Hello Stranger,
And that's totally on me. I feel so guilty that my personal blog has been so neglected. I have these dreams of getting lots of fun posts up for you, but then life happens and whomp whomp. I'm sure you're curious as to what's keeping me so busy. Well, for starters, everything, but here's a few.
Read MoreCan you believe it?! My little baby boy is two! TWO!!!! Of course, we had to celebrate with fun, friends, family, and treats.
Poor guy, he basically has a holiday birthday. He was born January 2nd, so he's not quite a New Year's baby, but for me it all started on New Year's day so I say it counts. By his birthday, everyone is burnt out from Christmas and New Years. But this mom won't let the fun stop until after we party for his birthday! In fact, we celebrated twice - once on his actual birthday and again with friends at his party.
Read MoreIf you know me, you know that I love to bake. I also love cookies. Therefore, I love baking cookies and then eating them. In fact, my parents tell me one of my first words was cookie. Not surprising, Caleb also has discovered a love for cookies. He takes his hands to his mouth, and enthusiastically says, "nom nom nom!" He will do this with pictures of cookies and even plastic toy cookies. It's hilarious.
Read MoreFall is my favorite time of year. I love the flavors, smell, colors...everything! We had an exceptional fall this year with great weather. We started a little tradition last year by visiting Lattin's Cider Mill and Farm (check this post out, the bottom has some photos from last year that you can compare to this year). It was even more fun this year because Caleb got super into the animals and the donuts!
Caleb got a kick out of feeding the goats and sheep (see video). He even waived to them - too cute! He tried to feed the pigs some oats, but they weren't too interested. The goats, though, they were definitely interested. Standing up over the gate interested.
Read MoreWitches, ghosts, bats, monsters, and...train conductors! Well, a train conductor isn't so scary, and actually, it's darn cute. What is scary, though, is how much different this Halloween was compared to last year. Last year, Caleb was still just a gourd-sized pumpkin and this year he is a little pumpkin. Heck, last year he barely had any hair!
Since he can't talk much yet, he told me telepathically that he really wanted to be a train conductor for Halloween. It only makes sense, he loves his wooden trains and tracks. Although, it's a toss up with cars and trucks - anything that moves and has wheels.
Read MoreI'm late getting a Halloween pumpkin patch post up (sigh...posting late, or not all all, seems to be the way of things these days. #toddlers). Of course, the pumpkin patch visiting took place before Halloween, so this post goes up first. Next up: Halloween.
We managed to visit two pumpkin patches this year. Both with awesome, fall weather. The first patch was Spooner's Farm, which is the one we visited last year. Caleb and I went with our neighbor friends and had a pumpkin-tastic time. We went mid-week, so sadly Josh wasn't able to join. Don't worry, he did get to go to one.
Read MoreWe had our very first Fourth of July celebration in Tacoma yesterday. We had a wonderful and patriotic day. Tacoma pretty much shuts down for the Fourth of July and everyone heads to the big Freedom Fair that runs along the water. This is just another thing we love about living in this town - you really get more of a small town feel here (and it's not really a small town!). We decided to join the crowds and check out the fair.
Read MoreHonestly, I don't feel older. I also don't feel like I'm really an adult although all evidence points to it - married, house, baby, dog, no longer stay up late. Then again, I drive by the college, or worse a high school, and I see how freaking young the students are...and it's at that point I realize I am an adult and I am in fact older. Oh, and then I go on to complain about said college kid like, "look at how short that girls shorts are!" or something like that. Yea, I'm getting older.
But that doesn't stop my from celebrating and enjoying the birthday fun. I'm always down for a weekend that's dedicated to doing and eating all the things I want to do (let's ignore how selfish and spoiled that sounds, mm-k?). This year I shared my birthday with all the dad's as it fell on Father's Day. I'm generous like that.
Read MoreThe food on our recent trip to Portland was stellar. I'm still drooling over it. But, food isn't everything. Right? It's actually the combination of food and experiences that make a trip fantastic. Good Food + Fun Times = Great Trip. Lucky for us, our PDX trip had both!
Read MoreOne of my favorite things about my relationship with Josh is the fun we have exploring together. I had an adventurous spirit before meeting him, but it's so much more fun with your best friend.
