It's Not All Sunshine and Roses When Traveling with Kids

I had a rough week. Granted this might be a whiny post, "get it off my chest" type writing but that is how I like to express myself.  Feel free to scour the rest of my blog and ignore this post.

My family loves the outdoors and sometimes we like extend my husband's business trips to mini outdoor vacations. I am fortunate enough to be a stay-at-home mom to our two toddlers so we occasionally tag along on business trips.  My kids love traveling and if they are home for more than a week they ask to "go to their new house" aka hotel or "go build a tent."  This week we decided to extend a business trip and explore Orange County, Southern California - aka The OC.  My kids are normally champs when it comes to traveling but this trip was a little rough on everyone.  More details on our actual outdoor adventures later but first I need to get stuff off my chest about my traveling debacles this week.

• Transitions:  Transitions were a constant battle during our Orange County  trip. When we had to say goodbye to daddy so he could work, getting our car rental and checking in at the hotel was just awful. I was alone with two cranky toddlers, a large suitcase, a backpack, two car seats and had to walk all over the airport and hotel.  A stranger at the airport saw how much I was struggling and felt so bad he helped me carry all my gear.  Why didn't I get a cart? Well I just didn't think about it until after I had lugged all my stuff into our rental.

• Meltdowns: Constant meltdowns.  I think my daughter had the worst meltdown ever this week. Why you may ask? Because she fell down on the grass and got her pants slightly wet.  This is the girl who loves to rub dirt and mud ALL OVER herself whenever she can...45 minutes of blood curling screaming because I would not pick her up.  Hotel employees were looking at my all crazy, I didn't care.  My son is growing out of meltdowns but he cried more than normal for any little reason like an dropped item, a stick that broke, etc.  Someone was always crying even me... 

• Sickness/Migraine: My kids had a little cold, I mean really weak cold but throw in travel and probably not sleeping enough exasperates everything which probably perpetuated meltdowns.  I'm prone to migraines and the perfect migraine storm occurred, so I spent a portion of a day in "migraine mode."  If you are a parent and have migraines screaming little ones don't really help alleviate your migraine pain.  Thankfully, my doctor has prescribed me a migraine medication that 99% of the time helps my migraines disappear.
• Theft: Someone in a coffee shop stole my Nexus 10 tablet. Seriously. I doctored my coffee, sat my kids down outside with 10 things in my arms, realized I had left my tablet inside, ran in and it was gone. There was only one person gone after I ran outside so I'm assuming it was him.  I tried to keep my tears in but ended up crying like a baby when I got to my car.  My kids haven't really seen me cry and were very worried that I had injured myself.  I explained that Mommy was sad and they showered me with hugs and "I love you."  I just needed to vent and get over the fact that it was just a thing.
• Hotels:  I love hotels but they stress me out as a mother.  It resembles too much like a home where my kids know they can watch whatever show they want. Unlike our home, hotels have regular TVs with a weird thing my kids don't understand: commercials, that don't always show their favorite shows... Also so many sharp edges and shiny things for my kids to break. I share many of the same views on Camping vs. Hotels that Mae of Mommy Loves Trees talks about!

O'Neill Regional Park, Trabuco Canyon, California

I love traveling and fancy hotels but by the time we left Newport Beach I was ready to be outdoors, on the foothills of  Saddleback (Orange County).  It's not always sunshine and roses when traveling with kids, but we do it because we always like to have our family together.  My husband has been told on many occasions by his co-workers that they are jealous that we are able to join him on business trips.  We love traveling but that doesn't mean it is easy because the matter of fact its not, even for an "experienced family travelers."

What do you dislike the most about family travel? Especially traveling to get outdoors with the family?


Join in on the conversation by leaving a comment here! You can also join in on the conversations on Chasqui Mom's Facebook, Instagram and Twitter that is updated daily with outdoor activities and other wonderful posts and links from #OutdoorFamilies!


Related Posts and Links:

1. Confessions of an Outdoor Mom
2. "Camping vs. Hotels: Why you should camp for your next family vacation!" by Mommy Loves Trees

Family Peak Bagging: Tolman Peak at Garin Dry Creek Pioneer

This is not about bagging a 14er, not even close! Tolman Peak does not reach 1,000 ft but that does not mean we didn't get great views of the San Francisco Bay Area!

View of the San Francisco Bay Area from Tolman Peak

If you are not familiar with "Peak Bagging", that is an outdoor term for reaching the peak of a mountain like one of Colorado's famous mountains above 14,000 feet.  Technically our little family "bagged" Tolman Peak, at only 947 ft, it is still peak bagging!  Tolman Peak is more like a hill but from the top you can see the entire San Francisco Bay Area, from the South Bay to out past San Francisco.

Garin Dry Creek is surprisingly remote once a mile has gone by.  I would consider Garin Dry Creek an "urban outdoors" park because its right up against two cities Union City and Hayward.  Surrounded by California State East Bay, cemeteries and residential areas.  Yet on almost every occasion we've been there we have encountered wildlife (alive and dead) and felt like we were miles away.

"Tolman Peak has a little kick to it!"

On this warm winter day, we wanted a relaxing hike to let the kids burn some energy so we decided to hike at Garin Dry Creek, Tolman Peak.  We only need to hike to Gossip Rock and then we can say we have hiked on every trail at Garin Dry Creek!  It was a busy day at the park that even the May Road Entrance parking lot was full.  We actually had to park outside on the Mission Blvd, which added 0.55 miles to this 4.75 mile hike (from May Parking Lot).

Shady May Trail

May Trail is very shady and is not much like the rest of the park, which is exposed grassy hills.  Our kids have issues with hiking fast up even the slightest uphill so even though Tolman Peak has some elevation gain the majority of the hike is perfect for my not-so-energetic two year old daughter.  We continued onto High Ridge Loop Trail which is a fire road and could still hear all the traffic sounds from cars and the BART train.

Ladybugs were plentiful throughout the day which motivated the kids moving to find the next ladybug down the trail. Near the fork of High Ridge Loop and Tolman Peak Trail there was a waterhole for the grazing cattle and they all were laying in the shade. When I'm hiking alone with the kids, we normally hike to the waterhole and the kids throw rocks in the pond so the kids were a little astonished to see the cows in "their spot".

Our kids were in their hiking "groove" along the Tolman Peak Trail which followed a creek that actually had water flowing in it!  Dry Creek was not dry and the sounds of croaking frogs made my kids happy.  We reached a little bridge that was surrounded by large Pine and Eucalyptus trees, all of a sudden I realized that even though we were probably less than 2 miles away from the busy streets of Hayward I felt I like I was 100 miles away from civilization.  No more traffic or train sounds, all the other park visitors were gone and we were alone with the sounds of the croaking frogs and my kids screaming! Sometimes there's no need to drive far away to get into the Great Outdoors.

After a little break near the bridge, we finally made it to the base of Tolman Peak and it was time to hike uphill.  We didn't want the kids to get burned out nor spend hours on end going up hill so I carried my daughter in my Ergo and my husband picked up our boy unto his shoulders.  Tolman Peak definitely has a little kick to it, let's just say my husband and I got a workout!

I love My Hiking Family!

Where is Tolman Peak?

Obviously Tolman Peak exists...I was just a little confused about where the actual peak was. According to the East Bay Regional Park District map, Tolman Peak was just south of the South Fork Trail near the bench, but I could not find the circular peak marker that you normally find at the peaks.  According to our Garmin GPS the peak was north of the bench near some rock formations, either way we were at the top and we enjoyed our views of the Bay.

Even if it's a warm day down below in suburbia-land, going up on the East Bay Hills always allows for the direct chilly ocean wind cut right through us.  I always think that we won't need our jackets but a few minutes on top of Tolman Peak led to wearing every piece of clothing in our packs!  After we all bundled up we all hiked down on South Fork Trail, which was a single track trail and somewhat steep in sections.

We tried to hurry back to the car since I was cold and couldn't warm up! My daughter decided that she wanted to hike at her own pace so it took a little longer than we hoped but I'm always happy when she hikes because she doesn't hike long distances like her brother. We were hungry and only packed snacks since we planned on eating out afterwards, but we were all running low on energy and needed to finish.  Promises of treats, finding more ladybugs moved everyone along and we finally finished our lovely family peak bagging at Tolman Peak.

Side Note:  The great thing about hiking with kids is that everything slows down and you get to enjoy the small beauties of nature.  The San Francisco Bay Area never gets real "Winter" weather other than rain and with due to drought conditions in California our East Bay hills have been terribly dry.  Even with the tiny bit of rain we have received recently the hills been showing signs of Spring.

Trip Report: Garin Dry Creek Regional Park 

Who: Family - Two Adults and two toddlers

Mileage: 5.3 miles (From the Mission Blvd)

Time: 4 hours - Toddlers partially carried

Elevation Change: Approx 1,000 ft 

Family Friendly: Moderate

Trail Directions (Lollipop): From May Rd Entrance Parking Lot - May Trail 0.12 Miles - Slight right onto High Ridge Loop 0.32 miles - At the 2nd fork continue straight to Tolman Peak Trail 0.88 miles - At the Fork take a left (counter clockwise) continue on Tolman Peak Trail for another 0.82 miles - Right onto South Fork Trail for 1.29 miles and continue back Tolman Peak, High Ridge Loop and May Trail to parking lot.

I love my urban outdoor parks! What's your go to park whether urban or not?

Related Posts and Links:

1. Implosion Hike...What's Not to Like?!
2. A Chilly Hike at Garin Regional Park
3. New Year's Day Hike: Garin Dry Creek
4. Garin/Dry Creek Regional Park

Join in on the conversation by leaving a comment here! You can also join in on the conversations on Chasqui Mom's Facebook, Instagram and Twitter that is updated daily with outdoor activities and other wonderful posts and links from #OutdoorFamilies!

Celebrating Children's Birthdays Outdoors

As you probably figured out the outdoors is a large part of our lives, so when milestones come around like celebrating our little ones birthday's we like to indulge our children in the outdoors.  This last year we tried something new, we asked our little ones where they wanted to go for their birthdays.  I already knew the answers before they even said where they wanted to go:  the beach and the snow!

Sandy Venice Beach ~ My Daughter's Wonderland

During the last days of summer, my little girl turned two years old and even though we celebrated my little "Tinkerbell" with pizza and family we wanted to give my daughter want she loves the most, the beach.  We headed over to a special beach (the one my husband proposed to me), Venice Beach one of four beaches at Half Moon State Beach.  I was happy to celebrate my special girl at a place that I have fond memories of.

