Chris and I were at the movies last night, (the new Star Trek which I loved by the way). Ten minutes in there was some cooky preview for a Google movie, including the ever-present socially awkward young adult that was unable to do even the most simple of social tasks, like shaking hands. Of course,…

Mom, why isn’t there a kid’s day?! My son asked me innocently. I cannot blame my kids…I distinctly remember asking my parents this very same thing. And like my parents, and their parents before them, I responded by saying, Everyday is kid’s day! As a mom, I really don’t know what to think about Mother’s…

The sky is still dark out. Even the moon lies to rest. And for once I am awake and rested at this earlier hour. I am not a morning person, even the prospect of waking early for a powder day or some epic climb leaves me unenthused and coiled tightly around my bed covers. But…

We are on day five of our “Multi-tasking Must-Haves” journey. And day 5 of some awesome giveaways! If you are just checking in, here is what you’ve missed: ENO hammocks, Hydroflask, Teton Sports Summit 1500 pack, and DucksDay Kid’s Outerwear. Today is the last day to enter the ENO Hammock giveaway too. Today, I want…

Since the moment our kids could hike on their own two feet, we’ve been searching for the right kid pack. And we’ve had mixed success. But at least I can say we’ve tried a ton of backpacks…and I now know exactly what we want in one. As part of our Backpacking Project 2013, we are…

A few weeks ago I wrote a post that created quite a stir. You can find it here: The Battle Cry of a Stay-At-Home Mom. And since then I have received numerous emails, Facebook messages, and Twitter comments that echo the cry of my heart in that post. It has been so encouraging! But there…

“Look down through the gaping hole and locate three bolts and two pitons.” And so the guide-book rattled on with its route description for Looking Glass Rock in southern Moab. I was stuck on “gaping hole.” The multi-pitch climbing didn’t faze me. But the way they described the ‘hole’ that you drop through on the rappel…

We’ve gotten a fair chance at testing out the Strom snowshoes through the last month or so…but this last week they were put through the ringer. Along with a few adventurous moms, we took our twelve kids on an introductory snowshoe / winter hike in the beautiful Wasatch Range. It was every gear tester’s dream….

Step. Breath. My feet propel me on. My ever singing headphones pause for a moment. A good, quiet moment and then a sweet voice fills my heart: If I die young, bury me in satin Lay me down on a bed of roses Sink me in the river at dawn Send me away with the…

I dreamt of wintry sunshine dancing through the aspen groves last night. Of powder pillows under my skis. The soft whoomp of snow falling from trees and spiraling flakes that move higher and higher in the breeze. The sun broke through the blinds this morning. And it was time to go. My heart yearned for…

I sit cross-legged in the middle of my living room. Two worlds colliding. “Do you want any of this sewing fabric?” My husband asks. “No.” We are cleaning the garage. Getting rid of the old junk and making way for the new junk. Suddenly he turns to me and says, “I feel like I am…

There isn’t a parent out there that doesn’t worry about their kids. Kid safety is something we all toss around inside our heads, but often do nothing about. Recently my husband received a RoadID Slim wrist bracelet for running. You know…running lots of miles in the early morning darkness? What if you keel over on…

I like simple. I like quiet. I like still. I have three kids. So life is rarely simple or quiet or still. But I love my life. Add into this the fact that we home-school our oldest daughter, run this blog, write, photograph, are committed to a local church and cannot sit still when there…

Confession? If you’ve recently posted on FB or Twitter, “what are your 2013 resolutions?” Then I have quietly and systematically ignored you. (Chances are I am offending everyone here, cause my news feed yesterday was nothing but that resounding question…) The truth? I am not really a resolutions type of girl. It is either the…

Happy New Year Everyone! One final look back for those who have been with us for 2012. If you are new, enjoy this collection of our most popular posts! From baby wearing to camping. And everything inbetween!                               Thanks everyone for…

Before looking forward (I’ve been pondering hard my new word-for-the-year), I want to take a look back. I’ve done a post like this before (here)… a summary of my year, through my lens. They are fun to revisit over the years, along with some other significant, benchmark posts. If you’d like to join me, please…

Giddy. Excited. Inspired. Motivated. All might be feelings after plunking down several months of hard-earned cash (or credit, but hopefully not) on a piece of life-capturing electronic gadgetry. Your first (or second, or third, …) SLR camera. It is a sight to behold, or should at least help you capture some. In the box you find…

I’ve always hated running. Torture. Boring. Painful. All are words that come to mind when I conjure up the image of plodding my feet down the road, one after another, pounding away at my knee cartilage. It begs the question, how is it that I’m signed up for a marathon next May? I’ve always wanted…

I case you are wondering if kid scissors are sharp enough to slice into that favorite light-weight down jacket of yours…wonder no longer. They are. This event, which I will now refer to as the “attempted slaughter of the down hoodie,” (a.k.a ASDH) was just the topping on what has been a weak week. This is…

I have to be purposeful at most things in life. Now, if you know us, you also know that we are quite spontaneous. I am not diminishing the beauty found in sudden acts of whim. But most of life, rather most of what I want out of life, only happens if I am purposeful. Like…