All in Seattle

Out and About with Kids: Olympic Sculpture Park

Out and About with Kids: Olympic Sculpture Park

Lisette Wolter-McKinley
Seattle, Parenting

In my opinion, each day should consist of six things: fresh air, inspiration, exercise, creativity, meaning and play. When a day feels off it is usually because it is lacking in one of these categories. It had been a long time since we last visited the Olympic Sculpture Park and during our couple hour visit I was reminded why it is such a fantastic place- especially for children. At the Olympic Sculpture Park you will find large scale art pieces to interact with, sweeping vistas of the city, mountains and water and most importantly, for this little two year old hills to run up and plenty of space to run free. The train tracks which run parallel to the park and the constant air traffic overhead provide additional entertainment.

Northwest Trek

Northwest Trek

Lisette Wolter-McKinley
Seattle, Parenting

Most days when I take Jasper on an adventure I have a series of events planned out in mind. There are certain elements of the day I am certain will excite him and then I leave all the rest to chance. However, most days the memorable moments typically happen during the in between periods, the pit stop at the park before nap time where we are almost mauled with kisses from an adorable new puppy or on the walk to the car when we encounter a road construction crew. Time and time again I am shown there is wonder and awe in the mundane as much as the majestic. So when we took Jasper to Northwest Trek this Fall I thought he would be really excited about the tram ride, but in actuality he was equally pumped about the information signs on the walking paths, pine needles and being a rebel by not walking on the pavement. Kids these days, they are just so easy to please!

Weekend Adventures: Island hopping

Weekend Adventures: Island hopping

Lisette Wolter-McKinley
Travel, Seattle

We are fortunate to live near hundreds of islands, but the thought has never really occurred to me to go island hopping for the day. Usually, we have a destination in mind and the ferry is the means to get there, this time we decided to try something we had never done before and go island hopping. We knew we could head to Vashon Island and then hop on over to Tacoma but we have never done so. We live so close to the Vashon Island ferry within minutes we were cruising across the water and heading toward our island adventure. No traffic, no waits, perfection on a sunny Saturday with an antsy toddler in the back seat. 

A little hope of Spring: Pike Place Market

A little hope of Spring: Pike Place Market

Lisette Wolter-McKinley
Seattle

It is easy to forget about places like Pike Place Market when it is cold outside and rainy days become the norm. However, Pike Place Market is still a vibrant, thriving market place even when the thermometer drops. The biggest appeal once the crowds thin are you can easily find a parking space and you are no longer elbow to elbow with tourists. In between appointments we made a quick pit stop at Pike Place Market for the essentials: Ellenos yogurt, a bag of fresh green grapes, a couple apples and a bouquet of fresh flowers. Most importantly, amidst the fresh produce and tchotchkes I was able to find a little hope of Spring.  Often when I think about heading downtown I can talk myself out of it. However, these type of spontaneous trips remind me how much richer life is when we approach life with a little bit of wonder and fill each day with adventures that make our heart sing. 

Out and About with Kids: Never give up!

Out and About with Kids: Never give up!

Lisette Wolter-McKinley
Seattle, Hiking

After a tough day of snowshoeing with Jasper a couple weeks ago we both felt like throwing in the towel on future trips this Winter. However, later that week we were able to take him and have such a fun time. At the spot where we took our break Jasper insisted on me lifting him high in the sky over and over again. All while telling Cameron "one more cheese" meaning take another photo please. There are so many highs and lows when it comes to parenting, a happy day on the trail is such a high for me! One of my New Year's Resolutions is to get out from behind the camera more often and these photos of Jasper and I are such treasures to me. 

Out and about with kids: The perfect day "date" with your little valentine

Out and about with kids: The perfect day "date" with your little valentine

Lisette Wolter-McKinley
Seattle

Last year I came to the realization of how wonderful Volunteer Park is for little ones. Volunteer park is diverse and spacious with plenty of room to run around, things to look at (from the sculptures to the water tower) and spots to picnic at. One of my favorite places in Volunteer Park is the children's playground which we often find empty and has a designated area for little ones. Between the Volunteer Park Conservatory, the open spaces, the playground and Volunteer Park Cafe nearby it makes for the perfect morning out with your little one, best friend or mother.

Out and About with Kids: Snowshoeing at Snoqualmie Pass

Out and About with Kids: Snowshoeing at Snoqualmie Pass

Lisette Wolter-McKinley
Parenting, Seattle

The one question I get asked the most often is "how do you keep a toddler happy while you are hiking/snowshoeing?" Aside from my amazing husband who willingly carries our little heavy weight around the answer is pretty simple, sometimes we do and other times we don't. Early on we decided we did not want to stop doing the things we love because we had children. That being said we have had to curtail the length and frequency of our hikes in addition to having our moments where we question why we brought him along in the first place.

