wildtalesof.com

January 8, 2013

Quick Travel Tip from a Dad: (#2) No Highchair, No problem.

My husband Slaed, a seasoned traveler, has no shortage of advice when it comes to hitting the roads, rails, skies, and even waterways. Fatherhood did throw him for a loop, but with almost a year and a half of travel with a little one under his belt, he’s got some creative ideas and some gems of advice he wants to pass along to you fellow travelers out there.

Just how did we get away without using a highchair?

Over the holidays while visiting my brother in the Tahoe area, we found ourselves at a busy and quite popular brunch spot. After waiting about 20 minutes for a table with tummies grumbling, and a certain toddler getting harder and harder to wrangle, the staff notified us that we’d also have to wait for a high chair. We were not about to hold Bergen in our laps, and he’s certainly not big enough yet for his own chair.

Dad to the rescue.

Lucky for us, the restaurant did have a couple of booster seats available. It turns out that with the help of a good belt, the booster seat can be attached to a chair creating a makeshift highchair. This contraption might have even kept Bergen more secure than our usual setup. According to the Slaed, the best kind of belt is one that’s adjustable without holes though any belt will do in a real pinch.

Have you run into a dining predicament where you had to act fast and on your feet? Share your experience here.

Need more? Go visit Travel Tips Tuesday on WalkingOn Travels and Suitcases and Sippy Cups. For tons of great travel tips, check out their sites!

Don’t miss a thing from Wild Tales of…in 2013: Follow us on all of our adventures by “liking” our facebook page and following us on twitter!

January 2, 2013

A White Christmas Indeed: Truckee, California

This past Christmas we packed up our boots, snow pants, hats, and gloves, and headed down to my brother’s home in Truckee, California. Truckee is located in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, is just West of the Nevada state line, and North of Lake Tahoe. It’s home to a smaller lake, with a name you might recognize: Donner Lake. The infamous emigrants of the Donner Party traveled from Illinois in search of a better life, and were literally stopped in their tracks by the massive amounts of snow here.

We didn’t get quite as much snow as the Donner Party saw, and we obviously weren’t traveling by wagon, but in our short visit, I caught a glimpse of just how daunting the snow can be in the Tahoe area. In fact, our original arrangement to stay with my brother’s in-laws, just a 10 minute drive away but up another 500 feet in elevation was aborted because the trek, even with a 4-wheel drive truck and a Colorado native at the wheel was just too risky. Luckily there was room at the house my mom, and our good friend were renting, and they didn’t mind having even more up-close and personal time with us.

Bergen contemplates his next move.

Slaed had to pave the way out the door just about every time we left the house. There was almost always another fresh layer of snow.

Snow as high as Bergen!

Believe it or not, we did not hit the slopes that the region is so famous for. I have no skills, and Slaed (much to his dismay) has bad knees, but we enjoyed the white-stuff nonetheless.

Sledding: A fun way to get Bergen from Point A to Point B.

A snow hike through the neighborhood on our one sunny day.

Bergen gave downhill sledding a try with his Uncle Brad. He was not amused.

Bergen gave downhill sledding a try with his Uncle Brad. He was not fan.

Mostly I just marveled at the beauty of it all!

Have you traveled to Truckee, CA or the Lake Tahoe Area? Have a White Christmas? Tell us about your experience!

For more travel adventure fun and photos, check out Budget Traveler’s Sandbox!

Don’t miss a thing from Wild Tales of…in 2013: Follow us on all of our adventures by “liking” our facebook page and following us on twitter!

Truckee on Dwellable

December 31, 2012

Wild Tales of…2012: A Year of Travel and Adventure

Our first full year of travel as a family and adventure of three proved to be chock full of new experiences, and beautiful destinations both near and far from our Seattle home. As I sat down to reflect on just what we were up to in 2012, it turns out we were quite busy! Each month seemed to find us packing our bags or at least a backpack in preparation for some kind of escape.

January

A rare month of staying close to home. We explored local gardens, tromped in the snow (while it lasted), and most memorably checked out our local Roller Derby Team, the Rat City Roller Girls.

February

The wedding of a good friend from high school had us traveling across the country (Bergen’s 2nd trip back east) to the Washington, D.C. area, and my hometown. Bergen had a blast at his first wedding, and even stole a dance; ergo carrier and all. We also squeezed in a day of sight seeing around NW Montgomery County, MD, and fittingly spent President’s Day on the Mall in Washington, D.C. taking in some of the newer monuments.

March

Ready to escape the cold and rain, we traveled down to Bergen’s Gramma’s new home in the Phoenix area. We made sure to coordinate our trip with the Mariner’s Spring Training schedule, and took in a few ballgames. We went on our first true hike as a family; trying out the ergo as a backpack carrier.

