My parents got all the boys in my large family the coolest presents this Christmas: laser tag sets from Dynasty Toys. 
When they first opened them, I had no idea how cool they were. I guess I was picturing one of those cheesy laser tag sets I had seen before with the vests and the lasers that never seemed to work. This isn't that kind of set.
Sports & Outdoors
Why our whole family adores Dynasty Toy’s laser tag
10 winter activities for families in Mt Hood, Oregon
The south slope of Mt. Hood is home to Government Camp, a gorgeous alpine village at an elevation of 4,000 feet. The average snowfall is close to 300 inches which gives you a great chance to enjoy some fun, snowy weather activities for a day or two, or you can plan a longer stay and enjoy all that Mt. Hood, Oregon has to offer.
Here are 10 of our favorite things to do in Government Camp that are kid-approved and fun for families:
Gear up for an active year with the Brooks Cascadia 11 GTX trail-running shoes
Are you a runner? I really have never been a runner – unless you count running after kids, which I do a lot of. But, when my kids recently got interested in hiking and running, I knew I had to join them. I mean, it’s free, it gets us outside to enjoy nature, and it’s something we can all do together. 
The Rockboard RBX scooter is a rocking good time
During the spring, summer, and fall, we’re on our bikes and scooters just about every day. Whether it’s a park date, just a way to get some energy out, or we’re on our way to friends or out to eat, bike and scooter is just the way we roll.
Since we’re on scooters so often, we’re always excited about trying new models. And, with so many options these days to choose from, this is a fun time to be a kid – or a kid-at-heart. 
Our latest obsession is the Rockboard RBX scooter that is unlike anything else we’ve ever tried. Instead of a traditional flat, kick scooter, the Rockboard has a rocking base. We’re not talking a slight rocking motion, this scooter base moves by inches, which is why it’s rated for ages 8 and up.
Take relaxing outside to a whole new level with the Tentsile T-Mini double hammock
I will never forget when I saw camping hammocks for the very first time and realized that it might be possible to go camping without all the things I hate about camping. No cold and bumpy ground, no worrying about strange bugs and pests crawling in, and no tossing and turning all night trying to get comfortable.
Tentsile makes lust-worthy hammock tents that combine the comfort and versatility of a hammock with the multi-person-occupancy of a tent, but they also make non-tent hammocks as well. Their idea is to create living space while suspended between the trees using three anchor points, and their hammock is just another way to enjoy the elevation while relaxing in comfort. 
We got to check out the Tentsile T-Mini Double Hammock this month, and it was perfect for hanging out outside even though the ground was damp from all the rain we get this time of year. 
Side yard hopscotch with DIY stepping stones
I've been debating for years about what I wanted to do with our skinny side yard. We need to leave it unobstructed because it's the main pathway to our backyard, but I hated that it would turn into a wet and muddy mess every time it rains. Doing stones of some sort that you could walk over, wheel barrow over, and also keep the side yard from getting swampy made a whole lot of sense, but I didn't know exactly what I wanted to do. That was until I visited Swansons Nursery in Seattle and started talking to their team about what made sense for a marshy yard. 
We decided we needed to dig the side yard down, add a weed barrier, and then add sand and fill dirt along with some stepping stones. After that was complete, we could add some ground cover plants that would help with drainage and keep the side yard from turning into a mud pit.
Inspiration really struck when I started filling up Swansons` boxes with plants and ground covers and realized that the box I was loading them in was the perfect stepping stone size.
More specifically, they were perfect hopscotch size. If we made our own hopscotch stones and laid them in our skinny side yard, we could actually utilize the space better to make it a play space as well as a pathway. With a smaller, urban yard I'm always looking for ways of maximizing space, and making it dual purpose is always a win. 
The summer I lost control
This summer, I completely lost control of the kiddo clutter. The kids were a never-ending mess that started from the moment they woke up and went until they were supposed to be asleep in bed. They would jump from activity to activity and they would raid Barbie bins, Calico Critter stashes, American Girl collections, and Lego boxes only to mix everything up in one big disaster that spread from room to room.
With one borderline hoarder of an 8 year old who decides random scraps of paper are "special", one 5 year old who has never met a toy he didn't want to pull apart just to see how it works, and a one year old with zero impulse control, the deck was stacked against me from day one. It was just too much for me to take, and I started fighting back.
So, this summer I boxed up tons of stuff, I donated massive amounts of toys, and I made more "pick up piles" than I can count just trying to contain the mess each day. But, nothing seemed to help because they would just find something else to play with and leave out, like when they raided my recycling bin, sewed toilet paper "quilts", and when they decided they were going to sell handmade crafts that took over my entire kitchen. Sadly, we missed many a playdate because my kids didn't clean up their messes in time for us to get out of the house on time.