June 7, 2017 by Bailey

Explore BC: The Best Kept Secret in 100 Mile House, BC

I have driven thru 100 Mile House, BC millions of times. Alright, I’m exaggerating; but at least 8 times a year for the past coupe years… Twice I went for work-related reasons in my previous life. Yet, not once did I ever know about the WATERFALLS within the downtown. Bridgecreek Falls, in Centennial Park, 100 Mile House, is a great stop when traveling with kids thru the Cariboo/Chilcotin Region.

On our most recent road trip in the area, I stopped into the Visitors Information Centre to get the low down on a trail to hike. I had left Cache Creek earlier that morning with the intent to find a trail to hike. I hoped to find something along the roadside, but after over an hour of driving, I had not spotted any hiking signs (I was catching all the BC/Canada Parks signs that point towards different recreation sites and none of them featured the hiker. Thus, I kept driving).

I walked in with two babies wearing my flip-flops and I’m most certain she didn’t take me seriously. She suggested the walk around the marsh, but I wanted earth under my feet (it had been a rough night, Little Man woke at 3am and was tossing and turning until I begrudgingly got us out of bed at 7am to drink coloured water at the local cafe). Then, she suggested a playground in the area thinking my wild child and screaming baby meant I wanted to stretch our legs not HIKE. Her third suggestion was Centennial Park, 100 Mile House. I admit I stuck up my nose a little as she described how it was just across town (and by across town, she means like four blocks over). I really wanted to get out into the forest because my morning had been filled with anger and hatred towards my children and myself. But she said there were waterfalls, and who doesn’t love waterfalls?

I took my map, loaded up two children, and drove across town (It took me 4 minutes because I drove past the entrance and had to turn around) to Centennial Park, 100 Mile House to check out Bridgecreek waterfalls. We unloaded, changed diapers (and clothes), and headed out onto the trailhead.

Centennial Park, 100 Mile House

I’ve never seen a sign from the highway eluding the beauty of Centennial Park. I’ve never heard of the whisperings of the beautiful short and stout waterfalls within the heart of 100 Mile House, but it’s there. This beautiful park is for sure 100 Mile House, BC’s best kept secret. The park is the perfect place for kids, dogs and adults to explore.

Address: 105 Evergreen Cres, 100 Mile House, BC V0K 2E1

Besides Bridgecreek Falls, here’s 3 other reasons to check out Centennial Park, 100 Mile House with Kids.

Playground: There’s a fair sized playground at the park.
Large Open Fields: Perfect for all sorts of fun and play, including a lovely picnic.
Trail Network: There are a series of trails and paths in Centennial Park to meet your exploring needs.

Bridgecreek Falls, 100 Mile House

The trail along Bridgecreek Falls follows a fast flowing river. This is very likely to be a dangerous space for small curious children. Walking along the trail, I felt I needed to yell for Little Man to hear me due to the crashing of the waterway.

Despite my anxieties about the water, Little Man walked to the falls. At todder pace it was about 25 minutes. We stopped to climb the hill, the stumps, and to eat a snack. When we arrived at Bridgecreek Falls, I placed him on my back for the walk back to the car and to ease up on my anxieties.

The trail is totally accessible for most wheels with benches along the way. The return adult-paced hike back is no more than 10 minute adventure.

Do bring bug spray when visiting during the summer months. Unlike our previous exploration at Scout Island Nature Centre in Williams Lake, the mosquitos were out and biting!

Should our adventures ever require another stop in 100 Mile House, I won’t think twice about where to go: Centennial Park, 100 Mile House for sure! Bridgecreek Falls are absolutely stunning, and the park is the perfect spot in the Cariboo Region for families and kids to get out and stretch.

After finding some links to add to this post I also stumbled across the 99 Mile Demonstration Forest and Trails. We might make a stop there next time we drive from Prince George to Vancouver.

May 30, 2017 by Bailey

Explore BC: Scout Island, Williams Lake {PG to Vancouver}

Scout Island Nature Centre in Williams Lake, BC, isn’t advertised from the road and chances are if you haven’t lived in Williams Lake you wont know about this hidden gem tucked just down from the highway when traveling thru Williams Lake. In my previous occupation, I had seen events and activities at Scout Island, Williams Lake, but somehow I always forgot to make the stop.

I like to think of myself as a bit of a meanderer when traveling and having dogs, and now kids, has reinforced this need/want/desire to stop along the journey and explore new places. We frequently travel from Prince George to Vancouver to visit with friends and family. Williams Lake, located a mere 2.5 hours from Prince George continues to be one of our more regular stops.

Part of surviving a road trip with 2 under 2 is being flexible and adaptable. My children were frustrated with car seat containment when we came into McLeese Lake, and I quickly reached out to a friend to find out what to do in Williams Lake. She suggested Scout Island Nature Centre for us! It was the perfect suggestion for taking on Williams Lake with Kids.

