Get Plugged In!

 Today, Anchorage had it's first snow fall of the season. I don't know whether to be excited or cry! I love how pretty it looks, but I'm really not looking forward to the dark days ahead. When I saw the snow,I started talking myself out of not going to our regular Monday meeting at the Alaska Forest School. I didn't want to deal with getting everyone geared up. I did it because I know how much better I feel when I get outside.

 
Alaska Forest School is such a great way to get outside with the kiddos. Not only does it benefit them, but it really benefits you! I was thinking back when I had 2 kids under the age of 3, and I really didn't know anyone with little ones. I felt so alone. I wanted another mom to talk to, that would understand. My husband worked 3 jobs so I could stay at home so I didn't see much of him. He encouraged me to start up Alaska's Kids, and I did! I was so happy to connect with other moms that had kids the same ages of mine. As a parent, you need this! Especially up here in AK during the winters!

 There are several groups around your city that help connect you with other parents. If there isn't, start one. There are always parents looking to connect. Alaska Forest School is just one of the groups that I belong to to feel connected. It was nice being able to talk to a mom this morning about how I was not prepared with snow gear, and nether was she. It helps me feel normal and that I'm not alone in this parenting business.

 As I pulled up to AFS this morning, I noticed there were a bunch of moms with babies. Found out that Hike It Baby was meeting up at Earthquake Park as well. This is another great group that I belong to. The ladies went for a walk on the trails with their babies in tow. They have fast and slow paced hikes at different hours of the day. You can also find Hike It Baby Anchorage on Facebook.

 Who is your support group? Sometimes it's scary putting yourself out there and meeting new people especially when you are in a fragile state, like just having a baby! I encourage you to get plugged in somewhere. You are not alone. It will be good for you as well as your baby, toddler, or kid. You can find Alaska Forest School on Facebook as well. Be sure to follow Alaska's Kids on Facebook as well. We will try to get you connected with a group and tell you about different events going on around your town!

Alaska October Activities

 

Here are activities going on for the month of October in your area. If you would like to add an event, please email me the info at alaskskids@gmail.com and I will add it. I need event, date, time, location and whats going on. So much to choose from!!

Anchorage/Eagle River

Fall Photos- Oct 25 11a-5p & 26  11a-4a Bells Nursery Specking Rd- Have your kids dress up in costumes or fall attire and take a nice fall photo.

Trunk or Treat- Oct 24 6-9p Birchwood ABC Elementary-Book fair, games, food, bounce house, cake walk, costume contest and more! $5 per treater, $5 meals, and $1 per ticket.

Trick or Treat Town- Oct 24 & 25 Different session times ACS Garage- Activity stations and family entertainment. Proceeds help support the Boys & Girls Club. $7 purchased in advanced, $10 at the door. Purchase tickets in advance at www.trickortreattown.org.

Haunted Trails- Oct 24 4:30-8:30p Goose Lake Park- Trick or Treat Trail is 4:30-6:30p and $6 a person and is suitable for 3 and up. Spooky Trail is 6:45-8:30p $8 a person and suitable for 8 and up. To register call 343-4160 or online at www.muni.org/Active.

Halloween Activites- Oct 24-31 Bass Pro Shops- Mon-Fri 5-8p- Free 4x6 photo with Peanut characters, decorate a stuffed owl, free coloring sheets. Sat and Sun 12-5p- free 4x6 photo with Peanut characters, free coloring sheets, decorate a felt jack-o-lantern, scavenger hunt. Halloween Night- 4-8p- decorate a real pumpkin, trick-or-treating, costume parade.

Trick or Treat Street- Oct 25 12-4p Downtown Anchorage- FREE activities throughout downtown including face painting, balloon art, Halloween cookie decorating at the Hotel Captain Cook, costume contests, Spooky (and fun) Halloween photo ops, a Haunted Visit Anchorage Log Cabin, horse drawn hay rides and SO much more! Click here for the map.

Trunk or Treat-  Oct 26 3-5p Turnagain United Methodist Church 3300 W Northern Lights- Turnagain United Methodist Church will be hosting its Annual Trunk or Treat! Dress up in your spookiest costume and bring the kids over for some treats and more! This event is free!

