What a Year!

A new year is around the corner and like many others I find myself reflecting on this past one. It's been a busy year full of triumphs and challenges.

Our family activities were heavily based in the outdoors - snow, rain, ice or sunshine it didn't matter - you'd find us enjoying the wilderness at our doorstep. Though the winter was often really cold, there was plenty of opportunity for snowshoe and winter hiking trips into the mountains. Sledding and skating was fun for the whole family. Matthew enjoyed several days of playing and hiking in the snow with one parent while the other hit the ski slopes - the skis are waxed and ready for him to give the sport a try this year.

As the weather warmed, camping trips to the mountains and into the badlands were part of the menu, including a multiple family back country trip into Yoho National Park. Matthew found out the joys of riding in the kayak and getting close to birds, fish and turtles. Parks were explored and water parks sought out. Summer flew by and soon the weather cooled, the snow fell and Matthew donned snowshoes for the first time. Sled rides, wagon rides and outdoor Christmas festivities filled December.

Family visited and family was visited - trips that included Vancouver and the Okanogan. We mourned the passing of my uncle and celebrated my mother's victory over cancer. We celebrated birthdays, anniversaries and holidays. We laughed, cried and fought. We lived.

Through it all we watched our son grow from a 1 1/2 years old to 2 1/2 years old - an amazing experience. He's a running, dancing, swimming machine that rarely stops for a breath of air. From single words to sentences, he's now beginning to be able to communicate his thoughts and desires. He's not completely understandable yet, but it was fun watching him greet his aunt, uncle and grandparents at Christmas. His play has gone from simply pushing his train around the tracks to complex scenarios involving the conductor opening the doors, the people getting on, tickets collected and destinations established. And if the train goes off the track... the fire truck and the police car goes to the rescue! Always the puzzle fiend, about a month and a half ago, my son made the jump from chunky wooden puzzles to picture cardboard puzzles. He started to understand the concept of creating a picture with the pieces - from then on he's been off to the races. There's no stopping him now - he's now onto 48 pieces and having a ball.

There was an important lesson that we learned through all this and which became the premise for this blog. We learned that we can't do it all and that we shouldn't feel bad about it. The important thing is that everyone - my husband, my son and myself - are happy and healthy. So sometimes plans were cancelled, altered or postponed if the circumstances warranted instead of barrelling ahead no matter what. We made sure that we asked if we were doing stuff for the right reasons. We took a breath and smelled the proverbial roses. We enjoyed the days, the months and the seasons to the greatest extent. That is "The Big Picture".

I'm looking forward to the coming year... so much to do, so much to explore. Happy New Year!

Kid's Zone

The Kid's Zone at Chapters has been a life saver for many parents I know. Where else could you go to have a coffee, talk to fellow parents, let the kids interact and play with each other, read them a story, pick up a magazine for yourself and get your Christmas shopping done all at the same time. I wrote about going there in Time Changes. Morning, noon and night, we've taken our son to the "book store" and everyone enjoyed ourselves. We've used various locations across the country as breaks when on the road or travelling - it makes for a familiar spot when you're in a new city - and as every parent knows this can be a great comfort to little ones.

Unfortunately, I've had to use the past tense. After the library today, myself and a friend headed to the local Chapter's with promises of trains for our sons, coffee for ourselves and perhaps a few last minute gifts in the bag. Alas, when we get there, "train gone" as my son said. We were told by the woman working the section, that they were told to remove the train tables and that in the future there would most likely only be a couple of  chairs and the teacup in order to focus on books.

Sounds great in theory - bookstore focussing on books. However, in reality, life doesn't work that way. Here are some of the realities.

