FAMILY TRAVELS

Hadrian's Wall in England

Why Hadrian’s Wall was one of our England faves for family travel

March 10, 2017

As with most things travel these days I saw a picture on Instagram from someone I was following-I think it was North Idaho dad-shortly before we visited England in August and I immediately added a place called “Hadrian’s Wall“to our itinerary because of the curious ancient rocky rubble and sheep-filled hillsides that looked quite unlike anything I […]

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Mail truck in the snow

A personal heater, vegan gummy bears and other things that have arrived in the mail lately

March 6, 2017

As a blogger, and an avid online shopper, there are many lovely things that arrive in my mail every week and it’s always exciting to see what might turn up next.  I’m so amazed when mail gets delivered, even in the snow!  Last week we were away in Amsterdam (I have some sneak-peeks on Instagram) and I’ll […]

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Burgos fondue in vancouver

My Vancouver with Kids list-where to eat, what to do and where to stay.

February 27, 2017

This Vancouver Canada with kids list is long overdue!  I get asked about Vancouver family travel at least once a week and I always type up an email or facebook message to the requester and then forget to write this list for my blog.  There are so many things to do in Vancouver and because […]

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Must-try Chinese Restaurants in Richmond

Yummy Chinese Restaurants in Richmond BC that maybe even locals don’t know about

February 16, 2017

Have you ever been to Richmond BC?  Perhaps you’ve passed through on your way north from Seattle to Whistler, or maybe you’ve had a flight from Vancouver airport and stayed overnight here somewhere, or maybe you, like me, also know that this is a gem of a city and it’s worth a stay all on […]

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cute valentine

Seattle Valentine’s Ideas especially with kids in tow

February 9, 2017

There is little doubt in my mind that come Valentine’s Day I’ll be dining at one of Tutta Bella’s restaurants with my three guys. We’ve done this on a few Valentine’s Days now and it’s become a bit of an easy Seattle Valentine’s family tradition-the hardest part is deciding if I’ll have tiramisu or gelato (They get […]

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Family travel airplane from Sea-Tac airport with kids

New stores at Sea-Tac Airport and a great parking deal

January 19, 2017

Is anyone else getting itchy feet to travel somewhere-ANYWHERE-and be swept some place far away right now?  I’ve noticed some fantastic seat sales over the next few months and drizzly Seattle weather makes jet-setting so enticing.  The last time I popped into the Sea-Tac Airport, I was just there for a visit, so I’m so excited that next […]

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Coffee on our balcony in Cannon Beach at the Surfsand Resort one of the Cannon Beach hotels that overlooks Haystack Rock

An Electric Tesla Roadtrip to Cannon Beach on the Oregon Coast

January 10, 2017

Does anyone else have 16,000 pictures stuck in their phone?  Lately, I’ve given up on bringing any real camera anywhere and I’ve been IPhone only for most of 2016.  It’s freeing because I haven’t had to worry about carting so much gear around and I like that my photos have been a little more spontaneous […]

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Slowing down in the New Year

Warm socks, an Apple Watch and slowing down in the New Year

January 5, 2017

How many days have whizzed by this New Year? I’m trying not to count. This year, I’m making an effort to take each day as it comes. I’ve spent the last couple weeks (yes all of Christmas!) totally under the weather and it made the holiday season a little quieter and slower, but it also made […]

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Vancouver BC with kids in December and staying at the Pinnacle Hotel downtown

A festive weekend trip with kids to Vancouver BC

December 13, 2016

A weekend or two ago, the husband had a conference in Vancouver BC, so of course we tagged along.  I love hanging out in my hometown and we’re always torn between catching up with friends and family and just playing around in one of the coolest cities in the world.  Thankfully this was a weekend […]

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Travel-themed gifts for kids

Travel-themed wish list for kids

December 7, 2016

Kids these days seem to have the world at the fingertips and I have so much fun finding travel-themed gifts for little travelers.  When my guys were smaller they loved a lot of the books on this list and I have compiled other travel-themed gifts in this post too!  I’ve also written a travel-themed books […]

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Osh Kosh holiday outfit ideas

Holiday Traditions with Osh Kosh B’gosh and a giveaway

November 29, 2016

This post is sponsored by Everywhere Agency on behalf of OshKosh B’gosh; however, all thoughts and opinions are my own. Can you feel the snow in the air yet?  Apparently this year is our best chance in years for lowland snow in the northwest and I do love a white Christmas.  It just seems to […]

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Made in Seattle Gifts

Fun Seattle gifts and some awesome sales!

