Hi-Tec Harmony Women's Boot Review + Giveaway!

*Contest closed! Lucky #14 (generated randomly) Princessliak - email me (and check your inbox to claim your boots!  Congratulations!*

I recently realized that I have only ever had two brands of hiking boots.  I have wide feet and can't stand shoes that bother me, so I guess I have stuck with what I know.  Unfortunately, that also means I didn't know what I was missing.  


That said, I also want to showcase a bunch of different gear on the blog because I know that different people have different needs and don't want hear about the same brands all the time. :) 


When Hi-Tec offered to send me a pair of their new Harmony Mid WP (Waterproof) hiking boots, I jumped at the chance (but also warned them I may not be the best subject to test them out because of my wide feet.)  They sent me a half size larger than my normal shoe size (which I actually usually lean towards in hiking boots anyway) and hoped for the best.

I have certainly put some miles on the boots and, as always, this post will be updated as I am given a chance to use them even more in different conditions.

Making Time for the Outdoors.

We are all busy.  Everyone has jobs, family, work, cleaning, bills and things that just have to get done.

Yes, it is certainly cliche, but those things will be there later too.

One of the most difficult parts of getting outside is just getting out the door.  Believe me, I know.  With two kids, it is not unusual for it to take me 45 (FORTY-FIVE!) minutes to get out the door.  Snowsuits, hats, meltdowns, gloves, pacifiers, meltdowns, snacks, KLEENEX! (I have had that yelled at me a lot lately as we fight colds), CHANGE ME! (another fun one), meltdowns, bribes, meltdowns and a huge sigh as we all tumble out the door.

How can it be possible to have time to get outside every day (yes, I even ask myself this question...daily)?  And again, I will say, how is it NOT possible to make the time (for the good of all involved?)  It makes us happier as a family. 

Last Friday we planned a family hike/walk for as soon as Mountain Papa got home for work.  My job was to have myself and the kids ready to walk out the door when he arrived (again, not an easy feat.)  His job was to be home before dark.

We both carried a kid (thank you, Kelty and Deuter!) and spent 45 minutes in the badlands behind our home.  As a couple it gave us some time to decompress from the day (between talking with J and fielding his questions and comments, of course.)  It gave the boys some fresh air and chance to just watch (or sleep).  We are blessed to have such a landscape behind us, but there is certainly nothing wrong with a family walk around the neighborhood (and we have certainly done this too!)

Yes, I should have been making dinner (or planned well enough in advance to have that dinner ready to go.)  Yes, dinner was late.  Yes, I nearly gave up and decided fighting the meltdowns wasn't worth it.  But, the truth is we never regret being out there and things (almost) always calm down once we are.

How do you fit it in?  How do you make getting outside happen amidst the craziness of life? Any tips to share?

This Moment...

*No words necessary, just a precious moment.*

Warm Stuff for Kids + Gear Giveaway

*Contest Closed!  Congratulations to Suzy! (lucky #7!)

Our struggle constantly when we are are outside is keeping the kids warm and making sure they are staying warm.  We invest in great gear for them because we know it will make everyone's day a whole lot better when we are all warm.

Around this past Christmas, I joined in some other bloggers for a holiday gift guide and did a post about some of the gear we really love and think does a good job for our boys.  I wanted to add just a couple more things:

Junior Polar Buff:
I have actually been a big fan of Buff Headwear for a long time now.  I have two of the original Buffs and I wear them nearly daily (for running, skiing, hiking, and bad hair days.)  I am wearing mine in most of the pictures in this post.

The polar buff (retailing for $24.99) is made up of basically a buff (which is a stretchy piece of tubular fabric) + a tubular piece of fleece.  You can fold them together, use them separately (fleece around the head and buff tied together over your hair for a hat), or even wear them inside out if you want.

J wears it as a neckwarmer, but Buff advertises a bunch of other uses:

*Guest Post* Getting Reluctant Kids Excited about Hiking

I am very honored to welcome Rob to the blog today.  He is a wealth of information when it comes to hiking with kids, and the first in a series of dads to join us here (because really this blog is about families, not just Mamas!) Please feel free to leave a comment for him (and us too!)

=) Amelia

Most children will find fun the idea of a hike and explore. Still, kids can be fickle creatures. Their lack of knowledge and experience in the world often makes them cautious about suggested activities. And in today’s video game-oriented, 300-cable channel, Internet-connected world, some kids may be reluctant – or even afraid – to get outside.

