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The Richest Experiences are Free
I find it ironic that the simplest times spent with family and friends are often the richest experiences we have in life. In a world full of expensive curated experiences at lavish places to visit, we find ourselves drawn to intimate settings with loved ones. My family had a good taste of that this weekend.…
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Atascadero Lake Park and Zoo with Kids
“Children still need a childhood with dirt, mud, puddles, trees, sticks and tadpoles” – Brook Hampton. If you are local to the Central Coast or just visiting and looking for a place where kids can be kids, Atascadero Lake Park should be on your shortlist. Last Thursday I took my boys (ages 2 and 5) to…
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Are Birthday Parties Important to a Toddlers Development?
My youngest son Kylan is turning three years old this spring and his birthday has been a big topic of conversation in my house. Regular readers of this blog know that we believe in experiential gifting in our house but the experience of having a birthday party for our kids each year remains a high…
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We’re Leaving! | Kids Packing Checklist
The second half of this year will look drastically different than the first half. That’s because we are traveling internationally from mid-June through mid-December. For us, this is a dream trip and something we have been trying to make happen for a while. My wife is a college professor and after five years of graduate…
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My Quick Trip To Pick Up Cabernet
It has taken me a long time to write this story. Mostly because it was a bit of a traumatic experience that I wasn’t mentally ready to revisit until now. Boating safety has always been something I’ve taken seriously regardless of who is on my boat. But having young kids who are non-swimmers on the…
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Hiking Bluff Trail in Montaña De Oro with Kids
BY: MATT ELLIS / TEMPLETON, CALIFORNIA If you are familiar with my work you know that I subscribe to the idea that spending time in nature produces happy and healthy humans in general, and with kids, it’s darn near mandatory. With this in mind, we set out on our most recent adventure to hike the…
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Do’s and Don’ts | Central California Beach Day with Kids
Why do humans love the ocean? Marine biologist Wallace J. Nichols believes that we all have a “blue mind” that is triggered when we’re in or near water. It is described as a “mildly meditative state characterized by calm, peacefulness”. A UK-based project called Blue Gym found that people who live near the coasts are…
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2023 Guide | Sno-Parks with Toddlers
Over the years my wife and I have snowboarded all over the Western United States and Canada. It was a passion. The mountains just had a special pull on us. At one point, just about every weekend was planned around our trips to the mountain. That all came to a screeching halt about five years…
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5 Rainy Day Activities for Kids
It’s raining, it’s pouring, the creek bed is roaring, schools are closed, roads are hosed, couldn’t get out in the morning. As I sit here and write this there is an aquatic river dumping on Central California and it has me thinking about how to keep my boys busy with indoor activities. I’m not opposed…
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A Sport For All Seasons | Youth Sizing Charts
If you have ever read any of my blogs you know that I love outdoor sports with my kids. Part of doing that safely is sizing them correctly to their equipment. To do this I’ve scoured the internet for industry reviews, manufacturer spec sheets, blog articles, customer reviews, and more. As a result, I’ve created…
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