Product review: Peekaboo Beans

by Lara I started putting Kiernan in Peekaboo Beans when he was one.  My friend Vicky and I had opened an online clothing store and of all the lines we brought in to sell we both fell most in love with that one.

Now, five years later we've gone through a LOT of Peekaboo Beans and I keep on buying it.  Here are my top five reasons for loving these clothes:

1)  They are easy to put on - no buttons or ties means that kids can get themselves dressed without needing a lot of help.

2) They are comfortable. SO comfortable - I never worry about them being cinched in the waist or having buttons or zippers digging in.

3) They have resale value!  I resell my Peekaboo Beans regularly, often for 1/3-1/2 of what I paid for it.  There's a huge market for used Beans.

4) The line is fun.  Kids love the thumbholes and the hoods and the fun patterns.

5) It's cute and stylish and every new season there is something I just can't resist!

The Fall line launches today and they even have a new Tween line this year!

Vicky and I no longer run our online store but she does still sell Peekaboo Beans (she's one of our lovely sponsors!)

If you're interested in finding out more about Peekaboo Beans like her Facebook page and sign up for her newsletter.  You can buy the line from her or host a Soiree and invite your friends over and earn free product. Soirees are nice casual home parties that you can bring your kids to.

It's a great time to order or host a party with back to school around the corner and Vicky is offering free shipping for Kids in the Capital readers in September - just mention code KICshipping. Go check it out!

Peekaboo Beans is one of our sponsors but the thoughts on the line are all my own ~ Lara

Summer of Awesome - Altitude Gym Clip and Climb

The Altitude Gym is a rock climbing gym over in Hull for serious rock climbers. Athletes in training can get out the chalk and the fancy sock-shoes and climb a variety of walls that are intensely challenging. Not too kid friendly.

But! They have a totally awesome, one-of-a-kind, kick-ass back room: the Clip and Climb.

A mecca for little climbers everywhere. WHOO WHEE!

It's several funky, offbeat, fun climbing walls and structures meant for amateurs and kids. You climb just in comfy clothes and regular running shoes.

You climb, and you climb, and you climb.

There's easier walls and more challenging walls. Walls with lights, walls with doorknobs, walls that are made of velcro that you climb with velcro gloves.

There's glow-in-the-dark walls, lego-themed walls, and timed walls for racing purposes. There's also a series of pillars you can climb and those ones near the top are HIGH, OMG. Also wobbly. O. M. G.

The Clip and Climb is meant for families and it's especially great for a single parent with several kids in tow. That's because the kids are able to clip themselves in, and once they are checked by a staff member, they're free to climb. They don't need anyone to hold the rope ("belay" is what the cool kids call it) at the bottom.

Why is that? Each wall in the Clip and Climb room has a giant retractable pulley thing at the top that holds the rope you are clipped to. As you climb, the rope coils up and stays taut, giving you a bit of support.

When you hit the top, you just let go, and the pulley thing provides counter weight, lowering you slowly to the ground. You tether the climbing rope to the ground, unclip your harness, and you're free to run off to the next wall and climb away.

Now, some caveats: my kids were quite tentative at first, and even though they were allowed to climb on their own, they felt much more comfortable with a parent at hand. The Clip and Climb is not cheap, and Sir Monkeypants and I did not do a whole lot of climbing on our own, so if you are coming in with a lot of kids, it's probably worth it not to climb yourself, and just act in a supervisory/supportive role. On the other hand, it did encourage our kids a lot to see us climbing ourselves, so that was worth it for inspiration purposes.

Another warning: the pulley system will definitely catch you when you let go...but, there's a couple of feet of free fall before it kicks in. You really have to find the heart to trust the system and it can be a little scary the first time. The free fall thing actually did not seem to bother my kids at all, they were soon climbing then swinging away from the wall in a carefree manner. I personally, however, found it a bit alarming and every time I hit the top of a wall, I had to spend a minute or two talking myself into letting go. I am a HUGE WUSS. It was good for me, though.

Last tip: there are two structures in the Clip and Climb that cost extra. One is a giant slide - they pull you up on a hand hold to the top, then you let go and literally fall straight down before sliding out the curved end. It's SUPER FUN - all three of our kids LOVED it - but a tad expensive at an extra $4 per slide. Then there's the Leap of Faith - a tower with a crane where you can climb up to a platform, then leap out into space and try to catch the swing on the end of the crane. Again, it costs an extra $4 to try this stunt and it's a real test of your mettle - we saw a few smaller kids back out.

This is the giant slide - I was too gutless to try it, but the kids loved it.

Now, let's talk details. First, you need to reserve a spot for the Clip and Climb; your reservation covers 15 minutes of safety instruction and then an hour of climbing. You can usually call one or two days in advance and have your choice of time slots; I should mention that the Clip and Climb is only open on weekday evenings from 5 to 9, and on weekends from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Your one hour of climbing isn't cheap; the cost is $13.95 per person (regardless of age), and don't forget the giant slide and Leap of Faith are extra. All in all, we spent close to $100 for our family-of-five Clip and Climb experience, so it's not the kind of thing we'll do every week; still, it was a unique experience, we loved the fact that our kids got to do something new and something physical. Since it's indoors, it's a great place to take antsy kids on a rainy or snowy day to blow off some steam, and it's great if you've got a wide range of ages, since older kids and teens can have the run of the place on their own while you're helping any youngsters.