My daughter loves the outdoors and in particular the sand at the beach, so why not let her enjoy her favorite place on the day she entered into this world.  We packed a little picnic, played in the sand, ran away from the waves but it didn't last too long because it was one of those cold summer Northern California beach day.

Snowy Yosemite Valley ~ My Son's Birthday Wish

Ever since our road trip to Rocky Mountain National Park over the summer, my son had been dying to go play in the snow.  When he saw white glaciers on the tops of the Colorado mountains, he yelled with glee "Mommy!! That is SNOW!! Let's go get our snowboards and go down the mountain!".  Almost every day since he had been asking to go to the snow, so a few days before his birthday California had one of the very few storms that turned Yosemite Valley into a white winter park.  After a few days after his bowling birthday party, my son's birthday wish came true!

The excitement was almost unbearable for him, we sang Happy Birthday all day long and he kept on saying that it was "Christmas time now".  He had a lot of firsts on his 4th birthday like building a snowman, snowshoeing, sledding, and snowball fight.  Yosemite National Park was a magical snowy birthday for our little mountain man.

An Outdoor Tradition We Will Continue

I love loud birthday parties with all my extended family but at the same time I love the quietness of celebrating my kids birthdays outdoors, just the four of us.  Watching my kids enjoy and explore the outdoors with wonder is one of the great aspects of parenthood.  Thank you God for entrusting me with my beautiful babies!

Love you my children.

Do you have any outdoor family traditions? For birthdays, anniversaries, etc?

Join in on the conversation by leaving a comment here! You can also join in on the conversations on Chasqui Mom's Facebook, Instagram and Twitter that is updated daily with outdoor activities and other wonderful posts and links from #OutdoorFamilies!

California Winter Family Camping: El Capitan State Beach

I mean really, sometimes I almost feel bad for living in California while the rest of the United States of America is in the Polar Vortex.  Middle of "Winter" camping on the California coast isn't really all that bad.  We take any opportunity to head outdoors whether, hiking, camping, backpacking or just a day outdoors.

Over Valentine's Day weekend we extended a Southern California business trip to include a two-night camping trip at El Capitan State Beach.  We were hoping to find a more "Hiking" place to camp but most of my husband's co-workers recommended El Capitan, a place along the coast where they all like to escape to.  We were sold on El Capitan because it was by the beach and I really wanted to drive home to San Francisco by the Pacific Ocean.

El Capitan State Beach Campground

Location: Goleta, California off of Highway 101- 17 miles North of Santa Barbara

Reservations: Only seasonal on Reserve America, otherwise Walk-up

Daily Price: $35-45 a individual site (depends on the season). Winter Walk-up Rate we paid $35/night

Facilities: Drinking water, Restrooms, Showers, Camp Store, ATM, Picnic Tables and Grills

Campsite Visited: Campsite No. 29 (Shaded, partial Pacific Ocean View)

We arrived at El Capitan shortly before sunset, and set up camp: our large family camping tent, hammock and camp gear.  I knew by the time we finished setting up camp it would be dinner time and after my husband working all day, driving a few hours, neither my husband nor I would want to cook, so we planned to head into Goleta for some Mexican Food.  We normally don't eat out while camping but it had been a very long day for both my husband at work and as well as me dealing with preparing for our camping trip from our hotel!

Oooh! The Ocean!!

After dinner we headed back to El Capitan and went straight to bed.  There was so much excitement during camp setup that the kids (and us) were exhausted, so we all headed into our mansion of a tent for a good nights rest.  If you follow my blog, you know that my daughter is a TERRIBLE sleeper but our first night at El Capitan my daughter slept ALL night long and I actually got to sleep very well for once!

My kids knew we were camping near the ocean, but we never had a chance to go down to the beach when we arrived.  The second my kids woke up, they heard the ocean and wanted to see it so we just opened our tent window and let them see it.  It is awfully nice to camp on the California Coast!

Valentines Day at El Capitan State Beach

The two times we've been camping this "winter", Half Moon Bay State Beach and El Capitan State Beach have been beach locations.  We normally like to hike during our camping trips but we haven't done any hiking in either of these trips because the beach being steps from out tent!  I love the ocean and my kids love ANY water source so to incorporate the beach into our camping is wonderful.

There are 10 miles of hiking trails at El Capitan but on this occasion we just walked down to the rocky beach.  At first there was actually no beach in sight, just small waves crashing onto the the rocks but we found a tiny sandy spot and as the hours went by the sandy beach grew.  The kids splashed and ran away from the waves, my husband sat on the rocks and enjoyed reading his books and I explored the tide pools.  We all eventually were splashing in the waves but I LOVE exploring tide pools.

During our little lunch break we had pleasure of seeing dolphins and even brown pelican making amazing dive into the water.  There was a large patch of seaweed/kelp floating by so I'm assuming there were fish for the dolphins and pelicans to eat!

We had a great day splashing at the beach but after a "tragedy" struck (a small toy was washed away at sea) it was time to say goodbye to the beach.  We retreated back into our giant mansion tent so the kids could play and my husband and I could doze off in our warm tent.  After we had recharged a bit, we took a trip into Goleta to get a few more food supplies and ice cream to soften the blow of the lost toy at sea.

After returning to camp, we started preparations for our dinner when all of a sudden we heard helicopters above and a crowd had formed by the cliff.  I investigated with my kids and there was a Search and Rescue effort for our kayaking camp neighbors.  A couple hours later, our camp neighbors returned obviously with their spirits down....they had shown up midday, quickly setup camp and headed out to sea.  Another camper came over a little later and offered them beer and I could see they were definitely "deflated".  Worst camping trip ever for them, the "mom side" of me wanted to go console them but then I thought if I were in their position I wouldn't want anyone to ask me ANYTHING, so I let them be.  They didn't seem happy.

It was Valentines Day, normally my husband and I go out for Round Table Pizza but since we were camping, I wanted to do something special, ala Jesse and Melissa Style!  We love steak, so why not get a heart shaped steak?!  It was one of the most delicious steaks I've ever eaten, in addition to mashed potatoes and dutch oven peach cobbler!

Get in my belly you rib eye steak!

After dinner the kids and I laid in the hammock and stared at the almost full moon and stars, while my husband cleaned up.  The kids get very clingy when night falls because they are scared of the dark.  The only time I like it because I get to cuddle with my babies.  The kids fell asleep very quickly and my husband and I enjoyed sitting by the fire and laying in the hammock in peace....silence.

Something I will never forget from this trip is my daughter waking up around 2 or 3 a.m. in the morning on our last night and said "Mommy, those trees are amazing...." in regards to the tree branch shadows on the tent ceiling. Just a random thought she woke up to tell me and then passed out again.  That's my girl.

I love my family, I love California and I love camping.


Related Posts and Links:

1. Wave Crashing Family Camping & Mavericks at Half Moon Bay
2. El Capitán State Beach - California State Park Website

Join in on the conversation by leaving a comment here! You can also join in on the conversations on Chasqui Mom's Facebook, Instagram and Twitter that is updated daily with outdoor activities and other wonderful posts and links from #OutdoorFamilies!

The Joy of Riding, Outdoors, Mud and a Little Boy

Ride on little Axel! #Axelove

Riding a bike, how much is there to riding a bike? One might think that riding a bike is just that, but it is not, it is so much more.  It's something that I stopped doing for a few years but recently started riding again and it reminded me of the freedom, terror, joy, anger, energizing feelings I once had of riding a bike.

I've met a lot of people through social media and one amazing outdoor blogger I have met is Jennifer Charrette of Velo Mom.  A little over a year ago, her family went through a horrible tragedy and lost their youngest son Axel while on a trip in Mexico.  There are no words, but no family should go through anything like that.  Even though Axel was only on this Earth for a little over two years, he lived life to the fullest on his balance bike.

Over the last year, I have seen how the outdoors, and in particular riding, has helped the Charrette family grieve the loss of a family member and through all the pain this wonderful family has started a great non-profit organization, The Axel Project, in memory of their little boy who LOVED his balance bike. The Axel Project mission is "To introduce and nurture a lifelong passion for cycling to children and their families."  One of their main ways of completing their mission is to providing balance bikes and instruction to children in need.

The most recent effort of The Axel Project is Zoom! a picture book about "A little boy rides his balance bike to discover the desert, mountains, mud puddles and more."  This story follows the adventures of a little boy, his balance bike, and his dog, which was written by Axel's mother, Jennifer Charrette, and Marcia Kenne and illustrated by Kellie Day.  The Zoom! project is being funded through Kickstarter and I have also kicked in to support Zoom!


Let's keep spreading Axel's joy of riding to all families! Will you please join me in supporting Zoom!? Click here to Zoom! Kickstarter page.


The #OutdoorFamilies bloggers have come together to support Zoom! and the Charrette Family in their new endeavor.

1. It’s a Delightful, Dazzling, Dream-Filled, Dirty World by Rocks and Sun
2. Zoom! The Healing Power of Two Wheels by Expect Adventure
3. Making Lemonade Out of Life's Lemons by Mommy Loves Trees
4. Zoom! The Story of a Boy and his Balance Bike by Tales of a Mountain Mama 
5. Today is Zoom! Day: The Story of a Boy and His Balance Bike by On The Beaten Path
6. An Amazing Kickstarter campaign for Zoom & The Axel Project by Active Kids Active Family
7. Let's Give a Kick Start to ZOOM! The Story of a Boy and His Balance Bike by Mommy Hiker
8. Zoom! Remembering Axel’s Love of Biking by Colorado Mountain Mom
9. Zoom Day - Let's Get The First Balance Bike Book Published! by Family Adventures in the Canadian Rockies
10. Bloggies, Bikes and Books by Velo Mom

Join in on the conversation by leaving a comment here! You can also join in on the conversations on Chasqui Mom's Facebook, Instagram and Twitter that is updated daily with outdoor activities and other wonderful posts and links from #OutdoorFamilies!

Honey Stinger Kids' Organic Chews Review + GIVEAWAY!

Snacks, snacks and more snacks! After this past weekend adventures, snacks are top priority when I'm packing for a day of activity in the outdoors with my children.  I bring a variety snacks ranging from cheese, veggies to my "special treat" snacks, which I dispense at certain times during our outdoor adventures.  This past weekend adventures was a complete success due to the constant steady flow of a variety of snacks to my little ones tummies.

Honey Stinger released their "Just for Kids" products last Summer 2013 and being familiar with the regular Organic Waffles for cycling, I was definitely interested in trying their kid snacks.  Honey Stinger Kids' Organic Waffles were a great hit with my kids, so I was expecting nothing less from their second kid product.

