Well, Thanksgiving came and went in a flash which means that it’s time to wrap up our year… but not before we do our one and only Christmas tradition: doing the Christmas tree. Decorating a Christmas tree as a family has become one of our absolute favorite activities out of everything we do over the […]
Disclosure: I have received information about #HowWeFamily from the makers of TYLENOL. The opinions stated are my own. This is a sponsored post. Last year Father’s Day was a struggle to figure out. We were both worn out from life, with Chris working bunch over in Seattle in the week before, and me being here at […]
Originally written for GaysWithKids.com When people ask us where our favorite places to return to for family travel are, we’re pretty quick with our answers: Cabo San Lucas, Disneyland, Georgia/Florida… Georgia and Florida? Like, the South? Yes, it’s true. We’ve written before about how the South is changing and how it’s worth giving a second […]
Before we dig into our family’s story and how we came to be the fun crew we are today, remember that having a baby via surrogacy is a strange and bumpy path, particularly for people living in places with either very conservative laws or health systems that aren’t as progressive as ours in Washington State. […]
We were fortunate to get to take the kids to Glacier National Park this summer. Due to forest fires, most of the Park was closed, but we still had a great time in the Many Glacier and East Glacier areas. So, due to the restrictions we faced, here’s our abridged guide to Glacier National Park. It’s amazing […]
Almost anyone in the world can tell you that Yellowstone National Park in the USA is the place you go to see geysers. Only the actual experience of being there will make you understand how amazing it is. True: there are millions of people in the Park throughout the summer, but that doesn’t mean that […]
Once you’ve conquered the road trip that is driving to Wyoming from wherever you actually start, you’ll have more planning…and more driving to do. I’m lucky because I love to drive. I used to be a driver-guide for a cruise company in Alaska even; that’s how much I love it. Other people, not so much. […]
Having two dads isn’t the norm. It’s true. But gosh, it would be nice if we ran into more families like ours out there. We do what we can to raise our kids just like any other parents do, but as they grow, we’ve got an extra step of calling out our family situation. We […]
No matter how you try, part of being a tourist is browsing through trinkets and postcards at some point during a trip. You might not mean to do it, but you’ll undoubtedly look at a snow globe or t-shirt even if you have no intention of purchasing it. When you travel with kids, a simple […]
I was challenged by a travel blogger that I really respect, Alba Luna, to do this post. She did one very similar and, like with her other posts, it was well written and inspiring. A bar has been set rather high for me to really dig into myself and do a good job sharing what […]
Originally written for GaysWithKids.com It’s funny. As I think about traveling as a gay man or as part of a gay family, I try to consider what makes our travels gay. Yeah, um, it’s just that we’re gay; nothing else. I was sitting here analyzing our adventures and writing and realized that our journeys aren’t […]
Holidays are a strange phenomenon. We set aside a day to specifically think about a topic and then gather with people to celebrate it, aka cook food we don’t normally. Christmas makes sense because clearly you’re either celebrating the birth of Jesus or you’re celebrating your own sense of how well you know others by […]
Originally written for GaysWithKids.com My husband and I aren’t shy people. We do karaoke, take the kids to nice restaurants, wear Euro-style swim trunks, hold hands as a family in public… You know, we’re not crazy but we’re not shy. This includes traveling to potentially homophobic places. We don’t intentionally put ourselves and our kids […]
We are heading out on our first camping trip as a family of four in just one month. We’ve booked a cabin halfway to our destination to break up the drive, and we’ve booked our reservations in Yellowstone National Park (camping for four nights). That’s it. We have no other reservations anywhere. Why not (I […]
I’m used to individual parenting. I mean, I’m home alone with the kids most of the time and I’m fine dealing with random tantrums and epic breakdowns with no logic behind them. When I’m on the road though and I’m staying in somebody else’s house, yeah no. At home I’m the epitome of patience and […]
I’ve loved Disneyland my whole life and can remember my very first trip when I was 4. I have worked there and spent countless hours in the park as both a cast member and guest. I’ve assisted so many families with little kids and helped to make magical moments. And then we took our own child there. […]
We’re big on aquariums in our house. We have a local one that’s free and open only 4 days a week…and we go EVERY week. Seattle has one that’s a boat ride away and we’ve been pass holders. Tacoma has one that is paired with a zoo and that’s just a quick drive away. And […]
I remember each person’s reaction when we told them that we were having a baby. Most people were shocked, followed by full of joy and wow and OMG. There were those that just couldn’t process it because, I mean, gay guys raising a baby? And then there was one reaction that really stuck with me. […]
Once upon a time… Back in 2009 one of our friends randomly mentioned to us “Hey, do you guys want kids? Cuz my cousin mentioned that she’d be interested in being a surrogate in the future…” Well, we met and it was a perfect fit. She was amazing, she had sarcastic wit, and she possessed […]
Fifteen years ago today I graduated high school. It was not thrilling, but just another day that meant that life continued on, but without school. I had no clue what was going to happen for me. That was my life: no clear direction. Why do I mention that it’s been 15 years since high school? […]
Before you jump in a lake, let somebody else test the water for frigid temperatures or piranhas. Same goes for helpful ways to navigate the world of occupying a child. The kid products we like have saved us in some tough pinches. Below you’ll find our recommendations for tactile toys, iPad apps, kids books […]
2 dads traveling the globe with their 2 sons, teaching them the value of culture and education, experiencing the outdoors, and giving the kids a broad world view.