Children under 5 require a one-to-one parent supervisor; however, I'm not sure I'd go much younger than five for this activity. Precocious four-year-olds who really love to climb and have a lot of energy would have a good time; younger than that will likely find the walls too tough and maybe too scary.

Our own five-year-old is a tentative little girl, and she required quite a bit of coaxing just to go three or four feet up in the air on a handful of walls. She's still quite anxious to go back, though. OF COURSE.

Overall, we all give the Clip and Climb a Summer of Awesome Must Do.

Hey, that's me!

Lynn is mom to three tombliboos and blogs over at Turtlehead.

Flashback: The GG's

by Julie

No, not the University of Ottawa sports teams. The Governor General's Residence. Many of you may have been there for the annual CHEO's Teddy Bear Picnic. No? Well bookmark that one for next year. It's a must do kids in the capital thing. But have you ever ventured to the GG's on a regular day during the summer?

Surprisingly we don't go very often, even though we are only a 15 minute walk away. But every time we do go, I always say "We should really come here more often." First, there is LOTS of room to just run and play. Bring a soccer ball to kick around. Or some bubbles to blow. Or anything else you can think of to do on vast expanses of grass. Picnic anyone?

Then there is the play structure. Simple but fun. And it's on what looks like asphalt but is actually spongy. Although it is a little small, there is lots to do for both little and big kids. The visitor's information center is right near by which has toilets, a little gift shop and water fountains to fill up your bottles.

As we were playing we suddenly heard the sound of bagpipes approaching. What could that be? We gathered our stuff and ran off towards the sound (I'm a sucker for bagpipes). What did we stumble upon? The Changing of the Guard! It would seem that the Guard post changes every hour on the hour. And the ceremony lasts all but 5 minutes. So if the elaborate pomp and circumstance of the Changing of the Guards on Parliament Hill seems to be a little overwhelming, this is the perfect option. And you can get up close.

The jellybean thought this was the best thing and marched on behind them.

After the 5 minute ceremony there is lots of opportunity for photo opps with the guards, but we were off marching behind the returning guards, no time for photos. This was definitely a wonderful surprise.

In the early summer the rose gardens are beautiful with many different varieties. It's now the end of the season, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't wonder around the gardens. There is a great fountain that just begs for pennies to be thrown in and lots of walls and benches to stop and have a snack or just a little rest.

The GG's Residence is also home to the Ottawa Cricket Club. They were just setting up for a match when we were leaving, so we didn't get a chance to watch.

We were there for a couple of hours and barely touched on all there is to do. There are also tours of Rideau Hall and the art collection, which run all year round. And a tour of the grounds offered during the summer months. And a treasure hunt called Tell-a-Tale Trail that is good for people of all ages.

So let's get down to the nitty gritty. How much does all of this cost? Nothing! Zilch! Nada! Zero! And parking? FREE! When there isn't a special event like a concert, parking is really easy on residential streets. When there is a special event, parking can be a bit of a bear.

So make your way down to the Governor General's Residences. It is your's to discover.  (yes, cheesy, but essentially true!)

Julie (a.k.a. smothermother) is mom to 3 yr old Jellybean and married to the hubby.  You can read her blog at www.smothermother.blogspot.com.

Summer of Awesome - Paul's Boat Lines

A few weeks ago, some friends of mine from high school had a reunion here in town. One of the events was a tour of the Ottawa River on Paul's Boat Lines. At first I wasn't going to bring the kids, because I thought they'd be bored. But when they got wind of the fact that Mommy was going Boating, they were IN. I have no idea what they were picturing, but apparently the concept of a boat ride is romantic and exotic and SUPER FUN - and actually, it turned out to be pretty much just that.

The tour lasts for about an hour and a half, and leaves from the dock right at the tip of the Rideau Canal. Just getting there was half the fun - you have to take the stairs down from the bridge that's beside the Chateau Laurier, then walk all along the locks to the very tip. If it's a weekend, you're likely to see the locks in action, with dozens of pleasure boats travelling through; if you're not in a rush, you can also check out the Bytown Museum, which is along the path. We were lucky enough to be heading out on the Civic Holiday Weekend, which is the weekend of the Rideau Canal Festival, so the entire path to the boat was paved with musicians, artists, crafts, and activities - bonus!

Once you reach the dock, it's time to board, and the tour begins right away. There's an upper and lower level on the boat - the upper level is cooler (it's shaded), and a better place to sit to see the sights and hear the (charming and funny) tour guide. The lower level has booths, so it's a good place to relax with a drink (the boat is licensed) or strike up a card game with antsy children.