Trimming a tree

Trimming a tree

Lisette Wolter-McKinley
Seattle

Every family does their Christmas tree shopping a little differently. Some people like tall trees, some people like short fat trees and other people like to find the saddest little tree they can and bring it home. Some families go to tree lots, tree farms, out in the woods, nurseries or even the grocery store. When Cameron and I were dating we selected our tree based on price, ease and convenience. We found the best looking tree the closest to Cameron's apartment and walked it home. Once we were married we continued this tradition for several years until we moved to a different place. That year, the closest place with trees for sale was Home Depot and once again we continued the tradition of walking our tree home. The following year we lived in a condo which was located near our local nursery and for a couple years we walked our tree home, shoved it in the elevator, took it for a ride up six floors to our place leaving a trail of pine needles as we went. Once we were in our house for the first time in our life we drove our tree home. After moving into our new home last year we decided to keep things simple and selected a tree we could easily put in the back of our car. Even though our beloved nursery delivers there is something so gratifying in selecting a tree, bringing it home and decorating it in one evening. Over the years, our Christmas trees keep getting smaller and smaller, but I think that is in large part because we are partial to the small and slightly chubby type. This year since we will be out of town for Christmas we decided to forgo getting a tree, but the Christmas spirit and one enthusiastic little boy quickly changed my mind about that. 

Out and About with Kids: A day at the zoo

Out and About with Kids: A day at the zoo

Lisette Wolter-McKinley
Parenting, Seattle

Even though we have an annual membership to the zoo we tend to visit rather infrequently. Although I like the idea of my child being able to see animals he might not normally see, I oftentimes leave the zoo with mixed emotions. On some visits all the animals are sleeping and I always worry they are depressed or unhappy living in such cramp quarters. About a month ago, we visited the zoo and had a fun filled afternoon watching many active and seemingly happy animals. The penguins and hippos were the highlight of the day, but riding the carousel is always Jasper's favorite part. 

Out and About with Kids: A snow day

Out and About with Kids: A snow day

Lisette Wolter-McKinley
Seattle, Parenting

When you live in Seattle it is not very often that it snows. Last week, we were blessed to wake up to not only one, but two snow days. It was so exciting it felt like Christmas had come early. It was the perfect day to cut the tags off of Jasper's new snow bibs and break them in. Once we were bundled up we headed out for our snowy adventure. Sadly, on both days the snow quickly turned to rain and like most wonderful moments in life, it was a bit short lived. 

Dating my husband

Dating my husband

Lisette Wolter-McKinley
Outdoor adventures, Seattle

Before we had children my husband and I would joke everything we did was a "date". Since having children the word "date" evokes a whole bunch of excitement and anticipation. Since most of our interests revolve around outdoor activities or food, our favorite activities to do when we are childless usually involve going on a hike or going to check out a new restaurant. Jasper has reached the age where he is no longer equally enchanting with long hikes or leisurely meals so we happily plan to do these things without him when we get the chance. Last weekend, we went on our inaugural snowshoeing trip and it was a good reminder to me just how important it is to nurture your relationship with your spouse in all seasons of life. 

It was a snowy day at Snoqualmie Pass so we enjoyed a beautiful hike up to Snow Lake. There is something so peaceful about feeling like you walking around in a snow globe. One day, I dream of owning a little cabin up in the mountains. But until then, our Saturdays hikes will have to hold me over. 

Out and About with Kids: The Teddy Bear Suite

Out and About with Kids: The Teddy Bear Suite

Lisette Wolter-McKinley
Seattle, Parenting

Last year, we stumbled upon the Teddy Bear Suite at the Fairmount Olympic Hotel Seattle during our staycation. This year we made it a point to check it out again while we were downtown on Black Friday. This year marks the nineteenth anniversary of the Teddy Bear Suite. As a curious toddler, Jasper was very enthusiastic about the teddy bears and spent our entire visit repeatedly saying "teddy bear". Since he surprisingly does not own any teddy bears (just other kind of animals) I did not know he could even say teddy bear.  It is so fun to see his little spirit develop and how freely he gives of his love and excitement to all he encounters whether that be a mail truck or a room full of teddy bears.  

Holiday weekend staycation

Holiday weekend staycation

Lisette Wolter-McKinley
Seattle, Travel

Some days time just gets away from me. Usually, it is a bi product of having too much fun, staying up too late, and packing too much in. But this past week has been filled with doctor appointments, too many viruses, too much coughing, not enough sleeping and lots of medicine for our family. However, I am happy to report we are on the mend and grateful we survived this long Thanksgiving weekend of trying to have fun amidst feeling crummy. 

