Spring Fair-ing It

Is there anything better than going to the fair?  We were sad to learn we had missed the state fair when we moved here, as it had just closed.   Slowly, I am getting plugged into the little things that go on around WA.  This weekend we had the opportunity to go to the crab races or to head to the spring fair.  Deciding to lean in favor of driving less, we headed to Puyallup for the fair.

Interesting note:  The way you pronounce Puyallup will tell people INSTANTLY where you are from.  Ronnie and I say it Pew - Y'all - up.  Apparently it is pronounced Pew - all - up.  Of course, we still say it our way, but it's nice to know the "right" way to say it.

Anywhooo, off to the fair we went.  Again, it was just great weather and a rarity for April.  Trust me, we've had our rain, but the weather fairies are giving us a day or two reprieve in there every so often. 

Talking to the girls, we had several items on our to do list: eat funnel cake, ride the rides, eat ice cream, play a few games, and eat more fair food.  And yes, we got it all done!

First, we headed over to watch the Air Dogs show.  These are the dogs that run as fast as they can and jump into the pool.  We watched a whole group in the semi-finals and decided to press, as my adrenalin junky was itchin' to ride something.  She went for the Tornado: a ride that spun and flipped you round and round.  Then it was off to something more tame for Sarah, as she wanted to go on the merry go round.  Then Holly was back at it with the Zipper. 

I decided to take Sarah to find some ice cream around that time...  she was sad that she was about an inch too short for a ride....  But it was nothing that a BIG lollipop couldn't fix!

We went and found the Starship for Holly to ride and Sarah played a game for a stuffed animal.  Then we went through the FAA exhibits, watched the pig races, and found a NASCAR simulator to play with. 

When we came out of the exhibition hall the sun was starting to set and the lights were coming on...  Lighting my way directly to the funnel cake and the Ferris Wheel.  As, we watched the sun sink down over the Olympics as we went around on the Ferris Wheel, I don't think any of us missed those crab races! 

 

 

Photo Friday

** Every Friday, I will post a picture from our life.... enjoy! **

Give your sister a hug!!!  Wichita Falls, Texas, January, 2009

Don't you just love sister moments!  Oh, this is also right after Sarah trimmed her bangs for us.  I have no idea what we were up to that day, other than we were in McDonalds and they love one another. 

Tolmie State Park

It's feeling more and more like spring around here...  then again, it just may be our imaginations since the sun came out.  We took full advantage and headed to one of our local state parks.  Local because it is literally right up the street from our house. 

Tolmie State Park is part of the Washington State Park System.  Good thing too since it's primo real estate: it is right on the Sound and has a breathtaking view of Rainier.  More on that in a minute.  So we ventured out with the girls in tow to see what we could find... 

First we had to do some hiking.  This was taken going downhill.  The grade was pretty steep and there was moss just about everywhere.  But everyone did well and then we were at the Sound.  So pretty...   Even cooler was this dead tree on the beach. 

We were there a little after high tide, and it is pretty shallow, so you can imagine how far out this goes....  We kept on venturing, walking along the shore and picking up interesting shells and rocks along the way.

We hiked into the "other beach" as it looked a bit more sandy.  But first we had to go over the mud bog.  The park is still recovering from the storm and many trees are still down in the area.  A little of the trail was blocked by a tree, but the rangers had cut a divot in it so people could use it as a step.  The other beach was fun to play on.  We found small crabs, an oyster, and chased a few seagulls.  All in all it was a great day to explore our own backyard. 

52-Week Challenge - Week 16

How did the getting more grains challenge go for everyone?  We had a new grain in our house - quinoa.  And what yumminess it is!  Other than that, I perused our pantry and confirmed what I already knew, that we do a pretty good job of getting whole grains in our diet.  I did buy a new cereal for Ronnie to try, Post's version of Honey Bunches of Oats, and I picked Fruity Cheerios over Froot Loops for the kids due to the sticker.  So yeah, all is good, but of course it could always be better. 

On to this week, which is all about having a good laugh.  I love the way I feel after I've had a belly-aching laugh.  It's almost as if I've run 5 miles or gotten a good nap in. 

There is all sorts of upsides to laughter including stress reduction, blah blah blah.  But really, it's just fun to laugh. 

I dare you to try not to laugh or giggle or break a smile

So, get a good laugh in this week.  The kind that leaves your sides hurting and you out of breath.  Even better if you are crying afterwards :) 


Other resources:

The book we're following: http://www.amazon.com/52-Small-Changes-Healthier-ebook/dp/B0056J4ER0/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1325722556&sr=1-1

Jenn's blog: http://thewoogies.blogspot.com/search/label/52%20Small%20Changes

Photo Friday

** Every Friday, I will post a picture from our life.... enjoy! **

Lotus Lantern Festival, Seoul, Korea, May 2010

Taking advantage of everything Korea had to offer while we were there, we participated in the Lotus Lantern Festival that celebrated Buddha's birthday!  It was a wonderful time, and one that we repeated in 2011.  Take a look at all the pictures here and the blog post here. 

