The Rockboard RBX scooter is a rocking good time

Sponsored postRockboard scooters 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. Rockboard successOur 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.

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Side yard hopscotch with DIY stepping stones

Sponsored post Hopscotch in side yardI'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. WP_20160521_16_45_24_RichWe 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.WP_20160521_14_16_52_RichInspiration 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.WP_20160521_16_36_49_RichMore 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. Plants ftom Swansons

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CamelBak Eddy bottles are perfect for back to school


I know some people swear by them, but I hate sippy cups.  Really, really hate them.   I’ve never had one that didn’t leak, had a million parts, or that didn’t take up my entire cupboard with plastic parts, accessories and odd-shaped cups.  So, instead of investing a ton of money on a very short-lived item, I asked my friends for an alternative to the sippy cup.

Their answer was the CamelBak Eddy bottle that has a neat bite-valve mouthpiece and straw.  One quick look around our Stroller Strides class or a day at the park with friends and CamelBak was the clear preference of moms and kids. 

That next week, I went and loaded up on some CamelBak Eddy bottles and immediately fell in love.  I had worried that at age 18 months my daughter would be too young to use a cup with a straw, but because the bite valve needs to be engaged in order to drink, she didn’t inhale water like she did with other cups.  If it had been a problem, the rumor is that you can simply remove the straw and they can use it more like a traditional sippy cup, but we’ve never done this. 

The CamelBak Eddy quickly became our go-to bottle for days out at the park or on the town, vacations, dinner time beverages, and for playtime here at home.  On our recent Chicago trip and two day train trip home, these bottles pretty much saved our sanity.  No worrying about where we would find drinks while out and about, and no stressing over open cups, missing pieces, or whose drink is whose because we all had our own Eddy bottle at the ready.Camelbak goes everywhere


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Music anywhere with the HMDX Jam Bluetooth wireless speaker


Summer fun with music
In my family we love music. Music while we craft, music while we cook, and even music while we clean. But, while we have wired our house for sound, the fun unfortunately ends at our doorstep. We’ve been known to turn the music up and keep all the doors and windows open so we can still hear it outside while we garden, bounce on the trampoline, or play in the yard, but that unfortunately doesn’t work for when we’re at the park or beach.

And, really, what’s a beach party, cookout or camping trip without good music? Recently, we got to review the HMDX Jam Bluetooth Wireless Speaker courtesy of AT&T and it's now our go-to music source for whenever we're not indoors {and even sometimes when we are}.


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Deuter Fox 30 kid’s pack fosters a love of the outdoors from tot to teen

My daughter likes nothing more than to match hubby and me.  While this is completely adorable, it makes shopping very difficult as I have found that it’s almost impossible to find matching items for us that we both really like.  In her size we find cartoon characters and excess amounts of pink, and adult sizes don’t go small enough to fit her. 

Thank goodness there are companies like Deuter that specialize in both adult and kid’s gear that is the real deal.  No frills, no cartoons.  But, that doesn’t mean they scrimp on features, in fact quite the opposite. 


360x500_4335_Fox30_5520_13
We got to review the Deuter Fox 30 backpack for our little explorer this month and she was beyond thrilled.  She had been eyeing it at REI for quite a while and talking of all the reasons she needed it, so it wasn’t surprising that she was jumping up and down excited when she realized she got to try one out. 


Adventure awaits

While our next serious camping trip is still a few weeks away, we’ve already gotten a ton of use out of this amazing bag.  From weekend trips to days out, the Deuter Fox 30 has been a lifesaver carrying the kids gear, their toys, or just the large amount of stuff we seem to require for all-day excursion. 

Whenever we can, we let my daughter pack her own stuff in the bag and then she can help carry any gear we have, any souvenirs {AKA rocks, sticks and other treasures} she picks up, and can access her stuff whenever she wants.  We also went out and got her a Camelbak hydration pack that can fit right into the Deuter Fox 30 so she can drink through the straw secured at her shoulder all along the trail instead of having to stop for each sip.    

Little kid packpack from deuter

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Get Ready for Fall with prAna Clothing and Activewear

Get Out and PLAY Event – Day 33 Outdoorsy is not the first word that comes to mind when people think of me.  Yes, I do love being outside and enjoying nature, but I certainly don’t dress the part.  prAna is a company that was designed with me in mind, because although the clothing and … Read more

phil & teds Metro Backpack Carrier: Father’s Day Pick

Get Out and PLAY Event – Day 18 The more I learn about Phil&Teds, the more I covet every single item they make.  From the moment I started thinking babies, there was one children’s company that just stood out in every way.  Maybe it’s their modern and minimalistic design, or maybe it’s the fact that … Read more

Kelty LumaPivot {Review}

Get Out and PLAY Event – Day 5 When I'm packing for the outdoors, I am really careful to bring good lighting for all of our activities. Nothing ruins the fun faster than running out of daylight and not having good lighting to utilize in its place. With this in mind, my husband and I … Read more

Dirt Devils are Red, Violets are Blue…

…if you're still looking for something for hubby, I think this will do! What comes in a shiny red package that is all ready for the day of love?  Why Dirt Devil, naturally.  Since most of us are thinking practical this year, it makes sense to get your honey something that can be used all … Read more

prAna Clothing for All Seasons

In my quest for warm clothes this past January, I remembered a brand I had seen while hubby was browsing one of the {many} local outdoors shops we frequent. Normally, I don’t do much shopping for me in those kinds of stores, with the exception of the stray water bottles or specific biking gear, but … Read more