a baby on the way, we would love for Bergen to be more independent and build his stamina.

September 11, 2014

Catch-up Hikes: Denny Creek Water Slide Trail near WA’s Snoqualmie Pass

Catching up with friends and family over coffee or a meal is nice and all—I love a fresh steaming hot cup of coffee and food always seems to be on my brain, especially these days. A couple weeks ago though, I realized there’s an even better way to reconnect when it’s been a while since you’ve seen your loved one (or even if it hasn’t actually been that long)…

Go Take a Hike!

September 9, 2014

Picture Books to Excite and Inspire Fall Outdoor Play

One of my favorite ways to prepare for a new season is to just immerse myself in all the wonderful things the time of year has to offer. A huge stack of library books does the trick.

Books not only give us ideas for how to best enjoy ourselves outside in honor of the changing weather and foliage, but they also ensure that we don’t miss a thing during this special transition. I hope this list gives you a starting point, or building point if you’ve already started, to form your own collection of favorite fall inspired stories!

August 27, 2014

I’ve got the Advantage: I’m a Selfish Outdoor Mom

Maybe it’s this new life that’s developing and soon to be joining our family, or the fact that my little guy just turned three and will be starting preschool in just a couple of weeks, but lately I find myself reflecting on the choices we make on a daily basis. Questions that come to mind:

Why do I feel the need to get outside so much?
What’s calling us outside?
What are we getting out of focusing our free time to be all about the outdoors?
Why do we travel so often?

After just a little bit of thought, I came to a quick conclusion that I’m a little bit selfish. Many of the reasons and maybe the outcomes of getting outdoors with my son have to do with me, and he gets all the great benefits and rewards along the way.

August 21, 2014

North Cascades’ Thunder Knob: Ignoring the Road Blocks to Outdoor Escape

One recent Saturday, quite a few road blocks stood in our way to ultimately feeling like our time in the outdoors hiking was really worth our great effort of driving 3.5 hours both ways for just a day trip. [Read more…]

August 19, 2014

Savoring the Season with an End-of- Summer Bucket List

We still have several weeks before our little guy embarks on the brand-new adventure of life as a preschooler. I know the summer isn’t really over, not until September 22, and the fun at home doesn’t stop just because someone is in school for a couple of mornings a week.

However, I still feel like it’s necessary for me to make sure that we’re getting the most out of the summer season. After all, as much as we really don’t mind it so much, Western Washington isn’t exactly known for it’s spectacular fall, winter & spring weather.

To accomplish this savoring, I just took a few moments to jot down a quick list. I even consulted Slaed (husband) and Bergen (now 3-years old), so this list reflects all of our contributions. Also, to help with some inspiration, I referenced the The Kid’s Outdoor Adventure Book to make sure that were weren’t missing out on any quintessential summer activities.

When it was all said and done, I came up with 11 items. I made the list last week, and what do you know, we’ve already accomplished several! To see some of those in action, visit our instagram feed. I may have had a certain trip to the coast in mind when brainstorming… Just because we did something once though, doesn’t mean we have to check it off the list and move on, and yes, just because the calendar says it’s “fall” doesn’t mean the “summer” fun stops!

August 15, 2014

Exploring Golden, Colorado: 8 Family Favorites

More than ever we strive to be intentional in our travel. We want to experience all that a locale has to offer, but also make smart choices with our time. One way we achieve this is through less driving. No, not always what realistically happens (recent WA adventure), but always something we consider and work on.

Take our trip to Golden, Colorado last month. We’re proud to say that we visited Golden, not the “Denver area”. We rented a house steps from downtown Golden, and planned ahead to ensure we would spend the majority of our time in the little mining town.

Why so vigilant?

When visiting one of our old stomping grounds (this one being where Slaed grew up), activities, meet-ups, visits, and even sightseeing can get out of hand. So we made some deliberate choices to combat our prior tendency of spending so much time in the car driving all over the area.