Pumpkin Pump Blacklie Boulder Fest- Oct 31 13year old & up Nov. 1 kids under 13 Alaska Rock Gym- $25 doors open at 5p fun starts at 6p, treats, drinks, and best costume prizes

Trick or Treat at the Mall- Oct 31 6-8p Northway Mall- Join us for a fun and family filled night of trick or treating.

Fall Festival- Oct 31 6-8p First Baptist Church 1100 W 10th- FREE Games, food, prizes, fun for all! Costumes optional, non scary costumes please.

Zoo Boo- Oct 31 5-9p Alaska Zoo- $5 for zoo pass holders and $7 for non-pass holders. Kids 2 and under are free. Treat stations, activites, a bon fire and more!

Halloween Performance and Party School House Rocks!- Oct 31 7p Atwood Concert Hall- Join “Schoolhouse Rock” for a wholesome Halloween night performance and party your children will remember for a lifetime. Kids (and adults) come to the performance in costume because afterwards, all four levels of the Atwood Concert Hall lobby are opened for indoor trick-or-treating. Click here for tickets.  

Eagle River Trunk or Treat- Oct 31 5-6pm Bear Paw Festival Parking Lot 11901 Business Blvd.- Bring your family for trick or treating and hot cocoa in a fun, safe, and relaxed environment.


Mat Su

Reindeer Fall Festival- Saturdays in Oct 10a-6p Williams Reindeer Farm- $10 for 3 yrs and up. Homemade goodies, lots of fun, pony rides, wagon rides, potato launching, hay maze, spooky walk, bunnies, play in the corn box, horse drawn carriage, pumpkin patch, visit with the reindeer, some great music from "The Jenks" all the way from Oregon, great kid music lots of fun. And so much much more.

Fall Harvest Celebration- Oct 24th 6p Wasilla Lake Christian School- Please join us for food, games, prizes and a ton of fun!Admission is free and tickets are .25 cents each or an UNLIMITED family wristband for $25. All proceeds go to our teacher classroom discretionary fund.

Halloween Carnival- Oct 25th 12-4p Midnight Sun Family Learning Center (7275 W. Midnight Sun Circle)- Enry fee is $5 and includes 12 tickets. You can buy more tickets for .50 cents each or 12 for $5. There will be fingernail painting, bean bag toss, fortune teller, cake walk, trick-or-treat alley, fish pond, food and more!

Annual Haunted House-  Oct 24-25 7pm-11pm Mat-Su Animal Shelter- Admission is only 5.00 for the tour and kids activities in the lobby are FREE!

Halloween Hollow- Oct 31 3-8pm-  Raven Hall on the Alaska State Fairgrounds is turned into a country trick or treat carnival. This is a warm, safe, fun not frightening Trick or Treat Carnival with over 40 booths for children and families at Raven Hall on the Alaska State Fairgrounds. Price: $5.00 per person or a new unwrapped gift. Halloween Hollow benefits the Mat-Su Special Santa Program and Toys for Tots, bringing gifts and winter wear to over 3400 children in the Valley.

Houston High School Fall Carnival- Oct 31 6-8pm Houston High School-  Games, crafts, cake walk and a mini hover craft to ride. Fireworks to follow at 8:15p.

Spooky Skate Halloween Party- Oct 31  4-6p Brett Ice Arena- Come skate in costume! Costume contest, music, games, cake walk, candy, trick or treat rooms, and skating! Come in costume and get a discount! Fun for all ages. $5 admission, $4 for kids or seniors and $3 for skate rentals. Come in costume and get 2 for 1 admission.

Fairbanks

Trick or Treat Town - Oct 25 12-7p Pioneer Park- $5 in advance, $7 at the gate. Entertainment, Face painting, balloon art, family costume contest, games, food, classic halloween movies, and trick or treating.

Creepy Critters- Oct 25th Noon - 4:00 pm. Games, Crafts,Snacks and ancient bones! Come discover the ice age massive cats! Fun for all ages at the Creamer's Field Farmhouse. Call 452-5162 for more information.

Halloween Howl-  Oct 31 10:30a Noel Wien Library Berry Room- Wear your costume and get ready to howl at this special Halloween storytime for 3 to 6 year olds.

