Why we go outside...regularly

It's important to go outside.

Maybe it's biological....it speaks to our genetic need to survive.

Maybe it's theological...it speaks to our need to worship.

Maybe it's physiological....it speaks to our need to feel more emotionally/physically healthy.

We know that when we take our kids outside....we learn lessons we have difficulty learning elsewhere.  What can teach us more about biology than by being in creation? What can teach us more about worship then in places which declare the glory of God?  What can teach us about our own physiology, than by moving through outdoor environments?   

...and then there's just the simple thing....that it's FUN to be outside!  

We like to have fun.

On a recent trip to into the Sierra Nevadas...we tapped into our biological, theological, physiological need to be outside.

We sat on rocks

Swam

Hiked

Rock climbed

Scrambled up summits.

and selfied ourselves

It's important to go outside.

You NEED it.

...so go do it!

These are good days.

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Family climbing trip - Red Rocks - Part 2

Camping with kids is really no big deal.  People tend to make it a big deal....but if you do it right, it's like sleeping at home.  Seriously.  There are a some things we do that make it work:

1. Using tents that are easy to set-up.  We only use tents with two poles.  There is nothing worse than stressing about set-up and tear-down.  
2. The kids that sleep well go in their own tent and the kids that don't sleep well, sleep in our tent.
3. The adults sleep cots....the kids sleep on the ground.  After 20 years on the ground...we're too old for all that on-the-ground shenanigans.

4.  Bring stuff for your kids to do in the mornings -- Books, games, paper for drawing...it's your best chance at "sleeping in." 

5.  We're kind of an ambitious go-getr type family.  We used to hammer it right from the moment people woke-up until the sun set.  These days...we take LONG mornings.  We won't get to the base of the climb or hike until 9am.  Enjoy the sights and sounds of beautiful mornings    

Camping is about RELAXING. For us it's about getting off of a time-schedule and into a different rhythm.  

One of the things we love about Red Rock National Park is the mix of great hiking and great climbing.  There is something for the whole family to get into! 

Elizabeth and Josiah are able to top-rope most 5.6's outside these days.  We are so proud. 

When we are not climbing, we find a hikes to go on.  We have two criteria for a hike:  a nice view and easy enough that our two oldest can walk it under their own power.  These days....they can hike nearly everything...it's kinda amazing.

Once we get back to camp for dinner...we try to keep everything as normal as possible for the kids.  Normal routines are the key:  prep responsibilities are still in place, clean-up responsibilities are still in place, bed-times are still in place, etc.  We've found that when we keep the routines at least semi-normal we can last longer living outdoors. 

I love watching my kids get into camping.  They've been campaign their whole lives.  They know how to do it and do it well! 

...it's hard to believe that Elizabeth is going to be 8 at the end of the year!  She was 3 months old on her first climbing/camping trip to Lovers Leap in Tahoe, California.

These are good days! 

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What we're up to now....

Well, we're still in San Simeon as a base camp...chilling. Rockclimbing, surfing, cycling, and traveling up and down the coast...exploring. We don't have internet access except for the coffee shop...so sorry for the erratic posts. We will try to check our email as much as we can.

In a few days....we think we will be heading to Tuolumne to camp and climb. Its an amazing place. Just look:

photo found here

We don't think we are going to go to Colorado or Hawaii. We are having way to much fun in the west!! We think we'll head to Tuolumee in a couple days after climbing, surfing, and cycling some more on the coast. In Tuolumee, we're planning to keep our "schedule" wide open: a bit of climbing, camping, and some fishing in Tuolumee's beautiful lakes....and whatever else we dream up.

This is the beauty of the open road....just going where your heart takes you!

These are good days....

The Adventures of E

Here's a photo update showcasing some of Elizabeth's adventures in the last month. Enjoy!

Adventure #1: SOLIDS

Sweet potatoes (and no, she's not hiding any in her cheeks!)

Butternut squash (she enjoys this the most)

We've now got brown rice cereal, sweet potatoes and butternut squash on the menu. Coming up this month: carrots, barley and peas.

Adventure #2: POTTY TRAINING

Yup, this is what she does (or what we do with her - but not always naked!).

She pooped in the toilet on this occasion, but we thought a photo of it as proof would be a bit overboard. We've decided to skip the infant potty seat (one less step I guess) and get her comfortable sitting on the real deal. She's not always consistent, but any time she does go in the toilet is a big success. And since we use cloth diapers during the day, the fewer poops we have to clean, the better! The newest challenge is keeping her focused -- the toilet paper roll and the plastic garbage liner are the latest distractions she wants to get her hands on.

Adventure #3: THE BUMPER JUMPER

A gift from Great Oma & Great Opa and one of her favorite things to do during the day.

Elizabeth is constantly making noises while she jumps, and we get a kick out of seeing her make herself laugh. I've tried to catch her being "chatty" and laughing on video countless times, but have yet to capture a video worth posting. It'll get blogged when we've got it.