Honey Stinger Kids' Organic Chews

• Soft Bites ~ Soft chews are easy to eat and don't stick to teeth.
• Flavors ~ Two Flavors: Sour Citrus and Mix Berry
• Retail Price ~ $5.19 a box containing 5 individual pouches (0.8 oz)
• Nutritional Value ~ 70 calories per packet, Certified Organic and Gluten Free

The Pluses!

Easy to Chew ~ The Honey Stinger chews are very soft and easy to chew.  I've had my share of "chewy" snacks where hours later they are still stuck on my teeth.  Something I really don't want my children's sensitive teeth to deal with.  The Honey Stinger Kids' Chews are very easy to eat and quite tasty too.

Convenient Snack ~ Whether on the trail or not, these chews are very convenient to dispense!  I have two different categories of snacks: ones that we eat while taking a break from hiking/cycling etc and others that we can eat while hiking.  The Honey Stinger Kid Chews were easy to keep in my pocket and hand out to my children to keep them moving along.

No Mess! ~ I don't mind messes, I actually like my kids getting dirty but I am not too fond of a chocolaty mess on my kids faces and hands mixing in with the dirt!  Honey Stinger chews for kids keeps my hands and more importantly my kids hands and faces clean.

Tastiness ~ I don't like giving my children anything that I would not eat myself, so of course I had to take a little flavor test!  My kids loved both flavors but my personal favorite was the mixed berry flavors.  The sour citrus flavor isn't really "sour" but I like berry flavors over the citrus flavor.  Not only are these chews tasty they have no artificial colors or flavors, preservatives, high fructose corn syrup, and trans fat or hydrogenated oils.  One might think chews are just a "sugar rush" but sometime sugar rushes are good when an activity has no other option that to be finished! Why not be happy that it's organic!

The Minuses

None!  No allergens in this product.

Honey Stinger Giveaway

Here's your chance to win one (1) box of Honey Stinger Kids' Organic Chews, your choice of two flavors.  This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only.  Contest starts March 3, 2014 12:00 a.m. PST until March 10, 2014 12:00 a.m. PST.  Winner will be announced a couple days after the giveaway has finished.  Please use the Rafflecopter below to submit your entries and good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I would like to thank Honey Stinger who provided this product for the purposes of this review.  As always these are my true and honest opinions.

Join in on the conversation by leaving a comment here! You can also join in on the conversations on Chasqui Mom's Facebook, Instagram and Twitter that is updated daily with outdoor activities and other wonderful posts and links from #OutdoorFamilies!

Pedal, Brake and Balance: My Boy Can Ride!

My boy learned to ride a bike this week! He did it the "old fashion" way with training wheels.  He started riding a bike around his second birthday on a crappy hand-me down bike (training wheels) with rust on it.  He received a balance bike as a birthday present but he wasn't tall enough to ride the balance bike right away, so he continued riding on his rusty bike.

We tried and tried the balance bike once he was tall enough but my son really likes to "be like daddy" and wanted to pedal.  Frankly, I just wanted him to burn energy so we let him learn to ride a bike the old fashion with training wheels.  First he learned to pedal then steer, then a few months ago he learned braking as well as riding fast!

Two years later on his bigger new Giant Animator Bike, on a sunny afternoon he decided to ride his bike.  2.5 hours of crashing in the bushes and falling off his bike, my determined little boy learned to ride a bike with no training wheels.  He turned to me and said, "Mommy! Now I can Pedal, Brake and Balance!!".  Lots of joyous yelling, double high-fives ensued and we even had a cake later in the day.

This isn't a pro-training wheels nor a pro-balance bike post but a "have fun learning how to ride a bike" post!  I never thought I'd have the same feeling of excitement as when I saw my baby boy take his first steps, but this is as exciting as his walking milestone except that he joined in the celebration!


Pedal, brake and balance! How did you feel when your little ones learned to ride?


Join in on the conversation by leaving a comment here! You can also join in on the conversations on Chasqui Mom's Facebook, Instagram and Twitter that is updated daily with outdoor activities and other wonderful posts and links from #OutdoorFamilies!

Kid Approved Gear Review: Honey Stinger Kids' Organic Waffles

Food and snacks, something that is absolutely essential when heading outdoor with kids. Whether we are hiking or biking on the trails you will definitely find my pack full of snacks!  The snacks sometimes determine whether the time outdoors will be a success or a disaster.

I have two completely opposite toddlers: one who eats anything and the other who only likes to eat bread, milk, bananas and yogurt.  Let's say it's a struggle at almost every meal to have my picky eater eat something.  I'm always on the look out for new snacks that my children like to eat because food = fuel on and off the trail.

I always take more than enough snacks when we head out for a hike or bike ride because I never know when my picky eater will decide to eat.  Trust me it's not a fun time when a child is low on energy, there are no more snacks around and a mile is still left to be finished!

A newest addition to my snack pack is...

 Honey Stinger Kids' Organic Waffles 

• Kid Size ~ A smaller version of the adult size Honey Stinger Waffle, suited to meet children's smaller appetites and nutritional needs.
• Flavors ~ Two flavors: Honey and Chocolate!
• Retail Price ~ $4.99 a box, containing 6 individually wrapped waffles. Option of individual sale of $0.89 per waffle. Purchase at HoneyStinger.com or local outdoor retailer store.
• Nutritional Value: Certified organic ingredients and only 80 calories.

The Pluses!

Picky Eater Approved ~ If you can't hear my sigh of relief over the internet as you read this just imagine you heard it.  My kids LOVE the Kids' Organic Waffles and actually request for it went we hit the trails.  My picky eater is hesitant to try anything new but the second he saw the waffle he wanted to try "The Cookie" as my kids call it.  He scarfed down the waffle and wanted more, something I rarely hear!

Just  Like Daddy's (Mommy's too) ~ My kids are not easily fooled but Honey Stinger made the kid version waffle just like what the adults eat.  Whatever we are eating, my kids want to eat as well so the kids waffles are perfectly proportioned for my two and four year old appetite and they don't steal mine.

Organic Ingredients ~ We try to do "Organic" as much as we can in our household but that is not always feasible while outdoors, so I'm glad I can find organic snacks that my kids see as special treats.  My usual special treats are left over Halloween & piñata party candy, but my kids have chosen the waffles over candies.  I feel better giving them Organic Kid Waffles over candy.

Chocolate! ~ Those are magic words to get my kids moving on the trail.  My kids tasted both flavors which they both liked but I have purchased two boxes of the Chocolate Waffles because my kids get more excited when they hear "Chocolate" over "Honey".  I'm a big fan of chocolate and so are my kids.  Who isn't a fan of chocolate?!

The Minuses

Allergens ~ Thankfully my kids do not have any food allergies but Honey Stinger Kids' Organic Waffles do contain wheat, soy and may contain egg and milk.  Not suitable for children with allergies to those ingredients.

Chasqui Mom Last Thoughts...

I know that food is fuel, especially when doing any activity outdoors, whether hiking, backpacking or biking on the trail I will definitely have Honey Stinger Kids' Organic Waffles in my food pack.  My kids love "The Cookie" and I actually finally had a chance to taste the kids version and they are just tasty.  The waffle isn't the only Honey Stinger kid product, they also have Kids' Organic Chews which will be reviewed soon!  I give the Honey Stinger Kids' Organic Waffle the "Chasqui Mom Seal of Approval" for on and off the trail snacks!

*I would like to thank Honey Stinger who provided this product for the purpose of this review.  As always these are my true and honest opinions.


Join in on the conversation by leaving a comment here! You can also join in on the conversations on Chasqui Mom's Facebook, Instagram and Twitter that is updated daily with outdoor activities and other wonderful posts and links from #OutdoorFamilies!

Related Posts and Links:

1. Honey Stinger Kids' Organic Chews Review + Giveaway!

Out of this World: Vasquez Rocks & The Pacific Crest Trail

Vasquez Rocks, the Pacific Crest Trail and this hiking family. On a quick trip down south to the greater Los Angeles area I decided to do a little solo hike with my toddlers at Vasquez Rocks.  All I knew about Vasquez Rocks Natural Area Park was that an episode of the original Star Trek was filmed there a long time ago.  FYI, I only knew that fact because I watched a Big Bang Theory episode that was fake filmed at Vasquez Rocks so I researched it and Vasquez Rocks was a real location.

Vasquez Rocks is part of the Department of Parks and Recreation County of Los Angeles but it is a 20-30 drive east of Santa Clarita, California.  You can't really tell that Los Angeles is a desert until you leave the main metropolis area and can see the natural environment and really enjoy the beauty of  it, like Vasquez Rocks.  You can see this parks main features from the freeway and it is actually on the outskirts of Agua Dulce, California.  Off the freeway the drive to Vasquez Rocks is very rural and ranch-like, we even saw a buffalo on one of the ranches.

The Interpretive Center looked like a space ship to my kids.  It has a modern look to it, I'm assuming it was designed to compliment the rock formations but not only was the design modern it had a LEED Platinum Certification.  Layman's terms means that this center has the highest level of being "Green" which is fantastic!  The Interpretive Center had a diagram of Vasquez Rocks, a few reptiles and spiders, as well as a Hollywood history of all the movies that had been filmed at Vasquez Rocks.  Outside the center was a small area that housed some native birds.


The Pacific Crest Trail at Vasquez Rocks

The Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) is a trail that runs from the border of Mexico/California to just across the Canadian border.  Almost every hiker that I know dreams of hiking the PCT, so any time I get a chance to hike on it, I do! Even just one mile on the PCT with my kids, satisfies my future dream just a little bit.  I didn't even know that the PCT went through Vasquez Rocks until the day before visiting so I was pleasantly surprised when I saw it on the map.  FYI: I brought EXTRA snacks and food just in case I ran into a PCT thru-hiker but I didn't run into anyone except some tourists.

We started out on the PCT (AKA the Geology Trail - 0.9 miles) near the Interpretive Center.  From the beginning there were giant rocks right along the trail which made the hike terribly slow because my kids had to explore every rock, hole and "mini-cave."  I'm not complaining, I want my kids to explore but I'd prefer they explored at least 100 ft down the trail vs. 10 feet down the trail! But alas the caves must be explored and my patience must be tested constantly on the trail.

We hope that someday we can do hike the entire PCT as a family, but probably not all in one sitting! PCT section hiking is more up our alley, but it won't be for a few more years until our little ones can hike longer distances and carry a pack.  Either way, I was getting a little nostalgic with the idea at some point in the future I was to return to Vasquez Rocks and remember that I had been there before with my babies.