Creative Fun Halloween Celebration -Oct 31 4:30-6:30p Del Rays Deli 455 3rd Ave #107- Del Rays is having a family fun night on Halloween night! Cost is $5.00 per family. We will have Miss Sasha Berry from Berry Balloons here making balloon animals. There will be festive cookie decorating, gooey mud pudding and candy! Coffee will be provided for adults as well. Bring your kids and come join the fun with Del Rays!! If you would like to come please rsvp (send a message) by October 28th so we make sure we have enough goodies for all the kids.

Halloween Carnival- Oct 31  10a-12p Hearts & Hands Play Center-Come join us for games and prizes! Costumes welcomed. The carnival will be held downstairs. $2 per child or $5 a family.


Juneau

Halloween Carnival- Oct 24 5:30-7:30p & 25 12a-4p Nugget Mall- Carnival style!

Auke Bay Co-op Harvest Festival- Oct 25 5-7p Church of JCLDS 5100 Glacier Hwy- $5 per family or $15 per family. Face painting, cupcake walk, family portraits, games and activites!

Halloween Skate- Oct 30 6:45-8:15p Treadwell Ice Arena- The Halloween Skate is a costume-themed open skate session for children and adults of all ages. The Arena staff goes all out with great decorations, costumes, lights and music. Skate rentals available at the rink.

Ghost Walk- Oct 31  4:30-6:30p Mt Jumbo Gym- FREE The event includes activities for young children, including carnival games, a haunted house, coloring stations, glow in the dark, bowling & candy.

Halloween Carnival-  Oct 31 6-8p Chapel by the Lake- Fun for the whole family! Costume contest at 7p, games, popcorn, cotton candy and a bounce house!

Cedar Park Halloween Hoedown- Oct 31 6-9p Cedar Park- Food, candy, games, prizes and glow sticks!

Creepy Cave & Library Labyrinth- Oct 31 4-7p Valley Public Library

Kenai

Soldotna Public Library Pumpkin Carving/Decorating Contest- Oct 27-30- Library patrons of all ages are welcome to bring in their own pumpkin anytime during library hours those days. Entries will be separated into costumed, painted and carved categories. Winners will be announced Oct. 30. Families and businesses are encouraged to participate.

Tsalteshi Spook Night- Oct 26 5-6:30p Tsalteshi Ski Trails/Skyview Access- 1K Trick or Treat Trail for the Kids and 5K Zombie run for the rest of the family! More details soon at tsalteshi.org

Kids Harvest Carnival- Oct 29 6:30-8p Peninsula Grace Brethren Church- FREE Games, candy, hot dogs, puppet show, temporary tattoos, costume contest. Contest for kids age birth to 12, please no scary or inappropriate costumes.

Tustumena Elementary Trunk or Treat- Oct 31 5-7p Carnival 6-7p

Nikiski Pool Trick or Treat- Oct 31 5-6p and Pumpkin Plunge 6-7p

NewLife Harvest Festival- Oct 31 6-8p Kenai New Life 251 Princess St- Tons of games, candy, bounce house, snacks and cake walk!

Trunk or Treat- Oct 31 5-7p Kenai Christian Church-  Candy, hot chocolate, puppet shows and food!

Trunk or Treat- Oct 31 4:30-5:30p Sterling Elementary- Fun, family event.

Trunk OR Treat- Oct 31 4-6p Boys & Girls Club- Fun, fun, fun!

Fear Not Festival- Oct 31 6-8p Birch Ridge Community Church 33325 Echo Lake Rd- A family event for all ages! Petting zoo, face painting, games, prizes, costume contest, outdoor maze and more! Please no scary costumes.

Happy Fall Time!!

Life Happens

 Hey everyone! So let me catch you up to speed! My last post was over a year ago! Sorry 'bout that, but life was happening so quick!

  In that time, I had my 4th child and we are done! Phew! I was also homeschooling my oldest, selling our condo, and trying to keep my head above water. So my blogging was last to be taken care of, sorry!

 Things have slowed down and I'm hankering to tell parents about all the cool things to do around the state. I'm looking at starting a team of writers to help me do this on the blog. Are you interested? My vision is to have a mom or dad from each city write about what families can do in their town. You can also write about life in Alaska with your kid(s). I'm open to ideas! I just want to reach all of Alaska! Is this you? If so, please e-mail me at alaskaskids@gmail.com.

