Cragmama "Not all who wander are lost…" JRR Tolkien

Yearly Archives: 2013

448 Great Things To Do in Nature Before You Grow Up

448 Great Things To Do in Nature Before You Grow Up

It’s no secret that we love being outdoors around here.  Spring, summer, winter, fall…we’re out enjoying whatever Mother Nature has to offer throughout the year.  So when authors Stacy Tornio and Ken Keffer asked me to review their newest book in the Falcon Guides series – “The Kids’ Outdoor Adventure Book: 448 Great Things To Do in Nature Before You Grow Up” – I was delighted.  And as soon as I started flipping through the first few pages, I knew that this was a book that would be on our shelves as a reference for many years to come! Divided…Read the rest of this entry →

Share

V5.12 Hangboard from DRCC (aka the Best From Motor City Since Motown…)

V5.12 Hangboard from DRCC (aka the Best From Motor City Since Motown…)

If there were just as many rock climbers as there are automobile drivers, the city of Detroit would be back on the map thanks to DRCC (Detroit Rock Climbing Company).  On the other hand, that many rock climbers would surely create an access issue nightmare, so it’s probably just as well that climbers stay in the minority…I had actually never heard of this company until just recently, when my hubby and I decided that we needed a hangboard in our rec room.  After lots of comparison research with boards we had already used, boards friends had used, and the good ole…Read the rest of this entry →

Share

What Autism Has To Do With Butterflies

What Autism Has To Do With Butterflies

In honor of Autism Awareness Month, today’s post is brought to you by my friend Melonie.  Melonie was one of my best friends in middle and high school, and as I reminisce about all the numerous conversations we’d had about boys, weddings, and starting a family, I’m pretty sure that neither of us would have pictured ourselves in the lives we have now.  But I’m also equally sure that neither of us would trade what we’ve got for anything in the world!  Melonie has two beautiful children, both of which have been diagnosed with autism, so her passion surrounding this subject is…Read the rest of this entry →

Share

Highlights from the Red River Gorge – and a “Giddy” Giveaway!

Highlights from the Red River Gorge – and a “Giddy” Giveaway!

Over the past few years it’s been tradition in our family to head to the Red River Gorge twice a year – once in the spring and once in the fall.  While we’d love to make it up there more often than we do, it’s hard to justify such a long drive when we can get to the New River Gorge in half the time!  Last spring I got cheated out of our spring trip due to a rather unattractive ankle boot, so this year a trip to the Red seemed like the perfect kick-off for the spring climbing season!…Read the rest of this entry →

Share

Why You Should Let Your Kids Run Around Barefoot…

Why You Should Let Your Kids Run Around Barefoot…

“It’s fluffy Mommy!”, announced C excitedly, as he danced and jumped around in the soft, tickly grass in our backyard.  Those first few barefoot days of spring are priceless – reconnecting us with the earth in the last gasps of winter.  For our family, footwear has always been optional in warm weather.  It’s not like we’re dirty hippies – we wear shoes to church, school, and the grocery store.  But shoes are the first to come off when we arrive back home, both inside and out when the weather is warm.  I’ll be honest, for us it’s always just been a comfort thing – who doesn’t…Read the rest of this entry →

Share