1. Reality is that if I just want to read a story with my son, I stay at home or go to the library.
2. Reality is that the only time that I get into the book store these days is when my son is playing with the trains, other kids or reading a book in the Kid's Zone while I get a coffee, talk to a friend and browse the books.
3. Reality is that it would have also been great of the store to warn parents that the train will be gone as of X date - that way my friend wouldn't be having to console her child, another mother wouldn't be pushing two screaming kids in a stroller out the door and I wouldn't have to lie to my child that the train was broken and had to be fixed.
4. Reality is that I've rarely walked out of Chapter's empty handed - either I've bought a book, a toy, a coffee, a magazine or a gift.
5. Reality is that with the trains and toys gone, Chapter's has just become another store I'll be avoiding in order to prevent unneeded meltdowns due to boredom and "don't touch" choruses. 
6. Reality is that we went to another store that still welcomed kids to be kids, and well I didn't walk out empty handed from there.

I really hope that either the information we received today was wrong or that Chapter's reconsiders their policy regarding the Kid's Zone. It's been a great place that encourages literacy, community and social interaction for kids and parents alike. Aside from that, from a purely economic view, most of what I spend at Chapter's is done while taking advantage of the Kid's Zone.

Cut the Tree!

Yesterday we went on our annual forage into the woods to find the perfect Christmas tree. It was a great party with friends, fresh snow and much laughter!

Matthew got to pick out and cut down (with my hand over his only to guide and prevent an accident) the tree. Needless to say he was in heaven! "Cut the tree" was the chorus of the day. 

For those who live in Alberta that wish to cut down there own tree, a permit is needed ($5 for up to 3 trees). http://www.srd.alberta.ca/FormsOnlineServices/TreeCuttingPermits/ChristmasTreeCutting.aspx

Christmas Fun!

I write this post knowing that it will go quickly into controversial territory. Many people advocate that Christmas is strictly a religious holiday celebrating the birth of Christ while there are others that believe Christ should be taken out of Christmas (an interesting read http://www.buzzbishop.com/blog/2011/11/17/take-the-christ-out-of-christmas/). I'm not going to argue one side or the other as it is very much a personal choice. I will simply say that for us Christmas is a time to celebrate family and friends and, in combination with the winter solstice, winter and the lengthening of the days. 

The Christmas season is here and Matt finally gets it this year - Santa Claus, the reindeer and Christmas trees. He loves the Christmas stories and the lights and decorations that are everywhere. We want to get out and enjoy the festivities with him - there's so much to do that it's hard to choose. There are festivals, fairs, light displays, plays, skating, sledding, and the list goes on. But as time is limited, and choose we must. 

For the most part, we've been choosing activities which are outside, smaller in scale and relatively inexpensive. We love the outdoors and firmly believe that getting outside everyday is great for ourselves and our child. If there are going to horses they get specials consideration when planning - "horsies" are a favourite; any other animals are a bonus. Finally, since we want to enjoy it to the fullest, we have to make sure his schedule isn't disrupted too much. We're lucky in some ways that he is fairly flexible but on the other hand we can no longer rely on him taking his nap in the car. Generally we plan things for the morning and/or late afternoon, leaving the middle of the day for his nap - it just makes for a happier boy and therefore happier parents. 

This weekend we chose two festivals that had it all. They were primarily outside, had horses, could be attended before/after naptime, Santa would be in attendance and wouldn't be too crazy busy. Of course, since we planned our weekend with naps intact, in his predictably unpredictable ways, Matt put this planning to side by waking up almost 3 hours later than normal both days thus changing/negating nap time (of course this morning he was up by 6:30am as per his usual). Oh well.

On Saturday, we went to Banff for their Christmas in the Rockies and Santa Claus Parade of Lights for the second year in the row. It's a relatively small festival and we love seeing Banff all lit up for the holidays. Though we skipped many of the indoor activities, we had a lot of fun walking around the town enjoying the crisp mountain air. It seemed like the whole town was out on the streets, locals and tourists mixed and mingled and the kids all played in the street while waiting for the parade to start. Music, floats and big trucks - Matt loved them all. He laughed to see Santa's sleigh being towed by a monster tow truck (with the Grinch) and the firetruck... he's a two-year old boy, need I say more. I have to say that after years in Toronto, where you had get your place hours before the start of the parade, it was great to be able to take a spot at the curb as the police car leading the parade came into view. The day ended with a great dinner at St. James Gate Irish pub in Banff (yes, kids are allowed - the exception being in the evening on St. Patrick's Day). Half way home, we encountered the winter storm that pummelled Calgary with upwards to 35cm of snow in less than 24 hours, but got home safely after a slow drive.

