Let's Try Family Camping: Part 1

By Andrea

Our family of 5 took on the challenge of camping last year. I say "challenge" because I, personally, don't find it an easy endeavour. It's definitely not for everyone. You see, I grew up camping but my husband grew up "hotelling", as we like to joke. If you ask me about my best childhood summer memories, they involve our family camping adventures. I've determined that if you didn't have these childhood memories banked, you may not see the value in putting all the work into it for your own children. 

Now, I don't claim to be an expert by any stretch of the imagination. Our camping trips have been ultra tame in terms of Bear Grylls' standards. In fact, our last camping trip didn't even have a lake on site; it had a pool. We have gone to both private and provincial campgrounds and have enjoyed both for different reasons. I forsee us eventually learning to really "rough-it" but while we have fairly wide age ranges of children (3, 7 and 10) we'll stick to having one foot in the tent and one foot in the van, with quick access to the HWY 416.

Today I am speaking to the pre-portaging crowd. The pre-outback campers. The first-time adventurers with one to two night camping trips in their calendars. Each time we go camping we gain tips and tricks from friends, family and other campers that we adopt into our own agenda. 

1. Starbucks VIA® Ready Brew Italian Roast - I feel like coffee is always a good place to start. Because when the group camping down the path keeps you and the kids up late at night or the coyotes howl all night at the moon or the crows squack you awake at 5am, what are you going to yearn for first? This is the best tasting instant coffee I've had. Boil water on your stove and pour. 
2. Woods Cots - We started sleeping on foam and air matresses and have graduated to cots. Everyone is happier when they don't have to sleep on the ground, especially if water should find its way into your tent. Watch for sales at Canadian Tire - we just picked one up for $40.
3. Sterilite Wide 3 Drawer Cart (aka your new portable kitchen) - Scour local garage sales for utensils, pots, pans and other needed kitchen items and store them in one of these. Store it in your garage, put it in the car, and return it to the garage when you return home.
4. Propane lantern - Not only does it give off great card-playing light but it also gives off heat for those chillier nights. It attracts bugs so it's best when used inside a screened-in dining tent.
5. Screened-in dining tent - It's a mosquito-free place to sit at night but also your shelter from the elements. We didn't fully appreciate our dining tent until we found ourselves in the midst of a relentless downpour, hail and all.
6. A good tent - There are a lot of factors that make a tent "good". I've seen friends buy the big tent that was on sale that came with a cooler and camping chairs which just didn't last. I've discovered you want one with good stitching, strong material and waterproof material up the sides and bottom to keep out heavy rain. You want one with good ventillation, a good fly, and one that's not too difficult to put up. I just discovered a tent with a "D" door that opens and closes like your front door at home. No more forgetting to zip up the door!
7. Cardboard drink holders - You know at Tim Hortons when they ask if you'd like a cup holder and you say no because you have enough holders in your car? Say yes and let them pile up in your back seat. These things burn slowly when you light a corner on fire and gives off great mosquito-detracting smoke. Stick it beside your camping chair and avoid bites!
8. Metal roasting sticks - We have kept food quite simple so far. Everyone can cook their own food by roasting hotdogs, brats, marshmallows etc. You can also toast bagels, english muffins and toast. An easy meal.
9. Cast iron toasters - My sister-in-law has these toasters and she let the kids toast their own pizzas. Spray with oil, add bread, add pizza sauce, cheese and pepperoni, then another piece of bread, and close. Toast over the fire and it's like a pizza pocket. Another easy meal. She also has one that is circle-shaped in which is great to cook an egg. Pair the cooked egg with a toasted english muffin and you've got a sandwich everyone will eat.
10. Mike's Hard Frozen Lemonade - These double as ice packs in your cooler. So it's really a service you're doing to the family by keeping everything cold. Do it for the family.

There's obviously more that you need when camping like sleeping bags, blankets, sunscreen, bug spray, stove etc. This is simply a list of lessons recently learned by our family. 

Question is... what are YOUR tips for camping?

