If you’re still searching for just the right gift for that someone on your list, I have a few easy last minute gift ideas that just might help you complete your holiday shopping! Given the theme of our blog, I have categorized them as great for travelers and outdoor adventurers, but really they’d work for so many types of people.
Lessons from Forest School: Seeing more with a Noticer
Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it -Confucius
Forest School has had such a positive impact on our family. The lessons that our 4-year old is learning are not just restricted to him–the lessons seep into family life due to Bergen’s enthusiasm and excitement over sharing all the knowledge, skills and appreciation that he is gaining.
Recently, I mentioned in our preschool hiking post that “noticers” can be a fun addition to any outdoor adventure. A noticer is an easy to make tool that allows kids to hone in on the details of anything worth investigating. When Bergen came out of school raving (and using it profusely) about his noticer, I knew it was not only something worth creating again at home, but something to share with others!
To create your own, you’ll just need the following:
- Paper Plate
- Markers, crayons, or paint
- stick
- heavy duty tape
Why We Walk to School Instead of Drive Our Car
The other day as Bergen (4 years), Georgia (10 months), and I walked/strolled/scootered/ran to school, Bergen started to hem and haw about walking up a steep hill.
“Yes, it’s a little bit hard Bergen, but we can still do it!”
Not convinced, he said, “But maybe we could just drive our car. Then it would be easier.”
Surprised as I thought we’d gone over this, I asked him, “Why do we walk to school instead of drive our car?”
He was at a loss. Or at least his answer of, “because we don’t want to be late…” didn’t exactly make sense.
Fall Scavenger Hunt Printable for Kids
I cannot endure to waste anything as precious as autumn by staying in the house. So I spend almost all the daylight hours in the open air. -Nathaniel Hawthorne
We agree! And what better time for a scavenger hunt than fall! So many changes, so many fallen items to collect, and so much activity to observe from migrating birds to squirrels and other furry creatures busily storing up for winter.
Inspired by this new fall season, we’ve put together some of our favorite autumnal items to search for in a fun printable scavenger hunt!
Fall Scavenger Hunt for Kids
8 Things to do with your Preschooler on a Hike
Turning three was a turning point for Bergen in terms of his outdoor activity. I officially traded his “toddler” status to “preschooler”, and his stamina and physical ability grew significantly. Over the course of the last year (he’s now 4 years old), it’s been fun to observe the types of things that he is intrigued by and the way he interacts with nature when we’re on the trail. Things that I thought he’d love, don’t turn out to be as engaging as I thought, and then I’m surprised when something completely random fascinates or captivates him.
Given the chance, preschoolers can rack up the miles and can go much further than they could as toddlers, but that doesn’t mean it’s always easy to keep them moving along or interested. I recently started jotting down the things that work for Bergen–the little tricks that keep him involved, motivated, and content on the trail. They are ideas you might consider to enrich your walk, and make deeper connections with both your child and the natural world.
My hope is that they might help other preschoolers to have happy and exciting hiking experiences! The list is only 8 items long (so far) and each is quite simple, but I’m expecting the list to grow as we continue our second “preschool” year. I would love for you to add your ideas too!
15 Western Washington Farms, Parks + Hikes to Enjoy this Fall
Our family has a special love for fall in Seattle. For Slaed, it’s the cooler temperatures, for Bergen (4 years) it’s all the collecting he suddenly gets to do–leaves, acorns, nuts, and fruit all falling from our regions’s trees, for me it’s the fall foliage–I just can’t get enough of the glowing display of yellows, oranges and reds, and Georgia (9 months) isn’t so sure what she loves most, but maybe it’s just seeing everyone so happy to be out and about.
Over the years, we’ve enjoyed fall in the Seattle Area (and beyond) in so many different ways, so I’ve compiled all of our favorite experiences together here to keep track of all the fun and in hopes to inspire and equip some of you to make your own autumnal memories!
