hunt for the 12th man...

This past weekend Jeff, Ethan, and I entered a contest where you had to travel to different Seattle landmarks, check in at that location, and take a picture. It made for a very long day but it was fun getting out, exploring new locations in the city, and enjoying the sunshine for a bit. Let's hope that we win!

hitting the slopes...

We have a new skier in training. Ethan began ski school lessons today and what a great day to hit the slopes. Way to go Ethan!

out for an afternoon stroll...

The sun came out for a bit today, even if it was cold, it made for a good excuse to get outside and get some fresh air. It doesn't help to also have a mopey dog following you around constantly either in desperate need of a walk.

Since my photo class a few months ago I am always looking for the opportunity to practice and this walk was definitely a perfect backdrop - North Creek Park.

Since it was a pretty chilly day there were not too many people out and about but Bindi and I enjoyed ourselves. I even made her pose for a couple of shots.

Click here to see more photos!

home cooked meals...

I have been seeing a lot of Facebook posts recently about the effect that prepared meals/frozen meals are having on America's health - GMO, non-organic, etc. I know that typically when I go grocery shopping I tend to steer clear of the frozen foods isle (except for ice cream and a few breakfast staples that get us through those rush mornings w/ Ethan). My step brother Ivor gave me some advice one day, do not go down the aisles, shop the perimeter of the grocery store because that is where all of the fresh ingredients are. Plus, I do a lot of my shopping from Amazon Fresh in our area which is great for finding those fresh grocery staples.

I am sure that the way I was raised has a lot to do with my grocery shopping tendencies. My mom specifically has always been an inspiration for home cooked meals. When I was growing up she always served healthy meals that were always prepared from ingredients combined together, not packaged in a ready to serve meal. My grandparents on my mom's side were farmers and so a lot of what was prepared was from what they harvested off the land. I distinctly remember my Grandmother preparing huge lunches for the farmers along with fresh produce and of course home made pies.

My grandmother on my dad's side was also a great cook as well. I think that she made everything from the 1960's version of the Betty Crocker cook book (ham with the pineapple rings and cherries included).  Don't get me wrong, I do love my pre-packaged orange chicken from TJ's but I tend to think that this has had a lasting impression on me.

I find joy in mixing ingredients, specifically fresh ingredients, to create a fantastic meal and knowing exactly what is in it gives me the satisfaction that I know what I am feeding my family. And I do have to say, when tomato season comes around homemade pasta sauce with Roma tomatoes and fresh basil is so much better than the jarred stuff but you also have to prepare what is in season.

I am not a master cook by any means and maybe sometimes not a good cook, but I hope to instill in my son the importance of dinner, what's in it, and the joy of cooking.

What do you think about Americans grocery and eating habits today?

a little closer...

We went to the Seahawks playoff game this past weekend and thankfully they WON! Now they just need to win two more and that's it.

The weather was super crazy for the game. We had strong winds, downpours, and sunshine but thankfully our seats remained dry.

Ethan had fun as well watching the game (or eating the snacks). :-)

cheers to a new year...

2013 was a busy year for us but it's always fun to look back and see what happened.

- Ethan started kindergarten at a new school and is loving it.
- We made a trip to Mexico to visit my parents new house.
- I got to go spend some time in New York and New Jersey.
- Jeff and I had a great trip to Whidbey Island and Hawaii.
- Ethan learned to swim and ride a bike. Yeah!
- We had a new fence/side yard upgrade put in.
- Road trip to Sun Valley with a stop at Silverwood theme park.
- Lots and lots of painting classes with friends.

Let's hope that 2014 is even full of more great adventures! Happy New Year everyone!

feathers & sparkles...

We got invited to a friends great gatsby party so with extra time off for winter break I hit the craft store and got busy in my craft room. You see, I had already researched and purchased a dress (thanks modcloth), but was lacking some fun hair accessories.

I ended up having so much fun making them that I ended up with several. It will be a hard choice when the time comes.