In exchange, I really got a feel for Golden and it’s charm, without the rush, and can share a whole list of our favorite Golden to-do’s:

1. Explore Downtown.

July 30, 2014

Orcas Island’s Turtleback Mountain: Thankful for the Second Chance

When planning a return trip to Orcas Island (one of Washington State’s San Juan Islands north of Seattle), Slaed and I both made short lists. Short lists of places on the island we didn’t want to miss. Restaurants, hikes, shops, and other destinations that we loved so much the first time or didn’t get to visit because time or closure.

Neither of those lists included a visit back to the Turtleback Mountain Preserve, located west of the main town of East Sound. All Slaed could remember was the long uneventful climb along a gravel trail. Yes, if we veered off, there were a few spectacular views of the water and surrounding islands, but there were other hikes, other parks that we thought were better worth our time. We were content just visiting once.

Then I heard from one of the best local hiking experts in the state, Craig Romano. His latest book, Day Hikes in the San Juan and Gulf Islands was just released, and he was interested in having some Pacific Northwest area bloggers review it. Unfortunately the book wouldn’t arrive before we hit the road for Orcas, but I jumped at the chance to consult with him on his favorite picks, especially with a little hiker in tow.

His top recommendation and in his opinion the very best hike on the island? The Turtleback Mountain Preserve hike.

With a little more research I realized that yes, the first bit of the hike was a boring uphill climb, there was just no way around that, but if we remained patient and put in the work, we’d be rewarded.

July 18, 2014

Holiday Reset: Golden, CO’s Golden Gate Canyon State Park

Holidays are filled with fun and excitement. They can also be overwhelming. At least for me. Even the ones that are all about celebrating–no crazy obligations, no gifts to buy, no ceremonies to attend, just a lot of gathering with family and friends. It was a 4th of July frenzy for me this year. By late morning on the the 5th of July, I was cooked, and wait, we were actually on vacation! Yes as the cliche goes, I needed a vacation from my vacation.

Lucky for me, a quick respite in the mountains was just a short drive away. I located a state park, and we were off headed for not only a quiet hike (yes, you can have those with a toddler), but a peaceful mini road trip through a canyon inviting us to take in some of the Colorado culture as we passed ranches, trailheads, and distant peaks.

Unfortunately when we arrived at Golden Gate Canyon Park (about 30 minutes from downtown Golden), we knew we didn’t have a whole lot of time. It was already later in the morning, and we needed to get back for Bergen’s nap, and more fun that evening. We asked the ranger at the window for a short, but sweet hike recommendation, and she was more than happy to steer us in the right direction.

June 23, 2014

Summer Camp Dreams at Orcas Island, WA’s Camp Orkila

Are your kids going to camp this summer? Our little guy (2.5 years old) is a bit too young for such fun at this point, but that doesn’t mean we aren’t already giving it some thought.

Dreaming, really, and honestly, wishing we were the ones getting to enjoy the outdoor time, arts and crafts, sports, and learning without all the everyday interruptions of regular life.

June 10, 2014

Travel and Adventure Inspiration: Just Get Out There and GO!

June 6, 2014

Being Brave: Crossing the Alexandra Bridge Near Hope, BC

This year over our Memorial Day weekend, we were spontaneous and took a chance. With just a couple of days notice, we planned a quick one-night getaway up to British Columbia to a small mountain town known for Rambo, chainsaw carvings, and countless outdoor adventure opportunities. Hope, BC, just under 100 miles (150 km) east of Vancouver is situated along the Fraser River between the Coast Mountain range and the Cascade Mountain range.

May 27, 2014

Camping Made Easy: 8 Reasons to Love Staying in a Yurt

Our family stayed in a yurt once before when we camped at Cape Disappointment State Park two years ago, but I don’t think I quite realized and appreciated their magnificence until our most recent trip to the Oregon coast.