Hiking without Kids: Lake Valhalla near Stevens Pass, WA
It took some advance planning, and a bit of preparation, but this past weekend, I got the chance to hike without my kids. While I love hiking along side my children, well..carrying one of them, and either chasing after or encouraging the other to keep up, I needed the chance to trek at my own pace.
Please Don’t Feed the Wildlife!
A fed animal is a dead animal.
KEEP THE WILDLIFE WILD!
Don’t Feed the Animals!
LEAVE NO TRACE.
Summer Gear We Love for Traveling and Adventuring Tots
1. Klean Kanteen Water Bottle.
Bergen uses this water bottle all year long (he’s had it since he was about 1.5 years), but we find it especially essential during the hot summer months. Klean Kanteen bottles (I have one too) are easy to clean, BPA-free, and extremely durable.
Both Slaed and Bergen “live” in their Keen Sandals in the summer. Open enough to keep feet cool, but structured (and closed-toed) enough to hike, walk, ride bikes, wade, stroll the beach…you get the idea!
Super stylish, durable, and 100% UVA & UVB production for sensitive little eyes. Plus, if they are lost or broken within a year of purchase, Babiator will replace the glasses for free!
We tested out this sunscreen during our trip to Oahu last fall, and found it to be a reliable sunscreen–no burns, no sensitivities, just happy skin! The bottle is still going strong this summer, and I’ve found that I love it even more. Since its chemical free, its safe for the whole family–even little Georgia, and we’ve found that a little goes a long way. We’re actually using less of the Block Island Sunscreen to cover our skin compared to some of the more mainstream brands.
With Bergen attending forest school this summer (and for the upcoming school year) and for as much time as we spend outdoors in general, not to mention the unusually hot summer we’ve had this year, I love that we found this moisture wicking tee while shopping the North Face sales recently. It even has a pocket on the back of the neck that you can pack the entire t-shirt into! We think it’ll be his go-to summer shirt.
6. REI Sunhat
We are fair people, and need as much sun protection as we can get, so I love how much coverage this hat provides for Bergen’s face and neck. There’s a bungee on the back for adjustments, it’s made of moisture-wicking material, it’s lightweight, & dries quickly.
Do you have a favorite summer-specific item for travel and outdoor adventure? Do share!
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About being Mindful, Having Acceptance, and Losing my cell phone on a hike
The baby was crying off and on. More on than off. Knowing she was fed, changed, and seemed to have filled her sleep tank earlier, I couldn’t do much but press on.
Bergen, Georgia, and our dear friend, who didn’t quite know what she had gotten into, and I were hiking in Cougar Mountain Regional Park. Happily shaded and cooled by the forest’s canopy, but equally annoyed with the flies that wouldn’t leave us alone, we tried to make quick work of the loop trail that we had decided to tackle.
We passed the time by counting the snails and slugs we spotted along the way, something that Bergen never grew tired of. Each and every critter deserved to be counted, and most needed to be moved to a “safer” place beside the trail.
The high point, the De Leo Wall for those who are familiar with the park, was supposed to provide us with a nice view of the nearby town of Renton and if clear enough, Mount Rainier, so our anticipation grew as we climbed closer and closer to the top. At the same time, the trail itself grew narrower and narrower.
The foliage lining the sides of our path closed in on us and we caught drops of rain from the previous night’s shower on our legs and feet. Bergen complained that he was “getting all wet”. Being lower to the ground, he was bearing the brunt of the precipitation falling from the bushes and scrubs.
More and more, it felt like we were bushwhacking, blazing our own trail with Bergen out in front, so I pulled out my phone and snapped a few shots of our fearless tot of a leader to document this crazy journey. And then since we’d already reached the peak, unfortunately missing the supposed view, our path got a bit technical as we started to descend. I needed to concentrate on my balance and keep an eye on the little guy, so away went the phone in one of the zippered pockets of my backpack.
Except. Did I bother to zip the pouch closed as I went on my way? Of course not. So when I’d reached a comfortable and more level hiking surface and spotted something else that deserved a quick shot, I was coming up empty handed.
