The Wisdom of Daddy: Creative Excursions

It’s amazing what happens when I’m out of the picture and my husband has the kids an entire day or over a weekend. Some of the activities he comes up with are downright brilliant.

Most recently, he took the kids to Oak Creek Wildlife Viewing Area in Naches, Washington. “Huh? Where is that?” You ask? My thoughts exactly…  but boy was I surprised when they returned with great pictures, interesting facts, and lively stories.

Rocky Mountain Elk are the main attraction at this Wildlife Area (though you can go to another part to see Bighorn Sheep as well) and all it takes is a Washington State Discover Pass and calling (509) 653-2390 in advance to make a reservation if you want to take a guided truck tour (these tours are also available on a first-come first-serve basis but it's worth it to make a reservation if you can). As long as you're willing to head to Eastern Washington (near Yakima) in January or February and don't mind waiting around in the cold a bit, you're almost guaranteed to see Elk... and I'm talking about a LOT of Elk, and many with enormous antlers.

These Elk roam in from the neighboring mountains in search of food and apparently there can be up to 1,200 of these massive mammals at the feeding station at a time. Almost 100 miles of 8-foot-high fence was built in the 1940s to keep the Elk from devouring the acres of orchards in this region and every Winter this feeding station supplements the Elks' diet.

Even with two tour jeeps carrying curious folks in to get a closer look, a decent effort is made to keep a respectful distance from these still very wild animals. However, some of the Elk are just as curious as the visitors so there is a chance of up-close viewing. The male bull Elk with their enormous antlers can actually be very territorial (meaning aggressive) so it is essential to follow the rules while visiting.

The free tour even came with a big button displaying an Elk (but please don't call it a button, my kids are quite certain it is a very special badge).

The Wisdom of Daddy: Surprise!

Give me an itinerary and I will give you organized bundles of toys for the car or plane, homemade snacks to keep blood sugars even, and a suitcase packed with everything our family might need (and then some). Planning and organizing can be part of the fun but sometimes it’s a huge relief to just relax and see where the day (or the Dad) takes us.

Weekend hikes have been a surprise all summer. The kids pepper their Daddy with questions:  “Where are we going, Dad?” “What’s the name of this place?” and everyone’s favorite “Are we there yet?” but he just keeps driving, not offering any clues about our destination. There’s a good chance he is simply undecided about which hike would suit us best but I prefer to think that this added element of surprise is a stroke of genius.

Speaking of surprises, Rob planned a brilliant overnight trip to Vancouver, BC for my birthday. He told me about it on Thursday then we left early Saturday morning, leaving the perfect amount of time to get things together but not obsess about the details or over-pack. Forty eight hours in Vancouver really doesn’t do the city justice but we managed to experience plenty of highlights without getting stuck in obnoxious Labor Day traffic at the border crossing.

Using Bing’s travel alerts, Rob scored an excellent last-minute deal at the Fairmont Pacific Rim, set near the lively harbor full of sea planes, enormous cruise ships, and the majestic sails of the iconic Canada Place. The Fairmont kindly let us check in early so we had our home base established, suitcase dumped, car parked, and we were ready to explore.

Our whirlwind of fun began with a bus ride to Granville Island, a mecca for art, shops, food, glorious produce, and all kinds of entertainment.  

We wandered aimlessly enjoying the sunshine, street entertainers and musicians, and window-shopping until we stumbled upon the Kids Market and our children saw a wall of toys in a store window… they had William and Sara at Lego. Rob and I had other thoughts on the best way to spend our time, namely not indoors and not shopping, so after letting them look for a bit, we pried the kids away from the clutches of the insanely huge building full of toy shops with the lure of lunch.

Next stop:  lunch at Bridges then the famous Granville Public Market. I’d like to say that we walked through this historic market full of exotic wares slowly and let all of our senses be delighted by the amazing sights, smells, and sounds but (here is where I wonder whether blogging should always be the whole truth and nothing but the truth) yours truly had a little meltdown…. nothing embarrassing just a quiet yet abrupt “Get me OUT of here!!!” moment. The closed-in marketplace was absolutely packed with people, it was extremely noisy, I was clutching on to Sara’s little hand terrified that I might lose her, and hating that William and Daddy were so far ahead that I couldn’t see them.  Plain and simple, I was overwhelmed. And since we had just dragged the kids out of the toy store I didn’t understand why we were “shopping” more.

Yeah, that's what I felt like, "Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"

Rob did not understand why I was suddenly freaking out and I was not in a great place to coherently explain myself. It took some time but we recovered. The refreshing water park smack dab in the middle of everything helped. We had fun running around in the mist, splashing in troughs of water, and spraying a couple fire hoses. After some fresh air, deep breathing, and being hosed down (kidding), I came to understand that (duh) people come to this island simply to experience the very market that had me out of my mind. We weren’t there to shop, rather we were there to experience interesting new things, one of the mantras of our vacation agenda... oops, Mommy forgot… maybe I needed a nap. Anyhow, we gave it another try and did great the second time around. We got to sample local honey, check out vegetables and fruits we had never heard of, admire handmade hats and scarves, appreciate local art, drool over gorgeous pastries, and take a nice quiet little break perusing books (a wonderful little bookstore was right across the street in another building called the Net Loft).  

