Blew the Top Right off of Her!

Now that's a catchy title if I ever wrote one!   Of course, you do realize that this is a family blog and there will be none of that around these parts...  :)

As the Oliver's visit to Washington winds down, we couldn't miss an opportunity to take them on yet another all day tourist-a-thon.  This time, we headed south for another one of nature's awesome wonders - Mount St. Helen's. 

Now you're realizing why the title is what is is huh?  If not, here's some history and interesting facts:  Washington has 5 "recognized" volcanoes.  In 1980, one of those volcanoes erupted in grand style.  You can see a great video about it here:  http://www.history.com/videos/mount-st-helens-erupts#mount-st-helens-erupts

Go ahead, watch it,  I'll wait.  It's pretty funny -- and dead accurate. 

So, ash was spread all over the PNW from this eruption...  Ever wonder WHY Washington and Oregon are "recently" great wine states?

Anyway, it was time to see this sleeping giant for ourselves. 

We packed up the car, the kids, and the grandparents and headed for a day at the mountain. 

Here's our first look from our lunch spot:

Yes, it was a gorgeous day!  We took it all in and meandered our way up to the visitor's area. 

It really is an amazing place to visit and talk with the rangers.  Many of them have worked there for years and can tell you all about the ecosystems.  They explained that the area looked like the surface of the moon after the blast.  Everything was just gone.  But over time, nature is reclaiming the area.  They talked about the return of fish in spirit lake, the rehabitation of butterflies, and the wildflowers blooming.  It was amazing to hear and see -- just the sheer determination of nature rebounding from a catastrophic situation.

The girls participated in a Junior Ranger program that talked on their level about what happened and what's happening now. 

  

Of course the most interesting thing happened when we went into the visitor's center one last time.  The rangers were all buzzing and passing around binoculars.  One called us over and said, do you see?  I said see what?  She passed me the binoculars -- the mountain was steaming.  You see, this is still an active volcano.  She said the lava dome has been moving lately.  Oh boy, we all know what that means! 

Photo Friday

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

Flying over the Himalayas, Tibet, May 2011



52-Week Challenge: Weeks 27 & 28

I forgot to press the publish button on the week 27 post, so you're getting a two-fer this week.

Week 27...  You know, I forgot to celebrate week 26 being the half-way point last week.  So, happy halfway!

Week 27 brings us a new sort of challenge.  How easy is it for you to just write a check for charity?  This week the author challenges us to give back by giving of yourself.    If you're like me, you're running around with kids, kids activities, working, going to school, managing a household, getting ready for company, and everything else that interjects itself into our daily lives.  Not so easy now is it?  Well, carve out some time this week and give back to a nonprofit, charity, or project that you are interested in. I have some ideas on what I'll do this week, but I would love to hear about your ideas.

** and here is the post for this week **

The focus for week 28 is "Beware the beverage!"  Sounds like a warning from Scooby Doo to me.  But it has a great place here...  Do you know how much sugar is in a typical 12 oz serving of coke?  9 teaspoons...  However, when was the last time you ONLY drank a 12 oz coke?

The American Heart Association suggests that women should consume no more than 100 calories (about 6 teaspoons) of added sugar (sugar not naturally found in foods) a day, while men should consume no more than 150 calories (about 9 teaspoons) each day.  And why should you follow the rules?  Well, high consumption of added sugars is linked to obesity, high blood pressure, increased risk for heart disease, stroke, and diabetes, not to mention constipation, moodiness, and premature aging.

Quite honestly, I'd rather eat my sugar than drink it.  I have a couple of tricks up my sleeve for this challenge and I'll share them with you next week.


Other Resources:

The book we're following: http://www.amazon.com/52-Small-Cha"nges-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

Just another Sunday

Farmers markets are open for business!!!!  I couldn't think of a better place to have lunch or pick up some fresh food.  We headed for the South Tacoma farmers market (the same one we visited last summer, read up here).  We had all sorts of treats, even freshly-made Popsicles. 

