FAMILY TRAVELS

visiting miyajima, an island near Hiroshima Jima using our rail pass on a 10 day trip to Japan with kids

Planning for a 10 day trip to Japan with kids

March 6, 2019

Are you thinking of traveling to Japan? There are a few airlines that currently fly directly to Tokyo from Seattle like Delta and ANA and flying to Tokyo is only about an 11 hour flight from Seattle.  In the time it takes to fly there, you can watch about 4 movies, have a quick nap, […]

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Everlast Bags in Jeffrey Gibsons art at Seattle Art Museum

If you have ever sold an Everlast bag on Craigslist, you might have met Jeffrey Gibson

March 2, 2019

I was invited to see the opening of Jeffrey Gibson’s “Like A Hammer” exhibition at Seattle Art Museum the other day and it’s the type of honest, colorful, modern and inclusive art that speaks to your heart and I really want my kids to see it. We love visiting art museums together and we usually […]

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waterfront dining and a new menu from Chef Nick in Seattle at the Fisherman's Restaurant at Miners Landing

Why you want to dine at Fisherman’s Restaurant at Miners Landing if you haven’t been there in a while

February 22, 2019

Did you know your stomach is made up of two halves-the dessert side and the food side? Sometimes the food side gets full but then the dessert side might still be hungry too. This is what chef Nick Novello told us when my friend and I were hosted at Fisherman’s Restaurant in Seattle at Pier […]

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club lounge access at the Sheraton Vancouver Wall Centre hotel is great for families visiting vancouver bc

The Sheraton Vancouver Wall Centre hotel: another fabulous place to stay if you’re in Vancouver BC with kids

February 6, 2019

I can’t figure out if I call Vancouver my hometown or my home away from home nowadays but it’s where we spend a lot of time and it’s where the hubby and I grew up.  We usually hang out with family in Coquitlam or Richmond BC when we’re not at Granville Island, or reminiscing at […]

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Richmond BC is a great place for families to stay near Vancouver BC

Why Richmond might be a great home base for families traveling to Vancouver BC

January 27, 2019

Is Vancouver BC on your travel bucket list?  As someone who grew up in the city I can’t believe how much it has changed and grown over the years.  We now live in Seattle, about a three hour drive away, and we head back to Vancouver often to see family and it’s still one of […]

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Testing out the Whispbar Tesla Ski Rack on a trip to Whistler with kids and stopping to charge at the New Whistler Supercharger at the Fairmont Hotel

Using a Whispbar Tesla Ski Rack and Supercharger from Seattle to Whistler

January 16, 2019

Thank goodness for Craigslist because my husband was able to purchase a barely used Whispbar Tesla ski rack for  less than the heftier price tag it usually comes with which is so nice when you’re dealing with anything Tesla and we wanted to add a ski rack so we can do some winter road trips.  We […]

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Fun at the Audain Art Museum with kids a delicious breakfast at the Wildflower Restaurant and finding the best hot chocolate in Whistler

Brunching with little kids at the Wildflower Restaurant and an adventure in art at the Audain Art museum in Whistler

January 9, 2019

What do you do with little ones who don’t yet ski when the rest of the family is out adventuring in Whistler?  My sister and I were visiting friends at their cabin in Whistler over the holidays and everyone else went out skiing and we stayed back to adventure with her three year old twins. […]

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florence with kids on a family trip to Italy

Family Travel Planning for 2019 with #emeraldcitylife

January 3, 2019

Thank you 2018, you taught us to be grateful and savor our days a little more.  Do you take a bit of time to think about the year that just passed before starting to plan the next year’s adventures?  I’m currently in the process of travel planning for 2019 and so far I’m almost certain […]

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Happy Lady Happy Card Review-trying out the Happy Lady gift card at Cheesecake Factory Seattle and other merchants

Yes you can buy happiness with Happy Cards

December 17, 2018

This is a sponsored post on behalf of Happy Cards and as always the ideas and thoughts in this post are my own. So here’s a happy way to buy a great experience gift! I recently learned about Happy Cards and not only are they gift cards but they are gift cards that pair your […]

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Visiting Enchant Christmas Seattle at Tmobile Park is another choice in Holiday events in the area and Sunday might be a good day to go because of free parking. Enchant Seattle is an indoor light festival

Why going to Enchant Christmas in Seattle on a Sunday might be the best deal

December 5, 2018

*PPS Enchant Seattle is back in 2024!! *PS I originally wrote this article last year when Enchant first arrived on the Seattle scene.  Enchant Christmas is back in Seattle for the 2019 winter Season with the theme of “Enchant Mischievous” at T-mobile Park!  We were invited the other night for a media preview and I love the updates […]

