Hi there, friends! We’re the Wild Blue Family. Our family is made up of Bryan, Megan, Stella, Kai and Aria. We love to explore wild places and are lucky to call Hawaii our basecamp.
Bryan and I originally met in college. Bryan was the younger freshman while I was a “much” older sophomore. I like to say that I robbed the cradle, while Bryan quickly clarifies that he, in fact, robbed the rest home. Regardless, we knew quickly that we were a perfect match.
Our first date was a hike up in the beautiful mountains near Bozeman, Montana, and we discovered early on in our relationship that we mutually valued the outdoors. Exploring, playing, running, hiking, hunting, tickle fights, sleeping, you name it. We were doing it outside.
When we found out we were going to have a baby, we received some advice from a wise sage of a friend. He said to invite our kids along on our adventures – not the other way around. Yes, kids have a schedule and need sleep and whatnot, but ultimately we are inviting them on life’s adventures. So that’s what we try to do. And we are so, so grateful they choose to come along.
You see, we have so much to learn from nature.
We’ve learned that our family is the strongest when we are exploring the great outdoors, together. Right beyond the edge of our comfort zone is where we prefer to be. After all, living within your comfort zone doesn’t keep your life safe – it keeps it small. I’m sure you’ve heard that quote before but it really rings true for us. We’ve seen firsthand how this has completely transformed our little family. Our goal with this website is to equip and inspire others (perhaps even you) to get outside and explore wild places, together.
So tell us … where should we explore next??
BRYAN
He’s the head of our tribe, full of brains and a contagious smile. An extremely talented programmer, devoted father, entrepreneur, and adventurer. He makes the most of every moment of the day, getting work done with a smile and taking on tickle fights most evenings. Bryan is quick to whittle his own silverware out of wood while camping, and also impossible to catch on a mountain bike. If you’re lucky enough to know him, you’re lucky enough.
MEGAN
She’s the spice to our salsa, the flash to our fireworks. Wife, mother, photographer, entrepreneur. Part time model, full-time stunning. Forever young (she was just carded last week!), this beach babe born on the island of Kauai is as spunky as they come. She doesn’t let a clinical diagnosis of “Allergic to Exercise” (resulting in life-threatening anaphylactic shock) stop her, but instead runs even harder, frequently for hours high in the mountains and along sandy beaches. If you ever get the pleasure to catch her between runs you’re sure to leave inspired to be the change and do the impossible.
Stella
Stella is our sweet rae (that’s her middle name) of sunshine. She is truly sugar and spice and everything nice – and the best big sister to Kai and Aria. She’s calm, has a strong ability to reason, and is a bookworm. But, she’s also brave and loves an adrenaline rush. She’ll play with snakes, ride a rollercoaster, and get her hands dirty any day of the week!
KAI
Kai is our funny guy, and lights up when he plays outside. He’s the only boy with two sisters, but he can certainly hold his own in manliness (I mean, the boy willingly caught, cooked, and ate grasshoppers for fun!). Kai loves elk, worms, and snorkeling. He will make it a point to make a whole room laugh – either from his funny jokes, dance moves, or crazy science experiments gone wild.
ARIA
She’s our third born, and our “grand finale” as we so affectionately call her. A natural firecracker, Aria never shies away from going first, jumping off high places, or stating her opinion. 😉 She figured out how to ski on her own just before her 2nd birthday – and how to snorkel like with “shawks” (fish). Aria, you complete our family in the best way!
Frequently Asked Questions
We use the Canon 80d with two main lenses: a wide angle 10-22mm and a 24-70mm f2.8. The 24-70mm may be our favorite lens ever. We’ve got our eye on the Canon 5D Mark IV too.
We use Adobe Lightroom for photos, and the rest of the Adobe suite for various other aspects of work. Really solid software, can’t recommend it enough.
Megan is 5’9″ and Bryan is 6’5″. And yes, we have trouble finding pants!
Start small. Doing something small is far better than doing nothing at all. Have a positive attitude, educate yourself, and keep after it.
We use and love the REI Basecamp 6 person tent.
Yes, just about every one ha! The key is to be prepared for the situation, but not let it stop you from getting out. It really is a treat to observe these beautiful animals in the wild. We’ve come up close and personal with a mountain lion feasting on a fresh kill, multiple bears foraging for berries and bugs, moose tending to their young, and giant humpback whales trying to knock us off our boards. Kai was in my belly with our mountain lion encounter, and Stella in my belly for the humpback whale experience. Aria on the other hand, came out roaring like a lion cub so she fits right in with our animal-loving family.
We do, although a giant painting hangs in front of it 98% of the time. We’re certainly not against television – there’s just so many other things we’d rather do that end up taking priority. When we do sit down to watch a movie though, it’s a really special treat for everybody.