Sunday saw us travelling the snowstorm covered roads down to Bragg Creek for Spirit of Christmas. The sky cleared as we arrived and Matt had so much fun tromping in the newly fallen snow, he walked the entire afternoon even though we had his sleigh. It was a little on the nippy side but many of the local retailers had crafts to make providing great "warm up" opportunities. Matt made a bead key chain, a bracelet, Christmas ornaments and a button - and we didn't even hit all the stores. Predictably though, the highlight of the day for Matt the horse-drawn wagon ride through the hamlet with Santa! While waiting for the "sleigh" to arrive, Santa mingled with the children, posing for photos and giving out treats. There were also reindeer to visit and activities at the community centre. After a couple hours we drove a tired little boy home, who due to fresh air and exercise was more than happy to snuggle down for a short nap, making for a happy evening at home. The festival runs the next two Saturdays (December 10th & 17th). 

At the end of the weekend, I asked Matt if he had fun - the smile on his face said it all, I didn't need the "Santa horsy ride" that confirmed  it. We had chosen well - though tired, we were happy and relaxed. Here's to many more days that are filled with smiles - sled rides, skating, Christmas parties, finding a tree, light displays and the requisite visit with Santa are on the list for the coming weeks.

The [selfish] photographer rejoices

It's a Sunday morning and Matt's finally feeling better. After a week of taking care of a sick child, I have cabin fever and the despite the blustery weather I'm determined that we're going to explore the lower part of Kananaskis Country before the area is closed to traffic for the winter. Thank goodness my husband loves the area as much as I do and readily agrees. The car gets packed with food, drinks, toys, snow, hiking and photography gear and we head off into the mountains (no we're not light packers). 

As we're leaving the winds are picking up steadily and there's a wind warning issued for Calgary - heavy snow is expected in the mountains. As we near the mountains, the rain starts and we know that it'll turn to ice before it turns to snow. This is an inevitability living in Calgary and the mountains where the weather changes every five minutes and around every bend of the road. It's going to be an adventure. Everyone was happy to be out. Matt is busily playing trucks on his tray in the back (or was it colouring at this point?) and looking for trains and horses out his window. So with the gas tank full and the car prepped for winter condition, we make the turn onto the 40 and head into K-country.

After a quick stop at the information to get an update on the area (high avalanche warnings have been issued - hmm guess we won't be hiking Ptarmigan), we continue to head south, and the weather does indeed become icy. We hope that it'll change to snow after the next valley and indeed it does. By the time we get to Highwood Meadows, the area is a winter wonderland. We gear up and have some fun in the snow.

When Matt is done, we pack back up, grab a snack and head further down the road. Now I have to admit that part of my reason for wanting to go to this area was to find a specific spot that I took this picture last fall.

We knew the general area but we hadn't been able to find the exact spot... it's down the hill from the road and we remembered stopping on the way north on the road when we had seen a women photographing the scene with her phone. This time though I had printed off a contact sheet with several photos that showed the topography of the spot. With the visibility poor it was hard to see the topographic markers I was seeking but conditions improved slightly just as we got to the area - and my wonderful husband stopped and turned around the car several times looking for the exact spot. Finally, we find it!

I'm ecstatic and head down the embankment to the ice covered wetland below. Despite the grey weather, I'm in photographic heaven. Selfishly I leave my husband on the roadside watching not only the truck with our son still playing in it but also myself as I descend the slippery snowy slope. For almost half an hour, I scamper around the ice and snow (and water) taking photographs. When I finally return to the truck, I'm cold and a little wet (my boots aren't waterproof as far up as I thought) but I'm happy. It made my day, my week. 

