California
Why Marin County is a great home base if you want to visit San Francisco with kids
November 9, 2018We’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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Yes you can Candytopia alone in San Francisco and still have a party
October 24, 2018Last week I found myself in San Francisco with one free day to do whatever I wanted to do. Now, usually a free day in a place when I’m traveling means I have kids in tow so I usually look for a children’s museum or beach or something to keep them entertained. But me-all alone? […]
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On not breaking any of the things at Heath Ceramics Factory in Sausalito and eating lunch at Chez Panisse
October 3, 2018We 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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Glamping in the closest almost-Serengeti to Seattle at Safari West in Santa Rosa
September 10, 2018Anyone else think a private bathroom would make camping absolutely perfect? That feature alone makes glamping at Safari West a dream come true because the tents here all have their own showers and bathrooms and feel a lot like hotel rooms. But if you think waking up to giraffes and flamingos is magical and you […]
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What to do when you forget your laptop in the hotel safe when you check out (or anything else for that matter too!)
May 14, 2018Let me start by telling you that on this particular trip I had other grown up successes. I hung up all my clothes from my suitcase in my hotel closet and I never do that ever. Who has time for this kind of thing on vacation anyways? And I am always so paranoid about forgetting […]
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When you celebrate Mother’s Day a week early with Amazon Prime and Mom 2.0
May 9, 2018It seems almost a hundred years ago now when I was a new twin mom in Seattle and I still had a flip phone that I heard about a seemingly mythical drive through grocery store about an hour north of me. I was so envious of the people who lived nearby it who could just […]
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It is not impossible to take two boys to Legoland California on your own and be a STEM learning champion too!
April 26, 2018With avid Lego fans in the house it is a no-brainer that Legoland would be one of my guys’ favorite places in the world. On a recent trip to Carlsbad I was excited when Legoland gave me tickets for the boys and I to go while the hubby was at a conference. I was a […]
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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! […]
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Deciding where to California adventure on a trip to Mom 2.0
February 7, 2018I’m headed to Mom 2.0 in May and a dear friend of mine has promised to meet me in California after the conference in Pasadena so we can have an adventure like we used to in college pre-kids. For us from the Pacific Northwest, California means shopping, palm trees, beaches and yummy food. So now […]
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A driving solo adventure in Orange County I want to repeat with family and friends
February 2, 2018In my dreams I’m a fearless traveler, stylish carry on in hand, passport in the other and I’m ready to take on any adventure life whispers to my heart. In reality though, I’ve got a bag-load of responsibilities, schedules to coordinate and I’m still a little choosy about which way the wind blows me; sometimes […]
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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 […]
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Shopping Outside at Noguchi Garden and South Coast Plaza (Orange County, California)
November 28, 2017As I frantically scan the internet and virtually shop for cyber Monday deals, I’m wondering how many people truly opted outside for Black Friday? Do we really hate shopping all that much or is there is a difference between shopping to see innovative and beautiful things and shopping aimlessly hoping to get a deal on […]
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A Fun Family trip to Imperial Beach thanks to Expedia
May 19, 2016I’ve said it many times before but I’m a total fan of booking through Expedia. This site allows me to consolidate my bookings in one place, cancel many hotel bookings without penalty and I’ve had some pretty great upgrades because of my VIP status. I’ve booked so many times with Expeida that I know what […]
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Lego Dreaming at the Legoland Hotel California in San Diego
May 4, 2016I almost didn’t book the Legoland hotel. I had planned a beach vacation for the family and Legoland wasn’t even on my radar. I thought we’d laze on the beach, visit some museums and eat yummy food. But then we were invited to a Legoland event at our local Science Center and I realized my […]
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One sweet day in La Jolla with kids
November 11, 2015I’m not used to being the one who goes away for business, so when I was invited to an event in San Diego a little while back, I brought my family along and gave them strict orders to leave me alone while the conference was on and we would all hang out together for one […]
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Because we all need an excuse to go to San Diego in the Fall (#myprintlymoms)
November 3, 2015How thankful am I to MomSelect and Maria Bailey? I was invited to come to a Print and Pamper Retreat for HP to learn about HP and My Printly for a group called MyPrintlymoms and hang out with some fantastic ladies at a place called Rancho Bernardo Inn in San Diego and it was delightful. It was […]
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Car2Go Electric Car envy in San Diego
October 14, 2015It isn’t hard to find good things to say about Car2Go in Seattle. I think they are the main reason my husband has been able to bike to work for the past couple years because they are so easy to use that they provide a great backup for when he needs a car in the […]
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When a business treats your kids nicely, they are golden for life (Bottega Louie, Los Angeles)
April 7, 2015This memory could have ended with that delightfully full feeling you get after you eat a good meal but it’s going to be in my heart for a while. We were in Los Angeles for a wedding and I’d seen the lovely macarons from Bottega Louie in one of my social media feeds and filed […]
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A place to eat on a lovely beach in California (Paradise Cove Beach Cafe, Malibu)
April 2, 2015Years ago when we went to California with the kids for the first time, we fell in love with Crystal Cove where we ate at the Beachcomber restaurant, saw some dolphins swimming and played in the sand. I forgot to get reservations for that restaurant on our last visit to California and found it was […]
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Next time we’re in California we’ll definitely show our #Disneyside
March 12, 2015I was pretty excited to be chosen to host a Disneyside Party this year and I was sent a box of free products in order to host. When I applied, I knew we were going to California for a wedding and the kids hadn’t been to Disneyland since they were little and I was excited […]
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