I wrote my first blog post here 10 years ago. I had qualified for the 2012 US Olympic Marathon Trials, was a newly signed Brooks athlete, and found out I was pregnant just over a month before the race. I was having a rough first trimester and was looking for running mother inspiration - check …
Category: family
Outdoor Activities as a Parent
My husband and I are huge outdoors people. We always have been. Our first date was rock climbing (way back in the mid-90’s). We have grown together as a couple and as individuals as we have hiked, backpacked, and climbed our way around the western US (and Alaska! Italy! Switzerland!). As a competitive distance runner, …
Divide & Conquer (Part 2)
Last time I talked about our Divide & Conquer backpacking trip. This method of splitting kids to maximize excitement is one of our most successful - if logistically challenging - outdoor activity strategies. During pregnancy, postpartum, or simply in times when one parent is pushing harder (or recovering harder) than the other, dividing kids is …
Divide & Conquer
Our entire family enjoys being outside. We also have very different ability levels right now: A dad, a postpartum mom, 8 and 4 year old daughters, and a 3 month old baby. This summer is the perfect time for us to employ one of our fall-back techniques for outside activity that everyone is happy with: …
Three Kids & 1 Mom
We have 3 kids now: newly 8 years, 4 years, and 2 months old. It’s the middle of a hot summer, and the older kids are dying to get out and about. To be honest, the grown-ups are also dying to get out and about in the woods. However, we have two big logistical issues: …
We’re back (slowly!)
It's been a few months since I've posted here, and what a tumultuous time it has been. Our son was born in late May, healthy and well; he is thriving as we move into his second month, in a record hot summer. Newborn life is a whirlwind and a cocoon. As usual after a new …
Finding small joys in all the strangeness
I am 32 weeks pregnant, with 8(-ish) weeks to go until my third child is set to arrive. This is my third pregnancy, and it’s playing out quite differently than the first two, and even differently from what was laid out by my OB/GYN back in November and December. Most notably, I’m over 35 ("elderly …
Times of Change
So much has changed since last posting. Last time, I wrote about giving kids the tools to plan their outdoor adventures. In the weeks between, the COVID-19 virus has upended our lives, and everyone is dealing with a new reality. My daughters’ school and day care are closed, and we are self-isolating as a family …
Kids in Charge: Planning Activities
Recently, I wrote about flexibility when planning activities with kids. Today, I'm writing about stepping back and letting my children take more of a planning role in our activities. My family loves to hike. I have a lot of ideas about where and how to hike in and around Albuquerque. My daughters also have a …