Over and over again, I went through all of the usual spots in my backpack and ergo carrier. I should also mention that lunch time was quickly approaching and the already irritable baby was growing more impatient. The phone wasn’t turning up in any of my pockets. I would like to say that I didn’t panic, but really I was quite flustered, and sick to my stomach.
How could I let this happen? Why wasn’t I paying attention more? Of course this would have to happen today. On this hike. When things were already rocky. Good to have a friend around to help, but how embarrassing.
I turned around and started to retrace my steps, scanning the ground for my lost phone. Bergen and our friend were still up ahead, unaware of my little dilemma. I dreamed that the phone would just suddenly appear, all would be well, and we could get back to our hike, maybe break for lunch, maybe not even mention the mishap. No such luck. I raced back and broke the news to them. I needed their help.
We decided to do another retracing, and as we searched my friend called the phone repeatedly in hopes that we might catch the ring and be able to locate it more easily. At the same time, I talked through the steps leading up to the incident and we determined the stretch of trail that the phone would have landed.
Once we’d reached the end of that stretch with no rescued phone in hand, my friend hatched a plan. One of us would stay with the kids and start lunch while the other went off again and searched. Since I was the fool who had lost her phone and put us in this mess, I decided that I should go. I looked on the ground for the phone trying to be as attentive, aware, careful, and positive, as possible, but I kept losing hope.
There were steep drop-offs just beside the trail in many areas. I couldn’t discount the possibility of the phone sliding down, never to be found. I returned to my little crew as Georgia’s cries seemed to echo throughout the forest. She needed her lunch too.
My friend and I switched places, and I hoped (and prayed) for the best as I scarfed down my peanut butter and jelly sandwich and fed the baby. In my mind, I tried to figure out how I’d tell Slaed. I imagined myself coming back the park later that night without the kids and thought about whether or not that would be a complete waste of time. I thought about the phone numbers, photos, and other information stored on that little device. Had I taken the right steps to insure that all this data could be recovered?
I also questioned my abilities and decision making as a mother. Why did I think taking my preschooler and unpredictable baby out on hike longer than just a couple of miles was a good idea?
I could put those worries aside though because as I heard footsteps coming closer and closer, I also heard, “Kate! I found your phone! I found it!”
Relief. And so much gratitude.
However, the whole incident has been a much needed lesson on mindfulness. When people are relying on me (as little kids do), I must take appropriate measures to be organized mentally. Maybe a photo isn’t necessary, and probably won’t turn out well anyway, during such a critical point in the hike. Maybe hurrying along and making careless decisions in favor of getting something done more quickly actually wastes more time in the long run.
I can also just accept. Accept that babies aren’t always content. Hiking trails are not always straight forward. Friends are more understanding than we realize. And flies really aren’t all that harmful in the grand scheme of things.
Maybe you’ve already gleaned some of this from my story, but here’s what helped in recovering my lost item:
- Think positively. Amongst all that negative talk about mothering and decision-making, I also just kept telling myself that we would find it. I envisioned it. I actually pictured my friend running back with the rescued phone before it was reality.
- Narrow your search. We thought carefully, and were able to be almost 100% certain that the phone had fallen in one particular stretch of trail. I thought about when I’d last used the phone, and when I realized it was actually gone.
- Call the phone. Even if the ringer is off or low, calling the phone can help. My friend actually spotted the phone because the screen was lighting up from having an incoming call.
- Create a plan. Once my friend had the idea for just one person to look, and one person to stay with the kids, I was actually able to calm a bit. Just knowing we had a steps to accomplish this mission (whatever those steps may be) helped to get through the initial panic.
Do you lose things often? Ever lost an item while hiking? Ever have self doubt?
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Naptime Road Trips: Camano Island, WA
With this 2nd little adventurer on board, we’re back to the phase of needing to schedule all of our activities around the kids’ sleep requirements. This means that we are back to “naptime road trips”. Our kids sleep best in their own beds (or cribs) of course, but the next best thing is often the car, preferably on the highway with uninterrupted cruising. Consequently, given our frequently restless or itchy travel feet, instead of heading home after a morning outing like a responsible parent would do, sometimes we just start driving, and see where the wind takes us. Praying that heavy traffic will not stand in our way.
