Dec 3

Dec 3 A holiday staycation

This year we decided to mix things up and spent the evening of Black Friday in downtown Seattle. Normally, on Black Friday we have a tradition of doing a little shopping in the morning and then heading home to a local nursery to pick out our Christmas tree. Then we spend the rest of the evening decorating the tree and listening to Christmas tunes. Instead of our usual tradition, we jumped on the bus downtown armed with an overnight bag and eagerly anticipated our weekend adventure in the city. Although we spend a lot of time downtown in general we have not stayed at hotel in the city for over ten years.

Nov 10

Nov 10 A birthday trip to the Seattle Aquarium

Lisette Wolter-McKinley

Seattle, Parenting

I have not spent a whole lot of time doing specific "kid" things with Jasper because usually he seems to be enjoying himself regardless of what we are doing. However, on his birthday I wanted to do something special for him and yet memorable for us. I finally decided on going to the Seattle Aquarium. We all thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and at the end of our visit we decided to splurge on the annual pass. I am uncertain how many times we will actually visit the aquarium over the next year, but their toddler programs are on my radar and I am excited to spend more time exploring the aquarium myself. There is no end to the sights, sounds and colors at the aquarium. Jasper favorite spot was the tide pools, in particular the wave machine which turned on every few minutes to mimic the tide. I love this age of discovery and I am trying my best to capture his imagination and keep each day interesting.

Sep 17

Sep 17 Garden Party

Lisette Wolter-McKinley

Seattle

Each year the women in our church host a Garden Party. For the past two years I have been in charge of the monthly social activities for our organization, which means I head up a small group of women to make these activities happen. For the Garden Party our theme was flowers, so naturally I spent a sunny afternoon selecting armfuls of beautiful dahlias to grace the dinner tables. It doesn't matter how many times I visit Pike Place Market I always leave inspired by the endless colors and textures of the market.

Sep 2

Sep 2 Parfait

Lisette Wolter-McKinley

Seattle, Food

This Summer, we have tried our best to take advantage of what has seemed like endless glorious weather. A couple weekends back we spent the entire day hiking the 11.5 miles to Pratt Lake. Aside from the air being hazy from all the fires in the North Cascades, it was a wonderful day spent together as a family up in the mountains. I have to give my husband major kudos because he not only hiked, but carried Jasper on his back almost the entire way. Since Pratt Lake is such a long hike it deters a lot of people. As a result, we found ourselves alone most of the time on the trail. It was a scenic hike where we passed through several different types of landscapes and encountered endless types of terrain. It was a beautiful hike, albeit long and one I am eager to do again as an overnight adventure.

Aug 31

Aug 31 Pratt Lake

Lisette Wolter-McKinley

Hiking, Outdoor adventures, Seattle

This Summer, we have tried our best to take advantage of what has seemed like endless glorious weather. A couple weekends back we spent the entire day hiking the 11.5 miles to Pratt Lake. Aside from the air being hazy from all the fires in the North Cascades, it was a wonderful day spent together as a family up in the mountains. I have to give my husband major kudos because he not only hiked, but carried Jasper on his back almost the entire way. Since Pratt Lake is such a long hike it deters a lot of people. As a result, we found ourselves alone most of the time on the trail. It was a scenic hike where we passed through several different types of landscapes and encountered endless types of terrain. It was a beautiful hike, albeit long and one I am eager to do again as an overnight adventure.

Aug 27

Aug 27 Annual tradition: Camping on the Washington coast

Lisette Wolter-McKinley

Seattle, Weekend

One of our favorite Summer traditions is camping on the Washington coast. We load up our backpacks with supplies, make certain to pick up a bear can, permit and tide chart and head to the beach with no particular plan in mind. We stop and camp wherever looks like the best spot that day and enjoy big decisions like whether to eat and then look at tide pools or look at tide pools and then eat. Spending time at the coast is always extremely relaxing, restorative and beautiful. One of our favorite spots on the coast is Rialto Beach. Although we typically camp on the weekends, as long as we go a bit passed Hole in the Wall we have no trouble finding a spot to ourselves. Just like hiking, the farther afield you go, the least likely you are to be surrounded by other people.

