Mamatography 2014 - Week 38

Day 257 - Sunday - September 14

While out geocaching, the girls also pretended they were riding horses.

Mamatography 2014 - Week 37

Day 250 - Sunday - September 7

My friendly neighbor is a contractor. He came over to "help" me build a chicken coop from pallets. (Don't worry, there will be posts dedicated to this project!) He was showing Sasha pictures of his granddaughter.

Mamatography 2014 - Week 35

Day 236 - Sunday - August 24

Hiking back after finding our first Multi-Cache.

Mamatography 2014 - Week 32

Day 215 - Sunday - August 3

Gotta love Zoo Memberships!

Camping Trauma

Welcome to the July 2014 Carnival of Natural Parenting: Family Vacation

This post was written for inclusion in the monthly Carnival of Natural Parenting hosted by Hobo Mama and Code Name: Mama. This month our participants have shared their family-travel tips, challenges, and delights. Please read to the end to find a list of links to the other carnival participants.

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Its been said that being in the woods literally revitalizes us. It is a calming place to be. Elmo and I love to be in the woods. I definitely feel recharged after a camping trip. Such was the case when we went to Spencer Creek (when I was very pregnant... with Spencer).

We decided to take Spencer for his first camping trip last August to celebrate our 4th anniversary. It was going to be a biggie, too! I researched and found an out-of-state State Park with two popular swimming holes nearby. It had no cell phone signal, but also hosted a few geocaches. It sounded perfect!

Our van started acting funny on the way there. I undercooked our dinner and then it started raining so I couldn't really finish it. It rained the first night and our tent leaked. We drove to town in the middle of the night to buy a tarp, which we then fought to put up... in the rain... in the middle of the night. Swimming holes... well there had been a drought so they weren't open for swimming. The second night it rained so bad that it flooded our tent! We did enjoy the meals at the small cafe on-site, but had already spent our food budget on actual groceries. That we couldn't cook due to the rain.

See the water lines on the pole? The water level was waaay down.

We did get to enjoy swimming in the pool at the state park before leaving - a day early. Getting home was a nightmare because of the trouble with the van. It was basically overheating over and over again, despite having water in it. It took us over 6 hours to make a 4 hour drive.

At this point, I am hoping that camping hasn't been ruined for us. It was a horrible experience. Our next camp out will start in our back yard... for practice. and healing.

I think camping will still be our favorite way to get away (its really the most cost efficient, right?), but I have often said that I wished we could get some camping mentors. We don't feel confident in our skills or knowledge of camping and I don't know how you're supposed to learn without someone to teach you.

What is your favorite family getaway?
Do you know how to camp? If so, who taught you?

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Visit Hobo Mama and Code Name: Mama to find out how you can participate in the next Carnival of Natural Parenting!

Please take time to read the submissions by the other carnival participants:

• Favorite Family Vacation Recipe: Staying at Home — The best family vacation Laurie Hollman at Parental Intelligence could ever recommend requires minimal packing, no hotels, unrushed travel, easy meals to everyone’s taste without a bill, no schedules, everyone’s favorite interests, and three generations playing together.
• Scared of toilets and other travel stories — Tat at Mum in search is an expert at flying with kids. She shares some of her tips and travel stories.
• Staycation Retreat for Busy Mamas — Lydia's Handmade Life gives Budget-friendly, eco-friendly staycation ideas for busy work-at-home moms.
• How We Leave It All Behind — At Life Breath Present, they don't take traditional vacations — they go on forest adventures. Here are some tips in planning for an adventure, if you don't just go spontaneously, as they have before. Plus, many pictures of their latest adventure!
• Traveling while pregnant: When to go & how to manage — Lauren at Hobo Mama discusses the pros and cons of traveling during the different trimesters of pregnancy, and how to make it as comfortable as possible.
• Our Week in Rome: Inspiration and Craft Ideas for Parents, Teachers, and Caregivers — If anyone in your family is interested in learning about Ancient Rome, if you enjoy crafts, of if you're a parent looking for a fun staycation idea, check out Erin Yuki's post for a Roman-themed week of crafts, food, and fun at And Now, for Something Completely Different.
• The Real Deal: A behind the scenes look at our "Western Adventure" — Often Facebook and blog posts make vacations look "picture perfect" to outsiders. If you only looked at the pictures, Susan's recent family vacation was no exception. In this post at Together Walking, she takes readers "behind the scenes" so they can see the normal challenges they faced and how they managed to enjoy their vacation in spite of them.

