STANLEY's Heavy Duty Outdoor Series

I'm a big fan of Stanley's Vacuum Bottles and Food Jars, they're hard core and something you buy one time which is better for the environment and your wallet.  Being a person who follows an organic whole foods veggie diet, I'm used to bringing along my home prepared foods and have collected a variety of to-go ware.   My Stanley stuff looks brand new even after years of use, it's just very well made and virtually indestructable.

When I discovered their Outdoor line, I got very excited since I'm gearing up for Summer adventures.  Check out this Vacuum Bottle with two built in cups.  Very smart!  I can see so many uses for this, what a great option to be able to share.  And not only that, but the cups are color coded which is a nice practical detail.  The Bottle holds a lot, keeps you drink hot or cold all day, and the colors are a very good looking deep charcoal, olive green and bright orange. 

The Mug has a clip so you can attach it to your pack.  It's not light weight so if that is an issue, this wouldn't be your best bet.  But I love that it is insulated, BPA free and heavy duty.  It won't rust or leak.

If you want to carry some hot food along with you, the Outdoor Food Jar is wonderful.  Again, the nice color scheme, no BPA, and they've included a spork in the lid.  This keeps your food hot all day, or cold, won't leak, and is built to last. 

Bringing your own home made food reduces your chances of coming into contact with chemicals and germs, you can make sure all your stuff is organic (very important to me), and it's just healthier and more satisfying and it saves you money.  All three of these would be excellent for car camping, road trips or brown bagging it to school or work.

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Horny Toad Hoodies for Spring and Summer

Hoodies are fabulous for this time of year when the weather is touch and go and they'll see you right through Summer and the beginning of Fall.  They're good for layering or for when the temperature drops and you want to cover your head or get a little shetler from a rain shower.

I love Horny Toad for their eco friendly fabrics and versatile styles.  They travel well and the colors mix and match to give you maximum options.  The Delectable Hoodie is soft and cozy and has a flattering neck line and raglan sleeves.  It's great to keep in your backpack for when you get chilly and it works for sportier occasions as well as daily casual.  That neckline serves to dress it up and it just looks nicer than your average pullover.

The Zennie Jacket is a zip-up hoodie with some detail seams that create slimming lines.  It's ultra light weight and perfect for Summer.  I'd wear this with jeans or a dress.  Horny Toad is a company with a sense of humor and a heart.  They seem to try to make all their clothes your favorite--you know, the clothes you wear to tatters while other stuff sits in your closet because it just doesn't feel as good.  They use green materials like organic cottons, bamboo, and tencel and are made for comfort and durability.  Find them Here.

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Fabulous New App for Kids: Ansel and Clair's Adventures in Africa

If you have an Ipad and kids, you are going to want to know about this cool new app by Cognitive Kids.  If you don't, seriously, consider getting a refurb, it's worth every penny and then some.  And then consider Ansel and Clair for your very first app.

Ansel, a very cute little alien travel photographer from the planet Virtoos, takes his robot buddy Clair on an African adventure that will educate while it entertains.  This is why I got an Ipad--for apps like this.  But they are few and far between, I hope Cognitive Kids makes a habit out of this!

It's ideal for the modern eco kid and wonderful for parents who don't want their kids to play mind-rot games only.   You know, it's like junk food.  A peice of candy won't kill them from time to time, but as a main diet, you want your kids eating vitamin rich food.  This is the organic apples and almond butter of Ipad apps.  It's portable, there's no waste or clutter, and it combines learning with FUN. Watch a preview HERE.

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Easing into Camping with Kids

Camping used to be one of my favorite activities, but after having a child I shied away from it.  This makes no sense!  What better time to enjoy the outdoors than when you have children?  It teaches them an appreciation for nature, for the sound of the wind in the trees, makes them capable in the outdoors, lets them feel the joy of sleeping close to the earth, the thrill of sipping a warm drink by the glow of a campfire, and experience the endless magic of mother nature. 

For me, the deterrents are safety, and the sheer the work of the thing.  Setting up camp, clean up, food, taking down the camp, having to be much more vigilant than at home....and all this by myself.  Ah yes, now I see why I haven't been camping!  It seems like more work and stress than the fun and relaxation that it used to be.  My son is now six and this summer I'm determined to introduce him to a cherished summer pastime.

Here's how I'm easing into it.  We first did a little camp-out in our house.  We moved the furniture aside and set up camp.  It was too cold and rainy outside anyway, and it was such good fun the tent stayed up for about three days.  There is something so enchanting about tents, I revert back to a kid the minute the thing goes up.   Then, when the weather permitted,  we set up camp in the backyard.

