Stumptown Mom

Winter fun isn't far away

If you're like me, you miss snow living through rainy Portland winters.  With rare exception - and oh, what fun we had on the one night we had enough snow to make a snowman - our kids only experience snow play when we travel to Mt. Hood or make a long weekend out of a trip to Central Oregon.

Even though it's a drive and sometimes there can be traffic, a trip to Mt. Hood is well worth the hassle.  If your kids are smaller, sledding or tubing is the perfect introduction.  NW Kids Magazine put together a great list of sledding & tubing spots (one's on the WA side of the Columbia).  The tubing locations involve paying to use an official tubing run at a ski area whereas sledding only involves bringing your own sled and hiking up a hill!

Skiing can be another fun kid activity.  We recently took our preschooler out for his first cross country skiing adventure and he loved it.  There are several groomed trails on Mt. Hood including Teacup Lake and the nordic center at Mt. Hood Meadows.  But most of the Sno*Parks on Mt. Hood, Mt. Adams and Mt. St. Helens offer cross-country skiing and snowshoeing at no cost (well, you need a parking permit - see below).  Just please, don't walk with your snowshoes on the ski trail!  Kid sized snowshoes and skis are available (even for preschool aged kids) at REI, Next Adventure and other local ski shops.

Downhill skiing, though more of a financial commitment can be a great family activity.  All of the ski areas offer rentals, lessons and kid-friendly skiing options.  

In order to park at a Sno*Park -- including at a ski area -- you must have a valid daily or yearly Sno*Park permit.  Oregon permits are honored in Washington and vice-versa.  Stop on your way up to the mountain as you generally can't buy them in the parking area.

***Always check the weather conditions before you go.  Be prepared for winter driving and stock your car accordingly!

Fall is here, rain and all

First, our humble apologies for the recent unscheduled break in StuptownMom postings.  We were under the weather and well, adjusting to all of this dark and rain. It's an adjustment, really!  I love fall not just 'cause it brings my birthday  (somehow this doesn't bring as much joy as it used to) but also for the beautiful colors and crisp air.  But all this rain doesn't make it easy to get out and enjoy.

Assuming we get a break in the downpour, now's the time to explore the fall color in all its brilliance.  We might not be New England -- and we don't want their long winters now do we -- but we've got some color too.

Plan a little outing to see the leaves!  Check out this fun Fall Foliage in Oregon blog for info and links to updates on the leaves.  Follow them on Twitter for the latest foliage fun and pics.  Hoyt Arboretum is a wonderful close destination for fall color galore.  Or plan a hike in one of our gorgeous National Forests.  Need some motivation, check out the beautiful fall shots on the USFS website.

Make some fun fall arts & crafts with the kids!  Find inspiration for easy crafts with leaves at Kids Craft Weekly.  Sign up for the e-newsletter to get fresh project ideas in your inbox.  Or find some fun new leaf projects at another fav blog The Artful Parent.

Read a fun fall kids book!  We've got lots of favorites, but lately we've been reading Pumpkin Jack (great composting lesson in there too), It's Pumpkin Time, Barn Dance, The Little Scarecrow Boy, and Leaf Man. Share your fall favorite books in the comments!

[Thanks to Flickr CC - peasap for the beautiful pic.]

National Parks - we love 'em even more when they're free

National Parks have a special place in the StumptownMom heart.  Oh, the fond memories of that summer spent working at a gas station in Yellowstone National Park -- the geysers, the buffalo, and the crazy questions people asked. (They really did ask how you turn on Old Faithful!)  And nothing says nostalgic summer fun like a trip to one of our nation's finest national parks.

Even in the midst of this recession you can explore our national treasures as this weekend they open their gates for a FREE WEEKEND August 15-16th.  You heard that right, enjoy a national park or historic site this weekend for free.  

How about a quick trip north to Fort Vancouver?  Or to the coast to the Lewis & Clark National Historic Park? Or even farther north to Mt. Ranier?  Or maybe south to Crater Lake?  

