Blogging

Testing out the LimeBike Ebike in Seattle

E-bike sharing in Seattle and where to get a foldable helmet

February 21, 2018

Try and not find the yellow, green and orange bikes popping up on every corner in Seattle. I often see them parked near the kids’ school and at community centers on sunny days. Maybe you’ve also seen them being pedaled around South Lake Union and Green Lake too. We have become a biking family-my husband […]

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You can find Kiehls in Seattle University Village an outdoor shopping mall with trendy shops and pretty flowers

Kiehls Apothecary Preparations and finding youthful skin in real life

February 17, 2018

The other day I was asked if I was expecting (I’m not) and I got I.D.’d (thankfully in a different place than where they thought I was pregnant) and although one event made me happier than the other, I’m just going to put it out there that maybe, just maybe this might have a little […]

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Still Me by Jojo Moyes and Valentines Gift Inspiration

A Valentine’s Gift List because I met Jojo Moyes

February 8, 2018

”Be kind” Jojo Moyes says when someone asks her what the one thing the breadth of ALL her work tells us at an author reading the other  night at Third Place Books in Bothell. “Kindness is an underrated virtue.  Be strong, be courageous and if you’re strong within, the world will be a better place.” […]

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Dreaming of a California adventure because of Mom 2.0 conference in Pasadena

Deciding where to California adventure on a trip to Mom 2.0

February 7, 2018

I’m headed to Mom 2.0 in May and a dear friend of mine has promised to meet me in California after the conference in Pasadena so we can have an adventure like we used to in college pre-kids. For us from the Pacific Northwest, California means shopping, palm trees, beaches and yummy food.  So now […]

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Find books in a airstream trailer at the Ink and Bean Cafe in Anaheim California

A driving solo adventure in Orange County I want to repeat with family and friends

February 2, 2018

In my dreams I’m a fearless traveler, stylish carry on in hand, passport in the other and I’m ready to take on any adventure life whispers to my heart. In reality though, I’ve got a bag-load of responsibilities, schedules to coordinate and I’m still a little choosy about which way the wind blows me; sometimes […]

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Goodwill purchases help support a culinary training program

Learning how to be an auction winner with Goodwill and what kind of used snowshoes you should buy if you’re in Seattle

January 30, 2018

This is a sponsored post for Goodwill and as always the opinions in this piece are mine.  I visited with Goodwill in Tacoma to learn about their mission and learn about their online auction site: www.shopgoodwill.com Let me preface this tale with a little bit of back history. As a mom of energetic twin boys […]

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Old Gundam Robot statue in Odaiba

Low tech and high tech toys that are faves in my house right now

January 22, 2018

  The holidays are over, the decorations are packed away and we’re about a month into all the fun toys that have arrived at our house. (I can’t take credit for the decorations being down…that’s definitely the hubby’s doing. I would have them up all year round but not because I’m festive….) And of course […]

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Visit Tanaka Farms in Irvine California with your family to find out more about where your food comes from

Tanaka Farms in Irvine California is a great place to take kids to learn where food comes from

January 8, 2018

Do you love knowing where your food comes from?  I recently did a poll on my  Instagram Stories and I was so excited to see that an overwhelming majority of people care about the story of their food.  I feel the same way.  I love hanging out on factory tours and finding locally made things.  I […]

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Napkins from Minted make great gifts

More than cards at Minted for your holiday shopping

November 28, 2017

I’ve partnered with Minted to check out their holiday shopping ideas in exchange for credit on their site and as always the ideas and thoughts in this post are my own. Have you checked out Minted lately?  I was in Target recently and noticed a new wall display with gorgeous cards by Minted artists.  I’ve […]

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Hotel Andra Lobby in Seattle

A tech filled lunch that helped me with my holiday shopping and might help you too!

