FAMILY TRAVELS
A chocolate factory in Carlsbad I didn’t know I wanted to tour until it was too late! (Chuoa chocolates, California)
April 7, 2018If 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! […]
Read More
Why you might need a Nest Doorbell Or Arlo Camera or other Video Alarm Monitoring in Seattle
April 2, 2018In 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 […]
Read More
Spring Clothes from Osh Kosh that can transition from Park to Party and Bring the Fun
March 27, 2018This 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 […]
Read More
My favorite take out food delivery apps for Seattle (and when you travel)
March 25, 2018PS 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 […]
Read More
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 […]
Read More
The time I had Shakespeare’s House all to myself and how you (maybe) can too
March 16, 2018A 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 […]
Read More
Planning a trip with kids to Kauai in February from Seattle
March 9, 2018Years 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 […]
Read More
Salted Caramel Milk and Road trips with kids for a special occasion
March 5, 2018This 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 […]
Read More
Iphone Photography tips for Instagram
March 2, 2018How 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 […]
Read More
Enter all the contests and go on all the trips: parenting advice for my kids after winning our trip to Kauai
February 28, 2018Of course I’m going to tell my kids to study hard and do your best and try to be a good person wherever you can: they totally need a baseline. But more than telling them to go to college, or plan out now who they are going to be when they grow up, or even […]
Read More
When a clothing brand reminds you to be mindful of packaging
February 25, 2018I 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 […]
Read More
When you worry that styrofoam is taking over the world, stop by the Pacific Science Center in Seattle
February 14, 2018There are many reasons to visit the Pacific Science Center in Seattle. Maybe you have kids who like science or you have kids you want to get interested in science (or STEM which seems to be all the buzz word in education right now unless you believe the world is flat and want to remain […]
Read More
A new Tesla electric car charger in Lynnwood and pondering going completely gas-free
February 13, 2018A couple years ago when we first got our Tesla we were a little apprehensive about buying an electric car for a family car. We had one option for charging on the way between Seattle and Vancouver and with all the long-driving we do to see relatives between here and there we didn’t know if […]
Read More
How far would you travel for the most perfect playground and a family-friendly meal?
January 25, 2018There are many reasons to travel to New Zealand’s North Island. The scenery shouts “take photos of me” every where you turn, the food is delightful and the people are absolutely charming and friendly. There are bubbling geysers, mountain adventures and sheep dotting the lush green hills. And there is Hobbiton. (I’m sorry we didn’t […]
Read More
Low tech and high tech toys that are faves in my house right now
January 22, 2018The holidays are over, the decorations are packed away and we’re about a month into all the fun toys that have arrived at our house. (I can’t take credit for the decorations being down…that’s definitely the hubby’s doing. I would have them up all year round but not because I’m festive….) And of course […]
Read More
A restaurant that’s been cooking here a little longer than all the poke, and it’s not just for tourists in Seattle
January 13, 2018Do you know which Seattle restaurant I might be talking about? Although Seattle seems smitten with poke these days and new trendy restaurants are popping up daily, I love a Seattle restaurant that’s been cooking awhile. And we’ve eaten so many great meals at Ivar’s Salmon House in South Lake Union that I thought this […]
Read More
Tanaka Farms in Irvine California is a great place to take kids to learn where food comes from
January 8, 2018Do you love knowing where your food comes from? I recently did a poll on my Instagram Stories and I was so excited to see that an overwhelming majority of people care about the story of their food. I feel the same way. I love hanging out on factory tours and finding locally made things. I […]
Read More
Whistler Canada with kids and a fun place to see bald eagles and eat along the way
January 4, 2018When I was a kid, I grew up in a small Vancouver suburb and we used to be able to drive to Whistler and back for a day trip. We had our favorite places to eat, like Ingrid’s which is still in Whistler, and we would always stop at the McDonald’s in Squamish along the […]
Read More
New Year Goals (Hello 2018!)
January 2, 2018So here we are on the first day of 2018 and I love how shiny new a new year feels. There is sun and sparkly light in Seattle today and already that is something to be thankful for. And how many of us are still trying to savor the blur that was 2017? (Both my […]
Read More
Are you a last minute shopper who still needs gift ideas?
December 21, 2017I totally get you! I’m a last minute shopper too and there are still a few places you can shop and get what you need in time for the big day. Now is the time I start shopping at places that use shoprunner two-day shippingor who have the ability to order online with in store […]
Read More