Hiking with Kids {De excursion con los mas chicos}

Holy holiday weekend! We are celebrating our wedding anniversary this weekend and the kids get to stay with grandma and grandpa!

What are you guys planning for your long weekend? 

If you like outdoors and have little kids I have some good ideas for you. My husband and I love hiking and ever since our oldest was born we are always in the search for easy/kids friendly hikes, here is what you need to know:

1. Plan your hike. It is important to know the area you are going, ask friends for reference or search online. All the trails have a difficulty level you want to find the "Easy" if you have small kids and/or if is the first time for you or your kids. Check your local weather too!
2. Know the length out and back. A easy length for little ones (2-4 years old) would be less than 3 hrs in and out. We have done a 4-5 hrs with our kids but we always carry extra food or have a picnic before heading back.
3. Always have an emergency kit with you. There are some portable or you can carry the most important stuff like band-aids, cortisone, neosporin, insect repellent,sunscreen.. a small pocket knife is always good to have.
4. Snacks and water. Take something that your kids like and it's easy to carry and eat on the go. Our favorites are grapes,granola bars, sandwiches, apples and cheerios. (We try to take the less plastic as possible)
5. Be prepare wear the right shoes (close shoes are always recommended), hats, long sleeve if you are going to the mountains,wear layers in case is too hot/cold and wear sun protection even if is not summer. Always bring a sweeter/light jacket along it doesn't matter how hot it is. If your kids are 1 to 3 yrs old rent/buy some child carrier backpacks.
6. Have a cellphone, tell someone exactly where you are going and when you are planning to be back.
7. Enjoy the moment!

Easy Child Proof Hikes to Start with in Utah:

Stewart Falls you can start the trail on Sundance or Aspen Grove (pictures above). Beautiful scenery during Fall, but if you are planning on soaking at the falls Summer will be the best time. If you hike from Aspen Grove plan for a little trail in the middle of the forest. Lots of birds, squirrels and little animals including snakes crossing the path (yikes!) I try not to freak out and my husband takes the opportunity to teach our kids about safety and wild animals.

Battle Creek Falls in Pleasant Grove only 1.5 miles out and back. Very easy for little ones, my 2 year old walked ran it, although there are some scary drops for an unstoppable two year old short legs runner.

And if you have some experience hiking and want something more challenging but still child proof try the Hot Springs at Spanish Fork Canyon. The hike is 4.5 miles out and back. Beautiful place, a cold beautiful waterfall running on the side of warm soaking pools. I will take some caution if your kids are walking and are the kind of kids that wont listen to your instructions just for the fact that there is a creek on the side for a good part of the trail. We took our kids in carriers and our oldest who was 3 at that time walked a little, they really liked it even when it was dark by the time we got back to our car (we started our hike at 6 pm). Plan also to spend some time at the hot water "soaking pools" they range in temperature the closest to the waterfall being the super most hot. Also lots of people like to hike at night mostly couples and teens so there is kind of a different vibe if you go on a late afternoon. If you plan it early there is more kids in the trail and hopefully no shows at the pool area (if you know what I mean). Love this hike!

P.S. Do you know more kids-friendly trails? I would love to hear more!!

Have an Awesome Weekend!

Front Porch Halloween Decoration [Halloween Ideas para Decorar tu Entrada/Puerta]

It is Halloween month ...Yay! 

And since my grandma doesn't read my Blog I can openly admit that it is one of my top 4 favorite Holidays (Christmas, Dia de Muertos and my birthday are the other 3

... yes I am aware birthdays aren't considered holidays ..but mine is). 

I am from the North part of Mexico and even though we celebrate Halloween (except for grandma!) it is not that big of a deal like here in the U.S. 

I think my favorite thing besides dressing up is the decorations!! I find myself walking/driving around the neighborhood just to see how creative people get with their house decorations ...would that be consider creepy? ... I do it during Christmas time too...ba ha!

Entramos en el mes de Halloween ... ¡Sí!  

Y puesto que mi abuela no lee mi blog, puedo decir abiertamente que este es uno de mis cuatro días festivos favoritos (Navidad, Día de Muertos y el día de mi cumpleaños son los otros tres.