For this trip it was just Bergen (2.5 years old) and me. Sure my brother and his family were just a couple campsites down the road, but all the usual parent responsibilities were on me, and I was admittedly nervous. What a relief to arrive at Nehalem Bay State Park, grab our key from the ranger, and almost immediately get down to the business of enjoying ourselves.

It was pretty much love at first sight and by the end of our 2 night stay, where it poured rain for the majority of our time, I wanted to wrap my arms around our lovely temporary home in admiration. Here’s the breakdown of why I adore yurts as an option for lodging:

8 Reasons to Love Staying in a Yurt

April 16, 2014

Treats on the Trail: Honey Stinger Kids’ Products and Other Snack Ideas +Giveaway

I recently shared 10 tips for hiking with toddlers and young children, and since getting out on the trail whether here in Western Washington or in our travels around the country is our favorite outdoor activity to do as a family, I wanted to dive into each tip even deeper. Over the course of the year, I will dedicate one post for each of the 10 tips to give you more depth and detail into how we put the advice into practice and what it looks like for our family.

Tip #5: Ration Snacks and Use Treats for Motivation.

There’s no denying that my son loves to hike. As I’ve mentioned before, these days, anytime he sees any kind of natural area, mountain, forest, tree, or patch of grass, he asks if we are going to go on a hike. Lucky for us at this point, he’s not picky. Even the little sections of trees around the campsite during our recent trip to the Oregon coast could be considered “hikeable” in his eyes, and he loved exploring under the guidance of his older cousin.

Even with such a great interest though, he still needs motivation, and little energy boosts here and there to keep him moving along. That motivation can come in many forms (extra verbal encouragement, playing a game, shifting his focus to something ahead), but the easiest and probably one of the most successful ways is to offer a treat.

Incidentally, in addition to moving kids along the trail and providing a necessary snack, I’ve also found treats to be a way to prevent the “turn-around meltdown”. You see, Bergen (2.5 years old) loves hiking so much that he never wants to turn around and go back. Loops are great, but not always available, so I’ve finally learned to anticipate the turn-around point, and provide the snack then!

10 Favorite Treats for the Trail

1. Trail Mix

Whether you call it “GORP” or trail mix or some other fun name (I hear that are some great variations in Europe), the basics of this combination of treats is perfect for hiking. Personally, I love a simple mix with raisins, peanuts, and some sort of chocolate. Add in other nuts like cashews, walnuts, almonds, and that’s great too! Other dried fruit (cranberries, pineapple, cherries, etc.) gives some variety, along with add-ons like granola, seeds (sunflower, pumpkin), and pretzels.

April 9, 2014

Keeping Toddlers Safe around Campfires: 4 Helpful Tips

Our toddler (now 2.5 years old) is curious. He also likes to push the limits constantly checking to see where his boundaries lie. In other words, he keeps us on our toes, and in our adventures and travels we must constantly be aware of potential dangers or accidents lurking around the corner.

Enjoying the outdoors with him obviously has so many benefits, but like everything in life there are always things to watch out for. Thinking of our most recent camping trip to the Oregon coast, along with getting enough sleep, planning out meals, and staying dry and warm from the elements, keeping Bergen safe and unharmed from our campfires was at the top of the list.

Like many toddlers, he’s a mini-scientist. He wants to know how things work, but we’re not about to let him test out how a fire might feel and risk potential burns and a visit to the emergency room (especially while on the road). Instead, we’ve done our best to prevent any mishaps.

4 Tips for Keeping Toddlers Safe around Campfires

April 1, 2014

Collect and Sort: A Spring Nature Walk for Kids

With spring well underway here in Seattle, new life is popping up everywhere from the flowering trees to the blooms lining the sidewalks and edges. Cherry Blossoms, magnolias, rhododendrons, daffodils, hyacinth, and more recently even tulips are making an appearance. Leaves are sprouting all over adding some much needed color to the dull backdrop of the winter months.