Over Independence Day weekend, after wrapping up parade activities in Bothell, a small town about 20 miles northeast of Seattle, we knew that we didn’t want our 4th of July fun to end. I should mention that this was also coupled with the fact that temperatures were climbing toward 90 degrees. And for a family living in a home without air conditioning, nap time back at the house was becoming less and less appealing.
So after a bathroom break and refueling for all, we hopped in the car and headed north just as we had done for our Naptime Road Trip to La Conner Washington several years back when Bergen (now nearly 4) was a baby. Slaed and I started rattling off ideas of where our ultimate destination should be:
Bellingham? Deception Pass? Back to La Conner? All the way to Birch Bay?
We decided on Camano Island for a few reasons: I’d never been. It was a good distance away. Not too far, not too close. Beach…inside a state park. Being on the water would provide us with the cooler temperatures we were craving. Win-win. Win-win.
As soon as we crossed over the bridge from Stanwood over to Camano Island, I felt that tingle of excitement (knowing we were about to experience something new) as well as a little relief. I caught glimpses of the water, with the kids still snoozing away, and knew…we had made the right decision. And I also wondered, “Why have I never been here?”
Plenty of other folks were creating their own 4th of July memories at Camano Island State Park when we pulled up, but it wasn’t overly crowded. Brave children were swimming while others waded, beachcombed, fished, crabbed, and kayaked. After exploring a bit, we opted to set-up right along Lowell Point closer to where the campsites are located.
Not knowing that this adventure was in store for us at the beginning of the day, we weren’t exactly prepared for an afternoon at the beach. We made do though, with a blanket that we house in the car and a couple of (rain) umbrellas that Slaed rigged to shade us from the sun.
While Slaed hung back with Georgia, Bergen and I went on a treasure hunt. The quest started off rocky, but once the boy realized that he didn’t need to gain my attention by splashing and throwing seaweed, we got to enjoy each other’s company and do some fun exploring, just the two of us.
We turned over rocks in search of interesting creatures. We walked in and out of the water, which was quite pleasant and more than appreciated, considering I felt close to passing out earlier in day. We talked about the volcano (Mount Rainier) in the distance, watched a lady try to catch a crab with a fishing pole, and collected shells. That small moment filled me up.
After awhile tummies were grumbling, and it was time to move on. Slaed recalled an inn with a restaurant that he’d passed by and dreamed about going to while on the island for work nearly 15 years previous. Not knowing what to expect on a Saturday evening and a holiday, we were cautiously optimistic that we might be able to get a bite to eat and have our children tolerated.
We were welcomed at the Camano Island Inn’s restaurant. And as it turns out, we were actually the only people dining on the outdoor patio. This allowed us to sip our glasses of rosé, and nosh on the best bread I’ve ever tasted (truly) and mussels sourced just across the way from Whidbey Island’s Penn Cove without too much worry of the racket coming from our little party of 4. The view and a peak inside had us drawing up plans to return for a kid-less getaway.
Our Camano Island Picks:
Play: Camano Island State Park (bring along sturdy shoes for walking along the beach–it’s rocky!)
Eat (Happy Hour): Camano Island Inn
Have you ever planned a road trip around nap time? How about a spur of the moment mini road trip? We’d love to hear about it!
Need more even more info on Camano Island? Check out our full Family Travel Guide to Camano Island including more dining, activities, and lodging!
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Melting in the Carolinas: Managing Heat and Humidity Outdoors with Kids
Last month we visited family in the Carolinas. Like much of the rest of the country, the Charlotte area was experiencing extremely hot weather even for their typical early summer standards. In fact, while we were there, a record was set for highest temperature on that particular day. A high of 99 degrees beat out the old record of 98 degrees set back in 1890!