A moving iron sculpture with balls rolling on ramps and chain "elevators" lifting the balls back up, located right next to the enormous cement factory. Even the massive cement trucks are decorated in colorful art on this Island.

Native artisans actually carve totem poles right on Granville Island -- they weren't working when we passed by but we got to peek a their workshop and see their creations up close.

After discussing the different images depicted on totem poles, Sara declared "dis one me!"

Pondering frozen treat options

Sara holding my hand

Our ride to the next destination

Taking the AquaBus was a relaxing and fun way to leave Granville Island. It took us to Science World.  

We didn't go in (it was under renovation plus we didn't want to be inside on such a pretty day) but Science World did look great -- maybe next time.

We were all a little tired by this point but talking about a ride on the SkyTrain perked the kids right up. 

We started high above ground, zooming along with views of the city. The kids were fascinated when it went dark around us and our stop was underground

A transportation theme had emerged. We drove the car up, rode the bus to Granville Island, hopped on a little boat to catch the SkyTrain then back to the hotel which is right next to the busy harbor with seaplanes, cruise ships, and all types of marine vessels coming and going.

The hotel's kid-friendly (only 3' 6" deep) pool was the perfect respite after our jet-setting day.

…and the pool was the perfect start the following day. After a little morning splashing we said goodbye to the Fairmont and were back in our car heading toward the awe-inspiring Stanley Park. Having misjudged the distance from the parking lot to the Fish House restaurant where we planned to have brunch, the kids were a bit tired but the benches along the way were a good spot to rest and the payoff was an incredible meal.

William with his cornflake crusted, banana, nutella french toast topped with caramel, whipped cream, strawberry and mint. No, this boy is not interested in the kids menu, thank you

William was happy and the waiter was impressed

A family could spend a full week in Stanley Park and still have fun things left to do. After some time at one of the many incredible playgrounds, we opted to hop on the Stanley Park Trolley to see as much of the park in our limited time frame.

Waiting for the trolley... looking a tad bit tired

While we would have loved to get out and enjoy the park more, the trolley turned out to be perfect for the kids' dwindling energy levels and it rounded out our "transportation theme" beautifully.

The Stanley Park Trolley, complete with a clanging bell at every stop

Rob loves giving gifts of experiences rather than things and I feel very lucky to have received such a well-planned gift. Thank you, Sweetie!

Mountain Man and Ocean Girl: A Love Story

Many years ago, when I was single and such activities were my idea of frivolous entertainment, a street fair psychic predicted I would marry a mountain man. Great, I thought, Grizzly Adams is my future soul mate. Well, not too long after her forecast, I met my dear husband Rob and discovered that sometimes psychics are right! No, Rob is not an unshaven, lumberjack type of mountain man; rather he is a trail running, fresh air, and forest solitude-loving kind of mountain man. He is happiest listening for a raven’s call, surrounded by tall trees and for that (among many other reasons) I love him.

I’m pretty sure Rob has never consulted a psychic, tarot card reader, astrologist or anything of the sort but if he had, maybe he would have heard that he’d marry an ocean girl.  I love the sea. I am happiest with my toes in the sand, listening to waves lap along the shore, searching for shells and beach treasures, paddling along in a kayak and hoping to glimpse any kind of marine life. My favorite vacations always include water and I’m grateful that we live close enough to the mighty Pacific to enjoy it pretty regularly.

Most recently, we were up in the San Juan Islands, Orcas Island specifically, and all of my ocean-urges were satisfied. Beach combing, kayaking, ferry rides, island-hopping, whale watching, beach campfires, lots of playing, and ice cream on hot, sunny days… it was truly idyllic.

The only bad news is that we have officially outgrown Spring Bay Cabin which has been a favorite for many years. I stayed there multiple times in the '90s when I was travel writing for The Best Places to Kiss in the Northwest, and Rob and I enjoyed several romantic getaways there before having kids -- I was actually pregnant with William on our last trip there and we were waiting to hear back whether our offer on this house was accepted... sigh, over 5 years ago... how time flies. Anyhow, since having kids this little cabin has been lovely. One queen bed and a twin worked great last year since the kids could share the twin and sleep at opposite ends. So much for that now... our tall kids don't even come close to fitting and the sleeping bag and pad we brought for William didn't turn out to be so fun for him after all (he originally was thrilled to use his camping gear).  Daddy ended up sleeping on the floor 3 nights while William occupied the twin bed and Sara and I luxuriated in the queen.

Apart from this one small (for everyone except poor Rob) detail, the cabin was still wonderful. Set on forested acres that the owners, Sandy and Carl, are devoted to protecting, the cabin is located right on a quiet bay. The pebble and rock beach is crawling with little crabbies at low tide, bald eagles, great blue herons, and kingfishers are regulars, and the shore is littered with beach glass, sculpted driftwood, kelp, seaweed, and other interesting treasures. Kayaks and a little rowboat are available for use at any time but if you're lucky, you can get Sandy or Carl to take you out or tag along with one of the many kayak tours they lead from the property. It was Sara's first time kayaking and only William's second (his first was at Spring Bay last year) and they both absolutely loved it. At first we had to be careful that their enthusiasm didn't translate into a tipping kayak but they quickly settled down into the relaxing flow of paddling along.

