Sunday Road Trip #2: Deception Pass State Park

The view of Deception Pass bridge from the trail.

This morning our little family ventured down the road a bit to Deception Pass State Park, which is actually fairly close to the little house, only about 30 miles away. It was a beautiful and warm day, so luckily we arrived early enough to take a hike around the park before it got even warmer.

Mama carried Sienna in the Ergo since we were hiking on a trail that was a little steep in parts. She is definitely just about too big for the Ergo though, so we are looking into getting one of these and her own pair of these!

Sienna's favorite thing about today's trail was the green slug she found on the bridge. Unfortunately, we didn't get a picture of him on the way back, because he was already gone. Instead we took home a little white rock that Sienna is calling her "moon rock."

Daddy

Mama loved the shape of this tree she found on the trail.

Posing as tree, next to the "huge" tree.

We had a lovely day and look forward to exploring more of Washington.
Until our next road trip ...

The Big Pink Ball

Today our little family drove down to Edmonds to visit Nana and celebrate Mama's 30th birthday (again) with yummy quiche, croissants and apple pie for dessert.

A Taste of Edmonds was also today, so we went on a little stroll around the downtown and enjoyed the beautiful weather.

One of Sienna's favorite things to do at Nana's little furnished house by the sea is play with the big pink ball. When she first saw it a few months ago, she was scared of it, but now she loves to roll the ball around and rest on it.

Mama and Sienna
{Sienna has apple pie on her face!}

Being a little stinker!

Sienna resting on the big pink ball.

Rolling the big pink ball.

It was another fun birthday celebration for Mama!

30 Things ...

Hiking Kendall's Catwalk while returning from a backpacking trip on the Pacific Crest Trail. 2006

Lately, I've see quite a few blogs with a list of things the writer would like to do before their next birthday. So, over the weeks leading up to my 30th birthday I began making a list of my own. I tried to think of things I would really like to either improve on in my daily life or things that would help me grow.

Here's my little list of the 30 things I would like to accomplish before I turn 31 ::

1. Start training to run races again.
2. Read more. Pick 12 books and finish a book a month.
3. Start a Book Journal to keep track of the books I've read.
4. Take more pictures! Take a few each day.
5. Try new trails. Go hiking two times a month.
6. See more of Washington.
7. Run a half marathon for each season.
8. Get outdoors more often. Take a Nature Walk each day.
9. Celebrate the seasons.
10. Try making bread more often. Make a loaf a week.
11. Bring back the Friday night pizza tradition in the little house.
12. Stop eating sugar!
13. Teach Sienna her ABC's.
14. Make time to read before bedtime.
15. Start my scrapbook for Sienna.
16. Plan a read aloud to center our days around.
17. Start up Butterfly Wednesdays again, in honor of butterflies, of course.
18. Kiss my husband more.
19. Join a professional group to stay up to date with teaching.
20. Learn to sew. Make things on my list.
21. Meditate each day.
22. Establish better rhythms and stick to them.
23. Help plan next year's garden.
24. Learn to budget better.
25. Simplify.
26. Remember to bring the reusable bags into stores with me.
27. Take on more creative endeavors.
28. Go on family road trips every Sunday.
29. Put my worrying to rest.
30. Learn to knit!

Maybe you'll get a chance to see some of these things in action on the blog over the next year.

30 years

On Sunday, I celebrated a milestone year, my 30th birthday. David went to the store in the morning to bring me back some of my favorite things ... a nonfat chai tea latte and a jalapeno cheddar bagel (Mama's spicy bagel). Sienna, of course, had a cinnamon raisin bagel (her sweet bagel).

Mama's breakfast ...

Eating a yummy jalapeno cheddar bagel.

Merlin trying to sneak a bite.

Sienna loves to lick off the cream cheese!

After breakfast, I opened some of my gifts from Nana ... all very cute American Rag clothes, my favorite brand. Sienna helped pick them out for me! She had already told me that she bought me an orange jacket ... which, I am sure you will see me wearing one of these days on the blog. I love all of the clothes they chose for me!

Mama opening her gifts from Nana!

After breakfast, Sienna drove us on a nice little Sunday drive on Highway 9 and on Highway 542 to Maple Falls since she was a little sick and we postponed our usual tradition for Mama's birthday (going to the zoo). On the way back, we picked up pizza at Coconut Kenny's.

Sienna driving Mama's car on Daddy's lap.

She loved driving!

Handsome Daddy and Sienna

Then, we had birthday cake (which was supposed to be a homemade apple pie from Nana, also postponed) ...

Yummy birthday cake

Nana and Sienna

Sienna waiting for birthday cake ...

Sunday Road Trip #1: North Cascades National Park

If you know me, then you know that one of the things I love to do most is go on a road trip. I love jumping into the car with a coffee (an americano or a chai tea latte, depending on my mood) and going on a little adventure. I believe this is stemmed from all of the road trips my mom and I went on together, beginning when I was young.

Unfortunately, as of late I haven't been able to take many road trips. However, I am hoping this will become a new little family Sunday tradition. We are thinking it will also give us a chance to explore a little more of Washington and enjoy the beautiful scenery that surrounds us.

Today marks our first little family excursion. Once we had Mama's americano in hand, we hopped on Highway 20 (North Cascades Highway) and headed toward our destination: North Cascades National Park. On the road, we listened to the Yonder Mountain String band and Dad's collection of Jack Johnson. Sienna napped all the way to the North Cascades Visitor's Center in Newhalem, but she was happy to walk around inside the center and see all of her forest friends. She also liked going on a little interpretive hike outside.

Mama and Sienna with a Mountain Lion at the Visitor's Center.

Sienna and a teeny tiny fawn.

Mama asked Daddy to make her a bench like this one...
we'll see how long it takes!

We continued our trek onto Gorge Creek Falls, where Daddy braved the traffic to get a photo of the falls and Sienna enjoyed a snack with Mama.

Gorge Creek Falls

As we headed back to town, we had to make a stop off at the Cascadian Farm Roadside Stand for some yummy ice cream. Sienna picked a chocolate waffle cone to share with Mama and Daddy picked a strawberry waffle cone. They sure were delicious!

At the roadside stand...

With a chocolate clown face!

Mama liked this free bumper sticker they were giving away.

When we reached Concrete our little trek was detoured onto the South Skagit Highway due to a traffic accident. The winding roads encouraged Sienna to take a nap and stay asleep until we reached the little house, despite a stop off to pick up a pizza at our favorite pizza place in Washington, Coconut Kenny's.

winding roads = sleeping beauty

Coconut Kenny's in Sedro-Woolley

Until our next adventure...