Heat alone is almost manageable. What makes these conditions almost unbearable though is the humidity. The sticky muggy thick air that makes you just want to head for the hills, or at least just run inside to some nice cool air conditioning. I always compare the feeling to being wrapped in a warm cozy blanket. At first it might feel almost doable, but after awhile, nobody wants a blanket around them when it’s already burning hot!
We’re not people who like to be cooped up though, so I’m thankful that were still able to get out and about and enjoy the outdoors. By living through the experience, and observing how my sister handles the weather with her 3 active boys, we came up with quite a few ways to make the most of the heat and humidity while still staying happy outdoors.
1. Water Play.
When you’re in the backyard of a new neighborhood where the trees are not mature enough to provide much shade, the heat and humidity can catch up to you fast. Add in some water play though, and it not only makes things a whole lot more fun, but you forget all about that uncomfortable mugginess when your soaking wet! My sister equipped each boy (Bergen + his 3 cousins) with a water gun and set out a bucket of water for easy refilling. The boys went crazy on each other while the adults just sat back and watched the fun unfold. If we got sprayed “by accident”? No need to panic. We were probably better off.
2. Frequent Visits to the Pool.
It may seem like a no-brainer, but sometimes we just don’t make the time to get all the gear together and head to the swimming pool. Lucky for us, my sister’s neighborhood pool was just a quick walk away. I loved taking the time to pack snacks and drinks to enjoy during breaks from splashing, and even more I love how much pool time wears the kids out so sleep comes so much easier. Also, don’t underestimate the size of that pool! Kiddie pools in the backyard, and wading pools at the local park can be almost as refreshing!
3. Spend time on the Water.
Swimming pools are great and all, but the real beauty of nature comes through at the creeks, lakes, and oceans that are close to our locale. During our recent visit to the Carolinas a visit to the Atlantic Ocean would have been preferable. However, since the closest beach is about 3 hours away (too far for this trip), we made do with a small lake at one of the local parks nearby. Being on the water really does make a difference in terms of getting a break from the humidity. Just don’t go kayaking or paddle boating out in the middle of the lake with the hot sun beaming straight down on you! I’m sure glad we stuck to the shore.
4. Shaded Playgrounds.
Shaded playgrounds are a lifesaver for surviving the humidity with kids! I’m so glad my sister knows her town well, and picked out spots that were bearable and actually quite pleasant, especially knowing how much fun the kids were having together. Play areas with a generous tree canopy are ideal!
5. Shaded Hikes.
Just like those shaded playgrounds, a nice shady hike allows everyone to get some of that restless energy out while still maintaining a somewhat reasonable temperature. While visiting my sister, we chose a forested hike that roughly followed the lake shore. This made for some nice views, and provided us with opportunities to dip our feet into the water if we felt so inclined!
Earlier in the week, an impromptu walk along some of the paved pathways (also very well shaded) in her neighborhood provided some really nice outdoor time. And to top it all off, we picked wild blackberries along the way–a refreshing treat rewarding us for our good effort to get out in nature.
6. Indulge in Delicious “Hot Weather” Foods.
Here are some of the foods we enjoyed that also seemed to cool us down, plus a few more ideas that come to mind:
- Fruit, especially watermelon, frozen grapes, and berries
- Ice cream!
- Popsicles
- Salads
- Fresh veggies like tomatoes, peppers, & peas
7. Hydrate!
I felt like I was drinking constantly during this trip, and even though sometimes that was a glass of wine or a beer, it really did make all the difference in my comfort level. It was so important for Bergen and Georgia’s comfort as well. With all that activity (mainly from Bergen, of course), staying fueled and hydrated is even more important. Hydration can sometimes get away from kids though because they are so busy. Making a point to take breaks helped curb meltdowns, and allowed us to keep going strong for the remainder of each day.
Do you live in a super humid climate or are you visiting one this summer? What are your tips for still enjoying the outdoors?
Come join the conversation! You can keep up to date with each and every post by subscribing to the blog via email. We’d also love to have you join us on all of our adventures by “liking” our facebook page and following us on twitter! If you enjoyed this post, please “like it”, “tweet it” or “pin it”!