The Museum of Flight and some post election thoughts

The Museum of Flight and some post election thoughts

Lisette Wolter-McKinley
Seattle

Living in a household which is predominately male means I have the unique opportunity to spend my time reading, watching and doing things I might not otherwise. Take for instance the Museum of Flight.....Although, I am not especially interested in aviation, aeronautics or space travel I have a boy whose eyes light up at the sight of a rocket and who has the uncanny ability to suck me into his world. Often I find myself forgetting where I end and he begins. Although we are two very different people with vast interests, we spend the majority of our days as one. 

I believe in the magic of childhood

I believe in the magic of childhood

Lisette Wolter-McKinley
Parenting, Seattle

I want to provide my children with a life of fun, discovery and adventure. I once heard of a mother who asked her children every time before they got in the car "Do you want to go on an adventure?" Going on an adventure sure sounds a lot more enticing then getting in the car to go to the grocery store, run errands, or go to the dentist when you are a child. I want to create an environment where creativity and imaginations thrive before the stresses of life i.e. homework, school, tests, bullying, and peer pressure take over and the magic of childhood quickly fades.

Family photos

Family photos

Lisette Wolter-McKinley
Parenting, Seattle

As a photographer I take a lot of photos, but the photo which has been missing from my vast collection was the most important one- a family photo. Over the years there have been many excuses as to why have not taken family photos. Many years it was just not a priority, it seemed like a luxury, and sadly, it didn't seem to make sense to get photos taken of just the two of us etc. Before I knew it years and years have gone by. Regrettably, we have not had professional photos taken of us since our wedding. In the end, it took the passing away of a dear friend to be the catalyst to finally get some family photos taken. If anything happened to any of us, I did not want to live with the regret of not having our joy captured. When I think of our family I think of how blessed I am to be surrounded by such handsome, funny and sweet guys. Out of everything good in my life- these two are the best! Jasper has created such light, happiness and joy in our lives I wanted that captured. 

Seattle Japanese Garden at the Arboretum

Seattle Japanese Garden at the Arboretum

Lisette Wolter-McKinley
Seattle, Outdoor adventures

On Jasper's birthday we paid a visit to the Seattle Japanese Garden at the Arboretum. The Seattle Japanese Garden is a 3.5 acre park located in the Madison Park neighborhood of Seattle. The garden is located in the southern end of the Washington park Arboretum on Lake Washington Boulevard East. The last time I visited the Seattle Japanese garden Jasper was a few short weeks away from being born. It was fun to be able to take him on such a glorious day for his first visit. The sun was shining, the leaves were gorgeous shades of red, yellow and orange. One of the gardeners was even kind enough to let Jasper rake the leaves for a few minutes. As I watched Jasper successfully maneuver a rake almost twice his size I could tell this was a highlight of his day. I love how children don't view anything as work- just play.  

The big TWO!!!

The big TWO!!!

Lisette Wolter-McKinley
Seattle, Parenting

Although I never dreamed of it I have quickly become THAT parent. The one who takes a million photos of their child, misses their child when they are asleep, and who talks about them incessantly to their spouse or anyone else who listen about the one MILLION adorable things he did on that particular day. I am the one whose Instagram account is littered with photos of my child and the one who often sends photos to my parents or anyone else who has chosen to stay away from the clutches of social media.

Gordon Skagit Farm

Gordon Skagit Farm

Lisette Wolter-McKinley
Seattle

Fall is not complete without a trip to Gordon Skagit Farm. If I could create a pumpkin patch of my dreams this would be the place. From fresh cider to apple picking and more varieties of pumpkins and gourds than I have been able to find anywhere else. Each year we come here my heart is so full with love for the season I think I smile throughout our entire visit. 

A wet and windy weekend at Earthbox Inn

A wet and windy weekend at Earthbox Inn

Lisette Wolter-McKinley
Travel, Seattle

On a wet and windy Thursday we took the ferry from Anacortes to Friday Harbor. The weather forecasters were calling for a "storm of the century" that weekend and we weren't exactly sure what to expect. Several years ago I heard the expression "there is no such thing as bad weather, only improper clothing". As a born and breed Pacific Northwesterner I try to stick to that as my mantra and not let the weather interfere with my plans. If we made it a point to stay inside on inclement weather days not only would we be missing out on a whole slew of adventures, but we would be missing out on the quintessential moodiness which is so integral to the PNW. 

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