For Buddhists around the world, the celebration of Buddha's birthday is considered the holiest of days.   The parade is basically neighborhoods, schools, and temples from all over dressing up in their very best and bringing lanterns to light up the temple.  The ladies above are dressed in a traditional hanbok, with the colors coordinated to signify the neighborhood/school/temple they are representing.  The parade is a sight to see and the atmosphere buzzes with positive energy and joy.   And we were lucky enough to have experienced it...   

52-Week Challenge: Week 15

Did you take a step or two to go greener in your homes/lives?  I bought myself some new microfiber cleaning cloths (found them at the commissary for $5) and made sure all my wool dryer balls were in the dryer.  Really cut down on the drying time for my heavy blankets I washed last week.  My friend Jenn had a really good pointer on her blog (you are reading her stuff too, right?).  She suggested to start looking for the certified eco-friendly labels from EcoLogo or Green Seal.  Too smart - and such an easy trick to remember for while you are out shopping.

This week's focus is on eating more whole grains and aiming for three or more servings per day.  So much of our modern foods have the nutrition processed right out of them, in the form of using non-whole grains.  Refined grains only have one part of the grain in them, whereas a whole grain also includes the bran and the germ which is where the anti-oxidants, fiber, and vitamins are found.

Again, this is where reading the label and the box will come in handy.  There is a handy dandy little seal that you will find on products that have 8 g or more of whole grains in them:

How neat is that?    There are tons of ideas out on the internet on how to integrate whole grains into your diet - actually, this month's Cooking Light "12 Healthy Habits" challenge is all about whole grains. 

Other resources:

Cooking Light "12 Healthy Habits": http://www.cookinglight.com/healthy-living/healthy-habits/what-are-whole-grains-00412000070590/

Mayo Clinic - Whole Grains: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/whole-grains/NU00204

The book we're following: http://www.amazon.com/52-Small-Changes-Healthier-ebook/dp/B0056J4ER0/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1325722556&sr=1-1

Jenn's blog: http://thewoogies.blogspot.com/search/label/52%20Small%20Changes

San Juan Islands

The back half of our Spring Break was fantastic!  On Thursday, we headed to my grandma's house to visit and spend the night.  Again, I can't express how excited I am that the girls get to spend time with their great-grandma. 

Friday morning, we got up bright and early so we could catch a ferry boat.  How fun is it that we live in a place that has a ferry system?  Well, it is super fun!  Plus, that was how we got to our mini-vaca on the San Juan Islands.  The San Juan Islands are a cluster of islands between the Washington and Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada and lie in the Strait of Juan de Fuca. 

We got to the ferry terminal in Anacortes early enough so we could play on the beach a bit before boarding.  After playing for 20 minutes, the announcement to "start your engines" came.  We boarded the ferry, parked/secured the car, and settled in on the passenger deck for the hour long journey.

 

The journey there was rather uneventful.  We watched as the skies cleared up a bit and enjoyed a snack.  Finally, we arrived at Friday Harbor.  Remember that bit about it being uneventful... yeah that was just the ride, not the arrival.  Here, I'll just let you read about it  www.komonews.com/news/local/146455105.html

Because an adventure isn't an adventure without a SNAFU.  The girls and I disembarked and left Ronnie to ride back to Anacortes, park the car, and ride back with our bags. 

But we made the most of it.  Walking to our hotel, we smelled the loveliest of smells: hickory, mesquite, and meat.  Following our noses we found a great hole in the wall BBQ place.  We  quickly filled our bellies and pressed to drop our backpacks at the hotel and get to exploring Friday Harbor. We played at the park, walked up and down the waterfront, enjoyed some ice cream, and browsed the local shops.  Ronnie finally arrived (about four hours later), we walked around Friday Harbor some more, found some dinner, and then went back to the hotel for a swim. 

Saturday morning brought us clear blue skies and something I was looking forward to:  our whale watching trip.  The San Juans are famous for the pods of orca who call it home.  But several transient pods also enjoy visiting the area.  When we got to the boat for the trip, the naturalists were very excited as there had been a pod spotted in the area.  We set out for our three hour tour and made a beeline for the area where they were spotted. 

About an hour later, the skipper slowed the engines.  And there they were!  A huge pod of orca with several babies swimming with them!   It was awesome to watch them swim...   alas our hour was gone and we had to head home.  On the way back to Friday Harbor, we stopped to see some California sea lions, Stellar sea lions, mountain goats, and bald eagles.  It was an amazing tour! 

Sunday morning was Easter and we headed back to my grandma's house for Easter lunch - no ferry boat issues this time.  On our way to her house, we drove through Skagit valley to get a glimpse of the tulips in bloom.  Not many were out, but the daffodils were!  Again, what a treat!