It took a little while to get into the groove of hiking but everyone enjoyed the little 0.9 mile hike on the PCT.  There was exploring of the caves, playing with the sandy trail and even touching of the spiky Yucca Whipple-Our Lord's Candle.  My son has a fascination with prickly plants, I just make sure they aren't poisonous before he touches them.

The Geological Trail had many markers with the descriptions on the pamphlet, sadly I'm so busy with the kids on the trail I never get a chance to see what the markers are all about, but the geological formations are just amazing to see all along this tiny section.  When we had reach the famous section of the Vasquez Rocks, my kids starting yelling with glee, "Those rocks are Crocodile Rocks!!" and indeed they did look like crocodile heads.  One of the great things about hiking with kids is the fact that they help you view the world in a beautiful imaginative way.

The famous Vasquez Rocks are really neat, they are giant slabs of rock shooting out of the ground!  We hiked along the back side of the rocks and I was a little saddened by the graffiti and trash I found along there.  I picked up as much trash as I could but still I don't understand why people have to put "I was here" on these beautiful rocks.

The Pacific Crest Trail continued but my children could not, so once we reached the picnic/parking lot area for viewing the rock formations, we headed down another trail back to the Interpretive Center.  There is a dirt road which you can take to iconic Vasquez Rocks but we opted to hike on the PCT.  I almost took the dirt road back but decided to stay on the trail and I'm glad we did because we saw some hieroglyphs and a Road Runner, which of course was too fast to snap a picture of it!

Vasquez Rocks is a great park, truly felt like I was in a different planet! Great rock formations, family friendly trails, a great "green" center and it has the wonderful Pacific Crest Trail.  My suggestions would be:

• Take lots of water! We visited on a cool day but it is still in the desert and it got very warm.
• If you have time check out more of the longer trails, such as in SoCal Hiker's visit.
• Visit the Interpretive Center! It's a really neat place and the employees are very informative.
• Please take children on the Pacific Crest Trail.  You don't have to be a backpacking ninja to hike on the PCT.  Even a 0.9 mile hike is worth enjoying the PCT with your family.

Trip Report Details

Who: One Adult and two toddlers

Mileage: 1.8 miles (0.9 miles on the PCT)

Time: 1 hour (51 minutes to be exact)

Elevation: 7 ft - very flat

Family Friendly: Very Easy

I truly had lots of fun with my kids at Vasquez Rocks, knowing that it was a hideout for the California Bandido Tiburcio Vasquez (hence the namesake) and with all the Hollywood film history, makes hiking at Vasquez Rocks Natural Area Park out of this world!


Join in on the conversation by leaving a comment here! You can also join in on the conversations on Chasqui Mom's Facebook, Instagram and Twitter that is updated daily with outdoor activities and other wonderful posts and links from #OutdoorFamilies!


Related Posts and Links:

1. Family Desert Hiking: Devil's Punchbowl Natural Area
2. The Pacific Crest Trail Association
3. SoCal Hiker: Hiking the PCT in Vasquez Rocks

Outdoor Families! This #OutFam Twitter Chat is for You!

Announcing the newest addition to Twitter chats....#OutFam

One of my main purposes of starting Chasqui Mom blog was that I wanted to help other families whether new or experienced outdoor families, enjoy the outdoors.  Low and behold, a year and a half later and thousands of tweets later I have made so many connections with other outdoor family bloggers!

An amazing group of outdoor family bloggers has come together to share their expertise in a new Twitter chat focusing on outdoor family adventures.  We've been sharing our stories and insight through the #OutdoorFamilies hashtag for awhile but now we're taking the next step and opening up the conversation through the chat-friendly hashtag #OutFam.  Not only am I thrilled to be a part of this group, but to be able to connect these inspiring adventurers from all over North America is a true testament to the power of Social Media.

I hope you'll join us on Twitter to share your ideas and experience as well as learn from this collection of adventuring families who really know their stuff.  Whether you're a seasoned pro or just starting out, there will be something for everyone.

Each week we will be having a different topic related to the families being in the outdoors but for our inaugural #OutFam Twitter chat, I'm happy to announce that I have teamed up with the great outdoor family blogger, Val in Real Life to talk about "Love of the Outdoors".

How do you participate in #OutFam Twitter chat?

1. You must have a Twitter account.  If you do not have an account, sign up here: Twitter.com
2. Follow the Co-Hosts: @valinreallife and @melissabravery
3. Join in on the conversation! Every Wednesday at 4:30 pm EST/1:30 pm PST (30 minutes) starting February 12th.

Until then, please share with other families about this great new chat, #OutFam.

If you have any questions please leave a comment here. You can also join in on the conversations on Chasqui Mom's Facebook, Instagram and Twitter that is updated daily with outdoor activities and other wonderful posts and links from #OutdoorFamilies!

Wave Crashing Family Camping & Mavericks at Half Moon Bay

What a way to start the new year! Family camping by the beach and a phenomenal California surf competition, all before January even finished.  It all started a few weeks ago when we decided to take advantage of our unseasonably warm weather and camp for a night near the coast.  I tried a few other California State Parks but Half Moon Bay State Beach reservations were half empty and it was as close as camping on the beach as one can get.

The Stars (more like the waves) Aligned....

A few days before our quick camping trip, I scanned through my Twitter feed and saw "Mavericks [Surfing] Competition might be held this Friday!"  I literally start going into hyper sonic mode and try to tell my husband what I just read.  I stalked news media for the next two days until it was confirmed that the Mavericks Invitational 2013-2014 was going to be held a few miles from our campsite.  Joy!

Green means, Go! Surfs up!

I'm not a surfer, nor will I probably ever surf but that doesn't mean I'm not fascinated with it.  I'm a California girl, born, raised and I'll probably die here.  I LOVE the beach, it's my happy place and it's a world of wonder especially the once a year 40-60 foot waves where they hold the Mavericks Invitational.  Ever since I found out about this competition I've wanted to attend but it just never happened, so I was beyond thrilled that it happened during our camping trip.

Mavericks Festival: Oceano Hotel & Spa Grounds

A few years ago the Mavericks audience was able to see the competition from the Pillar Point Beach/Cliffs near the area marked as "Mavericks" on the map.  Unfortunately in 2010, a HUGE wave came onto the shore and took down bystanders and media personnel, so now it it prohibited to watch from the shore.  Sadness.  I understand why it is prohibited now but it would still be really cool to see with my own eyes.

The Oceano Hotel & Spa now hosts the Mavericks Festival, here's a quick review on it:

• Jumbo Tron Viewing ~ There are two huge Jumbo Trons on the opposite ends of the festival, lots of room for everyone to view.  The general audience brought chairs, blankets and set up for the day but there was a VIP area which was more expensive of course.  The viewing was a live feed that occasionally would lose signal but the announcer would jump in to fill the gaps.
• Mavericks Competition ~ The competition it self was really fantastic to see, each "round" was called a heat and we quickly learned some surfing terminology, like "Air Drop" and of course "Wipe Out".  I didn't know any of the surfers but Grant "Twiggy" Baker from South Africa became our favorite real quick, who eventually won the competition.  I know...there were many Bay Area local surfers in the competition but Twiggy was awesome and no one could deny it.  I loved how the audience would go into a lull but  the energy would pick up along with the waves.  There was a local band playing "beach music" from Pacifica which was entertaining to listen too, GoPro was doing a giveaway which we signed up for but left before they announced the winner.
• Logistics/Cost/Parking ~ The festival is located in the Oceano Hotel & Spa Parking Lot, no real view of the ocean but it's walking distance away. There were FOUR levels of tickets ranging from $15-1,000/ticket, we purchased the $15 tickets online the night before.  I had read in other reviews that the festival had sold out online in the past years so I didn't want to risk it and purchased it online.  I was able to download all our tickets on Eventbrite App and the ticket hostess just scanned my phone at the entrance.  Parking is available at the Half Moon Bay Airport but we parked for free about a mile away on Pacific Coast Highway 1 and walked along the Coastal Trail to the festival.  There is a bike valet if one decided to ride your bike to the festival.
• Family Friendly Activities ~ There was only one real family friendly activity, the Skate Park, which is geared more towards older children who can skateboard.  My toddlers were a little bored because they wanted to go to the beach and there weren't toddler friendly activities.  They were only partially interested in watching the surfing competition on the Jumbo Tron.  Hint, hint....maybe more kid-friendly activities (rock climbing, a portable playground or inflatable slides, etc)!  I saw lots of families with younger children, so family friendly activities might be a great addition.
• Food/Beverages ~ There were food trucks galore!  In particular, The Sanguchon a Peruvian food truck that I've been dying to check out.  It was was DELICIOUS by the way!  I was so fixated on The Sanguchon truck I can hardly remember the other food trucks but other foods included paella, garlic fries, burritos, grilled sandwiches.  Cliff Bar and Red Bull were also there giving out free samples as well.  There was a free water station as well as a a Sierra Nevada station on every corner.

Overall, we had lots of fun at the Mavericks Festival watching the competition and eating delicious food.  We left in the middle of the festival to walk around Pillar Point Harbor and found a little beach and creek for the kids to run around before returning to watch another heat.  News media was all around Pillar Point Harbor, from CNN to NBC with helicopters flying all around Half Moon Bay.  I am definitely going to return someday to the Mavericks Invitational/Festival but maybe when I have enough money to charter a boat out to the waves so I can see them myself!!  Truly amazed by the surfers physical strength, expertise and courage to go out in those enormous waves.

Wave Crashing Camping at Half Moon Bay State Beach ~ Francis Beach

We left the Mavericks Festival before the Final heat and walked along Coastal Trail to our car on Pacific Coast Highway 1.  We couldn't check into our campsite until 2 p.m., so the Mavericks Festival was a good way to spend the day.  My original plan was to hike around Pillar Point but all roads were blocked off due to the competition.

Half Moon Bay Coastal Trail

The First of Many Camping Trips
As I mentioned earlier, we just wanted to get away for a quick camping trip and not spend time driving far away for a one-night camping trip, so Half Moon Bay State Beach was the perfect place to start our camping adventures for 2014.  Half Moon State Beach is actually comprised of four beaches, Francis Beach being one of them, 52 campsites and it feels far away from the city even though it a few blocks away from downtown Half Moon Bay.  We are not RV campers and probably will never be, but I must mention that this was primarily a RV campground, yet with a few tent campers interspersed around.