With moving to Tacoma, we've had the opportunity to explore our new town. You may remember my earlier post on my first few Tacoma explorations. The explorations have continued, and just last weekend I was at the salon when my hair gal mentioned she lived on Salmon Beach. Neither Josh nor I had heard of this place, but it sounded cool. So the next day, we hopped in the car to check it out.
Read MoreInconceivable! Hmm, "I do not think it means what you think it means." Okay, Heather, that was nerdy.
But seriously...oh.my.gosh Caleb is 1 year old now. It really does seem inconceivable sometimes. Yet, here we are with practically a toddler now. Generally I would launch into how quickly the year has gone by and yada yada. In reality though, sure it went fast, but parts of it went extremely slow. Like those nights where you wake up every three hours. That seemed slow. Or the days where he was Mr. Fussy pants and was all crankiness most likely due to who-knows-what -- sick, teething, tummy ache, it's a toss up sometimes. Yea, that all seemed slow.
Read MoreI bet after My Thanksgiving Game Plan, you've been scratching your head wondering how it actually turned out. And then I didn't post anything and you were very upset with me. How could I post such good looking food and then never following up. I shall not disappoint you this time...here's my update!
So the dinner was...wait for it...AWESOME! I couldn't be more pleased (ok, I'm a perfectionist and being so I always seem to find something that "could have been better").
Here's how it all looked on the table
Oh man, I want it all again. A few things are missing from the above. The horror! So here's my plate from the meal. I should have a bit of everything on there. I ate it ALL. It was Thanksgiving after all. I even went for a few nibbles more of some of my favorites.
Let's see, my favorite was probably the cornbread stuffing. Although, the turkey earned it's place as the main dish. It was so delicious. The mashed potatoes really turned out great, too. We were all surprised at the cranberry sauce. It was wonderful! I feel bad for cranberry sauce as it's usually an after thought side dish. Although it can really be a great addition, especially for leftover sandwiches. Oh, and the gravy. It topped it all off (literally, ha!).
The green beans were good, but I just feel like they weren't something I was drooling over for more. Maybe a bit too much work in the end for them. The caramelized onions did bring them up a notch for sure, though. The sweet potatoes were also great, but nothing crazy special - just good, solid sweet potatoes. I think the least successful was the rolls. For me, they were more dense, but everyone else seemed to like them. Maybe it's just me being a perfectionist.
Well, I take all that back...the pie. It was a knock-out it was soooo good. The crumb topping was phenomenal. Honestly, though, I think it was the home roasted pumpkin that really upped the ante on this one. You really need to make this pie.
So there you have it. I got some definite keeper and re-make recipes - hello, stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, and turkey. Welcome to my holiday rotation!
More important than the food, however, was family. I am so thankful to have such a beautiful and sweet little boy this Thanksgiving. Not to mention, a wonderful hubby. Don and Nada, my in-laws, are the best in-laws a gal can have. They are so generous and treat me like their own daughter. I feel so blessed and I am so thankful for the family in my life. My only wish is that my family and in-laws all lived closer so we could spend more quality time together. Luckily, holidays bring family together and that is my favorite part of the holidays. Cheesey to say, yes, but oh so very true.
Now onto Christmas cookies and food. Nom nom nom. I hope you had a lovely Thanksgiving.
You probably heard by now, but we just bought a house! If this is the first you've heard of it, then read this post. We have been here about half a month now, which is hard to believe. The past couple weeks we've been exploring the Tacoma area, or what I like to call T-Town. Most of the exploring is Caleb and I while Josh is at work (sorry Josh). Caleb is a great explorer and a real trooper. When I buckle Caleb up into his carseat, I like to say, "are you ready to go on another adventure my little adventurer?" I'm sure doing this will make him a true Indiana Jones fan later in his childhood.
So far, T-Town has kept us busy - lots to see and do. Thank goodness because I need to get out to feel sane everyday (#momlife). Here's some of what we've been up to lately...
