Hi! Welcome! We are a family of four with a deep love of travel, the outdoors, staying active, and new adventures of any kind. We are passionate about sharing our experiences adventuring with our little ones. We hope that other families can get inspiration, tips, and tools they need to embark on adventures of their own. Questions? Email us!
Back Road Family
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Approaching a pregnant run with a beginners mind means I often wonder... Will my left butt cheek cramp up and cause me to limp back to the car? Will my tight sports bra cause boob rash? Will my right hip flexor give out? Will I need a full meal? (Better to pack one just in case). Will I be warm enough? Will my maternity leggings slide down? How many times in an hour will I have to squat in the woods so I don’t pee in my pants? Might I just pee in my pants? Where are the most densely forested areas so I get some peeing privacy? All real possibilities, mostly centered around my bladder. (Mamas, I know you feel me) I’m not giving up what keeps me sane SO I do my wondering. Then I say, “Come what may, I’m running anyway.” Every run brings a new surprise 🙏🏼 @__magneticnorth__ for teaching me about a beginners mind and how important it is for my endurance practice. Stay curious. Keep moving.Maybe a third kid will help us figure out this parenting gig. Third time’s a charm right? #saycheese #marchbaby #boyorgirl #itsasurpriseThe Alpaca and I are the only ones cooperating for this picture. #thanksalpaca #bestsockseverI love when people share the real moments behind their social media pictures so here is our real moment. 30 mins prior to this picture Sage was sprayed with poop. Cedar had a sudden, leaky, diarrhea incident covering his legs, onesie, and shorts. Peter got C’s clothes off and was holding him naked, I was holding the solar shower up high, and Sage was hosing him off. While Sage was hosing, the incredible force of Cedar’s bowels shot round two poop all over Sage’s dress and fleece. Her response was, “ I WAS HIT!” I took this picture post-poop with Cedar recovering on my lap, Sage recovering with hot chocolate, and Peter packing up our entire campsite so we could canoe back to our car. We were bummed to leave our secluded lakefront campsite but in the packing process there was beautiful light to capture the resilience of our daughter who can really handle just about anything. 💩Just add water.South Sister Summit. Powered by a steady stream of M&Ms and her own two legs. Today Sage’s inability to sit still, her fiery will, and puppy-like energy manifested into something profound and powerful. I was so proud of her I think I cried three different times on the way up. Sage you are my Queen ❤️ As long as my legs will carry me I will follow you up mountains. A Blog post with more details about our South Sister Summit can be found at backroadfamily.com link in bio.
Category Archives: Lifestyle and Parenting
Mount Motherload
When our fiery wills met to build Sage, they didn’t cancel each other out as two similar forces should. They quietly grew for 23 months and then on a dark and stormy night they colluded and turned my soft cherub into a pocket sized … Continue reading
Cedar’s Homebirth
Given that Cedar’s birth happened at home, it seemed fitting to include the story on our family adventure blog. As it was, in its own way, our family’s biggest adventure. My hope is that with this post, we can raise awareness about birth choices and inspire informed and empowered decisions about childbirth. A woman’s experience deserves respect. She matters and birth matters. Here is our story.
Posted in Lifestyle and Parenting, Uncategorized
Tagged birth matters, doula, home birth, midwife, natural child birth
12 Comments
Week One
I am gitty. Heart fluttering over the moon freakishly happy. I want to jump up and down and yelp! Something in my soul yearns for accents, diversity and newness and I’m here. It’s here. With each person I see that is on the surface, so different from myself, I feel like I’m experiencing something so very special. For so long I have craved more variety in my life and environments where I can walk out the front door and be confronted with opportunities to learn and grow. To me, it feels comforting to hear different languages and accents, different colors and clothing. It makes me feel like I am a part of something. There is so much of this beautiful world to see and explore, that even the few minor frustrating moments of traveling, are so deeply worth it when in the end it’s pushing my square or small perceptions of people and culture.
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All our bag miraculously fit on one cart.[/caption] Continue reading
Posted in Abu Dhabi, Lifestyle and Parenting, Middle East
Tagged Abu Dhabi, travel with toddlers
2 Comments
Off We Go!
Today my daughter and I embark on a new chapter in both our lives. For her, this chapter may hold her earliest memories. For me, I hope this chapter will be that portion of my life I dream of when I am much older and no longer able to jet set around the world with my daughter in tow.
How to Get a 2 Year Old to Ski.
Just keep her happy. With all the new sports we have introduced to Sage, we have the most success when we follow her lead and keep her happy. No one likes to be made to feel uncomfortable, especially by the people who are supposed to be keeping you safe. We have a no push policy and also try to make sure we are always doing things as a family.This ensures that she doesn’t have the “opt out” option of sitting with the non-participating parent on the beach, in the lodge, etc.
When the entire family is participating, it goes without saying that she is coming too. In that there is security and a sense of inclusion that inspires her to get on the bike, on the board, or in this case… on the mountain.
Give me some ESSENCE!
I’m hearing Homer Simpson’s deep savory voice lingering over the words “ESSENCE…happiness…nature… mmmmm”
No, it’ not going to end in donuts. But another (and much healthier) D word instead- Continue reading
Posted in Lifestyle and Parenting
Tagged Dr. Christine Carter, Dr. Dan Siegel, ESSENCE, hiking, nature
1 Comment
