Seattle family

starlight lane

Finding safe holiday joy in Seattle at Starlight Lane

December 18, 2020

Last night my family and I went to the Starlight Lane light show in Seattle so we could drive through a parking lot decorated with lights. Tickets were priced around $40 and with Ticketmaster fees and taxes, I think the final cost was about $50. Going into the event I saw some horrific reviews on […]

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yorkie poo puppy in front of Christmas tree at Grand Ridge Plaza in Issaquah during holiday shopping 2020

Shopping at Grand Ridge Plaza in the Issaquah Highlands this 2020 holiday Season and beyond

December 1, 2020

This is a post created in partnership with Grand Ridge Plaza in Issaquah Washington and Regency Centers to help shoppers discover the community resources that help them flourish and all thoughts and opinions are my own. Why my Seattle family shops at Issaquah Highlands Grand Ridge Plaza Although we live in Seattle, we spend a […]

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how to cut your own Christmas tree if you live near Seattle

If you live near Seattle and want to cut your own Christmas Tree

November 29, 2020

Add researching how to cut your own Christmas tree to the list of local firsts we’ve tried in Seattle in 2020. We usually go to the same tree farm in North Bend where we’ve gone almost exclusively for the past 10 or 11 years. But this year we were worried about distancing and not sure […]

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15 seconds of Stardom with the Seattle Star and other local gift Ideas for the holidays

15 seconds of Stardom in Seattle (a chance to play with the Seattle Star) and other fun local gifts for the holidays

November 24, 2020

This year it’s more important than ever to shop locally to help support the businesses and places in Seattle we love. So here’s my running list this year for Seattle gift ideas that have caught my eye. Many of them are things our family will be buying and giving to friends and family as well […]

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Holiday gift ideas especially if you live in Seattle with two almost-teenage boys and a dog

Holiday Gift ideas from a Seattle family with a pup and two nearly-teenage boys

November 3, 2020

Usually I’m more of an experience gift type person but since experiences are a little more tough to execute this year we’re on the lookout for more tangible holiday gift ideas. And I start my shopping early because it feels even better when I find a good deal on a holiday gift as well. We’re […]

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A Schoolcation near Seattle at the dog-friendly Big Wheel Beach House in Seabrook WA

A Seabrook Schoolcation at the dog-friendly Big Wheel Beach house

October 19, 2020

When in history has “how is your wifi” been so important for being able to just get away from it all for a while? While we aren’t flying anywhere for fun and it’s too tough to cross the border to see family, sometimes just changing our scenery while the kids are schooling from home is […]

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roadtrip with kids and dog on the Olympic Peninsula and where to stay along the way

A 5 day loop roadtrip from Seattle around the Olympic Peninsula (that you could make shorter or longer depending on how much time you have)

July 30, 2020

Suddenly everyone in Seattle has discovered the Olympic Peninsula and we have too. I guess when circumstances force us to explore our own backyard we realize we’ve been neglecting one of the prettiest places on earth for more faraway adventures. We recently drove a 5 day loop through the area, from Seattle to Sequim via […]

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seattle roadtrip ideas with a dog and kids

Summer roadtrip ideas from Seattle especially if you have kids and a dog

June 17, 2020

I have been holding onto all hopes that the Canadian border might open but as of today it will be closed until nearly the end of July. So now we’re looking for all the summer roadtrip ideas for places that are as self-contained as possible, places that have scenic views and especially places that can […]

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may these gates never be closed at peace arch park

Beginning to travel again with a bit more thoughtfulness and responsibility from now on and a first trip to Peace Arch Park

May 27, 2020

***AS OF 8pm June 18th 2020 Peace Arch Park on the Canadian side will be closed until further notice*** We have always lived a life with our suitcases packed. My husband and I are the only people in our immediate families who don’t live in Vancouver BC, and we chose to live in Seattle WA […]

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Local Produce Delivery in Seattle CSA's and Pike Place Market

Local produce CSA’s and delivery ideas in Seattle that I hope stick around after life goes back to normal

April 23, 2020

We have never kept a lot of food in the house-the kids go to school near a grocery store, we travel a lot and I’m used to popping by Pike Place Market at least once a week for local produce. But because we’re eating a home a LOT more now (like everyday on repeat) and […]