Onward we drive and head back to Calgary where we learned we had missed hurricane force winds. It was the end of another weekend.  Saturday had been spent ensuring that Matt had completely recovered - calm and lots of rest - frustrating to see such a nice day pass us by but for the best we hoped. Sunday despite the weather and despite (or perhaps due to) indulging in a little selfishness at the roadside in the middle of nowhere, ended with everyone was happy and healthy. That for me is the key to The Big Picture. 

How was your weekend? How do you balance everyone`s needs?

Lots of fluids, lots of rest

Lots of fluids and lots of rest... so goes the saying when fighting a bug. They forgot one additional thing you need as a parent. Patience. Lots of Patience.

My little guy was sick this past week - nothing serious, just a little stomach bug.

As highly active, on-the-go people, the hardest thing about this week was to know when to do nothing. To cancel activities, to go home early, to just cuddle up together and watch a movie (okay, actually getting a cuddle was kind of nice - he's usually too busy moving). To be patient.

Another thing requiring patience was dealing with a patient who just want to do everything but didn't feel well enough to anything much at all.  At two, he still doesn't quite understand being sick - he wanted to go, go, go as per usual. Makes for a grumpy and impatient patient... then again neither of his parents are good patients when they're sick.

Finally as a parent, you need a lot of patience just to watch your child suffer from the bug. There's nothing much you can do other than make them as comfortable as possible. To be patient while the bug runs it's course. To wait for them to get better.

He's almost back to normal this morning... I wonder if I hurry if I can get a little cuddle before he takes off?

Winter's Arrival

It's been predicted that Calgary is going to have one of the coldest winters in a couple of decades. I shiver just thinking about it. I shiver even more knowing that it is currently -17C with a wind chill of -26C outside with the current weather listed as ice crystals.

I'm one of those people who'd rather see several feet of snow than the thermometer  dip into the -20s. I love to spend hours outside in the winter - hiking, skiing, skating, taking photographs or just generally playing. So give me the snow, but you can keep the bitter cold. Besides which it's a lot easier to dress a two-year old for snow than for cold and a lot more fun!

That being said we can't choose the weather, so just in time we've finished outfitting our son. Many of the blogs that I follow about outdoor adventures with kids have been blogging about how to dress your kids for winter. They all have some great tips and I've included some links to their respective blogs below. I want to emphasize the importance that you make sure that you're dressing your children to fit your lifestyle and your kids personality.

Matt loves to move, so keeping him mobile as well as warm is one of our priorities. So to that end, we've outfitted him much the same as we have ourselves. We found great long underwear for him which not only adds a layer of warm but is wicking so no moisture stays close to his skin. We have a warm fleece layer - simply cosy and warm. Then we have a layer to protect him against the elements - wind, rain, snow, cold - a winter snow suit which is waterproof-breathable and we also got him a pair of fleece lined snow pants (no bib) which are proving to be great for hiking in cold weather (if it's a mild day we also have his rain suit at our disposal). Add a choice of mitts, both waterproof hiking boots and snow boots, winter (wicking) socks, hats and balaclavas and our son is ready for any weather and activity. I've deliberately left out the brands as so much depends on your kids - not all brands fit all kids - find stuff that fits your child. We love Mountain Equipment Coop (MEC) and have bought a lot of stuff over the years there, including one of Matt's new pairs of mitts. We also find that North Face and Columbia fits our son very well. You can find a lot of good fleece pieces in many of the stores including Children's Place and MEC. If you're in Alberta and you make it down to Pincher Creek, The Outdoor Outlet there that has great stuff not only for adults but babies, toddler and preschoolers. Consignment stores as well as online classifieds such as Kijiji are also great sources for good clothing.

If you still need to outfit your child for the winter, please take sometime to read some of the blogs below, because, as I can't emphasize enough, every child is different and everyone's lifestyle is different - the clothing you choose needs to reflect that. Keeps reading reviews and blogs, talking to other parents and talking to the experts at the stores and make a choice that's right for you.

Family Adventures in the Mountains

Adventure Tykes

Active Kids Club

Get Out With The Kids

The Kid Project

One last question to leave you with. Would piece of gear do you deem essential?