Mi Casa - ALPS Mountaineering: Three Room Camping Tent

We had reserved Campsite #40, which was an RV/tent site with partial shade, a picnic table, fire pit with a grill and the road ran behind it.  Not my ideal location but cars hardly drove by and in the morning we were able to see all the horseback beach tours ride by, which added the "California Factor" to the campsite.  NOTE: There are Tent-Only sites which are almost on the beach (near the bathrooms), which I'm assuming must be reserved way in advance.

The campground was pretty quite overall, there was close to no RV noise which was hardly noticeable over the crashing waves.  Once darkness rolled around, all the RV campers went into their homes and it seemed like we were the only ones there.  Nice.  I think we were the only ones in our area with a fire going, which we cooked Chicken Shish Kabobs.  After dinner, our toddlers fell asleep (Yay!) and we waited for my friends' husband to arrive.  Once he arrived we all proceeded to have second dinner, one of the many reasons we like camping.  It was a chilly night and we all ended up smelling like smoke because we huddled so close to the fire for the rest of the evening.  Fun times.

Crashing Waves at Francis Beach
Francis Beach is just down a few steps from the campgrounds but be warned it isn't a swimming beach due to its strong currents.  Plus nobody really "swims" in the Northern California beaches because they are too cold.  My toddlers concept of the "beach" is playing in the sand vs. swimming in the ocean.  They like to roll down a sandy beach dune [Cue Video]....

We spent a little while at the beach before setting up camp so the kids could burn off some energy!  I loved being able to still see the waves at Mavericks/Pillar Point from Francis Beach but the waves right in front of me were strong and large as well.  All night we heard the waves from our campsite, but at some point in the middle of the night the waves sounded like mini-explosions which was really neat to hear.  While the night brought crashing waves and a strong wind, they disappeared with the sunrise.  Everyone slept well, except when the winds became so strong that my son woke up to ask what was all that noise, it's just wind little buddy.....

The morning came, breakfast and packing commenced before we went down to Francis Beach. Our camp neighbors had children similar age to ours and they played together in the trees.  Camp friends are nice because we could easily clean and pack up without major disruption.  We spent the rest of the morning playing in the sand and splashing in the water until the kids got tired of the waves knocking them down.

Thus ends our great first camping adventure at Half Moon Bay.  Surfing competition, giant waves, camping at a great California State Park, family, friends and being in the outdoors.  I love California.


What's your favorite California outdoor adventure?


Join in on the conversation by leaving a comment here! You can also join in on the conversations on Chasqui Mom's Facebook, Instagram and Twitter that is updated daily with outdoor activities and other wonderful posts and links from #OutdoorFamilies!


Related Posts and Links

1. The Excellent Año Nuevo State Park
2. Half Moon State Beach - California State Parks
3. California State Parks Website
4. Mavericks Invitational 2013-2014

Book Review: Watershed Adventures of a Water Bottle by Jennifer Chambers

My soul hurt when I walked along the magnificent Amazon River in Peru and saw the shores littered with bottles, bags and other trash.  I turned to my husband and said "How can this be? This is THE Amazon River..."  My cousin, an elementary teacher in the Amazons, responded with "People just don't care..."

Why don't people care? That's something I wondered for a long time.  As a child, I vividly remember watching a video segment on saving ocean wildlife.  I remember seeing ducks covered in oil, fish caught in plastic bags and a beautiful turtle stuck in a 6-pack plastic ring, which they said would have never happened if the ring would have been cut into small pieces and recycled. Those images have stayed with me and 25 years later I'm still cutting up the 6-pack plastic rings into tiny pieces before recycling them.

"Watershed Adventures of a Water Bottle" by Jennifer Chambers is a wonderful children's book which follows the life of a water bottle named "Scout" that was dropped into the street, goes down the drains and into the ocean.  Scout encounters many animals and insects along the creeks and rivers of Washington DC.  All the animals share their stories with Scout about how their lives are affected by the trash that pollutes their homes.  Not only are Scout's adventures into Chesapeake Bay entertaining but it is also very educational and eye opening to children.  The Watershed Heros, Alima and her mother, are great examples that I could show my children of how we could help the environment.












What did my toddlers love about this book?

• Illustrations ~ My toddlers loved the illustrations by Jesse Auth.  Very life-like and creatively simple, all the animals were a big hit in this household especially the turtle!
• The Ocean ~ It is very close to their hearts! My children absolutely love rivers, creeks, lakes, ponds and especially the ocean.  Reading about an adventure on any waterway is always fun for my children!
• Conflict-Resolution ~ I've noticed that around the age of two my toddlers are able to understand the concept of conflict-resolution and don't like it when their favorite characters, in this case the Scout and the animals, are in trouble.  My daughter said "It's scary" when the turtle was choking on the bag but I was able to continue reading about how Scout helped the turtle, which was a great teaching opportunity.

What did I love about this book?

• Educational ~ This book is not just a story but educational to children AND adults!  There were a few terms that I was not familiar within the story, but thankfully there is a Glossary of Terms in the back of the book.  I also knew that plastic could be recycled but for some reason I never really understood that plastic never goes away.  Now I know!
• Resourceful ~ There is a list of organizations and websites such as the Chesapeake Bay Trust, Surfrider Foundation, Ocean Conservancy and many more environmental non-profit organizations that can provide more information on how to help.  Chambers also has a list of "10 Tips to Reduce the Use of Disposable Plastics".
• Worthy Cause ~ 100% of the profits of "Watershed Adventures of a Water Bottle" goes to support the Chesapeake Bay Trust and the Surfrider Foundation Rise Above Plastics program.  How great is that!
• Readable for all ages ~ The reading comprehension might be a little above toddler level but I was able to quickly summarize the story appropriate for my toddlers.  It will be a book that will grow with my children.

What can YOU do to help?

• Clean Up!  Any time you leave your house and see trash/plastics/cans on the street, pick it up.  It would be great if we could all volunteer for a coastal clean up once or twice a year but taking little steps every day like picking up a bottle on the street will stop stories like "Scout" from ever happening.  I highly recommend finding an regional organization to do a coastal/riverside cleanup in your area. Also, being a hiking family we always have our eyes open for trash on the trail that could be picked up! In this case, a Mylar balloon was on a hillside that could have easily been washed away in the creeks.  That's my little boy hiking up the hill to get the balloon, clean up time isn't just for toys at home! 

• Use Reusable Bags ~ I'm very proud that my county has enacted a ban on plastic grocery bags.  It might take getting used to taking your own bags to the grocery store but it really does make a difference! My city looks cleaner already and knowing that there are less and less bags in the environment makes me happy!
• Share About "Watershed Adventures of a Water Bottle" ~ Share this post on social media, You Tube video, tell someone about the Scout's story, purchase a few books and give them as gifts to children and parents.  The more people know about what happens in our waterways the better our environment will be. (Paperback: $7.99 & E-Book: $6.99 - 44 pages)

Chasqui Mom Last Thoughts...

Going back to my original question, I believe people do not care because they do not see the consequences of their actions.  One water bottle might not seem like a lot but thousands of them end up on the shores, create "plastic islands" in the ocean and end up hurting wildlife in and out of the ocean.  One of the many responsibilities of being parents is teaching our future generations to take care of our "Sachamama" or Mother Earth which includes our waterways.  Watershed Adventures of a Water Bottle is a great book to ignite the love of taking care of our Earth in our children.  Everything is interconnected from San Francisco Bay to the Chesapeake Bay to the Amazon River in South America, let's work together to make our watersheds cleaner!

What will you do to help your near by watershed?

Join in on the conversation by leaving a comment here! You can also join in on the conversations on Chasqui Mom's Facebook, Instagram and Twitter that is updated daily with outdoor activities and other wonderful posts and links from #OutdoorFamilies!

Related Posts and Links

1.  Jennifer Chambers blog and website: Hiking Along and "Watershed Adventures of a Water Bottle"
2. Chesapeake Bay Trust
3. Surfrider Foundation

Jennifer Chambers generously provided this book for the purposes of a review. As always these are my true and honest opinions.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

Jennifer Chambers is a middle school Science teacher, environmental educator, author of two books, outdoor blogger and owner of Hiking Along LLC.  Her nature playscape is Washington DC where she loves to hike with her two kids.

Pirates Cove Adventures with Amigos~ Guest Post on Latino Outdoors

Queremos aventura, algo diferente! My friend, Lorena has caught the "Outdoor Adventure Bug" as I call it.  I had to find a hike that lived up to our previous adventures like Rancho Corral de Tierra at Golden Gate National Recreation Area.  We tossed around ideas like Mt. Tamalapais, Pinnacles National Park, and the Santa Cruz Mountains, but nothing sat well with me.  I literally spent days looking for an adventurous place to hike, especially since Lorena and her husband Eliu had just returned from an Anniversary trip to the sierras trip and then I found Pirates Cove....

Click here to read the entire article on Latino Outdoors blog!

If you want to go there....

The 5.9 mile loop hike starts at Tennessee Valley Road in Mill Valley, which has a dirt parking lot, bathrooms and picnic tables. Start hiking on Tennessee Valley Road and take a quick right onto Fox Trail which is an uphill 1.0 mile hike to Coyote Ridge.  Fox Trail turns continues to Coast Fire Rd for 0.9 miles, which has FANTASTIC views of Muir Beach.  Turn left onto Coastal Trail for 1.0 mile to Pirates Cove spur.   NOTE: Pirates Cove spur is very rugged and steep, please take caution.

Return back up the spur and continue straight up the stairs and head to the right for 1.1 miles on an uphill hike on Coastal Trail.  Continue on Tennessee Valley Trail on a 1.1 downhill hike back to the parking lot.

Mileage: 5.9 Miles

Elevation: Approx. 1,800 ft

Elapsed Time: 6 hours 28 minutes (Including Lunch Break)
Group: 7 Adults & 2 Toddlers

Family Friendly (Difficulty Level 1-10): Level 6

Related Posts and Links:

1. Latino Outdoors: Pirates Cove Adventure with Amigos
2. The Hidden National Park - Rancho Corral de Tierra

Join in on the conversation by leaving a comment here! You can also join in on the conversations on Chasqui Mom's Facebook, Instagram and Twitter that is updated daily with outdoor activities and other wonderful posts and links from #OutdoorFamilies!

A Tale of Two Mountain Mamas: The Minimalist and the Planner

Mamá Selfie - Photo Courtesy of Two Groms and a Mom

I've been doing lots of #HIRL this year! That's hashtag lingo for "Hangout In Real Life", so when Teresa from Two Groms and a Mom and I had a chance to meet up, we did! We first met over social media and quickly found out that we have lots in common: our children's ages, our Latino culture, California roots and of course loving the outdoors.

