Ragnar Preparation

Posted on June 19, 2013 by Shawna

This post is sponsored by Camelbak

For the past several months I’ve been preparing for the Wasatch Back Ragnar here in Utah. It’s a long distance relay race. Teams of runners spend two days going from Logan to Park City, over three mountain passes and almost 200 miles.

The race is tomorrow!! My guts are kind of inside out at this point because I’m such a newbi and don’t know quite what to expect but I do know I’m way excited for the experience!e

On my preparation runs I’ve been taking my iphone with me so I can use Map My Run to keep track of distance and speed and so I can listen to music, which definitely keeps me moving.

I also take it along because every once in a while I get stopped in my tracks by the beauty surrounding me and just have to stop and take a picture.

Last weekend I was in Idaho and had a jaw dropping view of the Tetons for 9 miles straight. I post most of these running pics on our Nature For Kids instagram feed.

I often take these two slave drivers with me. “Go faster mom!” It’s a great excuse to get out and enjoy some time together.

When I go on long solo runs I take my Camelbak Arc Quick Grip water bottle with me.

That way I don’t have to worry about hydration when it comes time. Plus I’ve gotten use to balancing myself out by running with my phone in one hand and my water bottle in the other.

The spout can be opened easily with my thumb while running . It has a tiny little pocket for my car key. It doesn’t slip or move around.

I have a long list of things to get packed and ready for tomorrow including my camelbak water bottle so I better go…

Wish Me LUCK!!

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How To Find A Wishbone And Other Random Things You Should Know

Posted on June 11, 2013 by Shawna

When I was little I remember my mom letting my brother and I make a wish on a wishbone every once in a while. I’m sure it was those special occasions when she cooked up a turkey for Thanksgiving or a whole chicken for Sunday dinner or something.

Being a mom myself now and spending my fair share of time in the kitchen I know where to find the wishbone!

The wishbone is kind of like a collarbone. It sits right under the neck of the bird in between its wings. The bone is actually called the furcula and means “little fork” in Latin.

How To Make A Wish On A Wishbone:

Find It! (I helped you out with this step by using my mad drawing skills on the diagram above.)
Let It Dry Out for a couple days. I put ours in the kitchen windowsill.

Now have two people make a wish and grab either end of the wishbone and split it in half. Whoever ends up with the longer half wins….a million dollars….not really….but they have bragging rights for at least 2 days. And supposedly the winner’s wish will come true!

My kids fight over who gets a chance at the wishbone. It’s a fun little tradition. To learn even more about this crazy custom that dates back over 2,400 years check out this link.

Have a fabulous day and may the luck of the wishbone be with you,

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Spring Rain, Backyard Chickens And A Weekend Giveaway

Posted on May 18, 2013 by Shawna

————————————-This Giveaway has ended————————————

Congratulations Kath on winning the Teflon umbrella! Here’s what she said her most memorable rainy day moment was in the outdoors…”I still remember being 2 or 3 and my grandpa came to visit. I was so determined to play in the sandbox I went out with an umbrella and then he came out and held it for me so I could play.”

This post is sponsored by Teflon

It rained all night last night and has been sprinkling on and off throughout the morning…

Once the sun came out for good we decided to have a picnic…

And since the ground was nice and wet the critters seemed to be out in abundance. The hunt began for slugs…aka chicken food!

These are the newest addition to the Nature For Kids entertainment…an Americana and a Silver Laced Wyandotte, our backyard chickens, who you’ll get to know better in the future.

The kids love to find worms and all kinds of goodies and lay them out on leaves for the chickens to eat up. They line the food up like an all you can eat buffet!

I LOVE days like this…when I can breathe deep and almost drink the rain-fresh air. Everything looks clean and rejuvenated. Our strawberries and cherry tree have been drinking up the rain and sunshine. The new fruit is coming along nicely…

We were sent the ShedRain Windpro umbrella to test out and share with you guys here. It’s treated with Teflon fabric protector to keep water, dirt and everything else out.

We’ve used it for soccer games and other rainy/sunny outings and it’s proven to be really durable and fast drying. And lucky for you WE’RE GIVING ONE AWAY!

To Enter:

1. leave a comment here telling us your most memorable rainy day activity.

2. earn an extra chance at winning by sharing this giveaway on facebook and leave a second comment here telling us you did.

This giveaway ends Sunday May 19th. For US residents only.

That’s it! Enjoy the lovely spring rain everyone!

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Hiking Gives Kids Perspective And Confidence

Posted on May 16, 2013 by Shawna

Once again recreating outside has taught us a couple of life lessons. This time it was while hiking to a local landmark in our town…a huge “B” painted on the mountainside.

The elevation gain on this hike was intense, few switch backs, poorly marked trails and lots of loose dirt and rocks made it slow going.

With that came some grunts and a few grumbles but it made reaching our destination that much sweeter. They were all smiles sitting atop those painted white rocks. And I heard a lot of positive and exciting chatter. I could see and hear that their confidence had grown.

hiking for kids 3

Since this experience my kids have pointed out the “B” several times to me and said with spunk and heart, “Mom there’s the B! I hiked that all by myself.” It’s become like a trophy on a shelf for them. A constant reminder that they can do hard things.

Our second lesson learned on this hike was that of perspective. As we sat there looking over the city my oldest son pointed out the rooftop of a huge building that he said he had never noticed before. And the bird refuge we’d visited several times took on a new form from our high vantage point.

hiking for kids perspective

“The city looks so different from up here,” he said. We talked a little about how everyone has their own perspective in life and that we should at times try to see things from their point of view. In the future I’m sure we’ll reflect on this experience with more depth.

As a mother these are the moments I am grateful for.

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The Recreation Project – Therapeutic Recreation At It’s Finest

Posted on May 2, 2013 by Shawna

Therapeutic Recreation…to someone outside of the recreation field it sounds synonymous with the word vacation. But it’s proven to be so much more than just a get-away from everyday life.

Therapeutic recreation provides alternatives to a therapist office or medication. It uses tools such as rock climbing, zip-lines, ropes courses, sports, back-country wilderness excursions and nature itself to help troubled teens, war veterans and many others.

The Recreation Project, a Colorado non-profit, is an incredibly unique organization that provides therapeutic recreation for kids affected by war in northern Uganda. They help these kids face their fears, overcome past trauma, gain leadership skills and learn to trust their peers. Watch this inspiring video to see the project in action…

video

Yeah, I’m smiling too. Isn’t it such an inspiring project! Ben Porter, psychotherapist and founder of The Recreation Project, blogs about all of their experiences and breakthroughs there in Uganda. I’d encourage you to take some time to read through their logs.

Oh and here’s a HEADS UP …TRP is currently having an Adventure Photo Challenge on Facebook. Submit your most adventurous photo by May 10th and tell them why you love outdoor adventure. They’ll be choosing a favorite photo each week. Winners will receive a $25 gift card to REI!

Here’s hoping you get some recreation therapy of your own in today,

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