Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest I feel most alive surrounded by trees and breathing in the fresh mountain air.
When I am not working you will most likely find me spending time outdoors, volunteering with my church and exploring this beautiful planet with my family.
This is my place to share my passion for life and to encourage you to take time to find the extraordinary in your life.
All tagged Adventures
Earlier this year, we decided it was high time we returned to where we spent our honeymoon- Ucluelet, B.C. For our eleventh wedding anniversary we spent a relaxing four days at Black Rock Resort as we celebrated each other and the awesome life we have created together. Although many people have never heard of Ucluelet, it is a ruggedly beautiful place located on Vancouver Island about four hours west of Victoria, B.C.
On our recent trip to Norway we split our time between Olso and Bergen. Bergen is known as the gateway to the fjords and is truly a remarkable place to visit. Bergen is also the perfect place to use as your base for exploring Norway. From Bergen you can easily access the city, coast, and fjords for an all encompassing experience of Norway. Aside from prime location and breathtaking scenery at every turn Bergen also has a lot to offer in the way of culture and history. Our first stop in Bergen was the Tourist Information to pick up our Bergen card. The Bergen card gives you free or discounted admission to most of the city's museums, attractions, sightseeing, cultural events, bus travel and even parking!
When planning our trip to Oslo we knew we wanted to stay somewhere fun, hip and with a local flair. Making certain there were cool places to eat and fun shops nearby was also very high on our priority list. So when I stumbled upon Scandic Vulkan it was a match made in heaven. The Scandic Vulkan is located in the up and coming Vulkan neighborhood, surprisingly the area and its recent growth reminded us a lot of Seattle. In just a two minute walk from the hotel you are inside arguably one of my favorite spots in Oslo- Mathallen Oslo. Mathallen Oslo has an endless array of delicious things to eat and pretty things to look at. Eating out is admittedly one of our favorite things to do and food is consistently at the top of our souvenir list.
Over Memorial Day we rented this cabin through Mount Baker Lodging for the weekend. We had never visited Silver Lake before, but it was such a beautiful property I can foresee us visiting again and again. Although the weather was not fantastic while we visited, it encouraged us to take it easy and recharge after our trip to Europe. After a busy month of traveling it allowed us to get back on our schedules. Despite the weather we still managed to go on a short hike, visited the nearby state park, spent an afternoon in Bellingham and even did a little strawberry picking at a local farm.
Vacations much like life are often punctuated with a few hiccups along the way. When our accommodations in Bergen fell through at the last minute I was elated when I found out this bright and airy apartment was still available. David, the owner, was easy to work with and was kind enough to procure a portable crib for us. Our entire experience from booking to staying was as lovely and laid back as his apartment.
When planning our third trip to Iceland we knew we wanted to do things a little differently this time around. On our first trip to Iceland we spent ten days driving around the entire country. On our second trip, we made a quick stop over in Iceland before heading onto Amsterdam and Paris. This time we knew we wanted a home base to spend several days in one place. Since we were traveling abroad with a toddler for the first time we were uncertain how jet lag would treat him. The thought of a small hotel room while a toddler adjusted to a new time zone was not appealing. During my search for houses to stay in, I came across this beautifully modern home. At first glance, the covered outdoor space, idyllic location and wrap around deck immediately grabbed my attention. In addition, the house had three bedrooms which meant Jasper would be able to nap or go to bed early while we stayed up and enjoyed the sauna, hot tub or just relaxed.
In the midst of downtown Friday Harbor and just a short walk from the ferry terminal there is a lovely place to stay called Bird Rock Hotel. It is a small, unassuming place, the type of place you might even walk right past if you did not know the charm awaiting you once inside. Bird Rock Hotel is a boutique hotel with a historic exterior and a modern interior. Rooms range from deluxe with harbor views and jacuzzi tubs to simple European style sleeping rooms with shared baths down the hall. Each room is unique which makes it a fun experience to stay there again and again. There are so many things I enjoy about Bird Rock Hotel, but the comfortable beds, location and delicious continental breakfast awaiting me each morning are three of my favorites. This is our second time staying at Bird Rock Hotel and just like last time we loved every minute of our stay.
We just returned from spending a few relaxing days in Whitefish, Montana. During our time there we hiked in Glacier National park, cooked delicious meals together and enjoyed being outside as much as possible. However, a majority of our time was spent enjoying the comfort and beauty of a wonderful place called River Meadow Ranch. River Meadow Ranch is a gorgeous property boasting not one, but two spectacular rental homes. The first home is a five bedroom, three bath fully restored hand hewn log home and the second home (the one we stayed in) is a newly built five bedroom, four bath house located on seven acres and offering stunning mountain views.
Over Father's Day weekend we spent a day in Port Townsend. The goal for the day was pretty simple; grab a slice of pizza from Waterfront Pizza and get an ice cream cone from Elevated Ice Cream. In reality, the day was far more exciting than that. We enjoyed a scenic ferry ride to Southworth, a pretty drive to Port Townsend and most importantly a fun day with each other. We gave Cameron his Father's Day cards will we were picnicking on the beach and before Cameron had the chance to open Jasper's card Jasper had started chewing on it. A soggy card, sunshine and Jasper's first boat ride were just some of the highlights of our day together.
To celebrate our ten year anniversary, we took the day off and went hiking to Blanca Lake. We had never been here before so it seemed like a fitting way to celebrate both our love for each other and the outdoors. The weather was glorious, the crowds were nonexistent and my parents were kind enough to watch Jasper so we could spend time together just the two of us. It is really difficult to wrap my head around the fact that we have been married for ten years. In some ways, the time has flown by and in other ways it feels as though we have always been married. He is my everything and has given me a life full of adventure, two beautiful children I adore and more love than I ever thought possible. He is a true partner in every sense of the word. He works tirelessly for the betterment of others and is slow to anger, patient, kind and loving. Even after all these years seeing his face makes me smile, his presence is reassuring and he still makes my heart skip a beat.