Book Review: Larry Gets Lost Under the Sea
Do your kids ever wander off due to some shiny, attractive object that catches their eye? Or maybe one of your pets follows some enticing scent or critter, and gets away from you? Have you and your children also always been curious about the wonderful world happening under the sea?
If so (and you are like us), you’ll be able to completely relate and enjoy the latest adventure, Larry Gets Lost Under the Sea, from Eric Ode, John Skewes, and their famous pair, Pete and Larry. This time, Pete and his pup, Larry visit the local beach primed for a day of exploring and building in the sand. Curiosity gets the better of Larry when he sees a hermit crab poking around close to shore. As Larry goes to further investigate, he ends up getting carried away by a rogue wave thus beginning his journey under the sea.
Larry Gets Lost Under the Sea has easy become one of our favorite summer reads. Obviously shenanigans at the beach, and summer go hand in hand. But more than that, Bergen (almost 4 years) loves being able to experience the magic of what’s happening in that mysterious ocean. He has barely scratched the surface in terms of his knowledge of sea creatures, plants and other organisms living in our deep blue waters. So, I’ve been delighted to see how much the book has caused him to bring up “big ideas”, and sparked him to ask some incredibly thoughtful questions.
Here’s a few more reasons why we’re loving Larry Gets Lost Under the Sea:
- Wonderful combination of a fiction and nonfiction: I love how Eric Ode and John Skewes not only tell a captivating story, but they’ve also added in facts, diagrams, and other nonfiction text features to help further the oceanic knowledge of the reader.
- Differentiated Text: Just the story itself is enough for the youngest of children, but the book also includes bigger ideas for older children to dive into and explore. Curious readers can learn more about ocean activity from sea creatures and plants to zones and equipment that scuba divers use.
- Sparks Interest in our Natural Environment: Because of Larry Gets Lost Under the Sea, Bergen has so much more interest in sea life here in Seattle. He asks more questions, and often wonders aloud about the activity happening around him. The book will also serve as a great reference for him to learn and take in more information as he develops as a reader.
Info to Know:
- To purchase a copy of Larry Gets Lost Under the Sea by Eric Ode and John Skewes visit the Sasquatch Books website!
- Format: Hardcover, 8 1/2 x 11 inches, 32 pages
- Retail cost: $16.99
Are you and your family exploring and adventuring in the sea this summer? Tell us about one of your favorite summer reads!
Disclosure: Thanks to Sasquatch Books for providing me with a copy of Larry Gets Lost Under the Sea for purposes of review. All opinions expressed here are my own.
Come join the conversation! You can keep up to date with each and every post by subscribing to the blog via email. We’d also love to have you join us on all of our adventures by “liking” our facebook page and following us on twitter! If you enjoyed this post, please “like it”, “tweet it” or “pin it”!
Thule Urban Glide Review: Strolling for Active Families
Thule. You know, that Swedish company that makes those racks for your car? From skis to bikes to cargo boxes, they take transporting gear seriously, so we are super excited to get to be a part of their latest project, “Active with Kids“! Included in this line are carriers, bike seats, bike trailers, and today’s review: The Thule Urban Glide Stroller.
If you are a regular reader of the blog, you probably know that we are quite active. We are outdoors everyday, and long walks are a part of our daily routine. Thule contacted us just when Georgia (6 months) was ready to to transition from the carseat+bar system in the stroller to actually sitting in the seat of the stroller, and since it’s arrival, we’ve put the Urban Glide through the ringer!
The stroller has traveled with us on the rough Seattle city sidewalks, down gravel trails of parks, and even along the forested paths of the Washington Park Arboretum. In addition, we’ve tested the suspension down short flights of stairs, and through it all, our little adventurer has remained content in her cushy ride.
Truckee, CA with Kids: Where to Eat, Play & Stay
I’m not a skier, unless you consider slogging down the bunny hill inch by inch actually skiing, BUT I sure do love a mountain town. One of my favorites? Truckee, California.
