Day 42 - The Dolly Steamboat on Canyon Lake

I'd seen the Dolly Steamboat on Groupon and thought it would be a great date for Hunby and me. I never thought about taking the kids until it was suggested to me by my friend at Visit Mesa. She hooked us up with passes and today we found ourselves on a scenic nature cruise on Canton Lake.

The cruise was great. The crew was friendy. The narrator was funny and informative. The kids had a good time and so did I. Seeing all the boaters and jet skis out on the water did make want to spend sometime actually in the water. Who wants to take us out on their boat or jet skis 😉? You can read by full review of The Dolly Steamboat here: http://www.trekaroo.com/activities/the-dolly-steamboat-tortilla-flat-arizona

Deals for The Dolly Steamboat

*Entertainment Book or App- print BOGO free coupon if you own a current book (or snag on from a friend with a book)

*Groupon has 2 tickets for $27 at this link: https://www.groupon.com/deals/dolly-steamboat-5?utm_source=GPN&utm_medium=afl&z=skip&utm_campaign=200940&mediaId=201773&sid=gd42QTtu

*AAA members save $3 a ticket

Day 17 - Walking and Geocaching

If the weather is nice, we like to enjoy a Sunday evening stroll. There happened to be a geocache hidden in the park right by Grandma's house, so we today we combined our walk with a treasure hunt.

Unfortunately, we did not find the geocache today. It was supposedly an easy one and we searched all over with no luck. We were a little disappointed, but it was fun searching for it. And we did get to enjoy the nice weather this evening.

Earlier this summer there was a geocache hidden by our hike at "A" mountain. It was more rewarding actually finding the hidden treasure. The kids are more into it if they have a gps or phone to hold and follow. I was nervous handing the iPhone over but luckily it didn't get cracked today. I think next time I will bring the otter box case to give it a little more protection.

Have you ever been geocaching and do you have any tips for newbies like us?

Day 16 - Dripping Springs Hiking Trail

In honor of National Trails Day today, we went for a hike on a new trail with extended family in Temecula, CA. To read my tip on hiking with kids go here. I've written a review about Dripping Springs Trail on Trekaroo.com.

We were in town the same time as my sister's family. We really wanted them to join us in this hike, but she didn't have a carrier for her baby. I let her use my Ergo baby carrier and quick improvised a wrap to carry Kid Five in.

How to quickly Make a Baby Wrap (like a Moby Wrap)

1. Find an old, flat sheet
2. Cut 2-12" wide strips, length-wise (so you have 2 pieces that are about 1' by 6'
3. Tie (or sew) together the two pieces at the short ends, so you have on extra long strip. I put the short ends of both pieces together and tied the top corners and the bottom corners so I had two knots and a open space between.

That's it. Quick and easy wrap out of stuff around the house. It was comfortable for me and baby. For instructions on tying a baby wrap check out this website.

Day 2 - Hiking "A" Mountain

Usually, hiking isn't a pastime we Arizonan's get to enjoy to much in the summertime, but lucky for us, we've had some unseasonably cool weekends. To make the most of the nice weather today, we decided to try hiking "A" Mountain in Tempe, Arizona. You can read my full review of the hike here.

Tips for Hiking with Kids

• Bring snacks and water: My kids will hike farther and complain less if they aren't hungry or
  thristy
• Have designated stopping points: Find a point in the distance and say, "That is where we will
  
  take our next break." That way it doesn't feel like endless walking. The kids know they can at least make it to that next point.
• Get a good baby carrier: I love my Ergo for our almost one-year-old. She almost always falls asleep as soon as we put her in. We've also borrowed a Kelty pack for a longer hike that was comfortable for both Daddy and Baby.
• Choose hikes over trails: I don't know if this is true for all kids, but mine move a lot better when they are climbing or navigating over rocks verses walking a flat trail. 
• Research hikes to make sure they are kid-friendly: My favorite list of family-friendly hikes for the Phoenix area can be found here.
• Look for nearby Geocaches: Searching for a geocache or letterbox quickly turns a hike into a treasure hunt.

What tips would you add? Share your thoughts in the comments.