DAILY LIFE
Kafka’s Coffee in Vancouver BC with a playground next door
January 9, 2023Kafka’s Coffee has been part of our Vancouver adventures for decades now- my best friend baked for them years ago and they have really delicious coffee and food. But the newest Kafka’s Coffee location is so perfect for Vancouver families (and Seattle families visiting Vancouver) so I needed to talk about it here. It’s downtown […]
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Things to do in Seattle in January
December 30, 2022I just found out we don’t have to jump right into January for Seattle Schools-the Monday falls right after New Year’s so we get until Tuesday to start the year. So will this be the theme of our 2023 year? Can we actually ease into something in our city for once? Will we slowly sip […]
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If you have Irish heritage make sure you go to the Epic Irish Emigration Museum in Dublin if you visit
December 22, 2022There are many things to do in Dublin and we found out that you can probably do almost all of them if you really want to even if you are only in Ireland for 5 days but you can also choose to do just to do a few and take your time and even go […]
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Unboxing and using our Lomi Home Composter for the very first time
December 14, 2022I was gifted a Lomi Home Composter and this post contains affiliate links and as always the viewpoints in this post are my own. I also have a coupon code for a free skylight with purchase. Add Lomi and a Skylight to your cart. Apply code: emeraldcitylife at checkout. We are trying out the Lomi […]
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My most favorite Seattle thing from 2022: Noir Lux Candle Company
December 12, 2022Maybe we can people again. It has been so hard not to people in the past couple years. And thankfully this year it finally feels like we’re starting to be able to make plans to meet friends and family and there is so much hope. We’ve been able to have so many first-time-in-way-too-long reunions and […]
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Things to do in Seattle in December
December 5, 2022This year, I don’t know if I’ll get my Christmas cards out on time. I say this every year but this year I really don’t know. So maybe they’ll be new year’s cards? It’s just a very busy time. There are so many events that happen this time of year and while we overachiever Seattleites […]
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Our Seattle favorite things of 2022 for all of your holiday lists
November 30, 2022Who says that the holidays need to be hectic? I love December for celebrating and reflecting on all the joys of the year. This year I’m really thankful to have partnered with many local shops and activities that have become part of my family’s daily life in Seattle. And many of these places will be […]
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A play you need to see in Seattle : “What the Constitution means to me” (and when it goes beyond our city you need to see it too!)
October 6, 2022Have you ever watched as much news or followed as much politics as you have in the past 3 years? Sometimes I feel like all I hear is sadness and scary things and I just want to turn it off and make it stop. But it won’t stop even if we don’t pay attention and […]
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Best Advent Calendar 2024 Watchlist
October 4, 2022Just like Halloween and Christmas start slowly sneaking into summer, annual advent calendars start popping up earlier and earlier every year too. I’m not sure what I’ll be doing for this year’s calendar yet but there are a few that have caught my eye. I’ll add the ones I see to the list below and […]
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Finding all the places that have nonstop flights from Seattle at Seatac airport now that we travel with teenagers
October 3, 2022The hardest part about travel now that we travel with teenagers is that we don’t have all the time and flexibility we used to have when they were younger because of school and sports. One of the main ways we choose the places we go to is by if they have nonstop flights from Seattle. […]
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Things to do in Seattle in October
September 28, 2022Suddenly it’s October isn’t it? This year there are lots of things to do in Seattle in October and all we’re thinking about is Mariners baseball right now. But also I’m dreaming about pumpkin farms since we visited a few in Abbotsford BC and I’ve got a list of maybe 5 of them near seattle […]
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Staying a the Conrad Midtown Manhattan NYC (and yes we booked with Amex Fine Hotels again too)
September 20, 2022At the beginning of the summer our teenage boys went on their first solo trip with their school. It was at the height of the June pandemic outbreaks where people who hadn’t got Covid for two years were all getting it and we were a bit worried that they might get Covid too but we […]
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Where we park in Seattle to go to the beach at Expedia Group (Scout’s Favorite Park)
September 13, 2022If you follow along on my instagram, we tend to visit the beach at Expedia group with Scout quite frequently. It used to be where we parked to go biking with the kids when they were small. It’s near where the cruise ships dock and it’s also where you’ll find the closest lupine patches growing […]
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Why booking with Amex Fine Hotels at the Fairmont Chateau Whistler Resort is more than “worth it” for families
September 12, 2022Whistler, BC has become a really popular destination for Seattle families-it’s about a 4-5 hour drive away and it’s easily combinable with a Vancouver trip for shorter travel days and a longer vacation too. Over the years it feels like we’ve stayed at nearly all the properties on the mountain and our favorites so far […]
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All the Hawaii farm tours and factory tours you might want to visit on the Big Island (Island of Hawaii)
September 10, 2022We have been visiting the Island of Hawaii as a family for years now and one of the things we love most about the island is visiting the coffee farms. Greenwell Farms is a place we constantly go back to and we’ve noticed more and more varieties of farms popping up over the years. This […]
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Things to do in Seattle in September
August 31, 2022Forget everything else about Seattle this September, it’s now the September the Mariners made it into the playoffs and the city is so ready for this excitement. Get ready to buy your post-season tickets. (Also it is still sunny, there are so many things to do, and the city has calmed down a lot from […]
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#SummerinSLU and how you can too! A list of fun and free pop-ups in South Lake Union in Seattle Washington
August 12, 2022This is a sponsored post on behalf of South Lake Union for #SummerinSLU and as always the opinions in this blog are my own It is summer in Seattle, and possibly one of the best times to be in our city. The weather is sunny and perfect and the city is bustling. And if you […]
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What is the deal with FEND Everyday Airway Hygiene?
July 27, 2022I received FEND everyday airway hygiene for free from Moms Meet (momsmeet.com) to use and post my honest opinions. This post may contain affiliate links.” As someone who has been a Seattle blogger for years, I’ve tried out a lot of cool products with Moms Meet and this one sounded really unique. A spray for […]
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Kenmore Air adds a new way to get to the San Juan Islands with a short flight Paine Field
July 21, 2022How incredible is it that we can fly? I often forget that small planes are also an option in our area when we are trying to get to local places. We’ve used Kenmore Air before for their seaplane to Vancouver Island. I just learned that they also have land planes too. And now there is […]
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A hike to Lodge Lake a trail about an hour away from Seattle that has easy parking and is nearby food
July 18, 2022Every time we do the Lodge Lake hike I think it’s going to be a lot longer than it actually is. From the trailhead, it’s about 2-2.5 hours round trip if you don’t stop much. But Lodge Lake is one of my favorite Snoqualmie Pass trails especially for the first half an hour-I don’t even […]
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