 Check back periodically as I update the site. Hope you are out enjoying these fall days!

Skedaddle Guest Post

  When I had invisioned Alaska's Kids, I wanted to have a review on all the different playgrounds throughtout the state on the blog. Well 3 kids later and not enough time, I wasn't able to do it. But I was so thrilled to learn about Skedaddle! Skedaddle is a parent group that meets together OUTSIDE rain or shine, every Tuesday at a different park in Anchorage, and have reviews on the parks they visit.

 The group is part of Anchorage Outdoor Family Network , who you can also find on Facebook. Lia organizes Skedaddle and I'm so glad that there is a group where parents can connect while their kids burn off energy outside. Be sure to join a Skedaddle and meet some new friends!

Lia, take it away!

Hello!  I am Lia Keller, born and raised in Anchorage, AK.  I am now raising my two wild sons here in the place I grew up!  I also have an all-weather playgroup meeting each Tuesday at 10 in a playground around town. 

  I don’t have one favorite movie or even an all time favorite song.  My favorite color has held steady with “sea glass” (I guess technically that is about three or four colors) for a few years now.  So when Jamie asked me to write about my favorite playground in Anchorage, I was at a loss.  I love so many playgrounds in Anchorage - Lynn Ary in Turnagain, Carlson Park in Midtown and Nunaka Valley North on the Eastside to name a few. 

 Most Anchorage Parents are familiar with those playgrounds and might need a change of scenery.  So, instead of my most favorite park in Anchorage, I am presenting you with  my “list” of favorite parks in Anchorage.  I hope you find a new place to take your children and maybe add one to your list of favorite parks.

My kids want to explore - Johns Park

            Along with the typical playground equipment, this park sits along a stream and forrest.  There is even a trail loop with a bridge.

 

 

Time to kill downtown - Nulbay Park

            Most families flock to the old Elderberry Park when downtown.  Instead, I like to visit this park with whale sculptures you can climb.  There is grass and sand, so bring shovels and buckets. 

 

Sledding - Sitka Street Park

            Go past Russian Jack and steer clear of Service High School for sledding.  Sitka Street has a fantastic sledding hill.  Little kiddos can zip down the side and you can have fun on the front of the hill.  They are putting in a skate park this summer and I hope they leave my favorite hill alone!

 

 

Crisp, Fall day - Pop Carr Park

            The playground isn’t the best in town, but the trees are amazing.  Huge piles of leaves gather on the little hills.  There is a large grassy area and paved trail for little bikers.

 

 

My kids want trains - Alderwood Park

            Sunset HIll has a great little playground that has a train station and train with multiple cars.  There also are swings, grass and a bench for me to sit as the boys go on train trips all over the world.

 

Raining cats and dogs - Storck Park

            While my boys will play outside in any weather, I don’t mind a shelter over my head in the rain.  Stork park has a great picnic shelter that is even glassed one side blocking the wind.  The play areas are right next to the shelter so I can stay dry and knit as my boys run off their energy!

 

Thanks Lia!

If you want to see all the parks and playgrounds Anchorage has to offer, visit this website, Anchorage Park Foundation. And don't forget to get some fresh air with your little ones with Skedaddle!

Point Woronzof Beach

  It has been a beautiful week so far and the forecast calls for sunny skies throughout the rest of the week! Today the kids and I met up with Peace Tree Kids through the Anchorage Outdoor Family Network. As usual, we were running late. I can't seem to get anywhere on time with 3 kids. Anyways, I had never been to Pt Woronzof but wanted to get some of those great photos that people are always posting. To get there, take Northern Lights west past Earthquake Park. You go so far you almost think you should turn around because you are starting to go around the airport. Pt Woronzof parking is on the right hand side.

 I brought my trusty BOB stroller. The picture doesn't show very well, but it is rocky trail. The BOB only made it down half way. I suggest putting the little ones in a Ergo or pack. Bring your buckets and shovels! Make sure the kiddos have their rain gear on because they will get wet! This beach is a lot easier to get down to then the Kincaid Beach.

