Shoulder Season, Birdfeeders, Catching Moments & Planting Trees
Enjoying Shoulder Season in the Rockies – Think Outside the Box
~:: Family Adventures in the Canadian Rockies ::~
Shoulder season – that brief period between summer and winter when you can’t ski yet but it’s too cold to go camping anymore, not really pleasant out for hiking, way too cold for paddling and it’s even pretty chilly for biking (not to mention icy). So what’s a person to do until the snow has accumulated enough to turn grass covered hills into fantastic ski or toboggan slopes? It’s time to think outside the box with these 5 family friendly ways to enjoy a unique season filled with fun opportunities around every corner.
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ABOUT TANYA: Tanya is the mom of a spunky 3 year old boy and wife to an amazing husband, partner and friend. She lives in Calgary, Canada at the doorstep to the fabulous Rocky Mountains. Her family makes it a priority to get out to the mountains most weekends year round for awesome adventures from camping to hiking, backpacking, and skiing. Family time is a number one priority for Tanya and you can read about her family’s adventures on her blog, Family Adventures in the Canadian Rockies.
Bio-degradable Bird Feeder
~:: CragMama ::~
My little guy and I are always looking for new craft ideas involving nature, so when I stumbled across this idea on the web, I knew it would be a great project for not only our family to enjoy, but also our feathered friends in the backyard! The best part is that you probably have all the materials needed lying around your house already – that is, provided someone in your family likes oranges…
ABOUT ERICA: Whether it’s dangling from a rope on a rock face or catching bugs in the backyard with her toddler, chances are you can find Erica outside somewhere. As a sponsored athlete for Trango Climbing Gear and Athleta, Erica seeks to not only promote rock climbing, but also become an inspiration for families wanting to get outside and recreate together. In addition to gear reviews, helpful tips and how-to’s for taking your family into the great outdoors, Erica documents her family’s adventures on her blog, Cragmama.com, an online resource for families and families-to-be.
Follow Erica on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest .
Catching the Moments
~:: Tales of a Mountain Family::~
Part of my struggle as a mom is to recognize the need that, more than anything else, my kids (and my husband) need to know that every minute I have with them is meaningful to me. That doesn’t mean life has to be epic and suffocating and completely planned out (in order to maximize doing things), but rather to do every little thing with purpose.
I am a doer, a go-getter, a leader. My mind is usually going 100 miles an hour. I am thinking, planning, dreaming, hoping, discovering. And yet, my problem is that sometimes when I am doing all that, I am failing to sit back and listen and just be.
I am aware of my own personal weaknesses. This is one of them.
ABOUT AMELIA: Amelia and her husband live at the gateway to Yellowstone National Park with their two young (and super active) sons. They love hiking, biking, skiing, laughing and exploring. She writes over at Tales of a Mountain Mama about their own lessons learned, tips and tricks from the trail, and about life as an outdoor family with young children. They also aim to share the best and most ingenious gear out there for families and have tons of giveaways also!
You can find her on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Pinterest.
Fall is for Tree Planting (Why We Need More Trees)
~:: Small Footprint Family ::~
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It is autumn, which in most parts of the country is an optimal time for planting trees. As mundane as it may seem compared to solar panels and hybrid cars, the reason why we should plant more trees is because it is one of the most powerful ways to make a personal difference for the environment. And tree planting is a fun and educational activity to do with kids, too. Here’s how to do it right, and why it matters so much.
ABOUT DAWN: Dawn is a stay-at-home mama to a beautiful, 4-year-old girl, partner to a dedicated and creative man, and caregiver for her mother-in-law with Alzheimer’s. Before motherhood, she was a Master Gardener and Master Composter, horticulture teacher and extension agent, as well as a certified arborist and Permaculture designer. Her blood runs green.
Dawn believes that the first step in creating a more sustainable, just, and healthy world is in becoming conscious of the personal choices we make (and don’t make), and their effect on the lives of our children and grandchildren. In other words: Sustainability starts at home. Dawn blogs about sustainable living, natural health, gardening, and real food at Small Footprint Family. You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.
