One of my fondest memories as a kid was getting hot chocolate at Blue Parrot Coffee with my family at Granville Island in Vancouver. They put the best dollop of chocolate-y whip cream on top of their drinks and on a chilly day there is nothing more delightful than a warm drink in a warm […]
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Last summer I went to a Maui tourism event and I was intrigued by a resort called Napili Kai. They were really proud of the fact that they didn’t nickel and dime their guests with hidden costs like resort or parking fees. When you stayed with them, you were supposed to feel like family. Fast […]
Read MoreA little while ago, someone asked for a picture of me and the kids and I scrolled through my rolls and though I have TONS of my kids, I don’t have many of ME and my kids (and of the few I have there aren’t many that I love or want to share). And it […]
Read More*Apparently this Sugarcane train is now closed. Thank you Rick for letting me know and if anyone hears otherwise, please message me too! We weren’t sure if we were going to do this one. I couldn’t find a lot of information on it, and I wasn’t sure if it was a full length ride or […]
Read MoreOh dear mom please close your eyes and stop reading now because this would just stop your heart. (FYI for all you others out there, my mom is a bit of a health nut and seeing this would kill her.) This is a lot of butter in a pan bubbling just before it turns clear […]
Read MoreI tend to book places when I get a good feeling about the place. Kihei had a pretty name, it was close to the airport (our flight arrived at 11pm) and I managed to find a condo on the beach for a reasonable rate. We like small hotels especially in Hawaii: the type that […]
Read MoreHow is that we’re already back? Weren’t we just at the top of a crater minutes ago? Or exploring caves? Paddle-boarding in an ocean teeming with whales. And driving gorgeous but treacherous roads along an incredible coastline. We even got chased by a cow. (All the while chugging Dayquil on the beach and trying to […]
Read MoreI wish I was a gifted packer but alas I am not. I can pack quickly but it doesn’t look pretty. If it were up to me, I’d just transfer this pile directly to my suitcase. I believe it’s technically packing as long as everything ends up in the suitcase. Volia! Packing complete. But the […]
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If you sign your kids up for lessons at Mount Seymour (maybe 30 minutes from Vancouver, BC), you’ll see 3 little words that all parents dream about in their sleep. Parent Free Zone. What does this mean? It’s simple. When you drop your kid off in their ski wear, you don’t even have to fight […]
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You know how I love me a good makeup subscription service (Hello Birchbox!) or Sephora because I get a bunch of samples with every order. Well there’s definitely a good reason for this. Every trip we go on, I grab a handful, stick it in a big zippy bag and stuff it in my suitcase. […]
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I’ve been meaning to post this one for so long. My friend Sandee is super-creative so when her little guy turned one she put together a fabulous party at her gorgeous home. I loved the red, white and turquoise color-theme which is perfect for December parties. I absolutely loved the cake table. The guys were […]
Read MoreSee these tired, shiny, almost-brand new parents? Our guys were 9 months old and we headed off to Maui for our first vacation as a family. A bunch of trips later and we’re heading back to the island pretty soon and I can’t wait. All I can remember from the last visit was a lovely […]
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Somewhere in another city my dad is celebrating a birthday. One of those big milestone ones with round happy numbers and hopefully no flamingos on the lawn. I’m not sure if you’re a flamingo guy, eh dad. But I do know that you’re a coffee guy and every time I go to a coffee shop, […]
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See the blur? That’s my guys jumping off the diving board for the first time. They just pranced across the thing and fearlessly bounced of the end. I’d be proud except I’m terrified that they’ve learned a new and ridiculous skill: I know this because later when we were at the Pacific Place mall on […]
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Oh Monday-remember when you were all about just going back to school and talking about the weekend with friends, after-school snacks, and chatting over homework? There are some days I wish I could just wave a twinkly wand and go back to those days. When I was little my best friend S had a […]
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Ever since I bought this lovely cookbook:The Silver Spoon for Children: Favorite Italian Recipes I’ve been meaning to make gnocchi with my guys, but I keep forgetting, so I have a ton of potatoes just lying around. So the other day, when a package I ordered from Fancy Flours (don’t they have the sweetest wrapping?) […]
Read MoreI meant it as a joke when I said I’d tally the dog-poos of the year, but now we’re actually at three. But the third poo is probably from another animal at the farm, maybe goat or sheep and not technically dog poo that made its way under my shoe so I’m not sure it […]
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I’m not sure why, but bug-proof clothing is one search I get a lot on this site, and as someone who puffs up into one giant mosquito welt if I get bitten, I thought I better share some of my real faves: I love this shirt. That might even be an understatement. If I hear […]
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I wish I could say I only do this when we travel, but I learned this trick when the boys were babies and I got so scatterbrained that I would lose the “Silver bus” everywhere we went. Thank you to my handy smartphone (I swear this is the most mom-friendly invention of all time), I […]
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Years ago, my pregnant self would never have imagined anyone would ever be able say to my kids “so you know how to collect eggs?” and have them answer “yes!” but something about having two boys who love adventure changed everything. Thanks to Farmer Jayne at Kelsey Creek Farm in Bellevue (two years ago we […]
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