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

Tag Archives: family

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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A Blackberry Biking Bonanza

A Blackberry Biking Bonanza

Our family traditionally celebrates the 4th of July in Winston-Salem with both sets of grandparents.  We have homemade ice cream, ping pong and corn hole tournaments, and of course the biggest, most badass fireworks display in the neighborhood!  As the Crag-Daddy’s parents have gotten bitten by the biking bug in recent years, the past couple of Independence Days have also featured a biking adventure – last year we spent a day on the “rails to trails” system in Virginia’s New River State Park.   So much has changed since then!  Not only has Big C graduated from balance bike to…Read the rest of this entry →

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Just Love.

Just Love.

“I just don’t know what to do.” was the very frustrated text I’d sent my husband one afternoon a couple of weeks ago.  Baby Z was wide awake…again, after trying to get her to sleep for the umpteenth time.  It was clear that my ordinarily fairly predictable little sleeper was having a series of off days.  I’d remembered Big C having plenty of days like this (call them growth spurts, developmental spurts, or just the age-old infant constant of “change.”), but knowing it was just a phase didn’t help get my day under control, hence the text of desperation.  I’m…Read the rest of this entry →

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A Wild and Scenic Weekend at Obed River, Tennessee

A Wild and Scenic Weekend at Obed River, Tennessee

Family tradition mandates that we spend Memorial Day weekend climbing and camping at the Obed Wild and Scenic River, an area just outside of Knoxville, Tennessee, and this year was no exception.  Despite my excitement to get on a rope again, I was a bit apprehensive about the logistics.  It was only our 2nd time roping up with Baby Z, and roped climbing can be a lot harder to manage than bouldering at this age since I can’t always just hop right down to get to her (although if I’m not there someone else always is.)  Additionally it would be Baby Z’s…Read the rest of this entry →

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Why Mountain Biking is an Awesome Family Activity

Why Mountain Biking is an Awesome Family Activity

About a month or two before Baby Z’s arrival, my then 3 year old son transitioned from balance bike to big boy bike.  I cannot sing the praises of balance bikes enough, as the skills he learned there made for a seamless switch to pedals, without the need for training wheels.  And while we’ve undoubtedly done about a zillion laps around our neighborhood, the local mountain bike park has been the best outlet we’ve found for channeling his “inner ripper” while keeping the rest of the gang content (whether it’s a 9 month pregnant Mommy or a Mommy/newborn babywearing pair.)…Read the rest of this entry →

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