There is plenty to keep a family happy and busy on Orcas Island but we decided to hop on the ferry just to enjoy the ride and get over to San Juan Island where there is a good chance to see Orca Whales. We left our car on Orcas and walked onto the ferry, got off and wandered around Friday Harbor, walked up to the Whale Museum, grabbed lunch, then rode the bus up to Lime Kiln State Park, also known as Whale Watch Park for obvious reasons. All summer long the resident Orca Whale pods traverse the stretch of water west of San Juan Island and we were lucky enough to be there when at least one or two pods were feeding and passing very close to shore. The waiting part was hard on the kids (I don’t think they had a very good idea of what in the heck we were waiting for, even as we pointed at the black dorsal fins appearing intermittently far from shore) and the jagged rocky shoreline made me a little nervous but it was so worth it. We could hear their exhales as groups of these magnificent creatures broke the surface of the water, incredibly close to where we were standing. A few whales even peeked out of the water doing “spy hops” and noisy water-slapping “tail lobs” as if to entertain the spectators. But witnessing a full body-splashing breach when an Orca rockets out of the water, you know they are making these movements purely for themselves (even the scientists aren't sure why the whales do this, I'm convinced it's just for fun).



There are plenty of things I’ll never forget from this trip. Besides what I’ve already shared, here are a few more of my favorites:

The kids' sudden fascination with cards. On the ferry, in the cabin, on the beach, in bed... cards, everywhere.

William's first time having bright blue bubble gum ice cream (made locally right on Lopez Island, by the way). "Dad, there is real bubble gum in there! Look!"

Sara savoring, I mean REALLY savoring her chocolate gelato. She ate practically the whole thing with eyes closed and a serious look of appreciation on her face. My little chocolate connoisseur.

Roasting marshmallows on the beach.
Nothing better than smores and a beautiful sunset with the people you adore most in the world.

This Moment: Orca Whales

A Friday ritual. A single photo capturing a simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment that I want to pause, savor, and remember. Hosted by SouleMama.
(If you're inspired to do the same, please leave a comment below with your link.)

Teachable Travel

All travel promotes learning one way or another but we make a real effort to choose destinations that offer experiences aligned with our values.  We just returned from our second annual 4^th of July Family Getaway Weekend at the North Cascades Institute and it was absolutely wonderful. It’s hard to believe that such a remarkable all-inclusive destination exists at the edge of rugged mountain wilderness, on the shores of glistening green Lake Diablo with dramatic snowcapped mountains all around. Lucky for us, it does exist and not only is it kid-friendly, for several weekends a year they offer programs designed specifically for families!

The fun started on Friday morning at 10am. Yes, it was a little tricky to get packed up and ready to hit the road so early (it takes about two and a half hours to drive there from our house—we wanted to be out the door by 7am but it ended up being closer to 8…oh well) but well worth the effort to have the whole day to spend on vacation in a forested wonderland. Plus, it makes the trip an even better value with lunch included on that first day.  We played a few “ice-breaker” games to get to know the other families and were thrilled to see that there were a lot of kids around the same age as ours. After a hearty, healthy, veg-friendly lunch sign-up sheets were posted for families to choose their desired activities. We picked something called “Ecosystem Exploration” and also signed up for the Ranger-led Junior Ranger Exploration to earn yet another badge (apparently they let kids earn as many as they want from each park and let me tell you, William wears those badges with pride and wants as many as he can get)! Additional activities (various group hikes, free play in the art room, games, and story time to name a few) were offered that didn’t require signing up but plenty of time is also left open for family time, walks, relaxation, or whatever you choose.

Accommodations are Spartan with only two sets of bunk beds, a couple chairs and a small desk in each room but they are clean and well maintained. Pillows and a fitted sheet are provided but other than that, you bring your own bedding. The plain rooms aren’t a problem for us since we didn’t spend much time in the room but the thin walls with no sound-proofing were wearisome.  The family staying in the room next to ours arrived after 10pm and had two kids to get settled down…noisy…and I’m sure we were too noisy for them the following morning. Oh well, I guess it goes with the territory if you sign up for a family weekend…  and all the activities had our kids so worn out that they weren’t easily woken during the night.  Bathrooms are down the hall but that worked out well so I could shower and get dressed without waking the kids up in the morning.

It didn’t even take 24 hours for William to start insisting on hanging out with his new friends, totally in his element. Sara tends to be more reserved but she loved the beach and participated in a lot of the cooperative games (balls and hula hoops are left out in a common area for kids to play with).

The first night we took a walk down to Diablo Dam then on the second night the next we enjoyed a campfire complete with fun songs, Native stories, a silly skit, and smores (Sara’s turn to totally be in her element).  It was especially hard for William to say goodbye to his new BFFs but after the Ranger Exploration, Badge presentation, and a lovely slideshow of moments from the weekend, we took one last walk to the dining hall then headed out. We will be back!