A Special Treat: Pretty Handsome Salon and Spa

My daughter has been asking for a spa day recently. In the past we've had home spa days where I've taken care of her feet and done her nails. We've had spa days where we go out to a spa near our house that does manicures and pedicures for kids (which will make it into another post here soon). But when I asked a few questions this time I found out what she wanted was to have her hair done. 

There used to be a salon for kids near our house, but that one shut down and I've been taking her to our local discount hair place for cuts. That wasn't what she wanted this time! She wanted a real hair style, a special treat, and since we're celebrating our summer of awesome I decided to look for a place to take her. 

I remembered that during our visit to Ottawa's Baby Show last year she had gotten a very fancy braid done at one of the booths, and a quick search led me to Pretty Handsome Salon and Spa. The website lists all sorts of services - from first haircuts to "mom and me" manicures and pedicures - but most importantly (to me, anyway) they do fancy braids. 

I made an appointment for a shampoo (to save me the fight at home), a blow dry and a fancy braid. 

We were greeted as soon as we walked in and off she went to get her hair washed - something that doesn't seem to bother her when I'm not the one doing it. 

Daisy car seat 

Pretty Handsome is located in Barrhaven, so it's a bit of a drive from our home in Stittsville, but the service and the result proved good enough to make the trip every once in a while. Even when she started crying because the braiding hurt a bit, or when she wasn't sure if she liked it and she was afraid to start again because she was bored (and she also might have been a bit over-tired), the staff was great and her stylist was very patient. 

The result was just perfect. 

How long is your commute? #ontrack2018

Working full-time and commuting in a big city is hard. The reason my husband and I moved to Ottawa was that we knew we couldn't face the Toronto commute for the rest of our lives. I'd visited Ottawa several times, and was amazed at how fast I could get downtown on the bus. So it made sense that once we moved here, I would take the bus to get to work from the (many) apartments we rented around the city.

Add two kids into the mix, and fast forward 9 years. We're living in a lovely home in Orleans, and despite my occasional  lusting after "city life," we know that there's no way of moving out of the suburbs on one income. Plus, we love Queenswood Heights - an older neighbourhood with great schools, lots of green space, and a huge backyard for our huge vegetable garden.

Yesterday, when I took the #95 bus home, I realized that my ideal suburban life is looking bleak for the next three years. For those of you reading this from outside Ottawa, we are now in the process of building our first light rail line. Which means that the quick and easy Transitway (which carried buses from the suburbs to downtown in record time) is now closed until 2018.

Cue the crying.

I'm sure all parents would agree with me that time is precious. My girls are growing up so fast, and I want to be there for every moment. Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately - I guess I'd rather not live as a cave woman and die at the ripe old age of 35), I live in the 21st century, and I have to make money to house, clothe and feed my family. And now that my commute has almost doubled in length, it means I have less time to spend with my kids. I get home on time for dinner, and then it's a hectic evening of walking the dog, cleaning the kitchen, bathing the kids and getting them to bed by 7:30 p.m.

I'm not writing this to bash OCTranspo or complain about light rail. In fact, I'm totally pumped that the city finally got its act together to make sustainable transportation a reality.

I'm writing this because I'd like to hear about YOUR commute. I don't work downtown, so the new express buses that bypass all of the mess is not an option for me. I have to transfer at Hurdman (side note: I'm also a cyclist, but I generally don't do the return commute, as 25 kms is a long enough ride for one day! So, I like to throw my bike on the bus and head home. And come October or November, cycling will no longer be an option.)

So leave me a message...tell me how you're going to get through the next 3 years. Have you found any shortcuts? Have any tips? Or have you abandoned the bus altogether and gone back to your car?

Signed,
The Disgruntled Commuter

Clip'n'Climb a great outing for your little climbers

My kids are climbers. Especially my daughter. I've been wanting to check out the Clip'n'Climb gym in Gatineau ever since my daughter scaled their wall in rubber boots at Kidfest this Fall and the experience did not disappoint.

The Clip'n'Climb is a part of Altitude Climbing Gym which is what you would think of more traditionally as a climbing gym. Located at 35 Boulevard Saint-Raymond in an old church (the high ceilings work well for them!) less than 5 minutes off the highway near the Casino, it was easy to get to and find. 