• Welcome to the Beach House! — Kellie at Our Mindful Life is in love with her family's new "beach house"!
• Road Trip to Niagara Falls — Erica at ChildOrganics writes about her first trip out of the country with just her and the kids.
• 5 Essential Things to Take on Vacation — Five things Nurtured Mamas should be packing in their suitcase for their next trip.
• The Many Benefits of Camping with Friends — Do you want to go camping, but the very thought of it seems daunting? Make your life easier - and your kids happier - and go camping with friends! Dionna at Code Name: Mama discusses how much better camping can be when you join forces with others.
• My Natural First Aid Kit for Camping, Travel, and Everyday Use — Jennifer at Hybrid Rasta Mama gives us an insiders looks at her natural first aid kit for camping, travel, and everyday use. These natural remedies have saved her hide and those of others many times! You might be surprised what made her list of must-haves!
• Traveling Solo and Outnumbered — Alisha at Cinnamon and Sassafras shares lessons learned from a recent trip with two toddlers and no co-parent.
• Compromise and conviction on the road — Jessica of Crunchy-Chewy Mama shares the reality vs. the dream of travel and dishes on the compromises she makes or won't make while traveling.
• Camping Trauma — Jorje of Momma Jorje offers why she loves camping and why she and her family are a little gun shy about it, too.
• First in our Books — Writing fresh from her first family vacation, Laura from Pug in the Kitchen has realized that helping pack her parents' station wagon made for a smooth and pleasant trip that was more than she hoped for!

Mamatography 2014 - Week 24

Day 159 - Sunday - June 8

Geocaching with the Girls

Mamatography 2014 - Week 22

Day 145 - Sunday - May 25

We wound up returning Elsa and coming home with Elsa and Anna.
They're the same species, but put together aren't as big as Elsa was!

Pastime with Family vs Family Pastime

Welcome to the April 2014 Carnival of Natural Parenting: Family Pastimes

This post was written for inclusion in the monthly Carnival of Natural Parenting hosted by Code Name: Mama and Hobo Mama. This month our participants have shared stories and wisdom about family pastimes.

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My husband is a total Movie Junkie. When we first got together, it was nothing to curl up on the couch and spend an entire weekend watching a series of movies. I'm an easy audience, so it was a nice way to spend our time together. Then we had kids. Sure, we can and do use subtitles, but... its really hard to pay attention to a movie with children under foot, as it were. We recently moved and now the main television is in our bedroom. That means its even harder for me to join him, but it also means the kids aren't noisy around the television when he is watching a movie. No more expecting anyone to stay quiet in the main family room!

It has been so cold so much of the time, but it is finally starting to warm up and I'm looking forward to returning to our new hobby! I wanted to take up geocaching for years and finally did last Summer! Now this is a hobby the family can get into together! It gets us outdoors, exploring new parks and areas. I like to think it challenges the way we see things and think about them - in order to find something that someone has hidden. We've even hidden one cache of our own in a sentimental place.

Do you have a hobby you prefer to keep to yourself?
How about one to share with others?

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Visit Code Name: Mama and Hobo Mama to find out how you can participate in the next Carnival of Natural Parenting!

Please take time to read the submissions by the other carnival participants:

• 8 Reasons to Go Camping with Your Kids — The weather is warmer, and it is time to think about taking a break. As you plan your family vacation, Mandy of Living Peacefully with Children, guest posting at Natural Parents Network, explains why you should consider hitting the trails with your kids.
• Crafty Cohorts — Kellie at Our Mindful Life enjoys crafting with her kids, and the skills they are learning.
• 10 Hobbies For Families With Young Children — Jennifer at Hybrid Rasta Mama knows that finding hobbies families can do together (with young children in tow) isn't always the easiest of feats. She has compiled a list of 10 family friendly hobbies that children of all ages can enjoy and that won't break the bank!
• Helping Himawari — Sophelia's family at Sophelia's Adventures in Japan share a passion for helping when a dog is abandoned at the nearby elementary school.
• The 'Art' of Having Fun — Marija Smits shares some thoughts on family art and fun.
• How we made our own Family Day — Lauren at Hobo Mama shares how her family celebrates the best day of the week, a chance for connection and adventure and endless possibilities: Family Day!
• Our Family Hobby — Survivor talks about how animal husbandry has become her family's favorite hobby at Surviving Mexico Adventures and Disasters.

• Sowing the Seeds of Passions — Christy at Eco Journey In The Burbs wonders if her interests, and her husband's, will shape her children's passions as they mature.
• Harry Potter Potions Party — One of the best activities Dionna at Code Name: Mama has ever done with her family has been a Harry Potter Potions Party. She is sharing the resources she used to create their potion recipes, the ingredients and tools they experimented with, and the recipes themselves. Feel free to use and adapt for your own budding wizards and witches!
• Pastimes Have Passed Me By — Kati at The Best Things takes a new perspective on projects that never get done.
• Food as a cultural experience for preschoolers — Nathalie at Kampuchea Crossings finds that food is a good way to engage her preschoolers on a journey of cultural discovery.
• 10 Reasons I Love Thrifting With My Children — That Mama Gretchen has always enjoyed shopping, but with a growing family she's become more frugal and thus, her little ones are now in tow on her thrift store adventures.
• Pastime with Family vs Family Pastime — You can share lots of pastimes with your family, but Jorje of Momma Jorje discovered a family pastime was much more pleasant for sharing.