 There were BEAUTIFUL views of the surrounding mountains. We only stayed in one place but you can walk the beach for miles. If you walk past the graffiti building, you can see Anchorage. Airplanes were flying right over us, which was pretty loud. But great time for those kids who love airplanes!

 Kaden was enjoying throwing rocks in. The girls were just trying to stay warm. Their hands got cold and wet pretty fast. I'm really excited for summer so we can go back and visit. You could see chunks of ice floating by. When they tide is out, there is a lot of mud to play in. Everyone stayed pretty dry until the very end when Brooke decided to walk out farther. You would think she would listen to her wise mom saying "Brooke, that's far enough." Nope, out she walked and plop she went. Face first into the cold water. Sigh. That is generally how our water visits end. I'm glad I've learned from my mistakes and bring extra clothes to any water playdates.

 While the kiddos were munching on snacks, I pulled over in a parking lot to see the overlook of Anchorage. I didn't have my camera, just my phone. We will be back to take some better photos!

FYI the Peace Tree Kids meet up every Wednesday at a different location! You can also meet up with Skedaddle on Tuesday or Taiga Trekkers on Thursday! Be sure to visit them through the Anchorage Outdoor Family Network!

Extra, Extra Read All About It

 I'm so excited to share the news I have! Sarah, owner of Alaska Baby Rentals, and I have joined forces to bring you the first AK Mom 2 Mom sale. What is a Mom 2 Mom sale you ask?

 Think of an indoor garage sale, but bigger and better. A sale that has ONLY maternity, baby, and kid gear! No driving across town to find that a garage sale that says "baby clothing" only has a couple of stained onesies. There will be moms and dads selling their gently used kid items. You know there will be lots of items that still have tags on it! Think of those snowsuits that your little one is outgrowing and will need another for next winter.

 Don't just think clothes, think bigger! Strollers, play equipment, car seats, swings, bikes! I'm getting too excited! Where has this Mom 2 Mom sale been my whole motherhood! This would have saved my multiple trips to stores and meeting people from Craigslist!

 These sales are new to us in Alaska, but not new to the lower 48. In Michigan, where they started, they sell out of vendor spots! They have several sales happening in the surrounding areas weekly!

 This sale is a great way to bring all the gear your kids have out grown without having your own garage sale. We are bringing the people who want to buy kids gear to you! Sell your items and walk away with money! Don't forget about selling all those cute maternity tops and pants you bought online because you couldn't find them in AK. Ready to register to sell at our event?

 Didn't sell everything? No worries. The churches charity, Give N Take, will be collecting donations to give to people or other local charities in need.

 Wanna come shop? Admission is $2 for adults and children are free! There will also be several local kid friendly businesses! Bring some totes to load your goods in.

 Mark your calendars for March 10, 2012 from 10a-2p at Abbott Loop Community Church. Plenty of time to browse the tables. Get a sitter for the kids so you can shop, and guess what..... we are going to have a coffee shop open! Grab your coffee and shop around!

 Spring cleaning is right around the corner! Be sure to like us on Facebook to hear about items that will be sold, tips, or when the next event is. Please share it with your family and friends! See you at the sale!

Anchorage Public Library

 I love books. I could get lost in a book all day, which is really hard when I have 3 little ones running around. I can get a chapter here or there. Sometimes it's mommy guilt saying "you can't read, you have dishes and laundry to do!" I'm still learning how to fight back with that huge voice.

 I LOVE peeking into the room to see my kids looking through books. The photo above was not staged. Kaden and Brooke were sitting back to back reading and Kora was looking as well. Books are usually scattered all over the floor daily. We have build a great collection from celebrations, just cause, and the Imagination Library.  (Great program for kids to get a FREE book monthly till they are 5!)

 It is always fun to get new books, so we head to the library to check out some "new" books. Do you have a library card? Going to the library is a LIFESAVER for winter months here in Alaska. They have great programs for little ones. Even in the summer, there is always something going on. They have programs for ALL ages! Be sure to visit their site to find out what event is coming up.

