On the Road

Preparations have begun! My 9 month old now has his passport to head to Canada in a few days. We are embarking on the cross country plane trip with both kids. First stop Philadelphia and final stop Crow Lake, Canada! Getting ready for this sort of trip seems to take almost as long as the trip itself. Deciding what to bring and not bring, how man bags, which strollers, car seats, car rentals, etc... Here are my tips for making it though as I have now done this cross country trek several times:

• Make lists
• Pack light - people do have washing machines if staying with family (which we are thank goodness)
• Buy some new toys and activities for your preschooler - wait to share until day of the trip
• Engage your older child in helping with the younger child - Ella enjoys being the older sister and helping mommy
• Explain a head of time what the trip will look like and ground rules (IE. we will be on two different planes, when we are sitting in our seats we have to wear the seat belt, etc...)
• Bring things to reward (bribe) your kid when all else fails
• Pack snacks to keep energy levels up (yours and theirs). You do not always have time to stop for snacks when switching planes so this is important
  
• Remember - you are on vacation so take your time and slow down - I find sometimes I begin to rush myself and the kids when there is no need to (have a beer on the plane if you need to - I find this helps)
• I am bringing the baby jogger so I can get my runs in
  

Most of these are tips for the preschooler. With the nine month old, I am just keeping my finger crossed:) Luckily Nate is mellow but he is on the move now and does not have his own seat so I know this may be challenging (this is putting it politely). I will make sure we have formula, baby food, diapers, wipes, etc and some extra binkies.

Below are a couple of links for articles I found. Feel free to share any tips that might help me or others travelling with kids.

http://www.babycenter.com/0_how-to-travel-successfully-with-young-kids_65302.bc

http://www.babycenter.com/0_how-to-enjoy-a-plane-trip-with-young-children_65317.bc?page=2

Happy Travels!

Summer Fun with the Kiddos - Fountain Runs

Here is a fun run idea if you have young ones to push in the jogger this summer. These routes are Portland specific, but I am sure you can find similar ones in your area! I usually bring a few snacks and then let the kids play in the fountain before heading back home.

Jamison Fountain in the Pearl - this is a great spot for younger kids. Word of advice is to hit the fountain before noon as after 12pm the older kids begin to dominate the fountain area. I run there from North Portland via the Broadway bridge. It is about a 9.5 mile loop in total and includes scenic Willamette, not so scenic Interstate, the Broadway bridge..

Link to the route
http://www.usatf.org/routes/view.asp?rID=297745

Link to info on Jamison Fountain
http://www.portlandonline.com/parks/finder/index.cfm?PropertyID=1140&action=ViewPark


Parks with Fountains - click here to find other parks with fountains in your area then build a run loop around this fun activity!
http://www.portlandonline.com/parks/finder/index.cfm?ShowResults=yes&AmenityTypeID=17


Happy Trails!

Push on Parents

Just saw this in the July issue of Runner's world so had to share because it got me pumped!

Q: Does pushing my child in jogging stroller offer an additional training benefits?

A: Absolutely, because it's more challenging, especially when you're running uphill. Studies have shown that you can burn 20 percent more calories (depending on the weight of the child) while pushing a jogging stroller at a given pace. You'll work your cardiovascular system harder, and pushing the stroller will strengthen several muscle groups - especially the pecs, triceps, deltoids, quads and hamstrings.

So push on parents!

Below is a link to an article with tips on incorporating the jogger into your workout routine.
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/559621/how_to_make_the_most_of_a_stroller.html?cat=25

My Morning Coffee

Just ran 5 miles with the jogger and now am enjoying the morning coffee before my 3 year old awakens! Nate is hanging out playing with toys next to me on the floor. Mornings are my favorite time to run. I remember questioning my friend Hallie on how she could get up at 5am to run each day, now I can't imagine not running in the morning. Sometimes it is 5am and sometimes it is 10 am but usually before noon.





Reasons I like to run in the morning:

• I love getting up and getting the run in so I can eat away and drink coffee all day without too much worry of how things will sit in my stomach for a run.
  
• As summer approaches it is cooler in the morning as well so no need to worry about the heat of the day.
• Less chance of actually skipping the run - just get up, and put your shoes on before you have time to think about it.
• I can focus on the kiddos without worrying how I will work the run in to our busy day
  

If you have a favorite time of day to run/reason why you like it, please share. Below is a link to a Runner's World article that covers running tips on different times of the day.

