DAILY LIFE

Visting Kittyhawk from Seattle with kids to see where the Wright brothers first flew in a replica of their airplane

How to get to Kittyhawk from Seattle with kids to learn about where the Wright brothers flew for the first time

June 6, 2018

As with most things in my life before becoming a mom of boys, I cared as little about airplanes as I did about garbage trucks, diggers, bulldozers, buses and UPS delivery vehicles. But my guys have been enthralled with airplanes and everything travel since their first hotel stay at the Westin Grand Vancouver when they […]

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this pic is taken behind Ivars on the waterfront and this post has tips on where to find out what to do today in Seattle with kids

How to find out what to do in Seattle today with kids

June 1, 2018

My kids are starting to grow up a bit and the need for me to find a kid-friendly restaurant ASAP or a play area that’s not too crowded before nap-time is not dire anymore, but I get asked a lot from friends and family who are traveling with kids what they can do in Seattle. […]

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Planning an itinerary for a 10 day trip to Italy with kids visiting Rome, Florence and Venice

Planning for 10 nights in Italy with kids

May 29, 2018

Isn’t family travel planning a little overwhelming?  If you only have 10 days in Italy or any place for that matter, how are you going to experience everything you want to see and how on earth are you going to do that with kids in tow?  This is totally how I felt when we ended […]

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Once Again Amore Hazelnut Spread

When eating hazelnut spread is amore

May 20, 2018

I was a little hesitant to try some chocolate hazelnut spread Moms Meet sent me to try and review because I was worried I might get addicted.  I read that it had no palm oil in it (I’m trying to avoid palm oil) and it comes from Italy so it sounded too good to be […]

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the time i went to mom 2.0 and managed to forget my laptop in the hotel safe

What to do when you forget your laptop in the hotel safe when you check out (or anything else for that matter too!)

May 14, 2018

Let me start by telling you that on this particular trip I had other grown up successes.  I hung up all my clothes from my suitcase in my hotel closet and I never do that ever.  Who has time for this kind of thing on vacation anyways?  And I am always so paranoid about forgetting […]

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Beautiful Amazon Prime Packaging at Mom 2.0

When you celebrate Mother’s Day a week early with Amazon Prime and Mom 2.0

May 9, 2018

It seems almost a hundred years ago now when I was a new twin mom in Seattle and I still had a flip phone that I heard about a seemingly mythical drive through grocery store about an hour north of me. I was so envious of the people who lived nearby it who could just […]

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A trip alone with my two nine year old boys to Legoland California

It is not impossible to take two boys to Legoland California on your own and be a STEM learning champion too!

April 26, 2018

With avid Lego fans in the house it is a no-brainer that Legoland would be one of my guys’ favorite places in the world. On a recent trip to Carlsbad I was excited when Legoland gave me tickets for the boys and I to go while the hubby was at a conference. I was a […]

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If you need to get a passport in 24 hours in Seattle

Always check your passport expiration before you book an international trip

April 22, 2018

Better yet, why not go and check your passport expiration now and put a little reminder maybe 6 months before it in your calendar to make sure you review it in time.  Even if you’re always responsible and always do these types of things.  Even if you never forget.  Because we were the people who […]

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Papaya and granola topped Açaí bowl in Kauai at Kalalea Juice Hale in Anohola

Eight Tips for Seven Days in Kauai with kids in tow

April 11, 2018

If traveling to Kauai with your family is on your radar then you need to start thinking about accommodations soon-especially if your holidays happen during President’s Day or Spring Break.  Here are eight tips we have from booking a recent trip we took for seven days in Kauai with kids in tow: Sign up for […]

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Chuoa Chocolates quote at the chocolate factory in Carlsbad near Legoland and the flower fields

A chocolate factory in Carlsbad I didn’t know I wanted to tour until it was too late! (Chuoa chocolates, California)

April 7, 2018

If you’re a Seattleite and shop at Metropolitan Market, you might notice the enormous selection of chocolates right by the checkout stand. It’s nearly impossible to miss, especially if you love chocolate like I do and the last time we visited Met Market there was even a sample stand to tempt us with delicious treats! […]