You want to sway kids to at least entertain the notion that a hike might be fun. If they hit the trail thinking a long stretch of boredom awaits them, they’ll make the experience miserable for both themselves and for you.

Here are some easy steps any mom, dad or grandparent can take to get their kids excited about being outside.

Your new assistant planner

To entice kids, let them help plan the hike. They can assist in selecting the destination, trace out the trail on a map, choose which snacks to bring, and more.

Coloring pages

For younger kids, find coloring pages about hiking on the Internet that you can print for free. Coloring pages showing children having fun and some of the scenery on the trial often gets kids excited about the adventure ahead. Just type “hiking coloring pages” in a search engine for images.

The Food We Eat: Homemade Pocket Sandwich Recipe

This past weekend we were thrilled to be able to attend the Winter Outdoor Retailers Expo in Salt Lake City.  A maze of incredible gear, like-minded people and fun demos wore us out completely. :)  Watch the blog in the coming months for sneak-peaks and reviews of what we saw (and some super exciting partnerships with other companies.)


Aside from all the excitement of the weekend, however, we spent a LOT of time in the car (thanks to snow and closed roads) and a lot of time on our feet.  We were also trying to do our best to be as frugal as we could and brought a lot of food to supplement hotel breakfasts and one meal out a day (because we were also trying to be reasonable.)  Quite honestly, we pushed our kids to the limit and definitely used snacks to bribe more than once.  


As a family, we try really hard to stay away from pre-packaged snacks that are full of sugar and additives.  Admittedly, I sometimes fail on this as life gets busy, I but certainly try!


Some of our favorite on-the-road snacks (that work well for on-the-road to hike, ski, play, etc.)
- Cut up carrot sticks (with peanut butter if it is reasonable depending on the situation)
- Our favorite granola bars (I make double batches and freeze these for adventures.)
- Apples
- Oranges (I always pack napkins too for these)
- Trail Mix
- Trail Cookies (AKA "Those cookies")
- Goldfish crackers (or something like that) in these cups:

- Homemade "Pocket Sandwiches" (based on a recipe from a dear friend of mine!)

  *These are MUCH better for us than regular sandwiches because of the less-mess factor.  They stay contained and J does just fine holding them on his own.  They are good enough to share....

The Bread Part:

2c.             Warm Water

2tsp.          Yeast

2                Eggs

3 tbsp.       Sugar

¼ c.           Canola oil

1tsp.          Salt

6c.+           Flour (I often use a mix of bread flour and light wheat flour)

Filling (the fun part because it is completely up to you):

Ham

Cheese

Turkey

Mushrooms

Dissolve yeast in water; add sugar, eggs and salt; add oil and enough flour to make a stiff, yet pliable dough.  Cover and rise in a warm place for fifteen minutes.  Punch dough down and divide into 14 balls.

For each sandwich, take one ball of dough and roll into a 6-8”circle on a lightly floured surface.  Place 1 piece of cheese and 1 piece of ham (or whatever you are using) in the middle.   Bring edges of dough together and pinch together over the filling (make sure it is closed well!)  Pat dough to form a bun around the filling.  Place on a greased cookie sheet (or stoneware), 2” apart, and cover with a kitchen towel to rise for 1 hr.

Bake in oven at 350* for 20-25 min.

The pocket sandwiches may be frozen after baking when cool.  I either freeze them all together in a bag or individually wrapped in foil.  Reheat unwrapped in microwave for 1 min or in the oven, wrapped in foil.

What are your favorite trail-foods? Feel free to link up blog posts and recipes!

This Moment...(blast from the past)

*No words necessary, just a precious moment (repeated with a little more baggage nearly 30 years later here)*

Skiing + Point 6 Socks *Gear Review and Giveaway*

*Contest Closed.  R1ch999999 (who said "I've been thinking about seeing how these socks compare to smartwool") you are the winner of the giveaway!  Please email me at mountainmamatales@gmail.com to claim your prize (I can't see your email!) Congrats!*

Staying warm while out playing in the wintry mountains is a pretty recurring theme around here. It is our greatest challenge, our greatest accomplishment, and the pathway to our freedom as parents with young children.  When one of us gets cold (ANY of us, really) the plans have to change immediately and it could mean having to pack up and go home.

In our family, we pretty much wear wool socks or no socks at all (yep, even the baby.)  We have just found that cotton leads to cold (or wet) feet, little protection and is usually downright worthless in the ever-changing climate of the mountains.  Quite honestly, our sock drawers are mainly full of Smartwool (which we do love.)