Do you love Halloween?

When I was first offered a Ghost-a-House kit for review, I thought it sounded fun... sure! Then it arrived and looked exactly as shown online. (That is always a good sign, right?) But then I worried... how in the heck do I do a review of a product that I have to pass along to other people?! I worried whether the person I "ghosted" would follow through and about having enough friends in common to do this thing. I finally decided to "ghost" friends from one of my mom groups. (I won't say which one, so they will still be surprised. If the photo below doesn't give it away, that is.)

Sasha "helped" me assemble our ghost yesterday. It was pretty fun to put together! Daddy helped me name our ghost (Bradley Boo). Then I decided I really had to get out there immediately! No more procrastinating. I don't usually go out after dark, but the head of the ghost blinks. You gotta do it after dark! I was getting giddy at the idea of it! As soon as Sasha was in bed, I grabbed Spencer and headed out the door (leaving my teen and Daddy home, too - no worries).

I could not stop grinning the entire drive! I absolutely got an adrenaline rush as I headed to my friend's house! Its like doing something sneaky... in the dark... but kind! How crazy! This was so much more fun than I even thought it would be!

Photo Credit: Kalyn of A Surprising Joy

I had made sure her husband wasn't away on business, as I didn't want to scare anyone by knocking on their door after dark, unannounced. I parked my van, dimmed my lights and snuck up to the well-lit porch. I really wanted to hang Bradley in a spot you could see from the door, but was also trying to be quick. I wound up hanging him on the handle, just like they show in the packaging. I knocked ever-so-gently, so as not to risk disturbing any little ones that might be working on bedtime. And then... I sprinted back to my van! It was hilarious!

But no one opened the door. I texted my friend, "Psst. Was that a knock at your door?" This still makes me laugh! Her husband had looked out the door, but not seen anyone! I advised they should open the door and check. Meanwhile, I had backed up one house down the road and had my lights all turned off, stalker-style. I wanted to make sure that they didn't get the ghost but miss the goodie bag or whatever. Maybe I fret too much. She didn't miss a thing!

Knowing my friend (and her husband) were fans of Halloween, they were a perfect choice for our first haunting! I prefer the term haunting, but can see why the company chose a less frightening term. This is a very family-friendly activity. I love the idea of having invitation delivery be your ghost's mission. (You get to define your mission.) I just offered a bag of candy plus the door tags included. The kit provides a booklet where you can write in the list of people to haunt. My friend is looking forward to doing her own ghosting tonight!

But wait, I spend this money and then don't get to keep anything? Actually, the booklet asks the last person ghosted to please return the ghost, bag and tracking tag to the original ghoster! This would be especially convenient if the game involved invitations, then the kit could be returned at the party. You can print new lists online, so you could absolutely reuse the kit again each year!

Orange house is me.
White ghosts are people on my list not "ghosted" yet.
The orange-ish ghost is my first victim.

Oh! And did I forget?! This comes from a company that makes GPS units! This is a geocaching-related product. So when your friends get online and track where the ghost has been, you get an email notice that they have the ghost - complete with map!

You get:

• Kit to make your ghost with...
  
• LED lantern kit for head
  
• Heavy Duty Goodie Bag
  
• Registration Tag
  
• Mission Sheet
  
• Instructions
  
• 12 Door Hangers
  

This product is actually ON SALE right now through the website! You can purchase your own kit for $16.95. You can also find one locally.

Disclosure: I received Ghost-a-House for review, free of charge.
I only seek out products that I believe will be of interest to my readers.
If I don't like a product, I won't be recommending it to you.

Mamatography 2013 - Week 42

Day 286 - October 13

Just another typical Sunday of Geocaching.

Mamatography 2013 - Week 41

Day 279 - October 6

We took Sasha to see Krispy Kremes being made and then went Geocaching.

Shared Hobbies

Welcome to the October edition of the Simply Living Blog Carnival - Enjoyment cohosted by Mandy at Living Peacefully with Children, Laura at Authentic Parenting, Jennifer at True Confessions of a Real Mommy, and Joella at Fine and Fair. This month, we write about what brings joy to our lives. Please check out the links to posts by our other participants at the end of this post.