There is one almost everyday of the week. The big one is on Wednesdays on Broadway. There were lots of food vendors, produce, flowers, and other artisan items. We also went to the 6th Avenue market, but it was much smaller. This weekend, all three of us went to the Proctor Farmer's Market, which isn't far from our house. We got some yummy things like cheese, peaches, pork, bread, and spinach!
This was a fun time with the little ones. We sang songs, played with bells, pulled the kiddos in buckets around the library, and read some books.
Point Defiance is a huge park that's only about 5 minutes drive from our house. I'm thrilled to have it just around the bend and will be great for Caleb. There is a 5-mile drive that I've used a few times now to get Caleb to sleep (we've had some super hot summer days here and the house is too warm for naps!).
There is also a beautiful rose garden section to the park. My favorite part was the rose tunnel, but all the flowers were in bloom and so colorful. It made for a lovely stroll on a summer day.
There is a great stroll along the water at Point Defiance, too. It runs from the Marina to Owen Beach. On a hot day, it's so nice with the breeze off the water and it tends to be shady. It has some great views of the Sound (Vashon, Gig Harbor, and Mt. Rainier!). You can get a great view of Mount Rainer - the pictures don't do it justice. I think this will be a favorite walk of ours.
There is a great waterfront in Tacoma. Again, this is such a pleasant walk. There are some tasty restaurants along here as well. It's fun to walk and look out at the water and to see downtown Tacoma in the distance. Again, this is only a few minutes from our house!
You might notice a trend in my outings - outdoor and walking. It works well with the little guy. Sadly, this trail doesn't allow dogs, so the Asha pup had to stay home. It's a great loop - the short walk is 1/2 mile and the long loop is 1 mile. It was peaceful and nice.
What a great park! Ducks, fountains, and a great splash area for kiddos. There is also a beautiful conservatory. It wasn't a huge park, but it was a wonderful to walk around.
I think I've been to every coffee shop in Tacoma. I kid, that's not true. Or, is it...this mama likes her lattes! I really enjoyed the Lift Bridge Coffee and Anthem Coffee on my downtown meanderings. Other favorites so far are Valhalla, Bluebeard, Metronome, and Cafe Brosseau. Yum!
And the adventures will continue! We're really enjoying getting to know the area and all it has to offer. Tacoma is our new home and we're excited to be here!
The other weekend, Josh and I were down in the Sierras in California. Before we went on the trip we were saying it was near Lake Tahoe, but now that we've been I'd say it's closer to Truckee...kinda. Here's a map if you're a visual person like me.
We were down there for an important reason - our good college friend, Chris (who actually roomed with Josh sophomore year and later lived with after college), was marrying Tori. Hurray! We were thrilled to make the trip down and see them tie the knot. It was also great to see all of our other great college friends. These are friends that you can pick up where you left off, even if it's been a few years.
As I said, we were basically in the middle of nowhere, but specifically at a place called Gray Eagle Lodge. It was a cute lodge that had cute, little cabins all around. Of course, being in the middle of nowhere we had no Internet service. WHAT?! What are going to do. It took a few hours for our wifi detox, but in the end it was a nice break.
Anyway, back to friends talk. Look at this gang - then and now...crazy! The top one was 2005, 10 years ago, when we were in Lake Tahoe for 4th of July. The bottom is when we took a hike near the lodge when we were at Gray Eagle together. A few folks missing, but you get the idea.
Or how about this little gem. The guys at the Santa Clara Senior ball, and then at the wedding. HA, so entertaining to look back at the old photos. Also, look at how better cameras have gotten...dang.
So you get the idea - long time friends. We really had a great time. Friday and Sunday was mostly traveling to/from the wedding, so the bulk of the fun was on Saturday.
Saturday morning we when on a hike (sans bride & groom, of course). The trail started at the lodge and we hiked out to a little waterfall. It was a great hike on a beautiful day.
After working up an appetite on the hike, we grabbed some grub in the town of Graeagle, and then enjoyed it picnic-style at a nearby brewery.
Then it was time for the big event, the wedding! Of course, it was beautiful, sunny day up until the ceremony. Right at 4pm, there was a loud burst of thunder and then the rain came. They were prepared, though, with tons of IKEA umbrellas and tarps. I hear rain at your wedding is good luck. A few of these photos are courtesy of Jeff Herbage (thanks Jeff!).