The day was sooooo pretty that we just couldn't leave it at just visiting the market.  After a quick drive, we decided to head for the sound.  I had read about some local parks located on the sound on a local mommy blog, Sounds Fun Mom!  This day just couldn't end there, so we decided to meander over to Steilacoom and Sunnyside Beach Park.

We played on the sandy beach and found a jellyfish.  We played in the grass and on the playground.  We watched the ferry run back and forth.  Really, we just enjoyed our day in the sun and on the water. 

Seeing the Sights

Continuing our theme of showing the Olivers around, no trip to the Seattle area is complete without a few stops.  And... I got to play with  my new toy.  Ronnie bought me a new camera.  I am beyond excited about it and the pictures I captured.  

We headed out bright and early Saturday morning and made a beeline for the Bremerton ferry.  We had ridden the ferry when we went to the San Juan Islands back in April and the girls wanted to share that with Grammy and Papa.  The ferry system here is one of the best ways to see the Sound.... of course, the weather couldn't have been more pretty. 

After an hour's ride, we landed at Pier 52 in downtown Seattle.  We quickly found our favorite parking spot and headed out on foot to discover the rest of Seattle.  Another of our favorite things is to eat fish and chips at the counters at Pike Place Market.  Sarah has her Ab-SO-lute favorite and we HAVE to go there over any other place every time.  After grabbing lunch, we wandered around the market taking in all the sites (and with me snap-snap-snapping pictures. Did I mention I love my new camera????)

After we had our fill of the market, we made our way to Seattle Center.  Of course, we did it with style - we took the Monorail.  The Olivers decided they didn't want to wait in the hour+ long line for the Space Needle, so we just hung out at other Seattle Center sites.  We played on the lawn and at Friendship Fountain. 

Before you ask, no I did not "enhance" the sky with my fancy new camera.  It is really that blue up here....

Photo Friday

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

Celebrating my sister's 30th birthday, Orlando, Florida, March 2010

We took a "spring" break from the cold, snowy frozen land of Korea and went to Florida for two weeks.  During our visit, Ronnie and I ran the River Run, visited with our friends and family, and celebrated my little sister turning 30.  

Rainier National Park

After a week of solid sunshine, I think it's safe to say that summer has arrived in the PNW.  Sunshine and bright blue skies!!! 

Right off our front porch is one of the most beautiful sights you can see in these parts, Mount Rainier.  But seeing as we had the Olivers in town, the front porch wasn't quite close enough.  After the Fourth, we took off for a round the mountain day trip. 

Our first stop: Suntop Lookout.  This is a beautiful area just to the north of Mount Rainier and is one of many fire lookouts in the national forest.  While there, we talked with the people who were staying in the lookout who gave us a tour and a small history lesson.  Turns out the fire lookouts in the area pulled double-duty during WWII as an aircraft warning tower.  We also found out that we can camp there (hmmm....).  Beautiful views and wildflowers were all around the area and our first big view of the mountain. 

Next up, we headed for Crystal Mountain.  The gondola runs during the summer and the Summit House was beckoning us for lunch.  Again, blue skies, sunshine, and some of the best views greeted us.  And a little bit of snow....  So much fun to play in it in July.
 

After filling our bellies with food and a small snowball fight, we hopped back in the car to continue 'round the mountain.  We drove through/by the Grove of the Patriarchs, Box Canyon, and Martha Falls in order to get to our next stop: Reflection Lake. 

This lake is the "typical" Mount Rainier picture -- the one with the mountain in the distance and a perfect mirror reflection in the water below.  On our visit, the snow hadn't quite melted all the way, but it was still a sight to see. 

After playing in the snow some more, it was time to really go look at some waterfalls. 

Narada Falls was up first.  The hike to the bottom was a little steep and slippery, so Shirley stayed with the girls at the top.  Boy did they miss out! 

 

Grammy and her girls

 

 Narada Falls, Ronnie and Robert, & the view from the top of the falls.

One of our last stops on the tour was Christine Falls.  Like I could really pass up an opportunity to see a waterfall sporting my moniker.  Of course, it didn't disappoint. 

On the way home, we swung through and checked out the campsites...  Just for future reference.