April

April was another month of firsts for Bergen. Bergen’s first cold. Followed by and coinciding with Bergen’s first camping trip at Cape Disappointment on the Washington coast with a night in Astoria, Oregon thrown in. Later on in the month, Bergen tried a new mode of transportation. He went on his first train ride to visit friends in Portland, Oregon.

May

With more friends and relatives for Bergen to see and meet, we spent Memorial Day weekend in the Denver, Colorado area. We visited Slaed’s hometown of Wheat Ridge along with nearby Golden, took in a Rapids Soccer game, and squeezed in a day in the mountains. Bergen and I even got to see Red Rocks for the first time.

June

While we wish a visit to New York and Connecticut could have been under better circumstances, it was quite special for Bergen to meet so many Aunts, Uncles, and cousins at my Grandfather’s funeral. We miss Poppy so very much. Not many photographs were taken during that visit, but this one with Bergen sporting one of his Great Grandpa’s well-worn, signature hats seems fitting.

July

Along with a crowd of friends, we set out on the road for Hayden Lake, Idaho. I couldn’t stop looking at the view, and we really got the chance to practice relaxation by just enjoying our surroundings and company!

August

Summer in Seattle is the absolute best. That’s when we kick back, and enjoy the hard earned days, weeks, and months of non-stop gray and drizzle in the winter and spring. We got to explore many local and state parks in the spectacular August weather, but the most memorable was probably our gondola ride up Crystal Mountain where we were rewarded with unbelievable views of Mount Rainier.

September

By then, we were ready for another road trip. This time to the Victorian town of Port Townsend, Washington on the Olympic Peninsula. A ferry ride offered Bergen the chance to escape from his carseat for part of the journey, and once we arrived there was so much beauty to enjoy.

October

Bergen and I decided to tag along on one of Slaed’s work trips to North Central Washington. Even though it was just one day, we pretended like we were on vacation in the Bavarian town of Leavenworth, sampled local beer and wine and searched for fall colors and salmon. We even spotted a rattlesnake!

November

Getting there may have been tough, and coming home was even harder, but without a doubt, our vacation in Kauai was the highlight of 2012.

December

We braved the skies with Bergen one more time for a trip down to Truckee, California to celebrate Christmas with my whole family. Bergen loved hiking through the snow, and even more, he loved getting to spend quality time with his cousins, two of which were born just a few months apart from him.

Busy, busy, busy, but really, we wouldn’t have it any other way. We have much in store for 2013, some tickets already purchased, and some travel dreams just beginning to brew. Stay tuned as Bergen hopes to add to his growing list of states (15 so far) visited, and we try to keep up! Just what do we have in store? So far…a week in Washington’s San Juan Islands in just few weeks, a repeat trip to the Phoenix area to see Gramma and more baseball, another train adventure to Oregon, two trips to Montana, and…many more adventures in the works.

Wishing you and yours a very happy and healthy 2013! Here’s to many wonderful travel memories!

What travel memories will you be creating in 2013?

Don’t miss a thing from Wild Tales of…in 2013: Follow us on all of our adventures by “liking” our facebook page and following us on twitter!

December 20, 2012

Happy Holidays from Wild Tales of..!

As the last of our Christmas cards were written, posted, and mailed last night, I also wanted to send our blessings to you wonderful readers! We wish the very best this holiday season, and a very happy and healthy 2013. Thank you for following along in our adventure, encouraging us, and adding to the conversation with your comments, tips, and advice!

2013 will bring us a brand-new journey of adventuring and traveling with a full-blown toddler, and we look forward to sharing those times, both thrilling and challenging, with you.

If you’ve read our “about” page, you already know that the name of our blog, “Wild Tales of…” originated from my husband’s first Christmas card in this series, where I was “featured”. We are now sending our 6th “Wild Tales of…” Christmas card thanks to our friend, Megan, an amazing artist and graphic designer.

For our final travel escapade of 2012, we’ll be flying down to my brother’s home in Truckee, California (via Reno, NV) for Christmas with my entire family! 9 adults & 6 kids under the age of 7 with 3 of those kids under 18-months! A guaranteed White Christmas, and a guaranteed rowdy, fun-filled holiday. You can check in to see what we’re up to in the beautiful Sierra Mountain town on facebook & twitter.

Enjoy the holidays with your family and friends & safe travels!

