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You can safely assume that this is a product I've never tried. Because a large percentage of our readers are in fact lovely ladies, and even though I'm not a woman, I think this very much belongs in our Mom's Blog column. And because I live with two women, one of whom is 4 years old and doesn't quite understand why it's a problem to pee all over her shoes and socks when we're away from a real potty, I have enough experience to know the GoGirl likely has a future home in our own gear stash . . .
All good things come to an end, even cute diaper bags. Over a year ago my wife Brooke posted about the JJ Cole sling diaper bag, and since then we get a constant flow of emails from ladies who want to know where the heck to buy one. True, it's an awesome bag that I know my wife's enjoyed and it's possible you've even seen me using it. But it turns out JJ Cole didn't sell enough of them to keep producing the bag (what else would be the reason?). As far as we're concerned, that's a bummer. Good news, ladies. We think we've found the fix. Overland Equipment has the answer to your desire for a handy, yet good-looking, sling bag . . .
Each night, Mark sits down with the guitar and his Macbook and looks up new songs to play- he is itching to lead some campfire songs this spring. It's fun to listen- he's got a great ear and is naturally coordinated enough to already make the guitar sound alive with music. I have no doubt that in a month he'll master the chord changes for some great songs and will get to shine at our next campfire circle. His biggest challenge remains....the singing.
No big outdoor adventure for us this New Year's weekend, just a small indoor one.
You know how it is: there's a little friendly competition among moms and grandmas in the quest for the absolute cutest baby clothes. We all know it exists, but no one talks about it aloud. You go to grandma's house on Sunday afternoon and she says something like, “I picked up this onesie for you the other day, and it is sooooo cute!” You look at it, and it says, “I'm kind of a big deal around here.” You laugh, because it is cute. Well, here's a way to top that.
Here's to good times, a full life, happy families, and especially you. Thanks for reading this blog.{jcomments off}
Since Ania has come to live with our family - all the way from lovely Ukraine - we've joined the local gym. I guess we've literally joined the club. Mark and I really prefer something outside, like a run, a hike, or a mean game of tossing the frisbee, so the gym is not my favorite work-out experience; but it gets the job done. We can spend time together away from tv and computer screens, and we burn a few calories, too. Bonus: they have racquetball courts. And we're shooting time-lapse videos now........
Some lucky students at Perry High are getting a one-of-a-kind culture lesson from Ania this week. She will present facts, stories, and pictures of Ukraine in a 47-slide Powerpoint Presentation. Presenting to her classmates about her home country is one of several activities the Department of State mandates, since she is in the U.S. on a scholarship (called the FLEX program). I know her by now enough to say without a doubt that she is happy and honored to speak about Ukraine, and would do it even without this requirement. She speaks of her homeland with great pride for its skilled people, natural beauty, and growing industry and education. Here is a video that Ania is showing as part of her presentation. I love the soundtrack.
Thinking back, I can understand why the two's get linked with the adjective "terrible" more often than not. To be fair, for about two-thirds of the year, I was feeling like this is my favorite stage ever- how fun to watch her learn to communicate and show more personality. The other third, it was who is this screaming alien-child and what did she do with my baby and OMG why is she destroying my house and my sanity?!
It was my day home with Chloe, which means in the afternoons I can count on her to take a long toddler nap. I love - no, I need - that two-and-a-half hour stretch of time. So, when I heard her playing with her dolls an hour early, I peeked in on her. I knew by the smell what had gone down. Guess? Our potty-training toddler peed and crapped her big-girl panties in her bed. Yeah, so not awesome. I threw the mess of clothes and sheets in the wash, wiped and re-pantied her round little tush, and went for my running shoes. It was either that or an early happy hour. Thank God for running.
Brooke's essay dives into the world of off-highway driving. As she's seen, and as she's dealt with first-hand, it's a macho world that's not very inviting to women. Off-road trips with the local club are usually long, tiring, and really just not quite the same as a day out with the girlfriends. She's found a way that it can be fun, though, and she wants other women to experience the fun, too. "As great as our off-highway drives and camping trips are now," Brooke says, "one point I can't overlook is that fellow women adventurers can be sparse out here. So, hello? Where are my girls at?"
The rocks, sand, and wild desert vegetation of the Baja pensinsula made up the backdrop for our family road adventure this summer. Greg and I can take partial credit for this successful vacation, having hatched out the whole plan out around a campfire last November. "We've got to get the cousins out on a really cool trip this summer," I implored. "Are you up for something?" We settled on Baja, pleaded with Mark to go along with it (he quickly agreed), and 6 months later, with fresh passports in hand, we made the trek down. While the trip was Greg's and my idea, Mark was definitely the driving force behind the success of our 2 weeks. He planned a great route and was our group's main Spanish speaker. Baja gave our family the perfect balance of adventure on and off the beaten path. We enjoyed the food, the culture, and the views from every mountain and beach we explored on the way.
Mark, remember our first anniversary in San Carlos? We had a lot of great times our first year of married life, but that trip was exceptional. I remember sitting on a patio with the sun setting over the Gulf, talking and eating fresh seafood. The strolling mariachis and flower vendors spotted us a mile away and came over to see if we were total suckers in love. Maybe we were, but who cares on a date like that? I still don't think you fell for it, though...Later on that trip, we snorkeled, went kayaking, and played in the water. Perfect 3 days of Mark and Brooke time.
The Phoenix-area is a great launching point for 2-3 day weekend road trip "mini-vacations." With a young daughter we try to minimize the driving and include more hands-on experiences that appeal to a toddler. Like everyone else, we prefer a short drive, to a not-too-crowded camping area, where it's scenic and there's something fun to do nearby. That's not too much to ask, right?
The JJ Cole Essentials Sling back diaper bag has gone everywhere with us for two-and-a-half years because it's ideal for moms (or dads) who prefer to travel light and like a stylish, rugged diaper bag. I can fit a drink, snack, couple of toys, change of clothes, couple of diapers, and wipes in the compartments along with a few of my own womanly essentials for an outing. This bag adjusts to fit different body types, which makes it versatile enough for both parents to use. And yes, if you can believe it, dads will not mind shouldering the diaper bag burden when it's this compact and easy to wear. If you are tired of the bulkiness and clutter of diaper bags and want something new, or if you're becoming a first-time parent, this bag is a great addition to any family's travel gear.
If you have to know, our daughter Chloe wasn't conceived at home, or in a hotel, or in the backseat of a car. So what choice is left?
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This year, Chloe actually knew what a birthday meant. She counted down the days, picked out Dora invitations to send for her party, and practiced holding her pinkie down to show the number "three" on her little fingers. She endlessly repeats the song "Happy Birthday to You," even a month after her birthday is passed. By the way, she can carry a tune quite well for a toddler, in my biased opinion.
Yesterday was a classic example of how running keeps me sane.