3 Reasons to Stop at Scout Island, Williams Lake, BC

Toddler Friendly Exploration.
One of the only reasons I need to make a roadside stop with a frustrated, pent up toddler, is to burn off some energy with toddler exploration.
- If you can move past goose poop, the gentle meandering trails thru the marsh and lakeshore environment at Scout Island, Williams Lake provide the perfect habitat for toddler paced walks.
- My toddler loved pointing at trees, mud, and marsh. He listened to the quacks of the geese, and if I could have convinced him down one path we would have seen a mother goose and her goslings.
- Falling into marshland is a concern along the boardwalks, but trust in your toddler and encourage them to be an active participant from the boardwalk. The boardwalk is just as much fun as it makes clunky noises beneath their feet. The other mini panic is the lakeshore my toddler ran towards; however, once back on track, he quickly stayed on the trails.
Within 5 Minutes of the Highway.
Just a short drive down from the highway (head towards Hwy 20, take the first left, the next right, and then the next right – or just put 1305 A Borland Rd, Williams Lake, BC in Google maps), Scout Island, Williams Lake is neither a massive detour nor close enough you can still hear the highway, or have a toddler run towards the highway.
Amenities (Washroom, Picnic Tables, Benches, Nature Centre).
Scout Island, Williams Lake boosted indoor plumbing washrooms big enough to accommodate the whole family, and a series of picnic tables and benches throughout the park. There is no covered shelter, but there is a Nature Centre. The nature centre was closed when we visited.

Areas of Concern

Scout Island, Williams Lake might not be for you if you don’t like goose poop or have a crawling baby to stretch. My toddler has mostly moved past putting everything in his mouth.

Due to the marsh habitat, Scout Island, Williams Lake is prone to bugs and insects. This is easily managed if you come prepared, or just trudge thru. During our visit in the late morning in May, we did not experience bugs but were questioned in the parking lot.

Details.

Address: 1305 A Borland Rd, Williams Lake, BC.
Length: total of 2.5 kilometres in trails.
We spent an hour exploring and eating lunch. It took my toddler about an hour to do one of the shorter loops.
Dogs? Yes, on leash.
Accessibility: Some Trails/
Map: Find one here.

Have you ever stopped at Scout Island in Williams Lake, BC? If so, share your experience with other readers!

May 24, 2017 by Bailey

2 Under 2: My 6 Road Trip Mistakes

This post contains affiliate links.

Traveling with kids is a daunting task, and even more so with unpredictable babies. During Little Man’s first year, we traveled with him LOTS – Italy, Quebec, and many trips to Vancouver. But one baby is easy. One baby road trip, who is now a toddler, is manageable because it’s all about him all the time. Then, you have two babies, and suddenly your attention is split, and meeting their needs is just a little more challenging. It’s just not as simple on a baby road trip.

This week I road tripped with my 2 under 2 SOLO. It was a me, my toddler and my baby road trip. Simply Dad has commitments back at home, so I loaded up the kids for a 700 km (435 miles) road trip from Prince George to Vancouver. Without children, we typically do this trip in about 8 hours. With Little Man, I usually averaged 9-10 hours. With 2 under 2, it took me 11 hours.

I asked on Facebook for some pro-tips for traveling with 2 under 2, or toddlers in general and got some GREAT ideas. Fans reminded me a baby road trip is the most difficult component, while the toddler is easily a movie monster. I could tell you what worked for us, I would much rather tell you about my mistakes.

My Road trip Mistakes with 2 Under 2

BUY MORE SNACKS. Buy double what you think you need for the trip.
- I ran out of adult-approved snacks on my trip.There was only fruit squeeze pouches left in the cooler (and some weird nacho popcorn chips I did not like the flavor of).
- You *think* you have enough food, but something about a road trip results in mindless eating from everyone involved.
Car Seat Cup Holders. I thought cup holders for car seats were ridiculous. Now I understand why you need them. Children need to stay hydrated.
- I finished off 3 water bottles, so naturally my toddler got upset when his water cup fell on the floor
- . I’ll be picking up an expensive matching cup holder for my toddler this week.
Take advantage of Washrooms. This mistake is a little complicated. I made the mistake of not using the washroom when we were all out of the van exploring.
- I needed to go pee and had to purposefully unload all the children.Whereas, if I had gone pee at the previous rest stop when we were running and stretching our legs… we would not have needed this stop or runway child.
ALWAYS use a baby containment device.
- During our second leg stretch, I opted to leave the stroller AND carrier in the vehicle. This left me to chase my toddler while holding my newborn. I don’t have that many hands. Always have options to contain at least one child. I had to place her in a safe spot on the grass and try to climb over/under a fence my toddler escaped thru as he was darting towards a body of water.
Nap Time Fails. I don’t have any advice on how to overcome this situation, but my baby wanted to sleep when my toddler didn’t and vice versa.I tried to wake her up during the first break but she straight up refused and then wanted to be awake later while the toddler wanted to nap. This resulted in a very broken up car ride. From 1pm to 6:30pm, we stopped every 40 minutes to soothe a distraught and frustrated baby (was it the elevations, tiredness, diaper, hunger? who knows?)
Get Gas when Kids are awake – Nothing worse than having to pull over, stop the vehicle and get gas when the children are finally sleeping! I should have filled up at 1/2 tank when we stopped to run, but I didn’t. I should have, and then I wouldn’t have needed to when everyone was almost asleep.

