Category Archives: Travel

Theo Chocolate Factory Tour!

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While here in Tacoma visiting family, Sam and I got the opportunity to go visit the Theo Chocolate factory with some friends!

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Yes, these are made out of chocolate!!!

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Little chocolatiers!
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They even got to pick out some samples to try!

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The kids were really great about keeping their hairnets on, too- which seriously impressed me!

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The kids (and mamas!) had such a great time, despite the icky weather! Thanks for giving us the tour, Crystal! And it was so fun to hang out with all of the mamas and toddlers!

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Social Baby

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We’ve been busy hanging out with grandparents, cousins, aunts and uncles, friends. I don’t really have anything to blog about, and shamefully I haven’t even taken a single picture since I got here. Oops. I didn’t even document Sam’s first flight! I’m such a terrible mother. But my dad has taken a few pictures, so I guess I’ll share those with you.


Stripey matching cousins!


Sam wasn’t thrilled with Ezra kissing him…

And we also had some bath-time with grandma!


And today we’re getting to hang out with Sam’s BFF Autumn’s son Ezra Parkinson. And Sam is pretty excited about it. Don’t worry, there’ll be pictures to show for sure.

Family Reunion!

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I just realized I forgot to blog about our family reunion! We had such a good time. I love hanging out with my family, and even though a lot of people weren’t able to come this year, we still had a blast.

Photo from Effie’s Photography

There were fun little woodland walks, family baseball games, a little bit of swimming and a lot of relaxing and knitting. (I kinda forgot to take my camera out very much)

We had a great time, and I am so glad that all of this bed-rest silliness happened AFTER our vacation so I could enjoy that as much as I did. I love my family!

Abbey Road

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This morning I was drinking my coffee out of my most favorite mug ever which I bought in London in 2009, which magically got home unbroken. I’m quite amazed.

And it made me think of all of the good times with my besties, Autumn and Charissa.

I wish we had time to get a better picture of us crossing the street, but you know, it’s a real road with real traffic, and the people that are none-too-pleased to have to be stopped by tourists 24-7.  (Wanna kill some time? Check out this website and watch people almost get hit by cars ALL DAY LONG)


We even signed the wall (next to the person who apparently lives in a ‘Yellow Suberine”)

In case you can’t read it, the street sign behind us says “Abbey Road NW8, City of Westminster”, just like my mug.

My house smells like cookies… I’m not complaining.

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Ahh, my house is clean. Seriously, is there anything better than a clean house? (Except maybe a clean house with lots of fresh baked cookies?)


Made another (huge) batch of cookies for Paul to take to work, cleaned the house, finished Christmas shopping, all of the presents are wrapped, I am (mostly) packed, the dishes are done, now I’m just trying to decide which knitting projects to take with me on the trip. (This is difficult. Last time I traveled I took no less than 8 projects with me, and had time to work on ONE. Waste of precious suitcase space) but I am planning on a lot of downtime on this trip, so maybe 3 projects and a book? I can always go to the yarn store and buy more yarn if I am dying for a project.

Also, trying to learn how to knit ruffles… I am not impressed so far, seems like ruffles would be easier. Also, I love ruffles, why has it taken me so long to try them? Anyhow, this will be a ruffled baby hat, and I need to learn to knit a flower to go on the side. Why have I never knit a flower before? Huh.

Blogging might be light during the trip, due to the fact that it’s Christmas, and who blogs during Christmas anyway? I am hoping to keep up with my December Photo Project, I am pretty proud of myself that I haven’t missed a day yet! And we’re already on day 22, so I can do another 3, right? Or! I could take 3 more pictures today and then set to Auto-Post and just call it good. Is that cheating?

Well, off to make dinner and pack away all of the Christmas presents.

Merry Christmas!

DPP: Day 18

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December Photo Project: Day 18


My traveling shelf. My gnome that went all over Europe with me, a penny pressed in Orcas Island, where Paul and I went on our Honeymoon, an Eiffel Tower obviously from Paris, a Mosaic I made at a summer camp in 8th grade (I’m pretty sure it’s supposed to be a butterfly)

Ice!