November 14, 2017

I was a guest at a Techlicious and Consumer Technology Association event In Seattle to lunch and learn about tech gift ideas for the holidays and as always the ideas and opinions in this blog are my own. I’m not always the earliest adopter of tech.  Sometimes I get a little overwhelmed and feel like […]

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Cabin life in the mountain with kids

Heading to the mountains with our new portable speaker

November 3, 2017

This post is sponsored by Verizon however the thoughts and opinions in this post are mine.  I’m watching snow flakes float out my window on the EARLIEST snowfall I’ve ever seen in Seattle in years-are you as excited as I am to start the weekend already?  And even though we’re only getting a dusting here, […]

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Tuft and Needle mattress showroom in Seattle

Why I need a whole new bedroom now thanks to my mattress

November 1, 2017

I am going to have to overhaul my bedroom.  This all started with an invite I received in my email from Tuft and Needle for the opening of its brand new Seattle store.  This online mattress company from Phoenix was coming to Seattle and wanted influencers to check out their new brick and mortar store in […]

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Hot Cocoa and snowy northwest weekends

Hot cocoa and snowy northwest weekends for the win!

October 16, 2017

I used to dread the period between October and February a little in the Pacific Northwest.  The days get shorter and we go for weeks on end with chilly, wet, dreary weather.  During stretches like this it’s easy to wonder if we’ll ever see sun-filled days again.  But then a few years ago we went […]

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Tiny Home Otto at Thousand Trails Leavenworth

A tiny home community where you can stay overnight in Leavenworth

October 11, 2017

One of my favorite parts of travel is that you get to stay somewhere that is NOT your home and through our travels we have stayed in many different types of accomodations. Before we had kids, we used to camp a lot.  If I had to use the bathroom in the middle of the night, […]

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Hello kitty bath bomb with ring inside

Fun things for Hello Kitty Fans in Seattle and beyond

September 26, 2017

Mark your calendars Seattle friends, there is a Hello Kitty Food Truck heading our way in a few weeks!  On October 7 the truck will be at Westfield Southcenter and I so would love to be there!  Has anyone been before?  I have seen the lovely goodies from the truck but I’m never in town […]

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STEM ideas with kids: Seattle Living Computer Museum

STEM toys for back to school and a cool place in Seattle to learn all about tech

September 11, 2017

When you have family who is in the know, you get to try a whole bunch of neat toys.  We recently received this Star Wars Sphero toy and it’s like having our own miniature moving R2D2 in our house. We were already very familiar with Sphero because the boys used it at school and I […]

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Looking for Koalas with kids on a drive on the Great Ocean Road just outside of Melbourne Australia with kids

How talking to strangers might be more helpful than you think (Great Ocean Road, Australia)

August 23, 2017

“You aren’t going to see any koalas in the wild,” my friends who had been there told me when I said this was my number one reason for visiting Australia.  They’re all in sanctuaries and zoos where you can see them, hold them and meet them.  But you won’t see koalas in the wild and […]

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Ballroom at the Downtown Syracuse Marriott hotel

A history trip; a restored hotel, a haunted theatre and a famous canal in Syracuse

August 9, 2017

A little while ago, I was hosted on a media trip to New York State for a piece I was writing for Trekaroo: a tour of historic women’s rights sites in Upstate New York that people can visit with their children.  I learned a ton of interesting history that I didn’t know about before (and […]

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Shopping Nordstrom Anniversary Sale with Groupon Coupons

Shopping the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale with Groupon

July 26, 2017

This is a sponsored post written on behalf of Groupon Does anyone else think about the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale with glee every July in the Pacific Northwest?  I almost missed it this year because I’ve been so busy catching up from our time in Australia that I forgot to put the early access date on […]

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Fun and free things for families in Bellevue

Free Things families need to know about in Bellevue, Washington

July 20, 2017

We all have heard that the best things in life are free, so I’ll tell you about a few free things in Bellevue Washington and you can see for yourself.  Bellevue is such a beautiful place to visit if you’re in the Seattle area-there is good shopping, beautiful parks and lots to do for families. […]

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