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The Hyatt Regency Bellevue is a great place for families to stay for the holidays and it's walkable to Lincoln South Food Hall

Why Seattle Families might want to stay a night in Bellevue for the holidays

December 3, 2018

Living in our city we have lots of holiday events nearby for Seattle families-we can bike to the aquarium to see diving Santa or check out the new Enchant Christmas light show at Safeco field. We can take the bus to Seattle Center to ice skate at Winterfest and ride the monorail to see the […]

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looking for prescription sunglasses at a Seattle glasses shop called Eye Eye in Capitol Hill

Eye Eye may just be the coolest place to go if you are looking for glasses in Seattle

November 28, 2018

I was invited to Eye Eye to check out their new expansion, meet with an eye doctor and choose a pair of prescription sunglasses.  Eye Eye has been around in Seattle for a little while but they recently redesigned their store and made it nearly double in size.  If you are looking for glasses in […]

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10 best Vancouver spots with kids a list of things to see if you're in Vancouver Canada with your family

Next time you head to Vancouver with kids, here’s a list of my 10 best Vancouver spots

November 23, 2018

We are a Seattle family.  My kids’ blood is the requisite blue/green for Sounders, Seahawks, Mariners and our one day Seattle hockey team.  I think when the hockey team finally gets here, I’ll be the one most torn about who to cheer for because I grew up in Vancouver and my childhood self would be […]

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Going back and giving back to the NICU for Prematurity Awareness Month

Going back and giving back to the NICU for Prematurity Awareness month with Carter’s

November 17, 2018

This post is sponsored by Carter’s on behalf of Everywhere Agency; however, all thoughts and opinions are my own. I am really excited to tell you about something I was part of last week. I was so honored to work with Carter’s to bring a generous donation of clothing and gift cards to parents in […]

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Staying with kids in San Francisco and renting a car is an easy way to get around. We stayed at the Courtyard Larkspur Landing Marin County Hotel and it was a perfect base to visit San Francisco with kids

Why Marin County is a great home base if you want to visit San Francisco with kids

November 9, 2018

We’ve visited San Francisco a bunch of times and it feels like we’ve done all the downtown city things.  And while downtown San Francisco is definitely a must see, sometimes when we travel with kids we need a little more space to explore.  We like to rent a car and we like to combine city […]

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Best things to do at Seatac Airport in Seattle-where to eat, shop and get your nails done while you wait for your airplane

Best things to do when you have some hours to spend at Seatac Airport

November 7, 2018

A couple weeks ago the hubby and I went on our first without-kids airplane trip together in about 10 years.  We’ve done a bunch of close to Seattle and Vancouver staycations like a couple nights at Nita Lake Lodge in Whistler or the Salish Lodge near Seattle but this was the first time we left […]

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Kamik #freeyourplay campaign helping kids have more free play outdoors with warm winter boots

Time to put a little more free play into our days thanks to warm Kamik boots

October 19, 2018

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Kamik and as always the thoughts and opinions in this expressed are my own. My 89-year old grandma came to visit us from Canada recently.  She bravely made the nearly 4 hour drive from her home to our cabin in the mountains where she […]

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Working and eating brunch at Eques Restaurant in the Hyatt Regency Bellevue Washington

Brunching on a weekday at Eques in the Hyatt Regency Bellevue Washington

October 5, 2018

Why do we think weekends are the only days that are made for brunch? I spent a weekday with Missy Palacol, an amazing local photographer at the Eques restaurant in The Hyatt Regency Bellevue last week and we had a blast sampling nearly everything on the menu. It was such a dreamy way to bring […]

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chez panisse Cafe also uses Heath Ceramics and we visited because my kids read Fanny at Chez Panisse when they were small

On not breaking any of the things at Heath Ceramics Factory in Sausalito and eating lunch at Chez Panisse

October 3, 2018

We have a thing for pottery in our house and we like to visit pottery and ceramics factories.  When the kids started kindergarten, I took a senior’s pottery course at the local community center but soon realized that I’m better at buying than making pottery.  One of my favorite places to buy pottery is at […]

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mini kitchens at Tigh-Na-Mara Resort in Parksville BC makes mornings easy for families and multi-generational travelers

Revisiting Tigh Na Mara and Coombs Market in Parksville BC with friends

September 24, 2018

Are you the type of traveler who revisits the same place over and over again?  Or do you like to forge new paths every time you go on an adventure?  For my family, even though we try not to visit the same place too often there are still a few places we’ve revisited over the […]

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