We sat up top and were dazzled by amazing views and fascinating trivia.

The best view of the Parliament Buildings ever. The Rideau Falls - I'm ashamed to say I did not actually know that these existed. The Prime Minister's house. SLIGHTLY bigger than mine. My daughter having a King Of The World moment.

This is just a fraction of the cool places we saw. Did you know that the statue on the peak by the Art Gallery is of Samuel de Champlain, and that he is holding his astrolabe upside down? Did you know that the Ottawa River used to be called the Mighty Kitchississippi? Did you know that SO MANY foreign ambassadors live in PALACES (OMG). Did you know that Gatineau is the prettiest little town ever?

Our kids actually enjoyed seeing the sights - my middle daughter in particular can't stop talking about the "big house with five chimneys" (that's 24 Sussex). They also just loved being out front on the boat, feeling the breeze from the river and comparing all the bridges. It was just a really pleasant, quiet way to spend a hot summer afternoon.

There's a small tuck shop on the lower level, so warning: there will be pressure to purchase chips. Chips on a boat taste better, don't you know?

Paul's isn't the only boat tour company downtown (there's a few fancier ones, and there's also Lady Dive, the bus that turns into a boat), but Paul's tour of the Ottawa River was the perfect size and duration for our kids. There were several of us on board who were actually from Ottawa, and we all learned stuff we never knew and saw stuff we'd never seen, which boggles my mind.

Paul's Boat Lines also offers a slightly shorter tour of the Rideau Canal - that one is going on our next year's Summer of Awesome list.

Tours run from June 28 through September 2; the daily schedule is here. Tickets are $23 adults, $14 for children aged 6-12 (five and under are free), and group rates are available. You can buy tickets at the kiosk downtown which is right across the street from the Chateau Laurier; unless it's a holiday weekend, you can likely just head downtown on the day-of and get tickets for the next boat.

Ahoy, mateys!

Lynn is mom to three tombliboos and blogs over at Turtlehead.

Summer of Awesome - RCMP Stables

Recently my two daughters have become obsessed with horses. They both claim that they want to learn to ride - no doubt they have images in their heads of their hair flowing in the wind as they race towards the sunset, bow and arrow in hand just like Merida in the film Brave. I have to admit, I am pretty skeptical that their reaction to riding a real-life horse will be quite so dreamy.

So I thought I'd ease them into it by visiting the RCMP Stables. It's where they train the horses for the Musical Ride, and I was hoping an up-close-and-personal encounter with an enormous, black horse would knock the request for riding lessons right out of 'em.

The stables are in Rockcliffe and are open every day in the summer from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. This is where they train and house the horses for the famous Musical Ride. During the summer, the 36 horses that are part of the Musical Ride are on tour, but there are still about 60 other horses in the stables - these are horses that have been retired from the ride, or young new horses who are just starting their training.

So the first thing you need to do when you get there is find the entrance, which (memo to the RCMP) is not very clearly marked. Here's the building:

The entrance is the one on the far left hand end, behind the giant tree, that has a sign that says, "Lost and Found." OF COURSE.

The door leads you straight into the gift shop (OF COURSE), and you have to go through the gift shop to get to the museum part. The museum is a few small rooms that talk about the history and function of the RCMP, and the details of the Musical Ride.

We learned about the RMCP's bomb disposal unit:

The kind of horses that are picked for the ride (must be almost all-black, 16 hands high):

And we saw the carriage that is used for visiting heads of state, including Will and Kate last year on Canada Day:

There's also a video playing with footage of the actual Musical Ride, if you've never had a chance to see it.

A tour leaves about once every half hour from the museum section and lasts about 20 minutes. You'll get a chance to see the Musical Ride practice area:

(This area is also open to the general public, you can come and watch them practicing which takes place most weekday mornings in the winter - call them for the schedule.)

You'll see the tack room and the ferrier's workshop:

You'll see horses (yay!):

You'll learn about how they name the horses (did you know there's a naming contest every year, in the spring?), how they choose the horses, and how the selected officers learn to ride.

After the tour, you're welcome to walk behind the stables where they have a training area. When we were there, two riders were working with a new young horse and we were allowed to watch if we were VERY quiet.

Out front, two RCMP officers in full uniform allowed us to get up close and personal with the horses:

That was probably the best part. We were able to pet the horses, chat with the officers (SO NICE), and we learned a few extra details, like how they brush-in a maple leaf pattern on the the horses' backsides before taking them out on rides. Cool.

I liked this visit because it felt like we were really learning something about Canada. We have, unfortunately, never actually seen the Musical Ride itself, so this was a great introduction. However, it was a pretty small place - we were able to cover the whole museum, the tour, and the visit with the officers in about an hour and a half. So it fits nicely in between naptimes, but if your kids are older, you can probably combine this visit with another event.

Also, word of warning: your secret plan to avoid riding lessons may backfire, and the budding love of horses may turn into full blown adoration.

Lynn is mom to three tombliboos and blogs over at Turtlehead.