However, I was thrilled to get the opportunity to test out a bunch of Merino Wool socks from Point6, also based out of Steamboat, CO.  I love being able to test a bunch of different brands because it gives me the opportunity to make an even more informed decision about what I (and my family) like.

This past weekend we decided to try out another less-used XC trail with our AT (Alpine Touring) gear on (translation: downhill skis with lighter, more flexible boots, and bindings that release so that hiking and climbing with skis (and skins for traction) is possible.)

The added weight of the boys in the Kelty and Deuter + food and extra warm gear certainly add to being a little more top-heavy, and I am all for adding as much stability as possible (which the AT gear definitely has.)  Additionally, we didn't know what the downhill portion of the loop would be like and being on the wider skis and more stable boots is just better overall.

*Guest Post* The importance of the written word (plus *giveaway*)

*Contest Closed!  Rebecca R. - you are the winner (thanks to Mr. Random picking comment #3)!  Email me at mountainmamatales@gmail.com to claim your prize!*

We are so pleased to welcome Stephanie back again to the blog.  In case you missed it, she is the owner of Backcountry Baby (a local Jackson shop that is one of my very favorites for families) and guest posted previously here about traveling with babies. *Make sure you read all the way to the end for a pretty exciting giveaway (if you are a book lover like us, anyway!)*

We started reading to E as soon as he was born.  As educators and avid readers, we never thought it could be too early to expose our child to the written word.  Early and often is my mantra about a lot of things involving parenting (vegetables, time outside, bedtime routines) and books fall into this category.

As an educator, parent and now shop owner I get a lot of questions about which books, when and how often. I try to reassure parents that they really can't do it wrong (as long as you're actually opening books) but I thought I'd mention a few points that my education background may actually have helped with.

1. Fewer, higher quality books (same as toys): You don't need 200 books.  Just a few books that you change around every few weeks. Babies and Toddlers love repetition so try not to sigh when your little one chooses Brown Bear for the ten millionth time.  They are learning how to understand the story and they look forward to the routine of understanding what's next. You'll be grateful when this helps with learning to read.

2.  Demonstrate.  Show your kids that you read, don't save it for only when you are in bed.  Read books, magazines and newspapers in front of your babies and toddlers, even if it's just for a few minutes. Show them you are actually interested in reading for yourself, not just for them.

3.  Don't stress.  Toddlers will all go through phases where reading isn't that interesting, but don't despair. Continue to provide new reading material, set good examples and ask them to join you.

4. Read with your babies and toddlers often.  Not just at bedtime but try and read books during different times throughout the day.  Books shouldn't just be about winding down, try and make them part of the day and fun!

With that, I'd like to offer one reader a chance to win a book buggee.  A great way to integrate books into your everyday play. High quality wood toy that doubles as book storage, you can't really go wrong.

Lastly, I'd like to leave you with our favorite titles of the past 2 weeks. I'd love to hear some suggestions for other favorites!

The Little Engine that Could - truly a classic!
Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus
LMNOPeas
Flotsam

To be entered in the giveaway for a book buggee:

Required: Leave a comment with your favorite children's book

For additional entries - for a total of 6 entries - (leave a comment each time saying you did one of these!)

 - Follow Backcountry Baby on Twitter

 - "Like" Backcountry Baby on Facebook

- Follow Tales of a Mountain Mama on twitter

- "Like" Backcountry Baby on Facebook

- Follow Tales of a Mountain Mama via Google Friend Connect (on right sidebar)

*Winner will be chosen randomly after January 25th and emailed to claim their prize*

The Winter Adventure from Home

We live 70 miles from the nearest town. That translates into a lot of time in the car and a lot of unpacking and repacking for our adventures.  We (obviously) LOVE to get outside, but sometimes it is just plain exhausting - especially in the winter - with two young kids.

We are getting pretty good at making sure we have all the warm gear we need and lots of food, but J has come to expect a "snack" right from the "special bag" (Lands End zipped tote) because we eat a lot in the car (Mountain Papa has the car vacuuming job, which can certainly be a nightmare!)

Truthfully, I sometimes beg for just a day at home on the weekends that doesn't require so much planning ahead.  That is, until we ALL get so grumpy from no fresh air that going outside is a must.