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Dribble Up, the Nintendo Switch Ring, the Peloton App and other workouts you can do staying home in Seattle

Dribble Up, the Nintendo Switch Ring and other at home workouts we’re trying right now

April 15, 2020

Have you ever spent this long at home before? I can’t believe how many days it’s been since we’ve been on a trip. But I also can’t believe how many days it’s been since the kids and I have not had to leave home at all. With all this forced inactivity, one of the things […]

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Ella Bailey park with playground shut down for coronavirus

Seattle Companies (and beyond) making a difference when we are all in the same lifeboat

March 26, 2020

If I ever get to be a grandma, I want to remember these days. It feels so surreal how suddenly we went from creating cool content all around the world on the internet to being shut inside our homes. Even the park near our home has police tape all around the playground blocking it off […]

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The Rolling Bridge and Fan Bridge at Merchant Square near Paddington Station London

Because everyone needs to see the Rolling Bridge in Merchant Square near Padding Station in London

January 27, 2020

Who knows when or where I first saw the London Rolling Bridge in Merchant Square but I am going to credit it to Pinterest, Facebook or Instagram. Isn’t it always social media that tends to inspire us nowadays for travel? It’s no wonder that there is always someone criticizing some ‘Influencer’ but really, I’m so […]

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SEA visitor pass at Seatac Airport

Trying out the SEA visitor pass program at Seatac Airport

January 7, 2020

*After a long pause since the ransomware attack this summer, the SEA visitor pass program is back!!* The hubby and I did long-distance back in college between Vancouver BC and California for about three years. I loved that in the USA he could walk me right to the airplane and say goodbye like I saw […]

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Staying at the Hyatt Regency Seattle in a club level room with kids

January 6, 2020

Sometimes we forget the value of a good staycation and I love when we get a chance to stay in a hotel in our own city. We needed to stay downtown for my husband’s holiday party and the Hyatt Regency Seattle seemed like a festive and fun place to stay with kids in December. This […]

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The Swedish Tending Machine at Sea-Tac Airport

The Swedish Tending Machine at Sea-Tac Airport

January 1, 2020

Learning about what Swedish is doing in the community to help our neighbors. This is a sponsored post on behalf of Swedish. My favorite part of December this year is how much I’ve learned about how the Seattle community helps each other out. It is a festive time of year in Seattle and many of […]

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electric cars at the 2019 Seattle Auto Show including the Jaguar I-pace and Audi

Exciting Electric Cars at the Seattle Auto Show 2019

December 28, 2019

Last month, my family and I were invited to visit the Seattle Auto Show. My husband absolutely loves cars and I went alone a few years ago, and I heard about it FOREVER. So this time it was me and the three guys and I was really excited to check out the new electric cars […]

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Visiting the Seattle Space Needle for the first time since its renovation and standing on the Loupe, the revolving glass floor

Visiting the Seattle Space Needle for the first time since its renovation

December 20, 2019

This is a sponsored post on behalf of Travel Mindset and the Seattle Space Needle; however, all thoughts and opinions are my own. The Space Needle has always played a big role in our lives in this city.  In the days before Google Maps, I used it as a navigational beacon to find my way […]

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seattle families can take part in the Seattle Flu Study to help detect, monitor and control the flu

I Signed up for the Seattle Flu Study and So Can You

December 18, 2019

This is Sponsored post on behalf of the Seattle Flu Study and all thoughts are my own.I spent the first winter of my kids’ lives in a giant bubble of hand sanitizer.  With two preemie babies who had spent way too long in the hospital, there was no way I was going back.  I could […]

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How AmazonSmile helped us Deliver Smiles to Mary’s Place this Holiday Season while we carried out some holiday traditions in Seattle

How AmazonSmile helped us Deliver Smiles to Mary’s Place this Holiday Season

December 12, 2019

How we’re helping some of our favorite Seattle charitable organizations with AmazonSmile this holiday season while we create traditions with our family This post is sponsored by Amazon, however all thoughts and opinions are my own. I love December! No other month feels quite so magical-there are sparkly lights, yummy festive foods, fuzzy sweaters and, because we’re […]

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