Next is something I'm calling "day camping."  This is a brilliant thing.  You go to a campsite or state park (check the rules) and camp out for the day.  When the sun is setting, you pack up and head home.  After we get good and comfortable, we will start with the over nights.   The weather is still touch and go but by the time Summer gets here, we should be ready to go.  Baby steps.  If you have some help, you can jump right in, but if you don't, I think camping with kids is totally doable one step at a time.   Stay tuned for more on Summer family camping.

Image Credit: Nick Chill

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Ahnu Tilden II: Great Hybrid Shoe Promotes Wellness

Too cold for sandals but too hot for shoes?  Check out these hybrid Ahnu Tilden II's.  The sole offers a lot of traction and shock absorption and the ventilation makes it perfect for Spring or cooler summer mornings.  You can start out with socks and take them off as you warm up, or put them back on in the evening if it gets too chilly.  This is ideal for people living in climates that change quickly (hello fellow Pacific North-westerners).  They're great for hiking, biking and other outdoor activities. 

This is a foot-flattering shoe, if you like for your foot to look smaller (something unusual in performance shoes), this is your shoe.  The mesh is soft and breathable and you can customize your fit with a lock down system as opposed to laces, very simple.  The loop on the back strap makes it easy to get on and off and the reinforced toe box makes them great for the trails.  Ahnu utilizes their own Numentum technology which is meant to increase comfort and stability.  Because of their versatility and durability, I think these would be fabulous for travel.  I can think of a few times I wish I'd had a shoe like this with me and I can't wait to hit the road with them.

Ahnu is the namesake of the Mother Earth-like Celtic Goddess of balance and well being, in case you are wondering.  This is appropriate since they employ sustainability and ethical supply chain practices in addition to their philosophy promoting a balanced life.   Ahnu has partnered with the Breast Cancer Fund to raise money for their Prevention Mission, donating a portion of sales to the cause.

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CB2 Oliver Bicycle Dishes: Citrusy Summer Fun

Look at these cool appetizer plates from CB2.  I love this little Oliver character and the fruit and veggies that often accompany him, like this cute bike dish with lime wheels.  They're meant for adults, but they're great for kids, my son thinks they're funny and loves them.  They're made of fairly durable porcelain are so much better than melamine (ie plastic) plates you see for kids.  They're the right size for peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, or snacks like crackers and fruit.

They would be so fun for a cocktail party and Summer eating outside on the patio.  They just make me smile and I like the way they manage to celebrate riding your bike, fruit and the season all at once.  Find them Here.

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LOWEPRO CompuDay Photo 250: Modern Day Must Have

If you have an SLR camera, you know it can be difficult to find the right bag.   Lowepro's new CompuDay bag is perfection.  I have yet to find a backpack that meets my needs like this--ever--let alone one that is also a camera bag.  It's as though Lowepro read my mind and made the ultimate backpack just for me.

Having a larger camera was more complicated than I thought it would be.  Back in October, after my small Canon Powershot failed me miserably with my son's Halloween photos, I invested in a Canon Rebel SLR.  Love the camera, but it seldom goes with me because of its size and fragility, and I miss out on a lot of great photos.  Enter the Lowepro CompuDay Photo 250.

This pack answered all my needs and then some, it could be my only bag and I would be happy.  It fits my body for one thing, most packs end up being too long for me and too unwieldy (I'm 5'5).  This is manageable, comfortable, and looks good--it's the perfect size and style.  It's low profile basic black and you would not know it's made for cameras and laptops.  You definitely don't want your bag to scream "valuable stuff inside."

There is a space for your camera which is adjustable--how smart is that?  It's on the side for easy access and the fact that I can make it smaller to accommodate the size of my camera frees up space for other things.  With other camera bags and packs I've looked at,  I was always stuck with too much unused room in the camera compartment.  There are separate compartments for other electronics like your cell phone, mp3 player and pretty much anything else that needs its own separate space.  It even comes with a little zipper bag to keep your cords or chargers in.

It's a traveler's dream, being a wonderful carry on personal item and ideal day pack.  It houses everything you need--snacks, ipad or computer, wallet, water bottle, sweater, etc.  I took this on a recent train trip to Seattle and I've never been so organized.  I continually marveled at how easy this bag made my life for those two days.  The ability to slip it over my wheelie was wonderful and appreciated at the train station and I can't wait to enjoy that feature during air travel.

And as far as daily life and having my new camera with me--problem solved.   The pack is designed with the modern day person in mind.  You can snap some photos and pop into a coffee shop, download them onto your laptop, and blog away.  They thought of everything.  Highly recommended.   If you have a camera (any camera) and would like a way to make all your electronics incredibly portable and organized, you will probably love this.  Find it HERE.  Lowepro has a wide variety of camera bags to fit your specific needs, and even offers bags made of recycled materials.

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