Christmas in the West

Views from Mount Si

Saturdays are for ADVENTURES!

Mount Si: 4,167 ft high, lies on the western margin of the Cascade Range and this Saturday we "kicked it's butt!" (Too bad on Sunday it kicked ours!)

We wanted to hike a mountain, so we bundeled up like we were from Ohio, and had been living in Iowa :) and headed for the mountains! It was a perfect day, in the 40s and when we got there we realized by examining the locals (some wearing shorts) that we were "way to over dressed!"

It was a 4 mile hike to the top, and let's just say 2 miles into it while sitting on a log, eating our peanut butter sandwiches we weren't sure about the rest of the trip! However, the pb&j was all we needed to get to the top!

The views were amazing and by the time we got to the top it was snowing!

Happy Salmon Day!

In the West we call it, "Happy Tofukery Day" or "Happy Salmon Day!" Doug and I started our Thanksgiving with a 7.5 mile run, a lunch of salmon, stuffed mushrooms and squash...oh wait, wine! Doug worked on some homework and I read a book (that's right!). By mid evening we were ready to get out, but had no where to go so we just drove around!

Black Friday (today) we got up at 4:15am and joined the other couple hundred of frozen westerners standing outside of Best Buy. This was Doug's first Black Friday event, and I was proud to be the one dragging him out so early...only he was the reason we were going out! We set our site on a 32" flat screen the night before...and to our delight we came home with a new addition!

We worked a couple of hours in the early morning, raced back home and geared up for our next adventure! We road the "Metro" (bus) into Bellevue to shop some more! Bellevue is a nice little neighboring town, that reminds me of a mini downtown Seattle. Just a few people to shop for so we quickly found ourselves wondering around...but neither wanted to go home!

I think we are both ready for some "boy time" and some "girl time"...but he's been a trouper! Pray for friends to appear soon!

Anyways, hope everyone is well...see you all very soon!

Somebody sent us cookies......

Thanks for the Thanksgiving cookies Austin.... they went to tummy town!!!!

Mudding in Monroe!

When I picked Doug up at the airport on Tuesday, the first thing he said was "can we go into the mountains this weekend?" So; Mike, Molly, Doug and I went mudding in the "kind of mountains" today! We drove out 45 minutes or so and it was pouring rain the whole time...dirt bikes, four wheelers and jeeps every where. We starting climbing a hill instantly and had to reroute because a tree was down! The jeep we were in was designed to climb so it was pretty jerky...and because it was raining the windows were up...did I mention I was in the back seat?!!! Well after climbing a few hills and going through a few rivers...I almost lost it. I screamed "Doug roll down the windo, I'm going to puke!" Everyone started laughing at me...but I was sooooo serious! It was a lot of bouncing and shaking!

Two weeks ago Mike and Molly did this by themselves, and lets just say they almost rolled it! So...as we were bravely playing today I was half expecting some crazy action. Thirty minutes into the ride, we found our crazy action...the river! Well since it had been raining and was raining the current was really strong...Molly said she was getting out, I called her a chicken and together, the four of us crossed the river, check it out!

After this we were ready to eat...so we stopped at this dinner along side the road. It was one of those unique places that only the locals know about...grandma in the kitchen, backery in front...home-made breads, soups and sandwiches. It was amazing!

Got some Starbucks and called it a day.

...when the boy's away, sisters oh how they play!!

So, a week and a half after moving to this new city...Doug leaves me (not seriously people!) for Iowa!!! No worries right, I invited Rihana to come visit. We had so much fun! We shopped and ate...shopped and ate...shall I go on?!!!

We had the most fun on our 9 hour adventure in downtown Seattle. We did a lot of touching, dreaming and pretending as we tried on clothing from privatly owned botiques...but it was soooo fun! I even got her hooked on Starbucks! The Space Needle was $16 per person to visit, so we just took pictures. I mean seriously, that's a shirt!

View of downtown Seattle.

Katie Holmes and Posh Spice? Seriously!!!!!

Now Rihana's gone...and Doug doesn't come home until the 13th! I tried to be a Bad A** and pretend I would be fine, but 2 mini jugs of yogurt icecream later (don't judge me, it was yogurt!) I am ready for him to come home.

Miss you all...