I like to follow rules, have plans and sometimes a plan for a plan.  Sounds a little crazy but I love to be prepared for everything that could happen on the trail.  Some of it is due my personality, but my accountant training, and background as a former law enforcement officer means I'm always doing a "risk assessment" when we head out to the outdoors, and plan accordingly.  I always plan for the worst and expect the best because of certain previous bad outdoor experiences.  My planning for day hikes with my toddlers sometimes feels like a mini-backpacking trip but it's the way I feel most comfortable going into the outdoors with my children.

Groms and Chasqui Niños - Photo Courtesy of Two Groms and a Mom

There is no one-way of hitting the trail as it seemed apparent when Two Groms and a Mom and Chasqui Mom went hiking with their children! Here's a chance to learn about our methods and see what works for you to hit the trail with your kids!

The Pack

Teresa: My pack is the Deuter Kid Comfort II kid carrier. It’s hard to say how much hiking the baby will want to do, so a capacious kid carrier lets me carry a toddler and the essentials.

Melissa: My pack is the Teton Sports Escape 4300 Ultra LightBackpack and the Ergobaby Sports Carrier.  I find it easier to carry all my gear in a large backpacking pack (including the small carrier) because it does not all fit in my larger kid carrier.  My toddler also likes to vary from hiking to being carried quite often and I find it easier to carry her on my shoulders or to front-carry her in the Ergo with the backpack on.

  

What's Inside?

Teresa: For a morning on the trail with a two- and five-year old, I pack:

Photo Courtesy of Two Groms and a Mom

• An ultralight Eagle Creek pouch with everyday kid/baby essentials:
• 2 diapers
•  A Ziplock bag full of baby wipes
• Sunscreen
• 4 Fruit Snacks
• 4 Clif Z/Luna Bars
• A trail-appropriate toy or two
• Shade canopy for the Deuter pack
• An extra layer for each of us
• 3 bottles of water or a hydration bladder tucked in the Deuter H20 compartment
•  iPhone

What’s Missing?

•  Lunch. My kids ate a big breakfast just before we left the house, so I figured they would be fine with snacks on the trail and lunch at home after our hike.  I was wrong! They ended up eating a sandwich, goldfish, and fruit snacks out of Melissa’s stash. Not my finest mom moment.
•  Backcountry essentials. I tend to treat day hikes like a walk in the park, not like an adventure in the woods. It’s not uncommon for me to leave behind a compass, first aid supplies, etc.  Sure, it might make for a lighter pack, but it doesn't exactly ingratiate me to those who do prepare properly.

What's Inside?

Melissa: For a morning on the trail with a two- and four-year old, I pack:

Not all items pictured.  Need more food!

• 4 Diapers
• Baby Wipes packet
• 100 oz Hydration Reservoir
• A Water Bottle
• Family First Aid Kit
•  Epi-Pens (2 Qty) and Allergy Pills
• Small Roll of Toilet Paper/"Poop" Shovel
•  iPhone and Large Camera
•  Peruvian Tablecloth/Blanket
• 3-4 Trail Toys and a small child backpack (items to be carried in)
• Garmin GPS
• Two extra layers (Fleece and jacket)
• Food and Snacks
• Clif Kid Z Bars (4 qty)
• Clif Bars (2 qyt)
• Gold Fish Crackers (2 separate baggies)
• Trader Joe's Chianti Red Wine Artisan Salami
• Mozzarella Cheese Sticks (4 qty)
• Yogurt Tubes (4 qty)
•  Turkey and Cheese Sandwiches (2 qty)
• Toaster Pastries (2 qty)
• Fruit Snacks (Lots of it)
• Trail Mix or Dried Fruit

What’s Excessive?

•  Lots of it is excessive but there's a reason behind all my gear that I "need" to take.  The Peruvian blanket is probably the most excessive and space/weight consuming, I like it for pictures.  Too many useless trail toys as well as food.  Sometimes my picky eater decides to eat while hiking so I have everything in the world that he might possibly eat!
• Technology wise: The Garmin GPS isn't really helpful for a 1-2 mile hike, but I like to know the "numbers" after a hike.  I also like to take high resolution pictures with my larger camera but in all reality iPhone pictures are probably good enough.
• Large First Aid Kit: I have EVERYTHING in my first aid kit in case of any medical incident.  I'm a little paranoid since I have Exercise Induced Anaphylaxis hence the dual Epi-Pens and allergy pills  but half of the kit could be safely left behind.

How I'll Pack Differently Next Time

Teresa:

• I learned a great lesson while my kids ransacked Melissa’s lunch stash: trailside hunger fosters more omnivorous eating! Hikes are a great opportunity to introduce new foods to picky kids. You’ll be seeing fewer packaged trail snacks from me, and more of the food that gets ignored in the school lunchbox.
• The basics: I love that Melissa keeps a multitool within reach! There’s a reason this is a backcountry essential. I’m putting together a little kit of trail essentials that will go on every hike from now on, which will include a multitool, a headlamp, energy bars, a whistle, a small first aid kit, and a compass.

Melissa:

•  I don't need to entertain the kids! Nature will entertain the kids so I shouldn't bring so many toys or bring one toy that would be appropriate for that hike.  My kids did great chasing bubbles on a previous hike, but not on this particular joint hike.  The bubbles worsened my toddler's meltdown, which wasn't the purpose of the bubbles! Fail.
• Teresa dressed her kids in warm clothes and a fleece sweater.  Even though I checked the weather and knew it wasn't going to be awfully cold, I still brought our down jackets.  More bulk and weight in my pack than I probably needed.  My daughter ended up wearing hers but the other two jackets were unnecessary.  This is when my backpacking mentality is too much for day hiking.
• Smaller First Aid Kit! Not too much explaining here but if I needed the WHOLE first aid kit then we are probably in more trouble than my first aid kit can handle.  Time to call or send for help!

It's great to learn from one another and I look forward to meeting more outdoor parents like Teresa! I love helping others learn how to get outdoors with their children and hope you can take one of our approaches or a combination of the two to get outdoors with your family.  To hear more on Teresa's point of view head on over to Two Groms and a Mom!

How do you prepare for day hike with your children? Are you a minimalist or a planner?

Join in on the conversation by leaving a comment here! You can also join in on the conversations on Chasqui Mom's Facebook, Instagram and Twitter that is updated daily with outdoor activities and other wonderful posts and links from #OutdoorFamilies!

Book Review + GIVEAWAY: Grow Exploring ABC & 123 Outdoor Children's Books

www.GrowExploring.com

You know how children can tell the difference between a real cell phone and a toy cell phone? Well my toddlers are very keen on telling what is real and what is not and always want the real deal!  My kids know the difference between hiking boots, climbing shoes, hydration packs and water bottles so I was very excited to review Grow Exploring ABC & 123 Children's Books authored by Sterling and Sarah Acree.

Sterling and Sarah were tired of reading farm animal counting books to their children, so they wrote these books to teach their children the ABC & 123's using familiar outdoor gear.  These have traditional "ABC & 123" book format but using real gear pictures, Grow Exploring has FOUR great children's books:

C is for Camping
From A to Z there are 18 pages of camping gear items representing the whole Alphabet! This was a Chasqui Mom family favorite of the set!

123 Let's Go Climbing
From crash pads, quickdraws to carabiners this book teaches counting to 1 to 10 and basic climbing gear.  This was my daughters favorite because she recognized her brother's climbing shoes (10 pages).

123 Let's Go Skiing

From ski poles to goggles this book dresses a skier from head to toe with counting 1 to 10 with gear and clothing needed for skiing!  This one was my son's favorite book even though he has never skied! (10 pages).

123 Let's Go Rafting

Even I learned a lot from this 12 page book of counting kayaking and rafting gear! From a throw bag to cam straps this book teaches counting 1 to 10 and basic gear for these sports.  Plus I got to check out some kayaks I might want in the future!

The Pluses!

Real Gear Pictures ~ All four books use 100% real pictures from outdoor brands such as  Kelty, Light My Fire, Mad Rock, Jackson Kayak, Mammut and many more.  No cartoon version of an "A-Frame Tent" to represent the first letter of the alphabet, Letter "A"!  From rock climbing shoes, camp utensils, ponchos, kayaks and yurts they are real pictures for every letter and numbers 1-10.  My favorite picture was an Insect Net for the Letter "I"!

Recognizable Gear ~ Half of our outdoor gear shows up in these books, especially in "C is for Camping".  My children love when they can recognize their own items in books, at a friends house or on television.  Reading through "123 Let's Go Climbing", my son recognized and squealed with glee when he saw the same Mad Rock Mad Monkey 2.0 Climbing Shoe.  The gear is very recognizable for children who have even just a little bit of outdoor experience.

Parents Enjoy The Books Too ~ My husband and I enjoyed reading these books to our toddlers.  Not only are our children learning their ABC's and 123's but we had a chuckle reading non-traditional alphabet representatives, such a "K is for Kid Carrier" and "D is for Dome Tent"!  Being an outdoor family we love continue exposing our children to the outdoors while reading to them indoors!

Colorful Board Book ~ My children are older toddlers and still have issues with ripping pages, so the board pages really help the books last longer in my household! Not a main focal point of these books but since they use different brands from different sports, there are colors galore and I could ask my children to list off the different colored rafts.

The Minuses

Now my kids want more gear! Not really a bad thing but after we read these books my son wanted to go buy goggles, a big knife and climbing helmet.  Be warned your children might want to go shopping at an outdoor retailer after reading these books!

Where Can You Get These Books?

• Win a set of Grow Exploring Books! GIVEAWAY on ChasquiMom.com (Details down below)
• This is a great gift for your children, children's friends, baby shower gift, classrooms and stocking stuffers.  If you don't happen to win the giveaway and want to purchase them right away at GrowExploring.com, prices range $4.95 to $7.95 (plus shipping).

Grow Exploring Giveaway!

Here's your chance to win the whole set of Grow Exploring ABC & 123 books! This giveaway is open to U.S. and Canadian residents.  Contest starts January 13, 2014 12:00 a.m. EST until January 18, 2014 12:00 a.m. EST.  Winner will be announced a couple days after the giveaway has finished.  Please use the Rafflecopter below to submit your entries and good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Grow Exploring generously provided these books for the purposes of a review. As always these are my true and honest opinions.

Join in on the conversation by leaving a comment here! You can also join in on the conversations on Chasqui Mom's Facebook, Instagram and Twitter that is updated daily with outdoor activities and other wonderful posts and links from #OutdoorFamilies!