Happy Trails!

http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-380-381-386-250-0,00.html

Portland Parks Rule

This afternoon the kiddos and I went to Laurelhurst Park with cousin Ben and Uncle Marc. If you have never been to Laurelhurst, you have to go as they have a great pond with ducks and a super good play structure for the younger ones! We did a walk around the pond today and discovered all sorts of fun play areas.

This inspired this edition of my blog because I started thinking about all of the awesome (yes, I said awesome) parks in the Portland area. They do a great job of updating the equipment including spray parks just added to Columbia Park and Peninsula Park in the NOPO area!

When I started running after my first baby, I would do the park run so we would do a swing at one park, run for 15-20 minutes, and then hit the next park for another swing. I found this to be a great distraction and motivator when Ella would protest the jogger a bit around age 2 or so. Bribery always seems to work!

This summer, Ella is going to attend several four-day long camps at Peninsula Park Rec Center which go M-Th for 3 hours each morning. They are super cheap and the teacher is awesome!! Each camp has a different theme and is targeted for preschoolers.

So, not only are the parks great, but the recreation centers are equally as great with their program offerings. Check out the link below. They have a good tool for sorting by amenities such as indoor/outdoor pool, etc..

http://www.portlandonline.com/parks/

Happy Trails!

Muffins are Good

Good Morning! Well, it was an amazing weekend in Portland. Perfect weather for running or whatever you like to do outside. I ran a great loop with my friend Kate and her running group. We ran by her new gym (to open in June) called Edge Performance which I will blog about later as it is going to be awesome!! After the run, Kate as usual, provided some amazing post work out treats which included her famous bars, bananas, bagels and gummy bears! Along the route we had a water stop with some treats as well. Kate always inspires me to eat well and healthy. She is a trained dietitian so I heed her advice and try to copy her recipes!

The theme here, I guess, is that food is our fuel and we should fuel it properly for any exercise we do during the day. You could be running a 10 miler or chasing the kids around the house. So, I have a couple of things for you this morning. First a link to the food pyramid guide site which I think has a decent tool for determining caloric needs. They have a good tool for kids and pregnant moms as well! Check it....

http://mypyramid.gov/

The next tidbit for you is a GREAT recipe for a super muffin. This muffin is loaded with good stuff and will keep you fueled for a few hours. It packs a huge punch but is still a mere +/- 100 calories, low in fat and has some protein.. I made them the other night and made a few of my own additions (I can thank Kate for that as she taught me the art of healthy substitutions).

Apple Oat Wheat Muffins

1 cup rolled oats
1 cup wheat flour
1 TB. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 TB. Cinnamon
1/3 cup of sugar
1/2 mushed banana
1/3 cup applesauce
1 cup milk
1 large apple peeled and cubed
1/4 cup of flax meal (this provides the good filling punch)

Let oats soak in milk while you combine all the other dry ingredients. Stir the dry ingredients then combine the other ingredients in a separate bowl. Finally, combine all ingredients until just stirred (don't forget your soaking oats). Fill 12 cups in muffin tray which has been lined or greased. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes and you are done. They are super easy, fast and yummy for a healthy muffin.

Happy Running and Enjoy the muffins!

Free Icecream

This afternoon I tested out another grocery shopping service at New Seasons in Arbor Lodge. I have tried both Safeway and New Seasons in an attempt to declutter my day and make more time for the important things (like running and hanging with the kiddos). Besides, shopping with two young kids is near impossible, especially if you want to compare prices. Online you can shop, compare and change your mind at your leisure before you hit the submit button..

To my pleasant surprise I received a free container of organic strawberry ice cream. Yummo!! The service was awesome. I chose the pick up service versus the delivery to try something different. You pull into a spot, push the button and they bring the groceries to your car along with an envelope of stickers for your kiddos to choose from. They were super friendly and did I mention the free ice cream?

Safeway is a bit cheaper on prices but they only have the home delivery which is nice but I did like having the pick up option at New Seasons which you can work into to your errand schedule. Either way, both are helpful and I have found have good quality organic products. They also provide a little more time in the day for playing with the kids or hitting the road with the baby jogger!

Happy Eating,
Robyn