Truckee is located in the Sierras northwest of Lake Tahoe. To my delight, we get to visit Truckee fairly regularly as my brother and his family call the little alpine village home.
This spring, as you might have read, we spent about 2 and 1/2 days in Truckee and as usual had a blast exploring and breathing in the fresh clean air at 5800 feet. To give you an idea of what we were up to and a bit of what Truckee has to offer aside from the obvious snow-related activities, here’s where to play (aside from the ski slopes), where to eat, and where to stay in this mountain escape.
Where to Play in Truckee
Truckee River Legacy Trail
This multi-use path currently covers a little over 5 miles and roughly follows the Truckee River’s south side. While Bergen (3.5 years) and his cousin rode their balance bikes, the adults and my niece followed on foot. We enjoyed beautiful views of the river, especially at the Glenshire entrance while the kids enjoyed crossing bridges and climbing on large boulders.
Pacific Northwest Cabins and Yurts: 5 Family Favorites
Here in the Pacific Northwest, our little clan is lucky to have so many family friendly cabin and yurt rental options available to us!
We’re fans of renting cabins and yurts as our accommodations when traveling for two reasons:
- Cabin and yurt rentals in state parks and other campgrounds are often inexpensive.
- Cabins and yurts provide what we love about camping–being close to nature–but allow for some creature comforts like heat, beds & electricity.
We’ve compiled a list of 5 of our favorite cabins and yurts from over the past few years of traveling in the Pacific Northwest as a family. You’ll see that our choices range in their geographical location to include coastal escapes, mountain retreats, and lake front getaways. The common thread between them though is their coziness, comfort, and ability to allow us to unwind & enjoy the natural beauty of our surroundings. That and a good campfire too!
Cape Disappointment State Park, WA
A Day in Oakland, California with Kids
This past spring we made a mandatory stop in Oakland, California as part of our big Oregon-California road trip. We were supposed to be spending our time cooing over our brand-new baby niece, introducing her to her Seattle cousins, and swapping newborn parenting stories.
As babies do though, she wasn’t cooperating, and decided to hold off on being born until a few days after our departure. So as consolation, instead of welcoming the little one, we got to explore Oakland with Slaed’s sister and her husband who live there. Not the same as getting to meet that squishy, adorable newborn but a treat nonetheless!
Oakland has character. Rough around the edges for sure, but from shops and restaurants to parks and beautiful walks, there’s so much to explore. It seems that every time I visit, I say to myself and then to Slaed, “Let’s move here!”. We’ve almost always lucked out with amazing sunshiny weather and I feel like the flowers are always in bloom.
Here’s what we got into during our most recent visit, plus a few more recommendations taken from our explorations in Oakland through the years. Note: Not shown is our little one who was 3 months at the time. Always tucked away in the ergo, she never made an appearance on camera!
Washington State Travel: 5 Destinations for Families
Seattle area aside (since we live here and all), Washington State has so many amazing destinations for families to enjoy a getaway together. Here I’m featuring just 5 of our favorite areas to explore. So many more places await us though (and I’ll have another batch of 5 next month), from spots that we’ve mearly passed through to areas we haven’t even touched.
Of course not everyone lives in the Seattle area, but I also wanted to note that each of these destinations is within a 3 hour drive from the city, so if you’re based here or in one of our surrounding communities, these road trips are very family friendly!
Port Townsend
Why Travel is Good for Your Parenting: Perspective from Lake Wenatchee, WA
There are so many reasons to travel:
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To see family
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To escape
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To explore the natural world
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To gain perspective
Travel also opens up my mind to the new, to change, to better myself, to realize, and see that there might be a different way to do things.
A friend of a friend, not a parent herself, taught me how to be a better mom.
Only she doesn’t even know it.
Traveling to and through High Altitude Destinations with Babies
When we road tripped from Seattle to Oregon and California, we traveled through more mountain passes than I could count or keep track of. One of our longer stays was also in the small mountain town of Truckee, California where the elevation is about 6,000 feet, a far cry from our usual comfortable and damp sea-level living.
