Kids Icebreaker Review and *Giveaway!*

*Contest Closed!* Betsy and Rebecca - check your inbox and congratulations!

We talk about it a lot on the blog, but in case you missed it: We are huge proponents of gear in our family.  Yep, most of it comes with a higher price tag, but the peace of mind knowing your family is safe and warm is absolutely worth it.  And gear starts from the base up.  Husband and I have both worn our fair share of long underwear over the years and know how important it is to have good stuff.  If your base layer isn't doing what it needs to do, the rest of your layers are compromised considerably.

Therefore, we were thrilled to have an opportunity to test out some incredible baselayers (plus some other goodies) from Icebreaker .  Made from Merino Wool taken from the Southern Alps of New Zealand, Icebreaker  boasts products that keep you warm in the cold, cool in the heat, and with a hard-to-beat no-stink factor (my very favorite feature!) + no itch!  And boast they may - this clothing is everything it says it is.

Cabin Getaways, St. Nicholas and Toys (reviews!)

The past three days were pure bliss.

As a family we left everything behind (and believe me, that "everything" is a lot right now!), unplugged and spent some quality time just making memories and being a family.  We found a Forest Service cabin in the Big Horn Mountains that was easily accessible and had plenty of winter fun possibilities.  In fact, we had planned on skiing in the ~200 yards to get to the cabin from the road (totally do-able in any weather) but were pleasantly surprised to find that a lack of snow right around the cabin allowed us to drive right to it.  We felt like we were cheating a bit, but when you have a toddler and an infant you'll take "shortcuts" like that :)

I highly recommend taking this route.  The cabins are are available all over the country and are a cheaper alternative to big lodges, hotels, etc.  We spent $40 a night, but Muddy Guard is definitely on the "luxury" end of Forest Service cabins with electric lights and stove.   (We spent our honeymoon almost 4 years ago in a similar cabin without electricity and spent $15 a night.)  


We spent the time playing, laughing, reading and catching up on sleep (Husband and I were struggling to stay awake to put the kids to bed.)

PeaPods were awesome for staying warm in the cabin for the kids

Incredible cross country skiing was nearby and we bundled the kids up in the sub-zero temps in the Chariot to get on the (slightly groomed) trails.

Our conversations were about how thankful we were to get out there as a family, how thankful we were for warm and quality gear and how time in the woods like that is just good for the soul!

The time we were at Muddy Guard also coincided with the feast day of St. Nicholas.  This is our first year celebrating it and we spent a lot of time talking to J about putting his shoes out and who St. Nicholas really was.  (and yep, we will celebrate Christmas with Santa Claus too but we are talking a lot about how Santa carries on the tradition St. Nicholas started.)  He was pretty excited (which could have contributed to a delayed bedtime that night!)  I love celebrating holidays in simple surroundings and this was perfect.

Both boys received toys that we were given to review (ahem, St. Nicholas worked with us on this...) and I wanted to take this opportunity to share them with you (because I truly believe both are great options for Christmas.)

Sweet Campfire....

There is something absolutely comforting to me about the smell of fire.  I love campfires, the fires from our woodstove, and even how my husband smells after being out on a wildfire.  I think I connect it to the outdoors and the memories of adventures and vacations. 

When I was growing up in Alaska, we often spent weekends out at our family cabin.  It is a “real” cabin (no electricity, running water or plumbing.)  Built in the 50s it was one of the very first cabins on a secluded lake. 

There are plenty now all accessible by plane, snowmachine (AKA snowmobile), hiking, or canoe (depending on the season.)  For some reason I was never really fond of visiting in the summer (the mosquitoes could be vicious), but loved it in the winter.  I loved the copious amounts of snow that was always there, I loved sledding, I loved trudging through the woods and I loved feeling cozy beside the woodstove keeping warm.  I am quite sure that is where that comforting smell leads me back to. 

One of my favorite memories is riding out to the cabin at -20 degrees (F) with my dad.  We were both bundled up, but the sky was amazing and the mountains glowing in the feeble winter daylight.

