Gear Review: Ice Queen Skirt by Skirt Sports

Skirts are hitting the big time out in the athletic world.  I have been watching them change and improve over the past few years and continue to be impressed.  It is not uncommon to see gals wearing them for running races, out skiing or just around Jackson (which we consider the local ski town and people wear their gear to the bar.)  They bring functionality and femininity together for women who continue to be active (and hate changing their clothes numerous times throughout the day!)

I wrote a post a few months back about the Skhoop skirt and using it for winter sports.  Warm skirt, but definitely not super stretchy for lots of movement.  Skirts Sports has another version of an outdoor winter skirt that is definitely more forgiving when using it to be active.  The Ice Queen is essentially a winter athletic pant with a skirt for added coverage.  I also claim that extra layer of the skirt adds just a tad more warmth (which I find helpful!)

What I love:
- Windproof thigh panels and skirt (HUGE in Windy Wyoming!) The thigh panels extend past the knee making the coverage more than adequate. The rest of the piece (that is not the windproof panels) is stretchy and soft.
- The skirt doesn't get in the way of my movement, but still does provide a bit of "modesty coverage" especially for aerobic sports where tight-fitting clothes are more comfortable anyway (XC skiing, snowshoeing, skiing).
- They are great for running, snowshoeing, and XC skiing.  I did wear them backcountry alpine skiing once with long underwear beneath them, but they don't fit over the larger alpine ski boots quite as well and I felt as though I should be wearing a little more for the conditions.
- Their boot-leg shape and 9" boot zipper allows for fitting over nordic ski boots and running shoes.
- The attaching of the pants and skirt is such that no chafing will happen.  The construction of the skirt is absolutely secure and tough.
- Two small pockets (hidden under the skirt on both sides) hold an ipod/gel easily.  Love the music port too! (see photo below for sizing peek of pockets/music port)

*Guest Post* Year-Round Playgroups

I have a special spot in my heart for todays guest, Lia from Skedaddle.  Having grown up in Alaska myself and often wistful for the winter snow and skiing, her blog helps me live a little vicariously closer to home through her Year-Round Playgroup.  As always, please feel free to leave her comments (and make sure you check out her bio at the end!) 

I could not imagine starting an outdoor playgroup in Arizona.  How would you manage through the summer?  Is it safe for kids to play outside when it 80 degrees?   I wouldn’t even begin to know how to dress them - should they wear long sleeves to keep off the sun or would they overheat?  If you live in a warm climate, you might think I am a naive homebody who never lets my children run barefoot in the grass.

I live in Alaska with my sons and run an outdoor playgroup that meets year round.  I am a pro at getting my children into rain suits, I always carry winter hats in the summer and can be out the door to play in -20 degrees within 20 minutes (most of the time).

Getting people to attend an all weather playgroup in this climate might seem like an insurmountable task, but it was amazingly simple.  I just asked people and word spread.  Veteran Alaskans understand the benefits of getting out (rather than holding up the white flag and giving into cabin fever) and seem enjoy the outdoors no matter the temperature.  Those new to Alaska realize the need for a set time to force themselves outside and learn the secrets of success from seasoned pros.  Our larger group, Alaskan Outdoor Family Network, has over 300 members who all want to get their children outside all year long.

 

*Gear Review* Bogs Boots

I am always searching for a great pair of boots to keep my feet warm and dry.  I feel like you can definitely skimp with some gear, but boots and gloves are worth spending a little money for.  Bogs are certainly the rage right now in the outdoor world, and I was thrilled to have a chance to give them a try!


Truth be told, I have actually been putting off this review for a little bit because I was having troubles with my Bogs keeping my feet warm.  I wanted to be sure I tested them again and again before I posted my final results here (because that is only fair to you all AND to Bogs!)  Please note that this review is my own personal experience.  Your own experience could certainly be different (and I would LOVE to hear about it in the comments!) 

Classic High Tuscany Boots (retail $100)

What I love:
- Easy-on (I grab them and go!)
- The handle (makes carrying them and putting them on a cinch.)
- They have incredible arch support and are very comfortable (not something I was expecting.)
- The width: Bogs are made with four-way stretch Neo-Tech that accommodates all shapes of feet.  Perfect.
- The height.  Plenty of room around the calf for tucking pants in, leaving the ability for lots of high-snow-pile jumping!
- The colors/patterns available.  
- The traction (I feel comfortable wearing them, walking on ice/snow AND carrying my kids.)

Cross Country Skiing for Kids

We do a lot of different kinds of skiing in our family.

Cross country in the backcountry is my favorite.  I love the workout, the peace, the silence (well, usually anyway...), and the fact that the hills are a bit more of just that: hills (not mountains!)  Mtn Papa is the one more into the Backcountry alpine skiing (hiking up with skis on for traction and then skiing down) but it is certainly growing on me.

Lately, J has been going with Daddy every chance he gets to practice downhill (AKA Alpine skiing.)  Now we are trying to convince him that cross country is fun too!

Let me first be clear that this is our first time trying to teach a kid to ski.  Poor "Guinea Pig", J!  We are certainly not experts, but it is always nice to hear what others have done!

Dressing Kids for Winter

I get a lot of questions about how we keep our boys warm in the winter when we are outside for hours at a time.  I was hoping to do a video, but I figured I would save you all from the whining and the reality that the video would be at least 20 minutes long (even if I sped it up to double time!) with labeled pictures instead.  This is what we are doing this winter and is what works for us and our kids!  As always, please feel free to add your comments or questions at the end of the post!

This Moment....(plus some news!)