December 19, 2012

A Christmas Evening in Downtown Seattle: 3 Free Happenings

Westlake Center Christmas Tree: Seattle, WA

Westlake Center: Downtown Seattle

Since nearly all of our Christmas shopping was completed, last Sunday it was time to kick back, and finally take in some Christmas festivities without the fear of the to-do list looming over us. It turns out that all three of the sights we saw on Sunday evening were free with two of them collecting donations for very worthy children’s causes.

1. Teddy Bear Suite: Fairmont Olympic Hotel

Inside this magical hotel in Suite 342 is an adorable little hideaway full of teddy bears! When we reached the suite, we were promptly asked to set the stroller aside. I must admit, we were worried that Bergen would destroy the place since we didn’t exactly know what to expect. We were pleasantly surprised. Sure, we couldn’t just let Bergen run wild, but the place is made for kids. Teddy Bears galore to touch and hug. A big bed that you are allowed to sit on. Beautiful Christmas decorations with plenty of lights and sparkle.

The lobby of the hotel was also decked out with a gorgeous Christmas tree adorned with oversize ornaments, and their own pastry chef’s gingerbread house creation, which includes our newest addition to the “skyline”: the great wheel. And finally, the lower lobby has a lovely display with Santa by the fireside checking his list!

2. Gingerbread Village: Sheraton Hotel

Unlike the Teddy Bear Suite, this was not the first time for us to visit the Sheraton’s Gingerbread Village. It’s become an annual tradition for Slaed and I to see what the amazing architecture and culinary artists will come up with in their designs. Depending on the time of day, and day of the week, your wait will vary. On this particular Sunday evening, we waited about 20 minutes. Certainly doable for a couple of adults with plenty of people-watching, but for Bergen, he needed a little more convincing. A “snacktrap” full of cheerios did the trick.

This year’s theme is “Once Upon a Time”, so each of the creations was an elaborately made castle (6 in all) from a fairy tale. My favorite was the the “Brothers Grimm Castle of Fairy Tales”. I’m a sucker for traditional, and loved the little details like the stained glass windows and actual working drawbridge! Slaed’s favorite was the “Alice in Wonderland” castle.

3. Snow Show: Pacific Place

Our last stop before dinner was to see the snow show at Pacific Place. At 6pm each evening (11/23/12-12/31/12), snow falls throughout the atrium! The experience is complete with festive Christmas music blaring and even a visit from Santa. Bergen thought the snow was nice for a few seconds, but he was more interested in dancing, and taking laps around the 2nd floor where we were viewing the show. Certainly okay by us: What better way to wear yourself out just in time to hit the sack?

What fun holiday festivities are a part of your family’s tradition?

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”!

December 17, 2012

Quick Travel Tip from a Dad: (#1) Drinks on the Airplane

Who’s traveling for the holidays?

This first tip comes just in time for the busy holiday travel season. The Setting: The dreaded Airplane. The airports and airplanes are overflowing with more travelers than usual, kids are overexcited in anticipation of presents and goodies, and you just might be over your patience limit.

Once you’ve climbed aboard, have had a chance to settle in, and come to a comfortable cruising altitude, when that drink cart comes around, don’t just go with your usual soda or juice choice. Go for the good stuff: A Nice Refreshing Beer (in a bottle), and make sure to decline the plastic cup.

Why is this a good choice?

1. It’s the perfect time to sit back, relax, and enjoy a cold one. Remember, you’re on vacation. Plus, studies show, beer (in moderation) has some great health benefits.

2. A bottle of beer is much easier to handle around your squirmy baby or grabby toddler, than any other drink in a plastic airplane cup. You can pull it away from your little one without it spilling all over the place.

3. A bottle of beer, when you aren’t drinking it, fits perfectly in the seat back pocket, and is not likely to to pour out if you accidentally knock it with your knee.

Please note: Make your own responsible choices. We are in no way advocating overdoing the alcohol consumption here.

How do you stay sane while traveling during the holidays? Share your tips here.

This post is part of Travel Tips Tuesday on WalkingOn Travels and Suitcases and Sippy Cups. For tons more travel tips, check out their sites!

Come along with us on all of our adventures by “liking” our facebook page and following us on twitter!

Quick Travel Tip from a Dad: (#2) No Highchair, No problem.

Dad to the rescue.

A White Christmas Indeed: Truckee, California

Wild Tales of…2012: A Year of Travel and Adventure

Happy Holidays from Wild Tales of..!

A Christmas Evening in Downtown Seattle: 3 Free Happenings

What fun holiday festivities are a part of your family’s tradition?

Quick Travel Tip from a Dad: (#1) Drinks on the Airplane

Facebook

Pinterest

Dad to the rescue.

Related Posts

Related Posts

Related Posts

Related Posts

What fun holiday festivities are a part of your family’s tradition?

Related Posts

Related Posts

Pinterest