Soy del norte de México y aun cuando si celebramos Halloween con excepción de mi abuela!) No es tan comun ver decoraciones de Halloween en las casas a diferencia de aqui.
 Me gusta mucho ver que tan creativa es la gente con la decoracion de su entrada/porche ... a veces me paseo solo para ver las casas de otras personas ...es eso raro? ... (espero que no por que tambien lo hago durante la época de Navidad! jiji)

Pictures from:Google, here, here and here 

Summer Tomato Jam [Mermelada de Tomates y Verano]

Last night  I made Tomato jam

...yes tomato 

sounds weird but tastes really good 

 fresh juicy tomatoes from my mother in law's garden 

I wish I had tomatoes in my garden

I wish I had a garden! 

... 

I can believe we have only one more month of Summer left!

and I still have a long list of things I want to do,

things like:

painting my cabinets and counter tops,

running a 5K 

and become vegetarian

(I doubt I will wish for this during winter.. 

you know right around thanksgiving and Christmas time!)

clean and organize my refrigerator and 

write a book ....

And then there is that list of things that CAN actually happen like:

Make Jam

watch a movie in our backyard 

sit around a camp fire and make smores

do some more camping...

even if we have to do it in our back yard

(since last camping trip Mati's asthma wasn't cooperating)

make a real fancy dinner with friends

and maybe I will clean the refrigerator while I write a book on my mind!

who knows!

Anoche hice mermelada de tomate
... sí tomate
suena raro, pero sabe muy bien,
  con frescos y jugosos tomates del jardin de mi suegros.
Me encantaria tener tomates en mi jardín
Me encantaria tener un jardín!
...
No puedo creer que sólo tenemos un mes más de de verano!
y todavía tengo una larga lista de cosas que quiero hacer,
cosas como:
pintar mi cocina y mostradores,
correr una carrera de 5 km
hacerme vegetariana
(Dudo que tenga la fuerza de voluntad para hacer esto en invierno...ya sabes a la vuelta de Acción de Gracias y Navidad!)
limpiar y organizar mi refrigerador y
escribir un libro ....

  Y luego está la lista de cosas que realmente pueden suceder, como:
   hacer mermeladas
ver una película en nuestro patio trasero
sentarse alrededor de una fogata y hacer smores
acampar un poco más ...
incluso si tenemos que hacerlo en nuestro patio
(ya que el asma de Mati no coopero mucho en el último campamento)
hacer una cena de lujo con amigos
y tal vez voy a limpiar el refrigerador, mientras escribo un libro en mi mente!

¡quién sabe!

Bear Country!

Hoy es un buen dia para mi esposo...
     nos vamos de campamento!!! y es que si por el fuera viviriamos en algo asi (see picture above).

"Don't get me wrong!" me gusta estar en la naturaleza pero para mi "flushing toilet is a must!!" ...especialmente con ninios...

Aun que ayer por la maniana, Cami me dio una sorpresa que involucraba un manial sucio, su cuarto, la alfombra, una montania de toallitas y manos sucias claro!

Pensandolo bien... "It cant get worse than that!"  Can it?

 Oh well

Looking forward to some S'mores and popcorn but especially can't wait  to snuggle with husband and kids in our "family" size sleeping bag....

by the way Can you die from a rattle snake bite?

Have an awesome weekend everyone and remember to keep it COOL!!

A Spartan's wife!

 I am in love with Roberto! One of his many qualities is that he is my husband!!  :)
But his very best (i think) is that he is crazy (ok ..self motivated/driven individual sounds better...but I say he is crazy!) he is no afraid of new things and when he might feel like he is..he pushes himself (sometimes me) to DO IT! just like that! Like running this crazy 8mile obstacle race with not even a month to prepare CRA-EE-ZY!! (told you!)

This 8m Spartan Race will be run in a base elevation of 5477.6’ and a summit elevation of 6831’We don't know exactly what kind of obstacles will be but we know there is fire, mud, water, barbed wire, ice and occasionally "Hell on Earth". There is no map for the race and every time you cannot complete one of the obstacles you go back and do a number of push-ups before you try it again (can you believe you have to pay for this?).
I am so excited for him!
.....and yes I am kind of worry but he will be ok... he is awesome!

and yes papi he has life insurance!


Good luck mi amor!

 SPARTANSSSSS!!!