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Using Nest or Arlo Video Alarm monitoring systems in Seattle for your house to prevent robberies

Why you might need a Nest Doorbell Or Arlo Camera or other Video Alarm Monitoring in Seattle

April 2, 2018

In the next couple weeks I have a feeling my family and I will be buying all the video alarm monitoring things for our houses in bulk.  We live in a quiet Seattle neighborhood with not a lot of happenings, but lately we’ve seen more and more suspicious activity in the area and what happened […]

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review of Osh Kosh spring clothes style on a trip from Seattle to vancouver with 9 year old boys

Spring Clothes from Osh Kosh that can transition from Park to Party and Bring the Fun

March 27, 2018

This post is sponsored by Everywhere Agency on behalf of OshKosh B’gosh; however, all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.  There are two things we look for in clothes for my family-are they comfortable and can we wear them for multiple events?  It’s even better if the clothing we buy travels well too because […]

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Eating in with kids at Plaza Garibaldi but you can also order delivery using Amazon Restaurants

My favorite take out food delivery apps for Seattle (and when you travel)

March 25, 2018

PS it’s 2024 now and while I love using my smartphone for pretty much everything, lately in Seattle, it’s felt really expensive to get delivery through food delivery apps.  I haven’t had anything delivered in months now but just the other day I had a late meeting and my husband was out of town and […]

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Family Travel is Feeling very VIP at the Parq hotel in Vancouver because of Marriott Rewards

Why we have mad love for Marriott Rewards and how it makes us feel truly VIP

March 20, 2018

**In September 2018 the Marriott Rewards program changed it’s Gold Elite Member Status rewards. We sadly no longer receive lounge privileges or breakfast at Marriott hotels.  Hilton Honors Gold that we receive with our American Express Platinum card however includes continental breakfast with its booking so this is something we now take into consideration when […]

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Shakespeare’s House and other Historical Shakespeare sites in England with kids in the summer

The time I had Shakespeare’s House all to myself and how you (maybe) can too

March 16, 2018

A long time ago when I was a headstrong college student I decided that I would become an English major and that was that. Shakespeare in Love had come out around that time as well as the first of the Harry Potter novels and being able to read and write and get credit for doing almost […]

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Breakfast with our family in Poipu at the Koloa Landing Resort in Febuary

Planning a trip with kids to Kauai in February from Seattle

March 9, 2018

Years ago when we would travel with our family to one of the Hawaiian islands, it was just a matter of getting airfare, booking the hotel and off we would go.  If we booked a hotel near the beach, we didn’t need to plan much because there was sure to be almost guaranteed sunshine and […]

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Trying Seattle-based Darigold’s new salted caramel milk on a roadtrip for a special occasion

Salted Caramel Milk and Road trips with kids for a special occasion

March 5, 2018

This post is written in collaboration with Darigold for its new Salted Caramel Milk and as always the opinions and stories in this piece are written by me. We drink milk on a regular basis but salted caramel milk reminds me of a milestone birthday or special occasion.  The salty sweet and creamy taste is […]

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How to take Instagram photos on your phone - tips from An Emerald City Life

Iphone Photography tips for Instagram

March 2, 2018

How much do you love the Instagram App?  I remember when I first saw the app I was so skeptical-I asked my bestie who gets me into all things social media-people really just want to see pics?  Isn’t it just Twitter in picture version?  But yes.  WE WANT ALL THE PICTURES! And suddenly Instagram is […]

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Being more mindful about purchases because of PrAna clothing

When a clothing brand reminds you to be mindful of packaging

February 25, 2018

I was really excited to try a few pieces from PrAna’s spring 2018 line-a cute black sweater and capri yoga pants-on our recent trip to Kauai. Have you heard of this clothing brand? I love so much about it-PrAna is stylish, comfortable, great for travel and easy to wear and I’ve partnered with them before […]

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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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