Adventure #4: A NEW COUSIN ARRIVES

Her reaction after seeing Ashlyn's picture.

Elizabeth has yet to meet her cousin, Ashlyn (born July 1st) in person, but she seemed to like her over the internet! She'll get to meet her on August 1st when we travel down to California to see family.

Adventure #5: CLIMBING - SQUAMISH & THE GYM

Photo quiz: Which piece of gear in this photo wouldn't normally make it on a climber's gear list?

Hanging out at the base of Zoe Wall in Murrin while mommy & daddy work on Jeff & the Giant Reach (5.11c).

Happy to have climbed at all!

Tired and ready to head home.

Checking out the gym climbs she wants to send when she starts walking (because that's when we'll buy her climbing shoes)!

She's getting a lot better at sitting by herself and staying entertained for a bit. But we still have to do "shifts" while bouldering. Still haven't figured out what we'll do when she starts crawling...

Adventure #6: PLAYDATES

We finally got all the 2009 Granville Chapel babies together for a playdate (yup, all girls!).

From L to R: Bronwyn (15 mos), Hannah (17 mos), Sophia (7 mos),

Elizabeth (6 mos) & Calla (14 mos).

Our second playdate this month was with our good friends Liesel & Moses (16 mos). I brought the camera, but like most occasions, forgot to even use it. Here's to capturing our kids together next time, Liesel!

And our final adventure was a playdate this afternoon with friends from mommy's pregnancy group:

Elizabeth & Echo "playing" together.

Elizabeth borrowed Echo's cute headband for a photo opportunity - not too sure how to feel about a foreign object on her head.

Love this.

All pooped out after a fun day with friends.

Here's to more adventures in the coming months, including a three-week road trip!

Olympic Ceremonies & Climbing Gym & Elizabeth Updates

Love climbing. However, these days, we are climbing "not so well". 5.10's in the gym....getting pumped quick and generally feeling fat. Hopefully that will change as we have MANY trips coming up!

Then, took an hour walk to BC Place to see the Olympic award ceremonies which included dishing out Canada's first gold on home soil! Yay :) The walk was really nice. It was raining and I was drinking coffee the entire way. LOVE THAT.

Some pics to remember the day...

we had the WHOLE gym to ourselves. Not a soul there...sure made changing Elizabeth super easy!

we like to introduce things slowly...so we waited 7 weeks to introduce climbing


then to the Olympic Ceremonies! Thanks Barry and Joan for the tickets! It was SOOOOOOO FUN!!!!!!!!! Once in a lifetime experience, for sure!

Also, as requested by various family members....here is an Elizabeth slide show (how come you don't want to see a Joe slideshow? don't answer that)

Upcoming trips

We LOVE being together on adventures. It's a family gig...and we intend to keep the tradition alive by going on a variety of climbing road trips leading up to the summer climbing season in Squamish. The following places are places we have been returning to for the past 4 years, every year. So...here's where we are goin:

March - Skaha
Skaha is all about sport climbing. There is trad...and good trad but its short (1-3 pitches max). And frankly...the sport climbing is AMAZING. Tons of it...hard, easy, and everything in between. We go here in March cause its still cold, less crowds, and it gets us in shape for the coming months.


April - Red Rock
Red Rocks is all about trad. Desert sandstone, 1500 foot routes, intimidating chimneys, routefinding, face climbing, interesting pro...this is a trad climbers dream local. If you want pure adventure and never see a soul...do some out-of-the-way routes, here!


May - Smith Rock
By this time...it's usually too hot...but who cares...we find shaded routes and have a good time. This is mecca for hard sport climbing and LOTS of amazing trad as well. This place is WORTH VISITING again and again.


June-August - Squamish
Actually, we'll have been climbing in Squamish since the rain stops-ish (usually as early as april)...but we are in full force in June through August for sure. Squamish has everything (bouldering, sport (technically north of squamish), and trad). But, they don't call it "Yosemite North" for nothing. Granite, long routes, highly asthetic, with TONS of mega classics....this is a trad climbers dream.


August - Yosemite
What can I say about Yosemite that hasn't already been said. It's Yosemite. We have backpacked through Yosemite and climbed there once...but have never done anything real serious there....hopefully this year....that will change.


Now you are undoubtedly wondering "Now, you guys have done all these road trips without a baby...do you really think you are going to be able to do this with Elizabeth?"

Our answer: Nope. That's why we are going to leave her behind.

Hah. Just kidding.

The real answer: We are going to invite Elizabeth into these adventures. It may mean less climbing, or no climbing, but we'll try. And, success for us, is being together. Now, practically, for some of these trips, we have friends and relatives hooking up with us in these places. These are people who love us and also understand how being a parent does (and should) change things...so some days, we may not climb, or I may be on daddy duty while Heidi climbs with a friend and vise versa, or some days we might not even make it to the crag!. We shall see!

The adventure continues...