 We like to visit the Loussac library. They have a great kids section with a great resource area (as seen above.) Did you know that you can check out lap sit bags and storypackets?! It's these cool bags with several books and other goodies in them. The themes range from Alaskan tales to trucks to the zoo! I've been using this for Kaden's homeschool. I didn't have to go in and find a whole bunch of books on the theme we are covering. This is also great if you want to get in and get out with a bunch of books! Did you know you can put books on hold for you online? It's how I save time (and my sanity) when going in. The kids for some reason don't have fun when I'm trying to find a book for me, go figure.

 I think it is very inviting for families to sit and read. I haven't visited all of the libraries, but I'm pretty sure each of them have a cool little kid section. We like visiting the muldoon as well. Here is a list of the library locations in the larger cities of Alaska: Anchorage municipality, Fairbanks , Juneau, Kenai, Homer, Seward. Which one is your home library?

 At the Loussac library, there are also puzzles, felt boards and blocks for building. I think next time I'll have my books ready for pickup so I can get some reading in and then let them play. The day we went, I made a couple of rookie mistakes. Stayed to long, is that even possible? Oh wait, with kids, yes. Stayed too long and it was lunch and nap time. What was I thinking? Needless to say Brooke screamed/screeched, whatever you want to call it, it was loud and embarrassing. THEN I was paying attention to the man who was getting me a new card and Brooke was gone. Kaden asked, "where's Brooke?" At first I didn't think she could get that far away. When I walked around and couldn't find her, all these thoughts started racing through my head. Do I get them to lock the doors, what if someone took her, what if she got on the elevator, what do I do! Probably 2 minutes passed, seemed like 15, and then I started YELLING her name. A lady pointed me upstairs, and sure enough there she was, laughing. She made it up 2 flights of stairs very quickly and quiet.

 Has something like that ever happened to you? It is the scariest thing! Well just getting out of the library, the kids were going crazy as well as myself. I don't know how I left without tears. We will be back, just with a better plan of attack and we won't stay as long. What works for you at the library? Or any public place with small, walking kiddos.

 Just FYI, the mayor is proposing budget cuts for our libraries. The Samson-Dimond library was already closed, so sad. I would really hate to see more budget cuts to a great community resource. Visit the Anchorage Library Foundation to learn more and how to get involved. Have you liked the Anchorage Public Library facebook page yet? They let you know when all the fun events are going on. So if you haven't done it, go get a library card!

Get outside and explore!

There is a great group called the Anchorage Family Outdoor Network to help you get out and enjoy the outdoors with your little ones. Two amazing ladies organize the group and lead subgroups. Harmony leads Taiga Trekkers and Lia leads Skedaddle. These ladies inspire me to get out of the house with the little ones and I hope this interview inspires you to get some fresh air or better yet join in the fun!!

Please tell us a about your groups and what you offer.
  Harmony: Taiga Trekkers is a great group of active parents. We meet up most Thursdays at 10. We have also recently added a once a month family Trek to include working families and spouses. The group started out with hiking with just infants and toddler and we have evolved to bigger kids who want to trek on their own. We certainly aren't sprinting up the trails, we take our time and wait for each other to tend to our children's needs. Infants and toddlers are worn or pushed in strollers/sleds. The older kids hike at their own speed. We may not all travel the same average speed, but make sure that no one is ever alone, that there are always two adults together. This way we do not need to worry about keeping the entire pack together. With the cold temperatures in the winter and larger animals in the spring and summer, the buddy system is important for safety. It is also important to break and let the munchkins get out and enjoy nature themselves. I try to schedule a stroller/sled/pulk friendly event every other week.Eventually we will evolve into an all ages family hiking group when our older kiddos become too big for the strollers and carriers.

Setting off on trails we expect to find wonder and are not stressed if we don't get to the final destination. Safety and sanity always come first. We respectfully request that dogs do not come on our hikes.
Thanks to some wonderful sponsors we have some great gear for parents to test drive. Please check out our gear page for more info.

We are in the Alaskan wilderness and hiking ultimately is at your own risk. We trust that each adult will act according to what is in the best interest of their child and themselves.
Lia:  I co-lead the Anchorage Outdoor Family  Network with Harmony.  She is the major leader and I just try to put in activities when they arise!

