June 3, 2014

6 Lessons Learned from Travel without Kids

Leading up to our trip to Puerto Rico back in April our family shared a whole host of emotions.

This was new for us. Both Slaed (husband) and I have traveled without Bergen, but not together. One of us had always stayed back with the little guy.

I had the typical anxiety of getting across the country in a plane (2 flights) with a 2.5 year old without my partner in crime since Slaed would be traveling straight to San Juan while Bergen and I would stop in Charlotte to get him settled in with my mom.

I agonized over packing. Not such a big deal in the grand scheme of things, but I was essentially packing for two trips (and two people): A visit with family in the Carolinas and a beach vacation + wedding. I was overwhelmed and kept thinking I would forget something, not to mention the issue keeping the weight of my bag under 50 pounds to avoid an extra fee.

Both Slaed and I worried about Bergen. Every little behavior quirk that came up during the weeks before the trip caused us to fret. We felt guilty about possibly burdening another person with his “antics”.

We even felt badly about leaving him (in the highly capable loving hands of my amazing mother)! Why would we travel to a fun, exciting, family friendly spot and keep him behind? I would only be without him for about 4 days, but since Slaed didn’t travel to the Carolinas with us, he would be away from Bergen for 10 days. That was hard on him.

I bet you can guess what I’m going to say though. Yup, it was all worth it! And it all turned out okay. It all turned out beautifully, in fact, and we have 6 lessons to share.

[Read more…]

May 30, 2014

Wear Sunscreen: Exploring San Juan Puerto Rico’s Spanish Forts

If there’s one thing I remember to do religiously, it’s to WEAR SUNSCREEN. Even here in Seattle where it’s gray and gloomy more often than not, I apply at least 15 SPF via my everyday face lotion. So when it’s actually sunny here or in one of the locales of our travels, I indeed slather the good stuff (usually SPF 30) all over my exposed parts to protect my white, freckly Irish fair skin.

Recently though on one of our carefree (kidless) days in San Juan, Puerto Rico, I made a silly mistake. No, I didn’t forget to apply. In fact, I made quite a production out of getting every square inch of skin covered. I forgot to think ahead. For some reason it didn’t occur to me at the time that Puerto Rico is hot and muggy, oh, and sunny, and we’d be doing a ton of walking. What does that equation amount to? Sweat. No matter how much you try to avoid it. There goes that layer of protection.

Viewing the first of two main forts in San Juan, we were okay having been fresh from our morning application. It’s a big space though with so many nooks and crannies to explore, our tour took longer than expected. Plus, I think I lingered more than usual because I was basking in the glory of being on my own (along with my husband Slaed, of course). No one needed me to carry them (or chase them), provide them with snacks, or answer question after question.

[Read more…]

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

[Read more…]

May 6, 2014

Tale of the Traveling Sandals: Acorn Vista Wedge Review+A Chance to Win!

Shoes. Always a worry, a question, and a debate in our household when packing for a trip. No matter the distance or destination! How many pairs do we want to bring verses How many pairs do we need to bring? What’s necessary and what’s just overkill? And thinking practically, what’s going to fit in our luggage?

Thanks to the folks at Acorn, who you may recognize as that company that makes incredibly cozy slippers, packing shoes (at least for warm weather travel) just got a lot easier for me.

I was asked to give the sandals a test drive, and the opportunity couldn’t have come up at a better time. The Acorn Vista Wedge (T-Strap) Sandals arrived just before for my 10-day adventure to the Carolinas and Puerto Rico where, along with a few other wearings here and there, I tried them out on Easter Sunday (church and brunch) and for my friends’ wedding rehearsal and dinner in Old San Juan.

About the Acorn Vista Wedge Sandals

The vista wedge sandals are a new line from acorn featuring a 2.5 inch heel made of EVA, leather straps, and a cozy footbed. The sandals come in both a variety of colors from neutral (black or pewter) to a little more exciting (navy/sea or fawn/crimson), and a variety of styles including the T-Strap (my choice), ankle, and 3-strap. The EVA material makes for a lightweight product without compromising stability and the footbed is layered with a leather lining (wicks moisture) and contoured arch support.

[Read more…]

April 21, 2014

The Astoria Column: A Serendipitous Encounter on our Adventure in Oregon

After a hearty lunch at one of my favorite Oregon breweries, Bergen and I (solo mother and son travelers) were looking to explore the town just a bit more before getting back on the road to drive to our ultimate destination of Nehalem Bay State Park on the coast. I was thinking we would just wind up and down the historic streets, giving me a chance to marvel over the many Victorian homes with the hope that my little passenger might nod off, and as well as give me a bit of a break. But then, signs began to appear pointing us toward Coxcomb Hill. I was intrigued. I figured, given the fact that we were winding our way up the steep streets of Astoria, that Coxcomb Hill must be the highest point in town. [Read more…]

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.

[Read more…]