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So while we were in Texas (we just got home this evening, hooray!) Paul’s dad took us to see the Ice! Exhibit at the Gaylord Texan (A huge resort near Dallas). Guys, let me just say, this was one of the most amazing things I’ve ever seen!


The theme was “A Charlie Brown Christmas” and these were all made out of blocks of colored ice.


And they are really, really big. Also, you get to wear these big, blue, extremely warm parkas!


(Left to right: Dave (Paul’s dad) Gloria, (Paul’s stepmom), Me, Paul, Katie (Paul’s sister)

Oh, and did I mention that it was only 9 degrees in there? Brr!


My cute husband in an ice tunnel.

But wait, next was my very, very, very favorite part.

A way-bigger-than-lifesize nativity scene. It was so beautiful!

 

The Wedding

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We had such a blast at Autumn and Seth’s wedding. The Bachelorette Party, the cupcake frosting party, the wedding… the whole week was sort of a whirlwind, but I had such a good time hanging out with my besties.

Bachelorette Party:

Rehearsal:

Wedding Day:

Congrats to the lovely couple, Mr. and Mrs. Seth Parkinson!

Our Week Off

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So, during this lovely vacation week we’ve been having I realized that I forgot my camera cord, and I had planned on blogging some stuff while we were here, that is clearly not possible, because I do not blog without pictures. That being said, here is an attempt at a pictureless blog entry. Not many of those around here, and I probably won’t get in the habit of it, because, obviously I am not a very good blogger and you all just come here to look at pictures of what I’ve made. Moving on.

We had an awesome stay with the Gibb’s in Port Orchard, and we all felt very decadent and luxurious drinking mojito’s on the estate lawn while playing Bocce Ball. Let me tell you, Gibbs vs Tongs, it was the best bocce ball game I’ve ever taken part in. The Gibbs squeaked out a victory after a very close match, and ended the game at an extremely close score of 21-20. That game, coupled with a few very good thrift store trips made the 2 1/2 days we spent with them very enjoyable, and of course, there will be pictures to follow.

Oooh, and we got to go to Ikea this week. Oh my. I do miss Ikea. We got a new down comforter and two duvet covers. I am so excited about these, and Autumn got a few essentials for her new little home in Lakewood. (She also got a new duvet and comforter!) I am all kinds of jealous about her cute little cabin near American Lake! But the craziest thing happened in Ikea, we ran into James and Alberta and their three little ones! How funny is it to run into a friend from Idaho in the Seattle Ikea?

Also, there’s been much wedding to-do. Rehearsal dinners, bachelorette parties, finishing up my bridesmaid dress (My mother is doing that, not me, so you can all breath a collective sigh of relief knowing that I am not in charge of sewing something), today is a picnic at Pt Defiance park, and I get to baby sit my nephew, Ezra, pick up Paul’s suit for the wedding, frost 600 cupcakes (I am not in charge of that, thank goodness.), making mix CD’s for dancing at the reception, and lots of reading Anne of Green Gables to the bride, and making sure everyone stays calm and happy.

So, that was my attempt at blogging without pictures, sorry about the lack of them, but someday when I am a smart girl I will remember to do things like pack the camera cord.

P.S. The giveaway is like 3/4ths done. I also forgot an essential thing to finish the give-away so SADLY it will not be published this week, but possibly early next week. Sorry, errybuddy!

Little Bitterroot.

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Montana is beautiful this time of year, and the drive from here to there is stunning.

Lots of fun, lots of bug bites and lots of sun! I got a crispy little sunburn on my face and shoulders.

Helping with the dishes.

Chilling on the dock with my bestie.


Campfire fun.

Our cabin!

Besides a little snafu with my car*, it was a great trip.

*My car broke down in the driveway of the camp! I made it 300 miles and then started smoking and the transmission blew out as I was pulling into the driveway. I was a little freaked out about how I was going to get home, but a friend was driving back to Washington on Sunday and dropped me off in Couer d’Alene, Paul just drove up and we spent the afternoon there.