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Hobbies seem to come and go. New things are always exciting, but can get less interesting with time. Shiny things get dusty, as it were. When I had my oldest, I found that I was spending zero time on myself. My father-in-law gave me cash for Christmas and insisted I not spend it on bills. He told me to spend it on myself. I'd been wanting to take up candy making, so that is where every cent went! I got some chocolate molds and melt-its, etc. I had a blast painting chocolates and making different shaped goodies to share. I made candies for some baby showers. It was just so nice to focus on something just for the fun of it! I have since passed along every bit of that equipment.

My ex-husband took up photography and had a very nice camera. Our wife joined him. I felt kind of left out and it looked like a nice hobby. A friend mailed me a nice camera to borrow and loved my photograph so much that she let me keep the camera! We even did a lot of photography-themed date nights. I got really into macro photography, which got me into the garden where I found spiders. Jumping spiders are so cool and cute! That somehow lead to my fascination with tarantulas and I became a "tarantula keeper." At the height of my collection (shared with my new husband), we had 20 tarantulas!

After having Sasha, I stayed up (usually breastfeeding) at night and read blogs, especially Hobo Mama. I originally created this blog mostly so I would have an icon when I commented there! But it took off and I really enjoy writing here. I even created a blog about our tarantulas! Alas, we have since moved into a space where we're not allowed to keep spiders. Most were sold to a breeder, but a friend is keeping a couple specimens for us.

I've wanted to take up geocaching for three years! I already wrote about this new hobby, but I will update to say that I'm still enjoying it. We go out every Sunday, as a family, and "Treasure Hunt." I also try to find at least one geocache every day.

I think the thing I love most about geocaching is sharing it with my family. There is a sense of accomplishment when I find a cache, but I especially love the time we're spending together (outside, away from home).

Do you have hobbies or other things you love? Tell me what you enjoy doing!

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Thank you for visiting the Simply Living Blog Carnival cohosted by Mandy at Living Peacefully with Children, Laura at Authentic Parenting, Jennifer at True Confessions of a Real Mommy, and Joella at Fine and Fair. Read about how others are make their lives joyful. We hope you will join us next month!

• No, She Doesn't Sleep Through the Night - And It's Not So Bad! - This post on Partners in Kind is about our family sleep habits, how we tried CIO, and how our family learned to let go of the 'standard' in order to enjoy a good nights rest for all of us.
• Don't Do Anything That Isn't Play - Momma Bee at Raising a Revolution is inspired by Marshall Rosenberg's (nonviolent communication) advice "don't do anything that isn't pay" to find the enjoyment in doing even the most mundane and disliked tasks.
• Shared Hobbies - Jorje of Momma Jorje shares her progression of hobbies, since hobbies can wax and wane. She also explains why sharing a hobby makes it the best.
• The Joy - Relaxation Relation - At Authentic Parenting, Laura discovered how much enjoyment is related to relaxation.
• Finding and Defining Enjoyment - Anneli at Mamman i det gula huset shares what she enjoys, her thoughts on how she has found truly enjoyment through self-reflection and how to find enjoyment in every day tasks.
• Simply Enjoying Life - Mandy tries to focus on enjoying life at Living Peacefully with Children by cutting out some things and changing her perspective on others.

Mamatography 2013 - Week 40

Day 272 - September 29

We hid our first geocache! Elmo & I used to brunch here often on my lunch break.
Later we went to a potluck picnic with our Lil Giggles group of babies with Down syndrome.

Mamatography 2013 - Week 39

Day 265 - September 22

Spencer learned how to climb up onto the Dining Benches!

Mamatography 2013 - Week 38

Day 258 - September 15

We may have a new tradition here!
The family all gathered 'round to watch Sasha decorate her own cake.

Mamatography 2013 - Week 37

Day 251 - September 8

Elmo had to walk up a 45° tree to get this geocache.
We go for several finds on Sunday mornings now.

Mamatography 2013 - Week 36

Day 244 - September 1

Spencer's first haircut, I trimmed his bangs using the "twist and cut" method.
Then I put shoes on him for the first time ever! He wasn't sure what to think.
Fitting, since today's WW theme on NPN is Shoes.

Mamatography 2013 - Week 35

Day 237 - August 25

My girls, standing in "The Center of the Universe" for a geocache.
Its a real spot here in Tulsa, called The Center of the Universe.

Mamatography 2013 - Week 34

Day 230 - August 18

We went to Elmo's company picnic and then
broke our record by finding 5 geocaches in one day!

Mamatography 2013 - Week 33

Day 223 - August 11

We had this crazy phenomenon after camping. I froze the jug of Koolaid, then we used ice for a couple of days. It took a couple more days for the ice to melt away from the jug.