Aug 12

Aug 12 Ice Cream Cruise

Lisette Wolter-McKinley

Parenting, Seattle

For Jasper's nine month birthday we wanted to do something festive. So the moment I saw a large bouquet of multi colored balloons hanging off the dock I was interested. Below the balloons sat a little sandwich board which advertised an Ice Cream Cruise; a one hour cruise around Lake Union. It looked festive and fun, so on a whim we hopped aboard. The sky had been threatening rain all morning so the boat was only minimally full. We set out on our cruise around the lake as a light rain started to fall and seaplanes buzzed by overhead. One of my favorite things about Lake Union is it is always a bustling place. In a five minute span you might see a stand up paddler, a sailboat, a kayaker, a seaplane and a helicopter. There is no shortage of boat traffic or things to look at.

Aug 11

Aug 11 South Lake Union Adventure

Lisette Wolter-McKinley

Seattle, Weekend, Outdoor adventures

Some Saturdays we leave the house without a plan. Our main goal for the day is always to have fun, but we don't always have the details ironed out. One such Saturday we had loosely planned to rent a paddle boat at The Center for Wooden Boats, but a combination of high winds and the Seattle Dragon Boat Races soon changed our plans. Instead, we ended up spending the entire day at South Lake Union Park. We watched the Dragon boat races, walked around The Center for Wooden Boats, toured an old tugboat, took an Ice Cream Cruise and enjoyed a leisurely lunch at Duke's. It was such a diverse and fun way to spend the day together as a family. Jasper loved watching all the water and air traffic. He kept craning his neck every time he heard another plane or helicopter fly overhead. With the recent revisions to South Lake Union Park it has become a wonderful place to spend an afternoon.

Aug 3

Aug 3 Rachel Lake

Lisette Wolter-McKinley

Outdoor adventures, Seattle, Weekend

We have been experiencing a scorcher of a Summer this year in Seattle. Most Saturdays, we escape to the mountains for a drop in temperature and to take in the gorgeous views of all the many alpine lakes in the area. A week ago we made the hike up to Rachel Lake. We had not been here in a long time and the last we came here there the trail was pretty snow covered, we lost our way a couple times and I am not even certain we made it to the lake. Since it was such a warm day, we appreciated how most of the trail was in the shade. Once at the lake there was ample shoreline for everyone and I even took a dip in the icy alpine lake. Such a wonderful way to spend a Saturday!

Jul 30

Jul 30 Alki Beach

Lisette Wolter-McKinley

Seattle, Weekend

This Summer we have had lots of family visiting from out of town. Although the main attraction for them has been meeting Jasper we have also spent plenty of time at Alki beach. Sharing with others what a beautiful place West Seattle is always makes us happy. Among some of our favorite things to do at Alki Beach are rent surreys, have a sunset bonfire, get ice cream cones, watch the sunset, eat at one of the delicious restaurants or go for a run or a long walk. I realize all these things sound quite simple, but they make for a lovely way to spend an afternoon or an evening.

Jul 23

Jul 23 Being a tourist in Seattle

Lisette Wolter-McKinley

Seattle, Weekend

This Summer Cameron's brother, Ryan, and his family visited us from Oklahoma. We took this rare opportunity to be together and played tourists with them for the weekend. One afternoon we had lunch at Elliott's on the Seattle waterfront and then enjoyed the Argosy Locks Tour. It was the quintessential overcast Summer Seattle day, not too hot or too cold. When the weather is extreme everywhere else, we are reminded why we live here.

Jul 7

Jul 7 A day trip to Port Townsend

Lisette Wolter-McKinley

Weekend, Seattle

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.

Jul 2
Jul 2 Blanca Lake

Lisette Wolter-McKinley

Weekend, Outdoor adventures, Seattle

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.

Jul 1
Jul 1 First haircut

Lisette Wolter-McKinley

Parenting, Seattle

I recently took Jasper to Kid's Club at University Village for his first professional haircut. Upon arrival, I was instantly impressed with the salon's adorable ambience. I could have taken him anywhere to get his haircut, but this little space was geared specifically for children and had the most adorable little cars for them to sit in while they got their haircut. In the end, I was most appreciative of the ease in making an appointment (I was able to walk in and get an appointment in twenty minutes), their service and patience once Jasper started to freak out. Clearly they have dealt with upset children before and have lots of practice with both easy and hard little clients As part of their "First Haircut" package you will receive a souvenir photo along with some hair clippings. Although he was not happy for his "after" photo at the end, I will always remember how adorable and grown up he looked with his cape sitting in his very own taxi cab. There are so many emotions being a mother, but seeing your child learn and grow and become their own little person is endlessly rewarding!

