coffee, Gathered thoughts

Be Still ❤️

I am still learning how to be still .. good reminder to pause and soak in some time at Gods feet ❤️Happy Friday friends!

family adventures, hiking, Mt.Rainier National Park, Review

Family Review ~Copper Creek Hut ~ Mt. Rainier

We had the opportunity to stay at one of the Mt. Rainier Huts and jumped on it! We really had no idea on what to expect since it was our first time ever doing something like this but it was a great first time experience for our family and we can’t wait to go again!

The Hut was a welcome sight after the hike in with all our gear. Cabin on top of the mountain.. what’s not to love ! The Hut was clean and fully stocked and even had extra gear in case it was needed like poles or snowshoes. We were greeted with a banner of multi flags that reminded us of Everest basecamp , which we loved! It was a well appointed hut with a mudroom to leave your gear in like snowshoes, boots , poles and shoes . There was a kitchen , several tables to eat at or play games and a few couches by the fire. There was running water and electricity by solar . Upstairs hosted several sets of bunkbeds and some individual beds (twin) for sleeping.

The stats for this trail are ⬇️

📍 CopperCreek Hut viaRainier Vista Trail

🧭  Ashford, Wa

🥾  10.9 miles RT ( we came in at 8 )

🏔️  1692 ft elevation gain ( we gained 800)

⭐️ Stats based on AllTrails and Apple 

The road was open for us so this changes the stats. If the road is closed then it would come in closer to AllTrails.

Coffee after the hike up

Watching the sun set was amazing! So beautiful!

The next morning , we headed out to explore some more . Look at this view we found!

We hiked to the Tenth Mountain viewpoint and it came in at 3 miles rt . We were able to just use our microspikes but we did post hole some. Overall we hiked about 11 miles and a 1000 elevation including the hut rt .

You do have to make reservations to stay. You can do that here ⬇️

https://skimtta.org/information-page-copper-creek/

The cost is $15 per person.

Here is some more info from Mount Tahoma Trails Association has on their website. 

Copper Creek is located in the North District and is only open during the winter. The maximum capacity of the hut is 14 people. Copper Creek Hut is located within the Mt. Rainier Gateway Forest, a wildlife preserve, so please leave your dog at home. Dogs are not allowed in the North District.

How far is it to Copper Creek?

The trek to Copper Creek Hut is:

  • 3.2 miles with 800’ of elevation gain from the upper sno-park.
  • 4.3 miles with 1,070’ of elevation gain from the middle sno-park (least frequently used).
  • 5.4 miles with 1,570’ of elevation gain from the lower sno-park.

What is in Copper Creek?

Sleeping Arrangements: Sleeps 14. 

Kitchen:

  • Cook stove and oven (Propane)
  • Pots, sauce pans, frying pans, bakeware, mixing bowls, measuring cups, cooking utensils, plates, bowls, cups, silverware, knives, and cutting boards
  • Cleaning supplies – dish soap, hand soap, Clorox, etc.
  • Toilet paper, paper towels

Water Filter System: Rain water is collected in the summer. In the winter, water comes from snow melt. There is a water filter system to provide clean drinking water.

Other Items: Some other amenities you will find:

  • Books/MagazinesRestrooms: An outhouse are located outside of the hut.
  • Propane fireplace
  • Solar powered lighting
  • First Aid Kit
  • Large dining table
  • Games (cards, board games, etc.)

Have you ever stayed at a hut on Mt. Rainier?

Check out our reel ⬇️

disney

Magical Details ✨

Pretty little details that make even the ordinary magical ✨

Disneyland, family adventures, travel

Toon Town at Disneyland

Toon Town Bliss ❤️

family adventures, pnw, travel

Bruun Idun, One of Thomas Dambo’s Northwest Trolls ~West Seattle

“In the night, there was a storm, there at the beach
Where she was born
And Idun felt a feeling wrong, and so she walked there
In the dawn
And in a flute, the magic horn, a tune so passionate and Strong
She played for them an orca song to ask them where they all had gone”

– Thomas Dambo

Bruun Idun, one of the Thomas Dambo’s Northwest Trolls, lives at Lincoln Park in West Seattle. She is one of the six trolls that the Danish artist has made from recycled materials and has installed around the Northwest .

Look for the birdhouses . They are a clue that you are in the right area . Walk along the water until you see her near the Colman Pool, and from her spot hidden in the trees, she sings to the orcas of the Salish Sea❤️

Thomas Dambo has trolls all over the world so I attached the link below to see a map of where you can find them ⬇️

https://trollmap.com/

Family activity, homeschooling

Valentines Writing Center

Happy Valentine’s Day ❤️
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I have really enjoyed the last few weeks of Valentine fun we added to our homeschool day with this cute Valentine mail writing area. It was a creative way to encourage some writing skills and add to the fun of making Valentines.


I added stickers , stationary and some blank postcards for my littles to write Valentines and decorate them. I loved how it turned out and it worked!! The kids protested at first but seriously how can you not enjoy making cards for friends???
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I’m already thinking of other stations this can become after today .. stay tuned!

Book, Review

The Mystery of the Love List ~ Children’s Book Review

Here’s another great Valentines Book to add to your collection ❤️
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The Mystery of the Love List is such a cute story with beautifully illustrated pages.
Pippa’s class makes a love list, a list of all the things they love ,that take up room in their hearts. Pippa finds a list that one of her classmates made, that has her name written down, with all of her favorite things! She has a secret admirer, but who? See if she solves the mystery of the love list and finds a new friend❤️

Gathered thoughts

Galentines Party Planning ❤️

Galentines is a fun way to celebrate Valentines Day with your very best girlfriends❤️

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Here is a fun checklist to help you plan a great party. I also created a fun Galentines Bingo to add some fun to your gettogether that’s perfect for all ages!

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To get your free printable, like this post ,follow us and comment Galentines ❤️

DIY, Gift

Free Printable Kids Reward Tickets …great for Valentines and much more

Super cute printable tickets that are perfect gifts for kids of all ages ❤️To get your free printable , follow our blog and message us with a 🎟️ emoji or follow us on instagram /facebook and send us a 🎟️ emoji and we will send you your free printable.

Book, Review

Porcupine Cupid ~ Children’s Book

We are always looking for good books to read for the different seasons and holidays . It’s so hard to find unique ones and so when we found this , I knew I needed to share!
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This is such a cute book! Beautifully illustrated and such a cute story of love ❤️. We will be adding this to our personal collection of Valentine books.