Well, after last week’s successful hiking and climbing day, we took a look at another weekend full of 70 degree forecasts and decided to head out camping for the first night of the season. I like to think of these as “trial trips.” We make sure all the gear is in working order (or the…

After weeks of rain ruining our weekend plans, last Sunday dawned bright and brilliant. But after a few moments of consideration, we realized our go-to Wasatch trails were still under a few feet of snow. What to do? Having checked out Mill Creek Canyon this winter for some easy family-friendly snowshoeing, we decided to head…

Happy Earth Day everyone! In honor of our life-filled-spinning-orbe I figured I’d cover a company that cares as much about the natural products their shoes are made of, as they do how comfortable they are. They strive to use natural products like leather, rubber and Jute in the construction of their shoes. Birki’s, known by us…

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…

Enter: My new favorite backpack. Talk about a multi-purpose pack. But I’ll get to that. Summit 1500 Specs: Volume: 1500 cubic inches/ 25 L Pack weight: 2.4 lbs. Waist belt 24″- 60″ Torso length: fixed 17″ Features: Hydration-ready (2 liters) with right and left ports and clips for the drinking tube 2 side mesh pouches with…

Welcome back to day two of our multi-tasking must-have giveaway week! If you haven’t already joined us on Facebook, please do. We are discussing other must-have outdoor items all week! What is a Hydroflask? Hydroflask makes a line of double wall, vacuum insulated, stainless steel water bottles and food storage containers. We’ve had a chance…

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…

For years we’ve been trudging along in stiff, hard, HEAVY hiking boots. And then trail running emerged on the scene. Along with it, the shoes began to change. People needed/wanted the lightweight comfort of a running shoe but with more stability and traction. Personally, I think this might be one of the best advancements in…

Is a water bottle just a water bottle? Should it be? I’ve never thought about it all that much till I stumbled across my first Hydroflask at Outdoor Retailer. It is my first multi-tasking tumbler. Well sort of… But I’ll get to that in a minute. What is a Hydroflask? Ready for this mouth full?…

This post was sent to us by Joe Schembri of Tampa, FL. Joe has taken many trips to the Northeast and his favorite was in a Class C RV and looks forward to more in the future! Families looking for adventure and charm should pack up and head to the Northeast. The region is one…

Important: Family-friendly means easy mileage and easy grade, but not always safe from avalanches! Please educate yourself and visit the Utah Avalanche Center for daily avalanche forecasts and more information! Often, while you are on mild terrain, avalanche terrain looms above you, increasing risk. Snowshoeing has recently become our new favorite family winter activity. It is…

For awhile now, I’ve been wanting to share with you guys some exciting goals, projects, and partnerships that we are working on here at The Kid Project. Think of it as a map for what you can expect from us. I like to think of it as our blueprint for the next year: blue·print /ˈblo͞oˌprint/ Noun…

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…

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…

Hey everyone! I am enjoying some time off and putting my friend Laura’s photography tips to good use! She is back with some awesome photos and tips for the outdoors. Don’t forget to check out her site, My Morning Moxie. And Wednesday, Chris reviews the Black Rapid camera straps, our personal favorite, and Black Rapid is giving…

You already know what we think of Chacos. We made their factory in Paonia, CO part of our honeymoon tour…and our friends long ago gave up on us “shutting-up” about their shoes when they showed up in Tevas.  Z1, Z2, Hipthong. They rock. I’ve even moved into the more controversial shoes (not sandals) and have…

Hi everyone! Expect[ing] to Thrive has had an awesome week, two weeks really and today I get to introduce to you our go-to piece of baby gear. If you know us, well…you’ve heard our spiel. If not, then know this: If there was only one piece of baby gear I could recommend, it would be…

Maybe you are enjoying this Saturday morning, watching the leaves change out your window. Today, our friend Tanya is taking the reins and sharing her fit pregnancy story. Let her inspire you to get out an enjoy the changing seasons! She loves hiking, camping, skiing, paddling, biking and all things mountain-related. Tanya is the author of…

We have a new bad word flying around our house. “I can’t!” “I can’t,” officially became a punishable bad word a few weeks ago. I guess I never saw that coming when the pregnancy test first showed positive! It goes like this: The boy is running around the soccer field warming up for the game….

Honestly I have been dogged by the cranky, under slept, restless, and stir crazy me. I have no logical reason. I have no excuse. But I feel like the heat is crawling in under my skin, and making me itch all over. I never, ever thought I’d be ready for summer to be over. But…