This (Yellowstone) Moment + Blog News

*No words necessary, just a precious moment from our life.*

Also, as a little bit of a side note - Tales of a Mountain Mama is in the process of being moved over to a new server that can handle the volume of readers (yea!) a bit better AND open up some more options on our end.  More about that later!  

However, it also means that Google Friend Connect is going away (which is happening all over the place, not just here!)  Please make sure to subscribe via RSS (big orange button on the right sidebar) or Like us on Facebook so you don't miss anything.  Questions?  Feel free to comment here or email me at mountainmamatales(at)gmail(dot)com.

If you haven't heard, I will be representing Stonewear Designs as one of their six chosen Ambassadors starting this fall.  I'm pretty excited about the honor of joining these other inspiring women and a company dedicated to helping women stay active!

Not to be outdone, Mtn Papa will is just starting as a JoePro Ambassador for Piggyback Rider.  More about that later, but we're excited to show off some options for when the kid is too big for a backpack and too small to keep up!

Happy Adventuring!

Braving the Boys - A Conversation with the Brave Ski Mom

Through my blog, I’ve come to meet many other moms who write about their family adventures in the outdoors. Today, the Brave Ski Mom and I share a short dialogue we recently had about camping, hiking and getting outside. We both have two sons. My boys are young, hers are both teens.  So what do we have in common? Are their some universal family experiences? Here’s a bit of what we found out. (Note - BSM will also be publishing this interview on her blog so feel free to pop over there if you have questions for her!)

How old are your children? When did you start taking them on outdoor adventures?

MM: Our boys are three and one.  They are happy, needy, BUSY and stubborn!   Our oldest was camping at about 10 weeks (and even though it was July, the nights were still freezing!) and our younger son went on his first camping trip at about 4 weeks (after 6 weeks of bed rest for me, I was desperate to get out so we didn’t wait!)  Both boys were preemies, but strong and healthy. 

Thanks to a Moby Wrap and my Boba 3G (both baby carriers) we were out hiking with both of them within three weeks.  Nothing strenuous and I was certainly checking them often, but they were out there (and so were we!)

BSM: Our boys are now 15 and 13. I am not sure how that happened, but it did and it does! Our oldest went on his first expedition when he was four weeks old. BUT, we didn’t go camping. Instead we went to the family cabin at 10,000 feet. He spent the entire weekend in a Patagonia fleece bunting, but we were out there hiking. He also slept through the night for the first time on this  (thank you high altitude air). Our younger son was born in April, so I think he probably went camping at about 8 weeks.

BSM 

When they were little, we carried them, but by about age 2, both boys were done with being carried and wanted to hike on their own. When they were little, we were very respectful of their size and stamina. As they grew, a big challenge for us was not interpreting their enthusiasm for strength and ability. We made some big mistakes talking them into “death marches.” These hikes were too long, in both distance and time, and they almost stifled our boys’ desire to hike. Just because a child CAN hike a long distance, doesn’t mean they should.

Camping in the Backyard IS Camping!

I'm going to let you in on a little secret: I wasn't too psyched about camping out in our backyard this weekend for the Great American Backyard Campout.

I would have preferred to have been camping somewhere secluded with excellent views and no distractions.  However, our summers are dictated by the wildland fire season and we simply have to make the most of the time we have.  Mtn Papa was working late yesterday so instead of bailing, we decided to embrace the opportunity.  Nothing happens when you wait around for the perfect situation to come together.  Nothing.

And while we are being honest.... I figured this Mama would be MUCH too tempted to sneak back in her bed when the going got rough (AKA Mr. Horrible Sleeper not sleeping.)

It went much better than I expected.

Ready to head out to the backyard

This Moment...Yellowstone: Edition 2

*No words necessary, just a moment from our life.*

And don't forget about the Great American Backyard (or anywhere!) Campout tomorrow night!  Will you be participating???  Check out this article of mine published over at Seattle Backpackers Magazine this week with some more family camping tips.  And please feel free to post your photos/comments here or on our Facebook page about how it went!  

*Guest Post* Genesis of a Climbing Family

Adam Nutting had something come up and will continue his Trekking Pole series in a couple of weeks! Stay tuned for that!


However, I am very excited to have Alyssa from The Kid Project on the blog today guesting about climbing.  Previously, we had Justin on the blog with his own tips about taking your kids rock climbing.  Alyssa now adds her own twist and personal family experience.  Again, climbing is not something we have done (yet) with our own kids, so I am learning here too (which is what I LOVE about having guest posters on the blog!)  As always, check out her bio at the end and feel free to leave her feedback in the comments.