How it works

What's different about the Clip'n'Climb is that anyone can do it without any kind of formal training. When you arrive a staff person gives you all the information on putting on your harness and shows you how everything works. As opposed to more traditional climbing you don't need someone to spot you at the bottom because the pulley system does all the work.

You clip yourself in to the wall, wait for a staff person to ok you to climb, climb, and when you're done you simply push back from the wall slowly lower down.

The sessions are an hour and fifteen minutes, cost $15 and you need to book ahead of time. They're only open evenings and weekends as they keep full during week days with special groups and their own camp kids.

Climbing the walls

There are almost 30 walls (I think, I can't find the exact number) of all different levels of difficulty. All of my kids started out by trying the jungle wall and the bubble walls which we were told were the easiest.

Once they were comfortable on those walls they really got going, trying every different kind of wall possible and pushing themselves to (literally) new heights. Several of the walls have a button to push at the top. A couple of times my guys got nervous almost at the top and wanting to push the button is what got them all the way there.

She reached the button!

I also liked that they aren't all traditional walls. These green posts were the most popular climb in the gym for my kids - they all tried it several times over.

The staff were so helpful and friendly

What else do they do?

My daughter is such a natural climber I had several people come up to me and comment on it and ask how old she was. That started a good conversation with the staff about climbing programs in the other side of the gym and if they were a bit closer to us I would definitely sign her up.

They also host birthday parties (I'm definitely thinking of this for my daughter for next year!) and summer camps.

I put together a short video of our time at the gym. I'm so glad we had a chance to check it out. It's been on our list for a long time and instead of crossing it off we're just planning to leave it there because we want to go back soon!

Disclosure: We were given free passes to try out the Clip'n'Climb. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Music can change your child's life!

Kids in the Capital is delighted to welcome Monkey Rock Music as a sponsor to the blog. Misty got a chance to check out a class with her 2 year-old, but she doesn't need any convincing that a music program can have a huge impact on children's development!

In Grade 4 I got the chance to pick an instrument to learn in our school's music program. Our well-funded program had many possibilities. I chose the violin, but my teacher convinced me to go with the viola - a less popular version of the four-stringed instruments.

Turns out the viola suited me well. As someone who was shy, I liked being the harmony - playing in the background, but as a key piece of the orchestra. My first squeaks on that instrument led to a lifelong love of music. Although I stopped playing the viola in university, I went on to teach myself to play the guitar as an adult and continued piano studies for many years.

Research shows that children who learn music fare better in many other subjects (so THAT'S why I rocked calculus!) These children also have improved test scores, higher IQs, and better language development. And we all know the effects that music can have on our well being - the right song can calm us down, or lift us up.

Does that mean we should be putting our children in music lessons, even if they're not interested? NO! Forcing a child to practice an instrument or a type of music that they do not enjoy is pointless, and usually ends in the child giving up music altogether. What it does mean is that we can help our child foster a love and appreciation for music - in all its forms.

Monkey Rock Music does just that - they teach young children to love music, not to play it. Their classes are located all over the city and cater to different age groups - from babies all the way up to four years of age. My daughter and I got a chance to check out a class the other week, and she loved it! And you know what? I loved it too! There was no pre-recorded music - just a guy with his guitar, and a giant bag full of fun instruments that the kids could play. And I really liked that adult songs were incorporated into the mix, which kept it fun for the "big kids."

In addition to classes located all around Ottawa (and stay tuned for an expansion to Montreal!), Monkey Rock Music will come to your home to host a class or participate in your child's birthday party. Just like the classes, an instructor will bring along their guitar, bag of instruments and a special rainbow parachute! You can request your child's favourite songs ahead of time, and the instructor will get the kids up and moving to the music.

If that weren't enough, this amazing musical team is available for live bookings! You can catch Monkey Rock Music at stage shows  - a monthly show at Greenfield's pub in Barrhaven, and Broadway Bar and Grill or Boston Pizza in Ottawa South. Dinner can be ordered for the whole family, and the shows run from 5:30 - 6:30 pm. As well, you can book the team for special events (MRM recently played at CHEO's Teddy Bear Picnic!)

So skip the piano lessons for now, and work on fostering your child's love of music. You (and your child) won't regret it!