My main group is Skedaddle, an all weather playgroup.  I feel strongly about kids needing to be out in nature with unstructured time.  We currently meet at playgrounds or nature sites around town, but if the needs of the group change, I am open!  I have only cancelled one skedaddle - on the icy road day when schools closed.  We had about 6 families when it  was right at zero and during the summer the numbers increase greatly!

Please tell us a little about your family.
 Harmony:  I am a stay-at-home mama taking time away from being an elementary teacher. My husband is in construction. We have one child who is turning 2 in February and two K9 kids.

Lia:  I was born in Alaska and am so happy to be living here again.  I have two boys, one and two, born 15 months apart.  We try to get out as much as we can to ski, do orienteering, fish, hike, or just play in the yard.
What made you want to start your group?
Harmony: I love being outside, but am a big ninny about going out by myself. My over active imagination convinces me there is a bear or moose around every corner. From what I've heard there's never been a bear attack on a group larger than 4 - safety in numbers. I also wanted to meet new people with a similar desire to exercise and share the outdoors with our kids.
Lia: I wanted to get my kids into nature as much as possible.  I read Last Child in the Woods and was motivated to provide an easy way for other families to get out as well.

What kind of gear do I need for me and my little one(s)?
Harmony: If you are hiking with a cuddler or a cruiser you'll need a baby carrier as all the trails we do can be done with one. It doesn't matter which one you choose, moby, ergo, framepack as long as it is appropriate for your child's weight and age. Every other week we try to make sure we do a stroller/pulk friendly trail - these hikes work really well for parents of more then one child. The only other gear required is weather/temperature appropriate clothing. Jen Aist's book Babes in the Woods is a great resource for those parents who question if their dressing their kid for the cold. She also often puts on workshops in the Anchorage area.
Lia:You just need to dress for the weather!  A sled is nice in the winter!

When some people hear Alaska, hiking, bears, snow, etc it can get overwhelming and some will opt out. What can you say to encourage the parent who has never been hiking or played out in the rain, to get outside and enjoy nature.

Harmony: Like I said before safety in numbers is important. Most of the trails we schedule are ones I've done myself with my family, or suggestions from other parents who have done them. Spending time outside no matter the season or temps is very important in brain development and sets the stage for a life full of adventure. Making a routine of it early makes it so much easier when you hit the so called "terrible twos" and other challenging developmental stages. I currently have two moms writing pieces for me on how to hike successfully with two kiddos under 3 at the same time. We are always available for answering questions and try to post pertinent info and resources on the blog.
Lia: I often want to stay at home when I am trying to shove two screaming toddlers into their winter gear while the thermometer hangs in the single digits.  I just keep telling myself that it will get better.  Sometimes my kids get cold, wet or just want to go home after we get out of the car that morning.  I try to encourage them to stay, but sometimes we are the first to leave!  It always seems that the parents get cold and wet first, as the kids have fun splashing or sledding!

Lia, I understand you created a site that is gear approved by Alaskan moms. Can you tell me about that?  

Lia: I was frustrated trying to find a review of a carrier cover.  I found reviews saying it was great in the winter, but the reviewers were in Arizona and Tennessee.  I wrote to the company and they seemed interested in the idea of reviews done for our extreme conditions and lifestyles.  I get items from companies and try to match them with reviewers in the Crew.  They write a little review and I place it on the site.  I also have been putting reviews for items people already own and enjoy.  I want it to be a place that people can use to find gear useful for skedaddles or treks with the Taiga Trekkers.  Moms always know best!

  How do I become a member?
Harmony: Joining the Anchorage Outdoor Family Network http://www.meetup.com/Anchorage-Outdoor-Family-Network/ is the best place to join as you can RSVP there. We also have a blog http://taigatots.blogspot.com/. The blog is more for sharing pictures with family members "Outside" and for getting info about resources as mentioned before... and every group must have a facebook page.
Lia: To join skedaddle, just show up and have fun!  The location is on the AOFN and skedaddle blog!  Come for ten minutes or two hours!

To join the Alaskan Mom Review Crew, follow this link and fill out the form!  You are top on the list if you review an item you already own and give the seal of Alaskan mom approval!

http://skedaddlekids.blogspot.com/2010/12/alaskan-mom-approved-gear.html

Thanks ladies!! Check out the sites and visit one of the meetups when you just need to get out of the house with the little ones!