After the ceremony, the rain stopped. Yup, pretty much. We grabbed some group photos. Maybe in 10 years I can compare these photos with another gathering. Wouldn't that be awesome?! (Thanks to Jeff again for these photos).
Then there was the reception. It had the. best. cheese. table. EVER. It was to die for, you guys. The food was good, the company great, and then we boogied all night long (okay, so maybe to like 11pm - we're getting older apparently). It was tons of fun. (Let's thank Jeff one more time for some of the photos).
And that was one fine weekend with one great group of friends.
P.S. More of my photos are on this Flickr album.
Imagine it's Memorial Day again. It's sunny, family is in town, and you have a three day weekend. Doesn't that sound nice? Well, I can tell you, it was nice.
My in-laws, Don and Nada, were in town in May. Two bookend weekends since Nada had work down in Tacoma for a week. The second weekend was Memorial Day weekend. We decided to show the Browns some Washington beauty and cruise down Chuckanut Drive. It's sort of like Hwy 9 for you Californians. You may remember Josh and I cruised this drive previously and really enjoyed it.
And guess who joined us for the ride. This little pup. She was ready to ride!
We started our drive in La Conner, which is a cute little town near where all the tulips bloom each year for the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival. We didn't see tulips, but we did see some beautiful flowers. Oh wait, one of those photos is not flowers - eh, close enough.
The Rainbow Bridge is near La Conner, which connects you to Fidalgo Island. We did a little jaunt over the bridge and back just to see what the other side was like. There were some nice waterfront houses over there, but we didn't explore too much over there. There was much more cruising ahead of us.
But before we left La Conner, I had to get one shot of the pup because she's the cutest. Don also got a similar shot - plus some others - check it out.
After La Conner, we jumped in the car and headed up to Edison. Yes, it was named for the inventor, but I'm not sure why. It is a teeny, tiny town but super cute.
While in Edison, we enjoyed lunch at Slough Foods - tasty sandwiches and soup. We had a great time...
We grabbed some cookies from Breadfarm and then headed on our way - back on the Chuckanut Drive. I don't know what the next spot is called, but to me it's the start of Chuckanut Drive. I think it's what you see on some of the Chuckanut Drive brochures, and if not, it should be. We just pulled over, so you just got to be careful with the traffic zooming by with other Chuckanut cruisers.
We hopped in the car and cruised some more and hit Taylor's Shellfish. While I don't like oysters, it's fun to drive out to Taylor's. You have to cross over some unprotected train tracks. A train came and freaked out Asha. And not surprisingly, there are lots of oyster shells on the ground out there.
I must have gotten tired since my photos stopped after Taylors. But we did continue to drive (sorry, I should say cruise) up the drive some more. It twists and curves and has some awesome sites. and ends up in Bellingham. We didn't spend too much time in Bellingham since we needed to head back. The road back was just the 5 - nothing too special there.
It's really a great drive. I've done it twice now and enjoyed it both times. I tell ya, you can't beat Washington's natural beauty. Now, cruise on my friends!
On Saturday, Josh and I decided to celebrate Cinco de Mayo a bit early and eat some delicious tacos at the Taco Libre Truck Showdown. Basically, local food trucks gathered at one location and served out their best plate of tacos. Tacos....count us in.
We knew it'd be crowded (hello, tacos) but we didn't realize it'd be this crowded.
We almost turned around and said forget that! But the tacos lured us back. And what the heck, what else are we going to do, go home and watch TV? It's sunny. It's tacos. Let's do it.
Considering the length of the lines. We had to just chose a truck and go with it knowing it would probably be the only one we'd go for. We opted for the Asian influenced, Buddha Bruddah.
So we waited. And waited. And whispered to each other about the obnoxious group behind us. It was fun and good people watching.
Oh boy, we're getting closer. Also, I'm impressed that the gal was able to continue to smile considering her line was a mile long.
See, she's still smiling.
As we neared, the menu appeared. Oh so delicious sounding...Oh so hungry!
We ordered three carne asada tacos and three sweet & spicy carnitas tacos.
We finally got our tacos, hunkered down on the curb, and chowed down.
