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

Monthly Archives: July 2014

5 Ways to Have Fun With a Cheap Plastic Pool

5 Ways to Have Fun With a Cheap Plastic Pool

You know the ones I mean – they sell them at Wal-mart for 10 bucks or so.  At first glance they appear to be far too small for anything bigger than a small one year old child to enjoy.  But before you toss it after just one summer, think outside the box a little bit – you might be surprised at what you can do with it!  We used ours for Big C the summer we moved to Charlotte – he had just turned 1, and we hadn’t explored the local pool options yet.  We used it for a couple of…Read the rest of this entry →

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Another Reason to Put Your Swimsuit On

Another Reason to Put Your Swimsuit On

Recently I read this article encouraging moms to put aside their body insecurities, throw on a swimsuit, and jump in the pool/ocean/lake with their kids.  The message was that a child will remember those carefree moments spent playing with you and couldn’t care less about how you look in a bathingsuit.  The writer emphasizes that “at the end of the day, it is not about me.  It is about my kids.” I agree with those sentiments wholeheartedly.  And, as someone who for a long time struggled with an unhealthy relationship with food, this line resonated with me especially: “Because when…Read the rest of this entry →

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“Type 2 Fun” with a Four Year Old…

“Type 2 Fun” with a Four Year Old…

“Is this the same way you went with Daddy?” I asked with raised eyebrows as the undergrowth got thicker and taller, leaving nothing but a narrow sliver of trail beneath it.  Big C nodded uncertainly, and we pressed on, pushing our mountain bikes further and further into the thicket, along what must have been a (seasonal) game trail. Then we hit the blackberry patch, or rather it hit us, in all of its thorny glory.  (Why had I decided to wear Chacos for this “cas ual” afternoon bike ride?!?)  Big C got snagged a few times, but I took the brunt of…Read the rest of this entry →

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Cragmama’s Featured #KidCrushers Issue 3

Cragmama’s Featured #KidCrushers Issue 3

Last month’s edition of #Kidcrushers (found here) featured lots of bouldering crushers, some budding crack climbers, a newbie multi-pitcher, and even one head injury!  Three lucky winners were chosen to win a prize pack from Flapjacked.  This month the bar has been raised, and we’ve got some kiddos featured that can climb harder than many grown-ups I know!  We’ve also got a great prize from our friends at Clif, so without further adieu, here’s #KidCrushers, Issue #3… Here’s 13 year old Cathy K. tackling her FIRST TRAD LEAD (Cave Route, 5.4, at Table Rock, NC.)  She was part of a summer…Read the rest of this entry →

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Sentimental Snapsots: The Power of “Do-Overs”

Sentimental Snapsots: The Power of “Do-Overs”

With a 4 month old in the house, one on one fun with my son is at a premium these days.  I always know his (and my) quality time tank is running on fumes when we have a day where everything seems to be falling apart.  You know the kind I mean – when you feel as though you can’t do anything right, and are a complete failure as a parent.  Yep, those days.  You’d think that by the second kid my track record would’ve improved a bit, but now that there are two of them, those out of control days seem to show…Read the rest of this entry →

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“Not all who wander are lost.” —JRR TOLKIEN