Jun 25
Jun 25 Dinner with a view at Anthony's

Lisette Wolter-McKinley

Seattle, Food

Living in Seattle, we are spoiled to be surrounded not only by water, but fresh seafood galore. I realize this might be a novelty for many, but for us it is a common occurrence to enjoy a meal water side. One of our favorite places to go for happy hour on a Friday evening is Anthony's Homeport in Shilshoe Bay. Our chosen place to eat is out on their back deck which provides beautiful views and delicious food. A few of our favorite happy hour eats are their mussels and frites and their hamburger. They also offer a Sunset Supper where for $21.95 you can enjoy a four course dinner before 6pm.

Jun 22

Jun 22 Backpacking at Snow Lake

Lisette Wolter-McKinley

Seattle, Outdoor adventures, Weekend

As much as I crave sleep, I love adventure more. The handful of times my parents have watched Jasper for the night I dream about getting massive amounts of sleep, but the reality is I would rather get a restless night under the stars and wake up to a beautiful lake. A couple weeks ago Cameron and I hiked up to Snow Lake and spent a peaceful evening lakeside. Despite the gorgeous weather, we were surprised and delighted to only see a few other tents dot the shoreline.

In my opinion, these photos don't even do it justice, the beauty of the evening and morning light at Snow Lake is unparalleled and one of the main reasons I love backpacking in. During the day, the light is bright and the landscape is flat, but throughout the evening the lake becomes more and more stunning.

Jun 19

Jun 19 Picnic season

Lisette Wolter-McKinley

Seattle, Parenting

Picnic season is upon us and I couldn't be more pumped. A few months ago I purchased a large picnic blanket from Costco and deemed it "the wisest $20 I have ever spent". Since then, I have found ample excuses to pull it out and am happy to report I have used it on an almost daily basis. As soon as it gets warm enough to sit outside my preferred place is to be outside.

In the Summer, one of my favorite things to do is meet Cameron after work and go on a picnic. Even though it takes a little extra work to pack a picnic there is something inherently festive about preparing and loading up a picnic basket. On those nights when things get to hectic we like to grab something on our way to the park. Either way, the time spent together as a family enjoying the warm Summer air is the thing I daydream the most about on the coldest and dreariest of Winter days in the PNW.

Jun 18

Jun 18 Granite Mountain

Lisette Wolter-McKinley

Seattle, Parenting, Outdoor adventures, Weekend

All these beautiful June Saturdays have been perfect for making use of our new infant carrier. This past weekend we visited Granite Mountain and enjoyed spectacular views and gorgeous weather. The only disappointing thing was all the bear grass had already died for the Summer due to the hot weather we have been experiencing. A stark contrast to last year when it was in abundance.

When the weather is good we usually head to the mountains, but what is your favorite thing to do on a sunny Saturday?

Jun 9

Jun 9 Hiking to Snow Lake

Lisette Wolter-McKinley

Seattle, Weekend, Outdoor adventures, Parenting

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.

May 29

May 29 A day at the zoo

Lisette Wolter-McKinley

Seattle, Parenting

A few weeks ago we took Jasper to the zoo for the first time. Even though he is still quite young, we were excited to see him interact with the animals and check this off our list of "firsts". Overall, it was a successful first trip to the zoo. We were able to see a fair amount of animals, it was not too hot or cold outside and Jasper even took a nap for part of our time there. The only snag in the day was not having cash to feed the giraffes. Will someone please explain to me why I need to pay to feed the giraffes after I already paid an entrance fee into the zoo? Lame. Hands down the penguins were by far all our favorites. We stood at the glass and watched them dive down time and time again. Other interesting tidbits from the day were the new tiger exhibit (they are truly stunning creatures in person) and I will never forget the bear who appeared to be smiling. In celebration of Jasper's first trip to the zoo we had to pick up some sort of souvenir, after much deliberation (on my part) I selected a copy of Goodnight Gorilla. We look forward to experiencing more animal encounters with Jasper, but preferably in their more natural habit- the wild.

A little bit about Lisette.....