I'm mean, look at me go...
I am happy to report: the tacos were worth the wait. They were delicious!
And so, with full bellies, we left.
It was good. It was fun. And we
Asha has now officially been with us over a month now, and we still love her as much as the first day we got her. In fact, maybe even more so! We took her to her first vet appointment the other week, and she has also officially doubled in size. Wowza! She is still such a puppy and full of puppy love (and energy!). I guess they do have to grow up eventually, but we're hanging on to these adorable puppy moments (except when she's gnawing on your hand or running out the door and down the street).
Of course, I have been taking a TON of photos of her. I'm probably annoying the heck out of my Instragram buddies. However, I've asked a few friends & co-workers, and they said that this was socially acceptable - apparently there is no limit to puppy photo sharing. Even with their assurances, I feel a bit guilty posting so many Asha pictures. But then again, I keep posting them because gosh darn it, she's the cutest. So, I thought I ought to get this Asha-photo-sharing out of my system and post just a sh*t load of photos.
Those eyes. That face. They get me every time. Isn't she the cutest?
We don't have a puppy webcam, but I'm about 99% sure she is sleeping most of the day. She is pretty much crate trained, which I highly recommend. The times I have worked from home, I glance over and she's just snoozing.
She also likes to do puppy yoga - she'll do downward dog and frog legs. It's hilarious!
When we first got Asha, she didn't like getting into the car. Now, she just hops in and gives us a look that says, "hey guys, where are we headed?!" I'm so glad she likes to travel with us!
Asha loves herself some good outdoor playtime. One of her favorite things to do is roll on her back and wiggle all around. She also knows how to play fetch (well, sorta...we're working on it).
Asha has a great dog life so far. She gets three walks a day. Needless to say, we're getting our exercise, too. So far my favorite walks have been at Discovery Park and to the Ballard Locks.
Now that we have a dog, plenty of our time is walking and playing with her. It's a good life change and we're so happy she's part of our little family.
Gosh darn it, her facial expressions are the sweetest. It's hard to capture them on camera, though. My favorite is when you make a funny noise and she crooks her head left and right quizzically.
And sometimes she just wants to give you a kiss.
I warned you. Don't say I didn't warn you...So many photos! And this wasn't even all of them. More will come. Take that as a warning or a treat...you choose.
The city of Seattle has been in mourning this past week. Sadly, the Seahawks lost in the Super Bowl last Sunday. It sure was a close one, though, and it definitely was sit-at-the-edge-of-your-seat at the end. It was a good run, and a great way to end the season. Win or lose the city will continue to love it's Seahawks.
It's all really inspiring actually. Here I am, a girl that barely understands the game, wearing a Seahawks jersey and eating Skittles. The excitement that oozes from Seattlities is totally infectious. A years ago I didn't even know who Seattle's football team was, and now I know a few key players. Of course, it helps that we made it to the Super Bowl the past two years, but still you can tell the city bleeds blue and green. Heck, we even got the title 12th Man.
Now that the end of the week is here, you can tell it's settling down. There are less posts on Facebook, my co-workers are more cheery, and the city is moving on to other sports. But before it all goes away (okay, it never will) let me share some fun football stuff!
***
This Bad Lip NFL reading pretty much had me in tears. Oh, and here's another one. I die.
There was a Twitter smackdown between Captain America (Chris Evans), a Patriots fan, and Star-Lord (Chris Pratt), a Seahawks fan. The stakes? If the Patriots won the Super Bowl, Chris Pratt would visit Christopher’s Haven as Star-Lord and wear a Tom Brady jersey. If the Seahawks won, Chris Evans would have to visit Seattle Children’s Hospital to wave the Seattle’s 12th Man Flag in his Captain American outfit. We lost, but we also won because got Chris Evans followed through and came to Seattle's Children Hospital.
The game that got the Patriots to the Super Bowl had some controversy around it..Deflate-gate. But, don't worry, it was all Matt Damon -- I am the Locker Room Guy.
Did you miss the commercials? Here's the top 10. The Nissan one almost had me in tears.
This is a bit graphic so beware, but Conan with Marshawn and Gronkowski was pretty hilarious. Marshawn also shows Conan how to do his touchdown move.