Family Desert Hiking: Devil's Punchbowl Natural Area

On a little trip to the greater Los Angeles area, we decided to get out of the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles and headed out for a desert hike at Devil's Punchbowl Natural Area in Pearblossom, California near Palmdale.  The park is very remote, far away from the "main civilization" of Palmdale, on the skirts of the San Gabriel Mountains.  We arrived on a perfect fall day but I could imagine how hot the park gets in the middle of summer.

Devil's Punchbowl Visitor Center
The parking lot was pretty empty and I was not expecting the visitor center to be open at all, so I was surprised to find it open and was glad we decided to check it out!  There was no mention on the website that the visitor center had animals so it was quite surprising to see all the live spiders, snakes and insects as well as some taxidermy animals.  The ranger was very happy to show us the around the tiny Visitor Center, gave us a little lesson on the Honey Ants that you can eat alive.  We didn't want to eat them but apparently they taste sweet, like candy!  They also had a neat Animal Track Chalkboard Art.

RATTLESNAKES ~ The ranger told us the baby rattle snake (collage featured above) was born a few days prior to our visit.  He blew air into the vent which made the rattle snakes shake their rattles, something we've never experienced!  My son cried to leave but he still wanted to see the snakes, intriguing fear!

Punchbowl Loop Trail (1 Mile)
I don't know why I still have the belief that we could quickly hike five miles with our toddlers, but we opted out to hike Punchbowl Loop Trail which started in the Visitor Center/Picnic Area, the ranger suggestion.  The canyon looked deep, deserted and dry which would be great to find a dry creek bed for the kids to play in, so down we went into the canyon.  How can long can one mile take?

With having to touch every rock, spiky bush, sand piles and climb every rock my children encountered this one-mile loop took us a whopping two hours for this family of four!  It was a beautiful day to hike, the weather would get nice an warm when the sun was shinning and would cool off when the sun hid behind the clouds.  We sat took pictures, let the kids roll around in the trail, though after visiting the visitor center I was a little paranoid of snakes!

The Dry Creek Bed
We took a little off shoot trail down to the dry creek bed before head out of the canyon.  Earlier the ranger explained to us that normally there is "some" water all year round but the minimal rain has cause the creek to go dry.  A little sad but a dry creek bed is also fun to explore with little ones.  There were amazing sand rock formations as well as seeing how the creek has shaped the boulders over hundreds of years.  My kids also love sand and the creek bed provided lots of soft sand for them to play with, better than a playground sand box!

Lunch, climbing boulders, throwing rocks, playing in the sand and maybe some napping in the dessert sun took place in that dry river bed.  There may or may not have been some "Flash Flood" survivor reenactment ala Bear Grylls down in the creek bed, just in cased it rained on us.  Having so much fun in the creek, we reluctantly packed up and started hiking up hill out of the canyon.

Up and Out of Canyon
Hiking up hill is always a little challenging with toddlers and we had about 0.5 miles left.  My kids can barrel down the mountain on a slight down hill, but throw in a little uphill with a tiny bit of warm temperature and they wilt!  It's rather irritating how long it takes to hike up hill, knowing that my son has the ability and energy to hike five miles...it's a mental block he has but then again he's only four.

We got to see the creek from a different perspective going up the trail and saw lots of birds hanging out in the canyon rocks across the creek.  We coaxed the kids with candy all the way back to the parking lot.  My son sprinted on the flat sections of the trail but then wilted then instant we hit an uphill section.

Taking an Uphill Break!

My only complaint about Punchbowl Loop Trail is the trash I saw thrown into the canyon near the parking lot.  If you start hiking near the Visitor Center (counter clockwise on the trail map) it's very clean until you start hiking up hill towards the parking lot.  So many cans, bottles, food wrappers...I always pick up trash on the trail but there was so much thrown into the canyon.  Seems like a place people come to hangout after hours to drink.

Trail Report Details

Devil's Punchbowl Natural Area - Trail: Punchbowl Loop

Mileage: 1-1.5 miles (extra to the creek bed)

Elevation Change: 343 ft (per Strava)

Time with Toddlers: 2 hours

Family Friendly: Yes - Check weather!

Devil's Punchbowl has lots of geological features, Native American history, as well as being very near by the San Andreas fault and other smaller faults.  It's a great small park to visit if you are in the Palmdale area!  For more information please visit their website at Devils-Punchbowl.com or visit their Facebook Page.


This was our first time hiking in the desert! Where have you been desert hiking with your family?


Join in on the conversation by leaving a comment here! You can also join in on the conversations on Chasqui Mom's Facebook, Instagram and Twitter that is updated daily with outdoor activities and other wonderful posts and links from #OutdoorFamilies!

Confessions of an Outdoor Mom

This is a little bit of a rant, joke and plain honesty about my life of an outdoor mom.  Just like any first time mom I read all the books, tried my best to do everything in the "correct" way with my kids but let's face it, I just do what I can to survive with two toddlers.  A lot of people think I have always been outdoorsy, but as a matter of fact most of my life I've been a "Mall Rat".  My toddlers have actually molded me to be an outdoor mom because of their personalities.

Hiking Mama on the Pacific Crest Trail - Vasquez Rocks

I have been blessed with one SUPER energetic child and another child that LOVES getting dirty and being outdoors.  Over the last four years of my new life of motherhood, my children have pushed me into embracing the outdoors even more (for my sanity) and with that here are my confessions of an outdoor mom.

Confession #1: "Mall Rat" converted to "Gear Junkie"

I used to spend hours and hours on end at the mall (prior to marriage/kids) shopping for clothing, shoes (stilettos in particular) whatever I could find on sale.  I still have that shopping tendency but now at our local outdoor gear store.  I mean the employees ask about our kids all the time.  From backpacking, camping, hiking and our recently added family outdoor activities of rock climbing, snowshoeing and biking means more gear for the family.  My mall rat persona was more selfish in nature but my gear junkie habits are for the family.  I'm always on the search for outdoor kid clothing and gear that I love getting on Super Sale.  I'm a sucker for sales.

Confession #2: Playgrounds are Not My Favorite Place

Don't get me wrong I love playgrounds, a good portion of my childhood memories are at playground parks but my kids always end up leaving in tears because they don't want to leave or they have some other playground drama.  I prefer to take them to the trail where nature is their playground, we sit by a creek or lake and they can entertain themselves.

Nature's Sand box and Monkey Gym

At playgrounds, I constantly need to watch where they escape to and my children want me to be interacting with both at the same time and frankly it tires me out more than my kids.  Which defeats the point of taking them to the playground, I want them tired not me! When I do go to playgrounds with my kids, I choose:

• Smaller less popular and visited playgrounds, where I can keep my eye on both.
• Make playground dates with my children's friends to avoid less playground drama.
• Go during "school hours" to avoid the after-school playground rush.
• Visit on chilly days because it tires my children quicker and there are less people.

Confession #3: Coffee is our Family Fuel on the Trail

It's sounds awful but in my Latino culture kids drink coffee....well more like "Cafe con Leche" with sugar.  I remember my parents giving me some growing up and I wasn't addicted as a child but now I am...  It's more difficult to prepare coffee than chocolate when backpacking with only a restrictive amount of cups, so I just pass my "Cafe con Leche" along to my little one.

Cafe con Leche on the beach

My daughter is a huge fan of coffee, my son is not since he's just "naturally caffeinated!" I confess I have given them caffeinated soda, chocolate covered coffee beans as well as tiny dregs of my energy shots so they could finish hiking.  Mother of the Year award, thank you very much.  Please don't call CPS on me.

Confession #4: Not So Perfect Trail Etiquette...

As an outdoor loving family we try our hardest to follow all the trail rules and etiquette, especially "Leave No Trace".  Try hiking with a toddler going through potty training, a screaming child wanting wild blackberries along the trail or wild flower.  Here it goes, I confess...

• Small bladders = no wait time, my kids pee almost anywhere on the trail.  I try to make them hold it to the bathroom but it sometimes doesn't work.  Now I have to train them that it's not ok to do it in front of a store or in a line in Disneyland....
• I have a picky toddler that sometimes doesn't eat for days, so when he asks to give him food to eat, I do!  He loves blackberries and when blackberries are plentiful along the trail, we pick and eat them.  He's actually learned to identify blackberries and looks for them every time we hike! The land's original inhabitants are no longer eating them....that's how I justify it.
• I pick wildflowers for my daughter.  She loves flowers, absolutely loves flowers and sometimes it's the only way to stop her from crying on the trail.  One time while backpacking she yelled half asleep "STOP!!! I see flowers!!" as we walked through a wildflower field.  I just make sure she leaves the flower back on the trail so the seeds can be re-planted in the same general area.

• Gross Factor Confession: I clean up after my kids messes all the time and when I see other people trail trash I will pick it up 99.9% of the time, except on one occasion.  While hiking at a National Park, I saw a wet, dirty men's underwear on the side of the trail, I'm sorry but that's where I draw the line.  Why would ANYONE do that?!?! Someone else can clean that up.  Gross. Period.

Confession #5: Escape from the House to Not Clean

I confess, I escape from my house to the outdoors because I don't want to clean up sometimes.  I could tell you why, but Alyssa from The Kid Project beautifully explains my feelings exactly in her post "I am a Half Dirtbag Mommy".  I'm not the only one but it is still my personal goal to try my best to clean up!

Check out other great Outdoor Parents Confessions!

1. Jen of Adventurous Moms confesses how she's a little bit squeamish of creepy crawlers.
2. Sometimes little trail meltdowns happens as Jennifer of Mommy Hiker experienced.  It's ok!
3. I love Family Adventures in the Canadian Rockies brutally honest confessions of being a "far from perfect mountain mama".  Tanya's confessions are some that I've experience first hand too.
4. "On occasion I've failed to notice the clothes my boys had picked out for a day in the mountains.  When we went to Chester Lake in the fall, I didn't notice that they were in shorts on grey [rocks] close to zero temps until we started hiking.  One of the other dads said something about my sons being true Canadians or something..." confesses Ken of Big Grey Rocks.  No one lost any digits to frost bite!
5. Amelia of Tales of a Mountain Mama confesses "I get outside for ME first.  I am a terrible mom if I am stuck inside all day and therefore I see it for their benefit too.  Oh and everyone drives me CRAZY inside - it's all just a sanity thing!"
6. "I'm a stay at home mom but that doesn't mean I stay at home" says Alyssa from The Kid Project.
7. Gayle of Sometimes Eventful confesses that she likes to think outside but also likes "chocolate mixed with reality TV every now and then".  Chasqui Mom is also a fan of the certain reality shows!
8. In The Adventures of Parenthood Project, Meghan talks about "The Transition to Parenthood: 5 Things I Didn't Consider."

