Author: Terumi
Ice skating party or why I heart experience gifts (Minoru Arenas, Richmond, BC)
December 29, 2013I think I gave myself the best present this Christmas. A skating party with people I love. And in the blur of all the Christmas shopping and merriment it was nice to just step into a winter wonderland and whirl around a rink with friends and family. I barely saw my kids because they wouldn’t […]
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Perfect present for parents of Lego-lovers and a fun night in Bellevue (Snowflake Lane)
December 18, 2013In Bellevue last night we braved the crowds to see Snowflake Lane. I thought it might not be busy because it was a weeknight and school isn’t out yet, but it was still pretty packed. It has changed a lot, even since last year. In the past few years the best spots to watch with […]
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A truly hand-made gift for Christmas
December 17, 2013This gift is actually not totally hand-made, but arm-made and I need to send a million thank yous to whoever pinned “arm-knitting” in my pinterest feed. Of course something so unusual-sounding peaked my interest and the scarf Simply Maggie created looked very cool. Her youtube video for the 30-minute infinity scarf also made making a […]
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Some of our Favorite Holiday things in Seattle
December 15, 2013This festive season we’re trying to fit in as many fun Christmas activities in Seattle as we can. We began our holiday countdown with the Macy’s parade. I remember trying to wheel these guys around when they were just a few months old so that they could ‘see’ the parade. This time they stood for […]
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An inspiring visit at the Gates Foundation Visitor Center (Seattle, WA)
December 12, 2013I had been meaning to go to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Visitor’s Center forever, but I kept putting it off. I think it was a little too intimidating, like I was preparing for a visit to Mr. Gates’ house or something. What would I wear? What would we do? What if we were […]
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Chilly Monday Shopping Wishes
December 9, 2013We have been on snowflake watch all morning and though we’ve seen a bunch of puffy clouds hanging in the chilly air we haven’t even had one teeny flake yet. I’ve been putting off today’s run because I’m so freezing cold. Hopefully some new running attire might help. I love my Athleta pants I bought […]
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Festive Candy Cookies
Every time my sister comes to visit it’s a weekend of love, yummy food and adventure. This weekend we had some glorious chilly weather, and my baby dog nephew made us get out and explore. I love how much fun my boys and I have with my sister and this dog. […]
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Santa then and Santa now
December 5, 2013When the kids were about one year old we were in Phoenix in December and noticed there was no line at the Santa at the mall so we hurriedly bought some Christmas sweaters and excitedly waited for our visit. Unfortunately the boys were not as thrilled as we were and this was our souvenir: Now […]
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Just a little Monday shopping
December 2, 2013Yeah. Just shopping a little today. You know. Cyber-Monday. Take it or leave it, right? I might buy a little. Or maybe I’ve bought a lot. But I have been shopping and I’m trying not to let all these sales excite me too much. I’m a little wary that the fitbit my hubby bought me […]
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Happy Day-AFTER Thanksgiving at Carkeek Park
November 29, 2013I can’t tell you how many years Black Friday has been the big deal for me. A day where you wake up early and SHOP all day??? Now that is my kind of holiday. And of course, I’m still shopping all my favorites (Some awesome deals are happening at Anthropologie, Gingiber’s etsy site, Snapbox -where […]
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A great almost-kid-cafe and an experience gift idea (Seattle Art Museum, Seattle, WA)
November 26, 2013I am always amazed at how few kids we see at our local art museum, the Seattle Art Museum (SAM)_. Kids under 12 are always free with a grown-up and there is a neat little place to play on the 3rd floor. (I wish they had pictures of the art screened on the tv in […]
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Pre-Black Friday CyberMonday and an elevator preparedness checklist
November 25, 2013Before you go and start panicking that you set your alarm too late, don’t worry yet, because it’s still not Thanksgiving. I keep getting all these pre-Black Friday sales in my inbox and I have to constantly check today’s actual date to make sure we haven’t missed Thanksgiving this year by accident because of all […]
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My nemesis the Fitbit and why you shouldn’t give your credit card info over the phone
November 22, 2013So the hubby got me a Fitbit for my birthday. “This is going to help you have many more birthdays” he said. “Blech.” I said. I was unimpressed. And I was right. The 10,000 step counter thing is driving me crazy. For some reason, this thing is totally addictive and I keep having to top my […]
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A cliff-hanger of a birthday in Vancouver (Capilano Suspension Bridge, Vancouver, BC)
November 20, 2013Maybe the story shouldn’t start with the cliffhanger. But, I was oh so proud. This is what everyone with a fear of heights should do to celebrate just being alive. We weren’t supposed to be up in Vancouver for my birthday, but one thing led to another and here I was in my hometown. We […]
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Christmas ideas on a Monday still faraway from Christmas
November 18, 2013The moment my birthday ends the hubby is allowed to play Christmas music beginning the Christmas madness in my house and I love it. I love all the cheer. And I totally LOVE the shopping. Except this year we’re looking for Christmas ideas that are more experience than gifts. It was inspired by something I did with […]
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Catching the last days of fall
November 15, 2013I’m so thankful that November has so many exciting things (my birthday, Thanksgiving, BLACK FRIDAY!!!!!!!!!!!) that it’s easy to forget it’s also that bleak transition time where pretty leaves turn into an ugly, mulchy, wet mess and it’s dark ALL THE TIME. It’s so hard to say hello to winter and give up the glorious […]
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New to us Seattle Restaurants with kids
November 13, 2013We’ve been in a family restaurant rut lately. Though we love our usual haunts, the Spaghetti Factory, Red Robin and Boom Noodle have been so over-used in our rotation lately that I can’t imagine going back to them anytime soon. (And we love them). Thank goodness we spent some time this past week venturing out […]
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Boxes of Fun on a Monday
November 11, 2013Happy Monday! Scores of boxes arrived at our house last week so I thought I’d better update on a few of them. If you’ve been reading a while you know I’m already totally addicted to my monthly Birchbox but I got an email that I recently received my 21st box! I think there are few […]
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Easy French Toast for your weekend
November 8, 2013Sunny weekend mornings need yummy breakfasts and this is the type of recipe for easy French toast that doesn’t really matter if you add a little bit too much or too little of anything. We usually use leftover potato bread from either Macrina Bakery or Tom Douglas, but I’ve even used sliced bread and it […]
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What we do on rainy days in Seattle
November 7, 2013To be honest, now that the kids have preschool every day, on days that it rains and storms outside it’s such a nice excuse to just hang out and have a slow morning together at home. We stay in our pajamas a little later, play some soccer in the basement, make some crafts and simmer […]
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