I follow the Everywhereist and she gave some tips on how to overcome the sadness of losing.
***
And here are some photos from the season of the 12th Man Fans!
And now...
Go Mariners!
Go Sounders!
Go Seahawks! (next year, I feel it!)
If you know me, you know I love being in the kitchen. I especially like baking, but I also enjoy cooking as well. So when the opportunity to get my team at work to a cooking class came up, I didn't pass it up.
As a team, we're always talking about doing some sort of outing. There is talk of indoor sky diving, trapezing (is that a word? trapeze, anyway...), or some other crazy adventurous activity. Let's be real people; we're all uber busy and finding time to plan and go on an outing is tough let along doing something crazy. I figured we were more likely to actually make it happen, if we did something reasonable - like a cooking class! (eh hem, I should also tell you that I really wanted to do a cooking class). It didn't take too much to convince the team, but as the instigator I got stuck with the planning. Oh well, I guess my job is project management.
With 18 people on the team, the planning wasn't the easiest, but somehow I managed to get everyone in line and find a day that worked. We landed at Hipcooks (uh cuz, that's where I wanted to go, and as the planner, I get to make the ultimate decision - score!). The class we ended up taking was Una Noche en España. At first, we were all poo-poo'ing doing tapas, but afterwards we were all singing it's praises. We made all sorts of tasty tapas like...
My favorite...hmmm, that's tough, but I think maybe the hummus. No, wait, the flan. Ahh! It all turned out great. And we didn't use any recipes - just what our instructor, Jenna, told us, and by tasting as we went.
I was usually the volunteer when nobody wanted to do something - like use your hands to mix the raw eggs with the potatoes for the tortilla ("gross"), or pour the flan mixture into the ramekins ("scary"). And why? Because I have a cooker/baker reputation to uphold at the office. But we all had a hand it the cooking.
After we cooked everything up, we got to sit down and enjoy the fruits of our labor. It was glorious.
It was a blast cooking and getting to know my co-workers. Now, I want to host a Spanish Tapas (not topless) party.
Check out all the photos on Flickr.
I must be getting old. I can't remember the last concert I went to. Could it have been Vertical Horizon? No way. Ah, maybe it was Franz Ferdinand? That might actually be right. Oh goodness me. It's not like I'm a major concert-goer, but come on. Good thing I remedied that dry spell with Deck the Hall Ball last Tuesday. We went with a few of Josh's co-workers, and got some great seats. The experience was freakin' awesome. Now, I want to go to more concerts - yay!
Don't let the concert name confuse you, it wasn't really a Christmas concert. Just a good time of year to have an awesome concert with a good line-up. It started at like 3pm, and considering it was a work day, I only saw the last four bands. However, the last four were probably the best. There was:
I'm sure by now you're feeling a bit left out. Well, here's a quick glimpse into some of the concert:
Wasn't that fun? Sing with me now....
Merry Christmas! Please go here to read our 2024 Christmas Letter.
I love Christmas movies. I watch the same ones every year, you know, the classics like A Muppets Christmas Carol and Elf. I kid. I also enjoy It's A Wonderful Life and Miracle on 34th Street. What's your favorite Christmas movie?
This letter could be like watching a movie: the story of our 2023. Grab a hot cocoa and a blanket, and I'll tell you this year's story.
The Christmas songs are playing, the movies are being watched, we are snuggled with books before bedtime…Christmas has arrived here at the Brown family home. While this year (and even more so, last year) has been a bit masked of normalcy (see what I did there), we still have had a most wonderful year. A year full of growth, love, learning, goofy dancing, and ninja moves.
We are still loving our home in Tacoma with our two boys and crazy dog. We've lived in Tacoma for five years now, and there is no doubt it's home sweet home to us now. We have built some strong friendships that we know will last a lifetime. We are truly happy here!
Well, this year sure hasn't been a walk in the park. It has definitely had some hardships, and our heart goes out to everyone who has experienced tragedy.
But it's also been an amazing and blessed year for our family. And the truth is, we've taken many walks in the park; it was one of the few things that kept us sane during lockdowns with two crazy kiddos.