I have many more confessions that will come in some other future posts but until then these confessions are why I love being an outdoor mom.  No one is perfect, we are all "work in process", what I'm learning is to follow my instincts to keep my household happy both on and off the trail.

Confessions are good for the soul! Leave a comment below with your outdoor confession.

Join in on the conversation by leaving a comment here! You can also join in on the conversations on Chasqui Mom's Facebook, Instagram and Twitter that is updated daily with outdoor activities and other wonderful posts and links from #OutdoorFamilies!

The Warm and Unique Kowalli KozyHats

Living in the San Francisco Bay Area surrounded by the "urban outdoors", it's nice to find great outdoor products with stylish features.  The Kowalli KozyHats for infants and younger toddlers is a great hat that easily keeps my daughter warm in chilly downtown San Francisco to the California Sierra Nevada.

Kowalli KozyHats - Featured Color: Sweet

• Sizes Available: Three sizes to choose from: 0-6 months, 6-12 months, *NEW 12-24 months
• Testing Location and Size Tested: California/6-12 months on a 24 month old
• Seven Colors Available: Antipasto, Boycool, Brooklyn, Kaleidoscope, Penguin, Sweet (Featured), Venice 
• Retail Price: $22.00 - Purchase at Kowalli.com
• Product Materials: Polartec™ Fleece

The Pluses!

Unique Design - The Kowalli KozyHats have a very unique design, being Peruvian-American I really love "Chullo" styled hats, i.e. beanie with ear flaps.  The KozyHat is a perfect ode to my Andean roots and the fact that my little one's ears stay warm.  It has a little plush swirl on the top which is very interesting to my daughter, a very important factor to a selective toddler.  She been picking her outfits since she was six months old and since the KozyHat has "a flower" on top, she loves wearing it even when we are not outdoors.  The plush swirl also maintained its shape and structure even after she pulled and chewed it.  The hat also has a little cutout in the back so hoods can't push the hat into the eyes.

Warmth - The San Francisco Bay Area does not get snow but we have cold snaps where temperatures drop to freezing and below freezing levels.  I was able to test the warmth of the hat on our Christmas Tree chopping outing, which kept my daughter's noggin and ears nice and toasty.  Happy daughter, happy mama.  The owner of the tree farm also commented on the warm-looking cute style of the KozyHat swirl, it's very distinctive.

My ultimate test of warmth for the Kowalli KozyHats was a family snow day at Yosemite National Park.  Even through sledding, hiking and even a snowball fight, the hat kept my daughter warm especially after she took it off to rub snow on her head. The KozyHat did get a little damp from the snow BUT it dried quickly even with wet hair.

Made in the U.S.A! - I absolutely LOVE American made products especially, outdoor gear and clothing for my children.  Kowalli uses 100% American materials including Polartec™ Fleece, which is very soft on my little one's head.  They also hired a New England manufacturer that employs and supports single moms!

The Minuses

Size - Not really, but as many clothing items sizing differs from brand to brand.  My daughter is two years old and she can fit into a 6-12 month KozyHat.  My daughter is small and is barely starting to grow out of 12 month old clothing, so the size 6-12 month KozyHat fits her just perfectly.  That said, if your infant/toddlers head is on the smaller side the hats might run a little big for the assigned age range and if your child's head is on the larger side then the hat might run a little small for the age range.  Thankfully Kowalli has a great easy Free Return Policy, in case you need to exchange for a different size.

Chasqui Mom Last Thoughts...

I definitely recommend the Kowalli KozyHats and 100% satisfied with this hat for the reasons listed above: unique style, warmth, USA made product.  Kowalli recently came out with sizes 12-24 months KozyHats that I will definitely have to get my hands on one once my daughter grows out of her current one.  Kowalli also has two other products such as their Snuggle Boots and Baby Carrier Cover.

I would like to thank Kowalli who provided this product for the purpose of this review.  As always these are my true and honest opinions.


Related Posts and Links:

1. Gear Review: KEEN Alamosa WP Toddler Hiking Shoes
2. Kowalli: Life's Waiting, Bring the Kids

Join in on the conversation by leaving a comment here! You can also join in on the conversations on Chasqui Mom's Facebook and Twitter that is updated daily with outdoor activities and other wonderful posts and links from #OutdoorFamilies!

Family Hiking Adventure Completed: 2013 Trails Challenge

In the beginning of 2013, I signed up for the Trails Challenge through Regional Parks Foundation, East Bay Regional Park District, (EBRPD) and Kaiser Permanente.  Its a program to promote "Healthy Parks, Healthy People" for Bay Area Residents to explore the parks as well as promoting healthy living!  Each year the program comes out with a list of specific trails in parks that must be completed: Five of the listed trails or 26.2 miles (marathon) of trails.  We completed the challenge by hiking but the challenge can also be completed by biking the trails.

Last year I was unable to complete the challenge due to travel and illness but this year not only did I complete the five trails but we did it as a family, hiked over 26.2 miles in East Bay Parks!  We also had a lot of fun exploring my local East Bay parks.  Here's a little overview of all the parks we visited this year!

Coyote Hills Regional Park - Chochenyo/Lizard Rock Trail

Mileage: 2.5 Miles
Memorable Fact: This was my FIRST time hiking solo with my two toddlers.

Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park - Woodland/Olive Grove Trail

Mileage: 5.2 miles

Memorable Fact: Never seen the hills so green.

Garin Regional Park - Ukraina Loop Trail

Mileage: 3.4 miles

Memorable Fact: We hiked very close to cows!

Las Trampas Regional Wilderness - Rocky Ridge/Devils Hole

Mileage: 7.1 miles

Memorable Fact: Accidentally hiked in the dark, heard coyotes and it's the HARDEST hike I've done in the East Bay hills.

Tilden Regional Park - Inspiration Point/Curran Trail

Mileage: 3.1 miles

Memorable Fact: The Four "Famous" Trails Intersection are on this hike.

Miller Knox Regional Shoreline - Old Country Rd/West Ridge

Miles: 2.6 miles

Memorable Fact: The longest 2.6 miles we hiked with our toddlers, great views of the SF Bay.

Quarry Lakes Regional Recreation Area - Old Creek Trail

Miles: 2.5 Miles

Memorable Fact: First time hiking along the quarry.

The Trails Challenge is a great way to explore East Bay parks, stay healthy, a great way to get motivated to get outdoors.  Living in the San Francisco Bay Area is a very urban environment but we definitely get outdoors in our surroundings.  National and State Parks are great but local parks are my go to places almost on a daily basis.  Can't wait for 2014 Trails Challenge!

Do you have a favorite local East Bay Regional Park? For those not in the East Bay, what is your favorite local park?

Join in on the conversation by leaving a comment here! You can also join in on the conversations on Chasqui Mom's Facebook and Twitter that is updated daily with outdoor activities and other wonderful posts and links from #OutdoorFamilies!

Gear Review: KEEN Alamosa WP Toddler Hiking Shoes

Photo Courtesy of KEEN

We are truly a hiking, outdoor loving family and one of the most important pieces of gear is quality footwear.  I had been researching toddler hiking boots and shoes for our youngest daughter, who was starting to hike more this year.  I had mentioned to my husband that I wanted to purchase our daughter KEEN shoes and on road trip break my husband purchased our daughters first hiking shoe:

KEEN Alamosa Waterproof (WP) Toddler Hiking Shoes
Sizes Available: Toddler 8-13
Size Tested: Toddler 8
Retail Price: $65.00
Testing Location: California
Colors: Gargoyle/Purple Heart (Featured)
           Gargoyle/Strong Blue
           Dark Earth/Bossa Nova
           Black Jester Red

The Pluses!

Sturdy Shoe -We have many outdoor adventures from backpacking, day hiking and camping, to long days at the park and the KEEN Alamosa Hiking Shoe still looks as good as the day we bought them, except with a little mud on them.  The leather and non-marking rubber outsole truly make this shoe sturdy on the outside.  The bungee cord style laces are great for quick "installation" on a squirmy toddler.

The KEEN Alamosa Hiking Shoe is also a little "chunkier" than regular toddler athletic shoes which is great for keeping little toes warm in the San Francisco Bay Area winters which really don't require "winter boots".

Backyard fun!

Waterproof and Moisture Wicking - Whether you are in the back-country or having a great day at the park, getting soggy feet is not fun for anyone especially toddlers.  I like for my children to fully enjoy the outdoors which means puddle jumping and walking through "muddy mud pits" is a must!  These shoes are great for the hot summer months with their moisture wicking lining and for the rainy season with it's waterproof capabilities.  My daughter has almost fully submerged these shoes and the insides have stayed dry!  On one occasion the shoes were submerged under water but the insides dried very quickly.

Splashing around Pirates Cove, Mill Valley, CA

Lighter than Hiking Boots - I was very concerned with the weight of hiking boots for my toddlers and in particular for my daughter.  My son is very active and the weight of shoes never affected his walking/hiking abilities.  My daughter is completely different, even with certain weight of casual shoes she had difficulty walking so I knew I needed to purchase KEEN shoes because they made hiking shoes for toddlers.

The KEEN Alamosa WP Hiking Shoe has all the qualities of Alamosa Mid WP Hiking Boot but in a shoe form, which makes it lighter.  My daughter is able to run on the trail, backyards, beaches and in the park with ease!

Trail running anyone? Pacific Crest Trail - Vasquez Rocks

The Minuses

None!  I truly have no "minuses" about this toddler hiking shoe.  It was absolutely the perfect footwear for a hiking toddler.  One might think that $65.00 might be a little expensive for a toddler hiking shoe but it is truly worth every penny, it will outlast many children in a family.  I've seen KEEN shoes go on sale at the local outdoor retailers like REI but they sell fast, so be ready to buy quick!

Chasqui Mom's Last Thoughts...

I am 100% satisfied with our purchase of KEEN Alamosa WP Hiking Shoe for our hiking toddler and highly recommend this shoe not only for hiking but almost any outdoor activities.  We purchased this KEEN product and as always these are my honest opinions.

Join in on the conversation by leaving a comment here! You can also join in on the conversations on Chasqui Mom's Facebook and Twitter that is updated daily with outdoor activities and other wonderful posts and links from #OutdoorFamilies!


Related Posts and Links:

1. Official KEEN Site
2. Will My Next Hiking Boots Live Up To My Next?