Did you know that some National Monuments and other sites managed by the National Parks Service don't charge, ever?  Like the Oregon Caves National Monument or John Day Fossil Beds.  Or the Klondike Gold Rush Historic Park in downtown Seattle.  Search for all parks and historic sites online.  Cool stuff for kids of all ages to enjoy.

[photo courtesy Flickr CC -- StuSeeger]

Continue to beat the heat

More news just in from Portland Parks & Recreation.  They are extending wading pool hours through Thursday!  Stay cool if you can.

Extended Wading Pool Hours for Wednesday/Thursday, 7/29-30

Alberta: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Creston: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Laurelhurst: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. through Thursday
Lents Park: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. through Thursday
Montavilla: 9:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. through Thursday
Mt. Scott: 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. through Thursday
Rose City: 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. through Thursday
St. Johns Park: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Swimming pools open late

Most Portland Parks & Recreation swimming pools are open until 9 p.m. or later on weeknights. Visit www.portlandparks.org for a full list of pools, hours, and other information.

Spray features in neighborhood parks (available all regular park hours)

Columbia Park, N. Lombard Street and Woolsey Avenue
Essex Park, SE 79th Avenue & Center Street
Earl Boyles Park, SE 112th Avenue & Boise Street
Grant Park, NE 33rd Avenue & US Grant Place
Kenton Park, 8417 N. Brandon Avenue
McCoy Park, N Trenton Street & Newman Avenue
Northgate Park, N Geneva Avenue & Fessenden Street
Peninsula Park, N. 700 Rosa Parks Way
Pier Park, N Lombard Street & Bruce Avenue 
Raymond Park, SE 118th Avenue & Raymond Street
Woodlawn Park, NE 13th Avenue & Dekum Street

Splish splash we're havin' a blast

Ah, the long hot days of summer.  Popsicles, playground visits, picnics for no reason.  It feels just perfect.  Well, without the sweltering heat it would be perfect (I know, I know, we Portlanders don't have much room to complain, but yet we do).  One way to beat the heat and still enjoy all that nice-weather fun?  Water play!

We've been taking advantage of our neighborhood wading pool this week and with the forecast looking even hotter soon, you'll find us there again.  You might not know that many Portland parks have water features or wading pools that get filled in the summer.  Cheap (well, free actually) distraction that promises good plain fun.

Wading Pools.  Portland Parks and Recreation has a variety of wading pools across the city.  Check out the Summer Playground list to find wading pools.

Splash Pads.  PPR has added new "splash pads" to some parks in the last couple of years.  These have fun, interactive water spraying features.  Our friends at Omamas give us the scoop on splash pads.

Fountains.  Some of our favorite fountains do double duty as water playgrounds.  Jamison Square or Salmon Springs anyone?  See a Portland fountain list online. Outside of Portland, check out Oregon Mom's great list of other fountains in the metro area.

[photo courtesy Flickr Creative Commons - quinnums]

Summer Food Program - a simply wonderful idea

During the school year, thousands of kids in Oregon (and across the country) receive free or reduced cost meals.  This essential program allows kids to nourish their bodies and minds at school.  But what happens when school's out and funds are still tight at home?  Thankfully, we have the Summer Food Service Program.  

Maybe you've taken advantage of some of the fun free activities at your neighborhood Portland park.  But did you know that many of these sites (and many more) provide free lunches - and sometimes breakfasts and snacks - to kids 1-18 in the summer?  This vital resource is available to any child and no proof of income is needed.  But still only 18% of those kids eligible are served.

Help us spread the word so more kids can benefit!  There are meal sites all across the Portland metro area.  Find a meal site near you!

Hiking with kids - it's possible!

Hiking with young kids can be a challenge.  Maybe it gets easier when they get older and have more stamina to walk on their own, but toddlers and preschools can be trying.  And it aint nothin' like hiking without kids.  But all that being said, it's still possible and can even be fun.