For you long time readers, you know we like to hike...A LOT! So when Jasper came along, it was pretty much a given we would invest in a hiking pack once he was big enough. We were ecstatic when upon placing him in the carrier for the first time he literally laughed and squealed with delight. Hiking must be in his blood! Riding in the carrier allows him to be up high and see everything from a different vantage point than his everyday life. I can tell Jasper feels like a big deal in his carrier and he really seems to enjoy the view.
The Chihuly Garden and Glass has been around for a couple years now, but we finally made it over there to check it. Although we are very familiar with Chihuly's work it was fun to be able to see it so artfully staged. We have seen his work previously at the Tacoma Glass Museum, the Bellagio hotel and have even had the privilege of visiting his Lake Union home. At the Chihuly Garden and Glass you are able to witness a variety of his work from spheres to chandeliers and more free flowing pieces. I am always impressed with the uniqueness Chihuly is able to create with glass as his medium and I have never seen his work so beautifully lit.
Each Spring we make it a point to head over to the University of Washington to view the spectacular cherry blossoms in the Quad. And each year just like clockwork I have the same thought- why don't we come here more often. With the days getting longer and warmer weather upon us it seems like the perfect place to allow your child to explore and run free on a beautiful Spring day. These particular trees are over eighty years old and are well maintained and loved by students and Seattle residents alike. Here is a little Q & A about these particular cherry blossoms.
One of the most beautiful places on San Juan Island is Cattle Point. Cattle Point is located at the south end of San Juan Island and consists of low rolling hills, and cliffs covered in prairie grassland. Cattle Point is a short drive from Friday Harbor and yet it feels as though you are miles and miles away from everything. On a clear day you can see all the way to Canada. The southern shoreline of Cattle Point has long gravel beaches, rock outcroppings and protected sandy coves; it reminds me of the California coast in many spots. Cattle Point is a prime example of how easily accessible some of the most breathtaking places are. A ten minute drive and a five minute walk later we were able to witness more bald eagles than I have ever seen at once in my life. Washington is such a beautiful state filled with rich diversity and plentiful beauty; I am fortunate to call this place home.
While staying in Friday Harbor we enjoyed a leisurely dinner at Coho Restaurant. The restaurant was intimate, the service attentive, and the food was delicious. The owners Anna Maria and Dave could be seen bustling about as they took orders, served food and chatted with guests. This is the type of place if you visit more than once they would remember your name, greet you with a sincere smile and treat you like their best friend. While chatting with Anna Maria in between courses I was reminded why I am such a big proponent of small businesses. I admire people like Anna Maria, who have carved out a life for herself where she can do what she loves on her own terms.
Several months ago we planned a trip to San Juan Island. Little did we know back when we booked it our timing would be perfect and we would have spectacular weather all weekend. Since we wanted to stay in the heart of Friday Harbor, we decided to stay at the Bird Rock Hotel. From the moment we stepped foot into the Bird Rock Hotel we were given the royal treatment. Tory, the manager, was not only eager to share his love of the island with us, but fill us in on the best places to eat and things to do during our stay.
One of our favorite long weekend getaways is to Long Beach, WA. We enjoy biking along the Discovery Trail, eating at thePickled Fish, staying at the Adrift Hotel and in general having the beach to ourselves. Since welcoming our little guy four months ago this is only the second trip we have taken together as a family, the first we took a few days before his two month birthday to the North Cascades. I will be the first to admit traveling with an infant is a game changer, but I will also be the first to encourage all you homebodies to take the leap of faith and travel with your little one. With a little planning ahead of time, altered expectations and flexibility it can prove to be a wonderful experience and create lasting memories for all.
After our lunch at Shake Shake Shake we walked over to Stadium High School. We have seen it featured in the movie Ten Things I Hate About You, but have never seen it in person. I cannot imagine attending such a beautiful high school. It reminded me more of a building you would see on a college campus. On this particular day, the sun was shining and it was a balmy sixty five degrees. We ended up doing an impromptu photo shoot of two of my favorite guys. I think these are some of my favorite photos of them to date.
Weekends, in particular Saturday, is the day we set aside for adventures and exploring in our family. I like to leave the house in the morning and return home at dark with a heart full of memories and a camera full of photographs. This past Saturday was rather stormy and rainy, so we boarded the Southworth Ferry and spent a leisurely day driving to Union and then Hoodsport, WA. We made a pit stop at Alderbrook for brunch and witnessed one chilly polar bear swim. Then we went onto Hoodsport for ice cream. I love this little family of mine and I am grateful we are able to spend days like this together.
Whenever we are up in the North Cascades we make certain to spend a day at Sun Mountain Lodge. It is a beautiful place with sweeping vistas and regular wildlife sightings. Their lobby is warm and inviting with two massive fireplaces flanking the large vaulted space. Sun Mountain Lodge is the perfect spot to warm up by after being outside for several hours. In the Fall we like to hike around the property and in the Winter we like to snowshoe on one of the many well marked trails. One unique experience they offer during the holidays is a sleigh ride. The last Winter we were up there we took a sleigh ride during the day. This time we decided to mix it up and opt for a nighttime sleigh ride complete with dinner. There was something very magical about riding on a horse drawn sleigh, bundled up with blankets looking at the starry sky above with the sounds of jingle bells.