November 26, 2016

This list of Seattle gifts is a bunch of things that I’m getting or have bought for people in my life (and myself…I tend to by duplicate gifts for me) that are made by local designers. And yes, these awesome gifts could be for any family, but Seattle families will probably find this gift guide most […]

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A visit to the Seattle Southside

When a soccer tournament makes a great excuse for a staycation in the Seattle Southside

November 22, 2016

I may have been a bit of a green-eyed monster hearing about all the places people were going for their Thanksgiving holidays: Florida. Mexico.  Hawaii.  Belize.  But we had a soccer tournament at the Starfire Sports Complex that cut into our holiday so flying somewhere far wasn’t meant to be.  And usually the Seattle Southside […]

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Puget Sound Energy Wild Horse Wind and Solar Facility in Ellensburg a wind farm you can visit in Washington State

A windfarm you can visit in Washington State (Wild Horse Wind and Solar Facility, Ellensburg)

November 9, 2016

Before you drive out to Ellensburg to visit one of the only windfarm visitor centers in the United States, realize that the Wild Horse Wind and Solar Visitor Center is only open from April 1st-November 15th.  If you are visiting during this time, there are usually some pretty awesome free tours and other events going on in […]

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Rain in Seattle on Halloween

So much rain on all the Mondays in October

November 1, 2016

Apparently October was the rainiest month ever in Seattle. We have had so much rain that I’ve started to carry an umbrella around in my car!  The other day at the grocery store I saw someone put a ziplock bag over their hair because it started to suddenly pour.  But thankfully tonight on Halloween night we […]

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National Football Museum in England

National Football Museum (Manchester, England)

October 28, 2016

As a teenager when I dreamed of my future trip to Europe, the National Football Museum was not on my list of places I wanted to see.  I wouldn’t have known that football in England means soccer in the USA and I probably wouldn’t have cared about soccer here either. Fastforward to my real life; my […]

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Quicksand Toyota 4runner TRDPro on the beach on the Washington Coast

A fabulous place where you can use your 4×4 vehicle on the Washington Coast (Iron Springs Resort, WA)

October 23, 2016

I don’t have my own 4×4 but I totally wish I had one.  Specifically, I would like a Toyota 4 Runner and right now I would love it in the color Quicksand. (I had to look up this color because I call this color “Star Wars” but that is not it’s real name and I […]

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Lowells restaurant in Pike Place Market

Back to Pike Place Market! Lowells Restaurant for the First and Second Time (Seattle, WA)

October 19, 2016

Some time last year I started on a 52 weeks of Pike Place Market eating project.  I’m sure I’ve been to the market more than 52 times since then, but I’m not one for rules and I do love eating at some of the same places more than once in a year.  So this project is […]

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Minecraft event with Super League Gaming near Seattle

Discount code and win tix for a Seattle-Area Minecraft Event From Super League next week

October 15, 2016

I am not always a huge fan of video games.  I don’t want my guys holed up in a dark room for hours playing in a fantasy world all alone.  But for my 8 year old boys, video games are all they talk about.  It’s like they live and breathe video games and if I […]

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Sarhole Mill in England where JRR Tolkien Grew Up

When you miss a chocolate factory and find a mill with famous roots instead (Sarhole Mill, England)

October 14, 2016

Maybe it was all that Mr. Rogers I watched as a kid, with his soothing voice and his magic picture frame that showed where everything in the world came from.  Crayons.  Macaroni.  Candles.  He knew it all.  And now I’m more than a little addicted to finding out where and how everything is made and I […]

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