Over the holiday weekend, we were talking with some neighbors about hiking with young kids.  We encouraged them to go hiking with their one year old while she's still happy in the backpack.  It was actually pretty easy to hike (maybe not marathon all-day events, but at least pleasurable day hikes) with an infant or young toddler.   An independent, doesn't want to be carried but won't exactly walk on the hiking trail for long preschooler is another breed.

Fortuitously, our friends at the Oregonian published a great article on Sunday all about hiking with young kids.  Read their 10 smart tips for success including starting the day early, seeking out shade and looking for water features and other kid friendly curiosities.  And find their picks for kid-friendly hiking spots close to home.  To this list, we'll add the Audubon Society of Portland and Forest Park in general.  Or try the great tree explorations at Hoyt Arboretum.

Looking for more kid-friendly hiking ideas - check out Best Hikes with Kids: Oregon or check out some family hiking ideas from Milagros.

Summer Playground Fun!

Why does all the fun kid stuff happen in the summer?  It's beautiful and most kids are out of school, so it makes sense, and we're not complaining.  But maybe we could spread some of the free fun into the winter (not that we want to think about that now!).  

Portland Parks & Recreation can always be counted on to bring us a wealth of fun activities.  They have a fabulous list of classes and sports. But in the summer, they roll out some fabulous park programs outside. Summer Playgrounds brings activities to a number of parks throughout the city.  Some parks have free, nutritious lunches available for kids ages 2-18.  Other parks have water features that get turned on or filled up when the weather gets nice.  And still other lucky parks host a traveling bus filled with fun activities and games.  Check out the rock wall schedule to see when the portable rock wall will be in a park near you.  See the Summer Playground schedule.

With all this fun free stuff happening, it's a perfect excuse to not only hit the parks close to home but find a new one to try.  Thanks Portland Parks & Recreation!  In future posts we'll highlight some of the other great activities they've got in the works for the summer.

[photo courtesy Flickr Creative Commons - dvanhorn]

We LOVE Portland Sunday Parkways!

Sounds like Portland's version of Utopia doesn't it -- no cars, just bikes, skateboards, rollerblades, stollers and the freedom to wander the neighborhood for a whole day without worrying about traffic.  After last year's success with a Sunday Parkway modeled after similar weekly(!) events in Bogota, Colombia, Portland's event is back and bigger than ever.  This Sunday is the first of THREE Sunday Parkways to happen this summer in different parts of the city.

Sunday June 21st

North Portland Sunday Parkways

9am-4pm

7.5 miles of car-free biking heaven.   Look for lots of great music, kid-friendly activities, food vendors, entertainment and fun at Kenton, Arbor Lodge and Penninsula parks.  There's no start or finish, just join in the fun when and where you want.  Here's the route map.

Upcoming Sunday Parkways:  July 19th in Northeast Portland and August 16th in Southeast Portland.  Mark your calendars now!

U-Pick Deliciousness

There's so much to love about summer in the Northwest.  If you're keeping a list - add U-Pick happiness.  We're just beginning our 2009 love affair with picking our own berries.  The perfect place to start -- our utterly delicious Oregon strawberries.  Last year, our fair state produced almost 24 million pounds of strawberries! Are they the best in the world?  We think so.

Sure - you can find them at your local farmer's market.  But we think the best way to experience the goodness is to get them straight from the source.  It's a fun family outing and an economical way to stock up on berries.  Jam anyone?  Or maybe a strawberry pie?  Maybe a huge stash in the freezer to brighten the gray winter months?

The Tri-County Farm Fresh Produce Guide helps you pinpoint farms by location and offerings.  Bookmark the site - once you're hooked on U-picking, you'll be back all summer for raspberries, and blueberries and peaches, oh my.

Need ideas for what to make out of all those strawberries?  The Oregon Strawberry Commission is here to help.  More recipes here and here - What shall we make???

[Photos courtesy Oregon Strawberry Commission and Flickr - Sassy Gardener]