People ask us when we started climbing. They ask us when our kids started climbing. Sometimes they don’t ask, they say rather emphatically, “you cannot rock climb AND have  young kids. It doesn’t work.” And if I take a good hard look at having young kids and I am honest, then I will openly admit it is really hard. Draining, exhausting, astonishing, confusing, and abundant in dysfunction. I can see why they told us “it cannot happen.”

When our first baby was born, I was told over and over, “get ready for some major life change, honey!” Vomit. While it was true, the lie hidden underneath their exasperated tone was that all I loved and enjoyed was about to be slayed on the proverbial altar. And I believed them. And my life was a like a self full-filled prophecy.

But as the joy ebbed out of our lives, my husband and I decided to make a change. We needed a breath of fresh air, both literally and figuratively. For us it was climbing, camping, skiing- the active things that reminded us of the beauty of creation and the fun of having a family. It was “sink or swim” time. You either figure out how to bring the kids along, or you don’t. Simple as that.

So...back to those original questions:

Light up the Night with the Great American Backyard Campout

This coming Saturday, June 23rd, The National Wildlife Federation, REI and Coleman are sponsoring a huge event called the Great American Backyard Campout.  Designed to help encourage families to go camping, even if it just in your backyard, they are setting-up camp across the country.

We are honored to be participating in a blogger link-up to help encourage families to get out there.  We, too, will be setting up camp in our backyard (and hopefully later that weekend in Yellowstone National Park.)  Watch for our report of how it went next week.  We highly encourage you to get out camping with your family (this weekend, or whenever you can squeeze it in.)  Your family is worth it!

Light up the Night
When we are out camping/hiking/skiing, headlamps are something we just don't leave without.  They serve their practical function of helping us see in the dark AND are a great source of entertainment for the kids (err...and adults.)
They also....
- Help watch for wildlife in the night (you know, when you hear "that sound".)
- Provide a catalyst for shadow puppets on tent walls
- Can be used to play Flashlight Tag
- Come in handy for middle-of-the-night bathroom emergencies
- Are used to help find missing items as the light from the campfire dies down before bed
- Provide light when Burn Bans are in effect and campfires can't happen (SAD as that is!)
- Help with reading in the dark (or under the covers)

I asked around (other bloggers, my boy-scout nephews, the general public) and got a wide range of answers for favorite camping light sources.  Here's what I found between those experts and our own first-hand knowledge:

Headlamps:  A family favorite, we all have them.  Because we think they are the most multifunctional light out there, it is what we will focus on here.  Besides for camping, we use them for biking at night, backyard campfires, Moon-Lit (when the moon is a bit weak) Skis, and happily welcome any other uses.

Fun and Functional 
LEGO Minifigure LED Headlamp ($15)
These aren't going to last under super harsh conditions (ours got too cold camping this past winter and had to warm up before they started working again,) but they are fun, provide a good light output, and convince kids to actually wear a headlamp.  Both our boys wear them and love them.

Playvisions Zoo Light Frog Headlamp ($15)
Also an LED light, this one apparently makes sounds too (good fun for the kids, annoying in the tent at night..)  We have NOT tried this one, but another fun option for smaller tykes.

Cyclops Hat Clip Light ($12.99)

Highly recommended by those Expert Boy-Scout Nephews of mine, these are new to me.  However, they say they "are small, practical, and a good price for the light."  Great for those campers that love to wear hats!

For the Love of Dads

Father's Day is fast approaching this weekend, and we wanted to take a moment to honor a couple of dads around here and link you up to some fabulous "Outdoor Dad" posts.

For Mtn Papa who works hard to make sure we continue getting outdoors and staying active as a family as you love us so very well.  

And for the Grandpas that helped shape us into the Outdoor Enthusiasts that we are!

We love you!

Great Outdoor Dad Blog Posts:

Dads Who Blog About Getting Kids Outside - Go Explore Nature

Reasons to Love Camping Dads - The Campy Mom

Handy Dad in the Great Outdoors  (giveaway ended yesterday, but book suggestion is great!!)

Father's Day Gift Ideas for the Outdoorsy Dad - Great Wild Outdoors
Thoughts on Adventure and Fatherhood - Adventure Parents
Father's Day Recipes for Every Dad - Pocket Ranger Blog
What's a Dad to do in Alaska? Everything - AK on the Go
Friday's Gift -Dads - Family Adventures in the Canadian Rockies

Bloggers - please feel free to link up any Father's Day posts you have in the comments! Thank you!!!