I thought I would share a few of the ways we manage to still get outside (yes, I stand by that rule of 15 minutes with *almost* no exceptions) without it being a big ordeal (because really, adventuring and exploring with gear and kids is almost always an ordeal.)

Relax and "Lounge" while still getting outside in the winter (we ALL need it!):


Use the driveway (especially if it is paved) as an obstacle course.  We love to let J ride on his bike and challenge him to go around the playhouse, wagon, woodpile, etc.

The sandbox (or dirt pile) is still an option in the winter (barring heavy winds)

Just go on a walk (it is amazing the conversations that arise from a simple walk without distractions besides the kids asking a zillion questions.)

Haul in wood (or do other winter chores like shovel snow, etc.) and employ the kids to help too (they see it is a great game as long as YOU make it seem that way!)

Go on a bike ride.

Sled (hills can be small and still thrilling for young kids!)

Have a winter campfire (bundle up, of course, and roast marshmallows and drink hot chocolate)

Anyone else have some ideas?  We'd love to hear them in the comments!  

This Moment....

*No words necessary, just a precious moment*

Columbia Men's Melting Point Parka Review

Last week I did a gear review of the Columbia women's Triple Trail Shell.  This week Mountain Papa (Husband, etc.) gets a chance to share his view of Columbia.  Can I just say I am thrilled something has finally replaced the purple and turquoise Columbia he has had for 20 years? 

After months of putting the Melting Point Parka (complete with removable Omni-Heat reflective technology liner) to the test, I can honestly say this is my go-to jacket for times where I need to stay particularly warm.  It tends to be too warm for aerobic winter sports (like XC skiing) but is great for just being outside with the kids, sledding, and downhill skiing (or really anything in cold temps!)  I am a part of the National Ski Patrol and have found my Columbia to keep me plenty warm while patrolling in cold temperatures.

*Guest Post* Testing the limits: My day on the slopes with baby

I am so excited to welcome Alizah to the blog today! She echos our belief that kids should be outside and adventuring.  Feel free to join in the discussion in the comments and leave her some feedback.  We can't wait to hear what you have to say. =) Amelia (AKA Mountain Mama)

My son Kiko was 7 ½ months old the first – and last – time I took him downhill skiing. We didn’t fall, we weren’t scared, we didn’t get cold, or sunburned, or slip off the chairlift, or hit a tree. To the contrary, the hours we spent skiing the slopes of Wachusett Mountain in Massachusetts were some of the happiest in my memory. So why, you might ask, wouldn’t I want to do it again? The answer has less to do with my skills, my skis, or my son than with the other skiers on the slopes. What began as a recreational activity for our family ended as a strange and somewhat alienating social experience in which we seemingly became an object of attention and conversation on the mountain. With bubbly excitement we started skiing at 10:30 AM. By 12:30 PM I was weary of the experience and suggested to my husband that we call it quits and head back to the car. Let me explain what happened…

It was a sunny morning in March 2009. The temps were up, the snow conditions perfect. It was mid-week, meaning that the slopes were relatively clear. We did our homework before by calling the resort and asking if they allowed skiing with babies. The man we spoke to was enthusiastic, saying, “No one ever asks us that. We think it’s really cool you want to bring your baby skiing, do come!” Wow, I thought, such a warm welcome, how could we possibly turn it down?

YMX by Yellowman Review and *Giveaway*

I was contacted a few months back about reviewing a shirt from a company I had never heard of.  I decided to go for it (because I personally believe there is some GREAT gear out there from little-known sources!)  So glad I did....

YMX by Yellowman was launched in 2009 to bring athletic clothing donned with "tattoo-like" works of art to adventurers everywhere.  Quite honestly, I am not a tattoo-loving gal.  It's just not my style.  However, I tend to wear my athletic clothes on a daily basis and am always looking for something that has a little more style than the typical base layers.

YMX sent me a Winter Flower Sport Jersey to test out.  Retailing for $119, the jersey boasts a UPF of 50+ and has three back pockets for keeping things safe.  I personally didn't find that a water bottle was secure enough in the pockets, but keys and a cell phone would be held in easily with the elastic top.

I tested the jersey both XC skiing and running (and then would wear it the rest of the day....shhhhh - don't tell!)  I like the flower design and feel it adds a little bit to my normal active wear.

What I liked:
- The jersey is thin enough to provide an extra layer of warmth while still remaining light enough for warmer days.