We took a couple of things into consideration (and preparation) knowing we were traveling with our newest (now 4-month old) adventurer, and we also picked up a few tips and ideas along the way to make high altitude travel most comfortable for babies.
Oregon-California Family Road Trip: 11-Day Itinerary
We recently embarked (and returned all in one piece) on our first {family of four} multi-day road trip. The journey was eventful to say the least, and to my surprise, a whole lot more enjoyable than I anticipated. I’ll admit that I expected wild tantrums occurring in the backseat along with piercing baby cries that would be impossible to quiet.
And while there was some of unpleasantness, it certainly wasn’t the norm. More often, we found ourselves enjoying the scenery, having the luxury of researching possible lunch and rest stops, and actually engaging in grown-up conversation! The one thing that did cut into our travel time (and sometimes sanity) was the amount of bathroom stops required for a 3.5 year old!
We’ll dive into more specifics of each of our destinations (and even pit stops) in the coming weeks and months (we covered a lot of ground!), but first we want you to see the bigger picture, and a few statistics for fun.
Day 1: Salem, Oregon
A good distance away (but not too ambitious) from our home in Seattle for the first leg of our trip, and also the home of my husband Slaed’s aunt, uncle and cousin. Here we visited with family and took some time to explore the capitol.
Celebrating the Iditarod with Wiggle-Waggle Woof 1, 2, 3: A Counting Book
While off in Arizona a couple of weeks back, Bergen (3.5 years old) and I decided to take a break from the hot and dry conditions of the Sonoran Desert, and instead imagined we were in cold and wet Alaska cheering on dog sled teams as they rushed past us. Why you might ask? Well, the Iditarod, dubbed “The Last Great Race” was officially starting that day, and we wanted to catch a little bit of the spirit.
Treasure Walks and Early Spring in Seattle’s Washington Park Arboretum
What is it with 3 and 1/2 year-olds and treasures? Is this a thing? Maybe its just our little guy, but lately all he can talk about is treasures, from finding treasures to receiving them as a reward. The good news? Anything can be a treasure. So as long as we call it such, anything can have the potential of being special to him. The bad news? Since everything has the potential to be a treasure, we can spend a lot of time waiting around for a lollygagging preschooler investigating every nook and cranny along our way.
Sometimes it all works out though, like during our visit to the arboretum this past weekend. As soon as Bergen was “released” from the jogging stroller to walk on his own, he requested the use of one of the bags we’d brought along for the dog’s (ahem) deposits. I credited him for his smart thinking! He declared that he was going to search for treasures, and then for the next mile or so, he picked up anything that happened to catch his eye. Rocks, sticks, leaves, blades of grass…they all went in the bag.
If you’re looking for a way to focus walks and hikes with your young children, you might just think about bringing a bag along for collecting! It’s easy, doesn’t require a whole lot of pre-planning, and Bergen was more than willing to toss the treasures back when our walk was complete.
While Bergen was focused on finding treasures, I had the chance to admire early spring in the arboretum. Yes, while the east coast is suffering through snow, ice, and bitter cold, we are experiencing abundant sunshine, flowers in bloom, warmer temperatures, and even (it seems to me) more active wildlife.
Have any more tips on holding kids’ interest while walking and hiking? We’d love more ideas!
You can also check out our other tips for hiking with a preschooler.
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Baby Naming in Paradise: Big Decisions while Exploring Oahu’s Ka’ena Point State Park
How did you go about choosing names for your children? Or if you don’t have kids, do you know how your name was chosen? Was there a process involved? Maybe you just knew all along…or possibly the name was already picked out for you because of family history or obligations. Whatever the case may be, I think the ways people decide on names is fascinating. .
Amazing, really. I mean, the possibilities are endless, and for me at least, the pressure to choose “correctly” can be overwhelming.
Names got tossed around all throughout both of our pregnancies. One of us would might make a suggestion, and if it was acceptable to both of us, we might write it down on our list. Then, after months of brainstorming, the narrowing down, nitty-gritty decision making happened in the same way: On vacation.
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.