6 Road trip Successes

Downloaded my favorite parenting pod cast ever – Atomic Moms
Bought Little Man a holder for iPad to watch movies on.
Didn’t have a plan but to get there eventually.
Stopped and stretched our legs every couple of hours.
Packed enough snacks and a lunch to survive (but the oreos were gone in 2.5 hours, so I felt I needed more. .
Used a Funky Fluff Hanging Wet Bag for all my garbage (Find it at Cozy Bums – Canada).

My Toddler & Baby Road Trip Reality

It took us longer than ‘normal,’ but we had a blast. We left at 7:30 after grabbing a coffee and muffin for the road. I drove until the toddler started to squawk. My girl friend reminded me of a great nature reserve about 2.5 hours. This was an awesome lunch explore and Little Man checked out the trails for a solid hour before we hit the road again. 45 minutes later Little Miss decided she wanted to eat (despite numerous attempts before loading up) and we had another 45 minute run around.

Then we drove with interrupted breaks. This was the part of the trip I wanted my toddler to nap, but he kept failing at meeting that expectation. Several mini stops and crying later (from everyone) we had ice cream at Dairy Queen, before trying again. Little Man finally napped, but Litte Miss wasn’t happy. Any time my ears popped from elevation changes she would just holler (I forgot soothers, we don’t really do soothers, but this might have been a good time to reintroduce it). Anytime I stopped the car to soothe her, my toddler would wake up. You can see the cycle. We finally made it to our destination around 6:30pm. Not bad timing, I was thinking we would be getting to our destination around 8pm, so I nailed this.

I do wish I had been more patient with Little Man and tried to kind of stick to our routine. Perhaps if I turned off the shows a little more it would have gone differently. Perhaps if I tried to get Little Miss to cooperate it would have gone differently. She’s fed on demand, and I’m not much a schedule person. Needless, everyone is sleeping and tomorrow is a new day.

I can’t wait to go somewhere again! We’ve got our new van for exploring, and I miss traveling.

Tell me about your road trip experience! Have you done one with kids? Or are you terrified?

March 17, 2016 by Bailey

Overnight in Ottawa

On my trip to visit my sister, I requested a day trip to Ottawa. I’ve never been, and on my last trip to the region, it didn’t fit into the schedule.

Because its just over 3 hours away, we opted for an overnight. With a baby, nobody wants to spend that much time driving in one day. Or spend that much time on the go. Staying overnight just made it easier. I found a cheep hotel on the internet, and away we went.

Parliament Buildings

Our first stop was Parliament and the free tour! We caught the 12:40 tour with Walter on my back (he didn’t last long, around the time we got to the Senate chamber’s he was a hungry monster and wanted off and to be fed). I hip carried him, and breastfed him as we finished up our tour.

If you’re wondering Stroller vs. Babywear, the answer is babywear. I don’t think you can bring your stroller, but I do remember seeing one as we exited. There are stairs and small spaces. It would just be easier to babywear. Then you can navigate and explore with the group without taking up too much space.

The tour was definitely cool, but also just a little bit boring. The library was perhaps the most beautiful of rooms and the most interesting to see. I think I might be a little bit jaded because last winter we toured the Budapest parliament buildings and that building is absolutely breath taking and gorgeous. Canada’s looks drab and dreary in comparison.

Handy Tip: security will confiscate any sharp or danger items. You can have them back at the end of the tour, but maybe just leave them in the car. My brother in law had a multi tool gadget in his wallet that he had to claim afterwards.
There’s also a coat check and changing table in the downstairs washroom area.

Rideau Canal

My sister had dreams of going skating. But it’s been a warm/weird winter. Skating wasn’t going to happen. Instead, we just dreamed of skating. We also dreamed it was a nicer day for a beautiful stroll along the banks.

Byward Market

I’m not sure what the hype is all about. This let us down. A collection of restaurants and vendors and not much to see or do unless you want to shop. We came back to this neighbourhood for dessert at the end of the day, but aside from the Beavertail, I wouldn’t recommend it in February (maybe it’s more active in the summer/tourist season?)

Beaver Tail! I needed to have a beaver tail! This is the Canadian thing, isn’t it? I went classic. Why mess with a good thing? Moriah & Greg went fancy, apples and oreo maybe? They were delightfully delicious. Unfortunately, Walter was fast asleep and could not enjoy the sugar goodness that was a Beaver Tail.

That’s all folks

Seriously, that’s about all we did. We finished up and then went for a drive to check out where the Prime Minister lived. We tried to figure out this point where you could get a different perspective of the parliament buildings but failed and didn’t wanna pay for astronomical parking (daytime) again. So instead we tried to find our hotel and had a snooze.

We didn’t hit up any of the big museums. We didn’t quite have the time. The next day a storm was supposed to hit Ottawa so we wanted to leave before 2pm and decided to visit only one museum. We decided on the Defienbunker.

What’s your favourite thing to see or do in Ottawa?