- The zip top allows some flexibility with coverage.  I preferred to wear mine not zipped to the top, but I do think it is comfortable either way (especially depending on conditions.)

- It is nice to have pockets sometimes out on a run!

- It breathes well and wicks sweat.

Not so crazy about:
- It is nice to have a design on the shirt, but as it stretches, the design obviously fades a bit with the extension of the fibers and tends to not be as flattering.  I thought that fading made it look like it was less of a quality shirt than it actually is.

- I like that the top is thin, but find that I use it as a base layer and usually the design is hidden.  YMX does state that it is sized to be fitted, so if you want to wear it on top of other layers, sizing up is a must.

You can find YMX by Yellowman on their facebook page and on twitter.  They also sell their products in stores around the country (just not in WY!)

YMX has been generous in the fact that they have offered to send one of you a Winter Flower Sport Jersey of your own (keep it or pass it on to a friend/family member!)  Use the rafflecopter below to enter (if you can't see it, just refresh your page!)  As always, make sure you do the task and then click the button to show you have done it!  Questions?  Feel free to email me at mountainmamatales@gmail.com a Rafflecopter giveaway

Why We Unplug

We are absolutely bombarded in our society with technology, easy access to the internet and the challenges of being "sucked in" to the instant gratification of all the social media avenues and various search engines and news headlines.

Our family is not exempt (J was happily using a cell phone at a super young age and now knows how to navigate the iPad way better than seems possible for a kid who is hardly ever using it.)

While we have yet to leave behind our "free phones" for a smart phone (mostly because the service in our area is horrible and WY in general has plenty of dead spots,) we have 3 computers, an iPod Touch and an iPad.  To some this may not seem like much, but for us it means that coupled with our wireless internet, we can check email/facebook/blog, etc. etc. any time we want.  I seldom nurse P without perusing the latest happenings on the internet.

This Moment...

**No words necessary, just a precious moment.**

Seattle Backpackers Article

Come check us out over at Seattle Backpackers Magazine!

Kids in the Winter: Innocent Trust and Love for the Outdoors

*We'd love to hear your feedback in the comments!*

Columbia OMNI-HEAT (Women's Triple Trail Shell Review)

As a family, we have been big fans of Columbia for quite some time.  P wears a down bunting that has been incredible for keeping him (and J as a baby) warm.  Husband FINALLY let me pass on his Columbia coat to someone else who may need it that he got TWENTY years ago (seriously, no exaggeration here!)

We were thrilled that Columbia chose us to review some of their latest gear.  Since this could be a super long post, I am going to split it up a little bit.  This post will focus on the jacket they sent me and later this week you will see a review of the men's side, thanks to Husband!

Introducing the Women's Triple Trail Shell (in the "Leapfrog" color)
Note: some of the photos here WILL be repeats since I have been wearing my shell on nearly every adventure we have taken for the past 2+ months!

Making the Most of Failed Outings...

Yesterday was gorgeous.  It was the last day of vacation for us (meaning Daddy home!) and we were bound and determined to make the most of it (which meant not worrying about the state of the house at all and just getting outside.)  I, personally, was determined to ignore the signs of flu that had been nagging at me for the past 4 days.

We packed the boys up (no small feat) and made our way to skate ski into Brooks Lake Lodge (mentioned here in a previous post) for lunch.  On the drive out we commented on how perfect the day was.  This was to be our third time skiing into the lodge, but my first time NOT pregnant (and I was PSYCHED!!)

However, things didn't go as planned (and this time it wasn't because of the KIDS!)

If you have skate skied before, you know it is a lot of work.  I LOVE it, but getting my heart rate up was triggering my gag-reflux (along with flu aches and pains) and, determined as I was, there was no way I was going to make it the 5 miles in.

And so we bailed.  And then we had to explain to J WHY we weren't going to eat lunch that day at Brooks Lake.

To be honest, I was SUPER bummed.  I kept thinking it MUST be all in my head and I could certainly make it (I had done it 6 months pregnant before easily!)  I am stubborn like that.

Instead of just heading home right away, "Super Dad" helped J play in the snow (which he loved, of course) while I got my bearings back sitting in the car with P.

Sitting there, I was finally able to see that in reality, this wasn't a failure at all.  We were out there.  We got a 3.5 mile ski in (instead of the 10 we originally planned.)  The kids got to play in the snow and we were spending time as a family.  And those are the most important things of all.

Lesson of the day: Take account of the small accomplishments and enjoy them.  They certainly DO count!