*No words necessary, just a precious moment.*

And in case you missed it....
We were featured on Wednesday over at the Pocket Ranger Blog (your chance to learn a little more about us!)
Plus, don't miss your chance to win a Wizbang Hat! 

Unseasonal Outdoor Fun

We live in the "Valley of the Warm Winds" which means that often we have to drive at least a little bit to get to any snow at all.  Great for not having to worry about shoveling driveways, not so great for being able to ski out your back door (which we long for!)

Another perk of less snow is the fact that it makes it possible to do "out-of-season" outdoor activities all winter long.  It is so easy to get caught in the mindset that summer is the time for playing in water, biking, and using the slides when really sometimes it is even more fun in the winter (and yes, with snow too!)

Here are a few of our favorite non-winter winter ideas:

*please note that the temperatures were not above 20 degrees F in any of these photos*

1. Sidewalk Chalk.  

We made a diagram on the driveway and drew shapes in the squares.  It was great fun for J to have me call out a shape for him to jump on.  Later we made a series of circles in a "chain" that was another opportunity for lots of jumping!

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!  

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!

Destination Adventuring

Getting outside with kids can be tough.  The hardest thing is that what works one time may very well not be as sucessful the next time.  Kids are just fickle! :)  As a family, when we are out there, it is usually for extended hours at a time.  As a mama, this sometimes makes me pretty nervous (what about the melt-downs? do we have enough food? are they adequately bundled?), but the kids tend to roll with the punches better than I do (go figure!)  

For those long days, one thing that we have learned is great for everyone in the family is Destination Adventuring.  

Winter Translation: Instead of skiing around all day, we ski into a cabin or a lodge, eat lunch (or stay the night!) and ski out.

The benefits of this are:

- Built-in rest time for Mama and Daddy (plus a rest for the kids that are traveling via carrier or stroller)

- Something to look forward to ("only a few more minutes", "you can have a snack once we get to the cabin", etc.)

- A warm-up point

- A break-up of events in the day (especially since toddlers - or kids of all ages - have short attention spans!)

Keep in mind:

- Be realistic about the abilities (and morale) or your group.  Even going a mile (or half a mile, etc.) and having a hot chocolate break gives kids something to look forward to.

- Check trail conditions (along with your destination information) before you go.  Not much worse than planning on having somewhere to end and it not being there (because you went the wrong way) or not accessible.

- Roll with it (we tell each other this almost constantly when we are out there adventuring and our plans have to change for various reasons.)

There are country-wide opportunities to do this sort of trip, even in the winter.  One idea is to rent a Forest Service Cabin.  We also look forward to skiing into a Yurt later this winter.  I would love if anyone has any other ideas (or blog posts they have done) to link up in the comments here too!

Locally, we look forward to a skate-ski into Brooks Lake Lodge, located on Togwotee Pass.  Open exclusively to guests in the summer, the lodge caters to snow-mobilers and skiers in the winter.  The trip is a good 2 hours (with a slight uphill climb most of the way) and a fast 45 minutes out (which works great when you have a full stomach after lunch!)  We pack cookies to keep J happy (or as a last resort to entertaining him) on the way in and make a full day of it.

 Any great destination adventures you have done (or would like to do??)  Please do share!

*Guest Post* Recycled Wool Mittens

Giveaway closed.  Congrats, Jess B. (lucky #1!) on your win!


I would like to introduce you to a local here in our small town, Connie.   Connie is an amazing seamstress and crafter.  She believes in the warmth of wool (as do we!) and I think this is an awesome unique way to recycle products for warmth (and a great gift idea as the holidays approach!)

Winter is here. And in Wyoming it is here to stay for awhile. It’s no secret that I don’t like the cold. I like to spend the cold weekends in the house where it’s nice and warm. I enjoy sewing, my daughter has been making jewelry, my son loves to play cards and my husband watches football. It doesn’t get much better than that.


If we do venture outside on the coldest of days, I like to wear wool. I have this weird fascination with
wool. I love its textures, beautiful colors and warmth.


Last year a friend of mine from Wisconsin showed me a pair of mittens that had been made with wool
sweaters. It was love at first sight. I came up with my own pattern and went shopping. I hit all the
second hand stores I could find and bought up their 100% wool sweaters. Once they are washed and
dried (everything you’re not supposed to do with wool) they turn into a wonderful, soft piece of wool
felt that can be cut apart without unraveling. It’s just like a piece of craft felt you would buy at the store.
But, instead of buying another item, I am using a product and “upcycling” it. Upcycled means taking
something that served one purpose and redesigning it for another. A sweater’s purpose is to keep our
body warm, and now it can be repurposed to keep our hands warm.

Toddler Mittens

Baby, It's COLD Outside!

Jennifer Aist is guesting here again today with some great tips for getting outside despite the cold weather.  Living in Alaska (near where I grew up) she knows the cold, and gets outside with her kids anyway.  In her last guest post, I talked about her book, Babes in the Woods.  Definitely worth checking out if you haven't already (or just need some more inspiration!)

Here are Jennifer's tips on how to fire up your kids to get outside ( at 0 Degrees F):


1. Get out there yourself! Trust me, you’ll love it and your kids will too.

2. Bundle up. Layer up. Pay attention to areas that tend to be left exposed—ankles,
wrists, and necks. Duck tape works great to secure mitts to coats and boots to
snow pants. Gaiters do a nice job warming necks. Warm kids are happy kids.
Bring along extra mittens in case they get wet.

3. Eat first. You’ll need the calories to stay warm.

4. Bring a thermos of hot cocoa or hot cider out with you. It is amazing how a warm
drink can warm your whole body.

5. Have fun discovering the joys of winter with your kids.

Thanks, Jennifer!  We love your tips and live by them too!