We spent a rare day there just the two of us without any worries of doing work at the cabin.  I remember reading, sleeping (it is amazing how well I could sleep there) and just being. 

These are the sorts of memories I want to make with my own children now.  I want them to find comfort in the smell of fire and the smell of snow.  I hope they share the love of winter that my husband and I both cling to after busy summer months. 

What sort of memories do you make in the winter with your families?

This Moment

*No words necessary, just a precious moment*

*Guest Review* Strider Bike

We are a HUGE advocates of balance bikes in our family.  My own thoughts will come at the end of this post, but first I would love for you to hear from Mollie who tested out a Strider bike with her 2.5 year old son (because I think it is always beneficial to hear a couple other viewpoints!)  I also wanted to do a comparasin of Strider vs. Haro (which is what J has.)

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J showing L how to ride (first day on the bike!)

I cannot sing the Strider Bike's praises enough! We received it a few weeks ago, and my two year old son has thoroughly enjoyed riding it almost everyday.  We live in Wyoming and he rode it one time before having to jump into the car and drive to Louisiana for a family emergency.  Of course we brought it with us. :)  The bike is so lightweight and takes up barely any space in the car.  

*Guest Post* Fall is Better Than Spring + Book Review

We were out backpacking this fall when a friend of mine asked a question. “What do you like better? Spring or fall?” I looked around me. Birch trees, cottonwood trees, fireweed, and cranberry bushes, all shining their best fall colors. The air smelled sweet of berries and felt crisp on our faces. What could be better? “Fall”, I shouted out, “fall is my favorite.” Then a kid piped up, “I like spring better because then I know summer is coming.” Touché. Leave it to a kid to be logical about the matter. But to say spring is better than fall because summer follows spring implies that winter is the lesser of the seasons. This is where I beg to differ.

Great Kids Gear (Adventuring for Christmas!) + Baby Banz Giveaway

Our kids always benefit from some great gear for Christmas along with the "fun" stuff.  (Not that gear isn't fun, because it definitely means fun adventures!)  We are strong believers in the idea that great gear = happy kids and fun times!  It is absolutely worth the money for us.  We give each other gear for holidays, we give them gear.  And then we go play!  We thought it would be fun to make a list of the gear that we personally love to share with you.  And yes, we understand that this list does not exhaust all the possiblities and we would LOVE to hear your own opinions or suggestions in the comments!

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A bunch of other Outdoor Mamas are also doing holiday guide posts today!  Check them out:

*Family Holiday Gifts for Cyclists from Velo Mom

*A Wishlist for Cragbabies from Cragmama

*Christmas Gift Ideas - The 5 pieces of gear we take everywhere from Bring the Kids

*Gifts for Outdoor Families from Outside Mom

*Tis the Gift Giving Season - Suggestions for Skiing Families from Brave Ski Mom

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And since it is Cyber Monday, I am including links to most of the gear (because a ton of it is on sale so don't miss it!)

Molehill Mittens and Booties

We have quite honestly had some struggles finding warm enough mittens for J.  However, we are super impressed with Molehill.  We bought some mittens last year that were much too big for J, but used them to layer other smaller mittens under (and could even fit in a handwarmer between the mittens last year).  Molehill graciously sent us some thumb-less ones to review for P this year and we love them too.  They are warm, stay on and have a waterproof shell. P wears them layered under his snowsuit when it is colder out (and yep, plenty of room to grow!).  Molehill also makes some awesome booties that fit over shoes and add another layer of warmth.  P is still small for them, but we are able to put them over his shoes and under his snowsuit.  He is wearing them in the picture below and a better picture is above this paragraph.

Bear (or animal in general) Hat
I always thought animal hats for kids were silly.  They are kids, not animals.  But J LOVES this hat.  And I cannot tell you how many complements he gets on it (mostly from jealous adults, believe it or not!)  It covers his ears very well, keeps him warm and makes him growl.  We found the hat in Jackson at Skinny Skis (one of our favorite shops!)

J Wearing Bear Hat, Baby Banz Sunglasses, Patagonia Puff Coat and Molehill Mittens