Fixin' Leaks and Leeks

A hike to Bridal Veil Falls in the rain tested the strength of my thighs and bladder. However, I prevailed. I probably should have stopped by the restroom first, after downing a Coke and Gatorade, but I threw caution to the wind and rushing water, which reminded me, at every turn, of my “personal dam”… Continue reading Bladder Up! Tips for Hiking to Bridal Veil Falls

When “Let’s Groove Tonight” played like sweet, sweet liquid gold through the ladies’ restroom speakers at the Seattle Wild Ginger restaurant, I knew just what to do: Finish up and get dancing. I didn’t care who saw me. I needed to “share the spice of life” and “glide like a 747” out into the lobby… Continue reading How I Learned the Charleston to Celebrate the International Day of Dance (Sort of)

If a chicken drank a can of Red Bull, stepped in ink, and “Gangnam Styled” all over sheets of lined paper, the result would be: My handwriting. Seriously, it’s that bad. Everyone I know complains about it and no one can read it. So why on earth would I even consider using a wood-burning tool… Continue reading “Hot Mess:” My Attempt at Wood Burning (Pyrographics)

Tulip Town welcomes visitors with whirling, windmill arms to its candy-colored fields. When I saw the gardens and festive activities in a brochure, I ran to get Nate. “We’re going! We have to go—we need to see this!” I said. “Say no more,” he answered. Nate, Alex, and I hopped in the car, singing (to… Continue reading Hard-Boiling and Dying “Tulip Town-Inspired” Easter Eggs

Over the gentle waves of the Puget Sound, April showers bring . . . . gray whales! And: vessels of whale-watching enthusiasts ready to scramble over the side of a boat—even pushing their own children aside—just to snap a photo of one of the most homely creatures I’ve been blessed to see. On a rare,… Continue reading How to Spot Gray Whales “Going Wild” On Their Spring Break Near Whidbey Island

Orcas—recently released from Sea World and ready to frolic—didn’t exactly await our arrival to the San Juan Islands. However, Nate, Alex, and I were not disappointed. Friday Harbor Island—even for just one day in the off-season—is packed with plenty of things to see and do. From Anacortes, Friday Harbor is the third ferry stop—just two… Continue reading Friday Harbor Island: Making the Most of a Family One-Day Get-A-Way

Getting crafty, when my art supplies have dwindled to St Patrick’s Day napkins and party horns, is nearly impossible. Nearly. I suppose I could do something “artsy” with these items, but would I like the result? Probably not. While St. Patrick’s Day, for me, signals the onset of spring, so do flowers. Nate is kind… Continue reading Making Tissue Paper Flowers: No Water Needed

Makeup is pants for the face. Some people believe that leaving the house without makeup is like going out in public without pants. According to these people, I’ve been leaving the house with very little or no face pants (makeup) for most of my adult life.   That will change soon. I’m a full-grown, blogging woman.… Continue reading Put Some Pants On! Selecting and Applying Makeup

Cooking class went to pot the other day. It was a “flippin’ disaster.” “Mom, it was so embarrassing. Everyone else could flip a crêpe, but mine kept sticking and folding in half,” Alex said. When my fourteen-year-old son isn’t swimming or lifting weights, he’s eating. So, when the smell of brownies and cupcakes wafted through… Continue reading Cooking Class Crepe Redemption: Making Crepes

Ripping a hole through my yoga pants was the biggest threat I’d face if I were to snowshoe at the Big Four Ice Caves this weekend. My yoga pants might never be the same, but I couldn’t leave this world without snowshoeing at least once. Besides, Nate said the “stunts” I’ve performed on my blog… Continue reading The Thrills, Spills, and Icy Chills of Snowshoeing Near the Big Four Ice Caves