Tag: pnw

family adventures, pnw, travel

Jakob Two Trees ~Northwest Trolls : Way of the Bird King

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“A thousand circle suns, not old
Time will stretch and loop and fold
So stop, breathe out, breathe in, behold
The trees have sung a story told”
.

Jakob is located in Issaquah and stands around 14-ft. tall, looking as future friends come to find him . You will find him paused between two trees as if to say peek a boo to all who pass by. He is fashioned entirely out of recycled materials, and wears a necklace of birdhouses.

One of the unique things about Jakob,is he is the first troll who has a ponytail with the ponytail holder and bracelet he is wearing made by the Snoqualmie Tribe.I love how this connects and weaves Coast Salish tribal communities with Danish and Scandinavian traditions, all through the beauty of environmental art.

Jakob Two Trees is one of the six trolls that are part of the Northwest Trolls: Way of the Bird King created by Thomas Dambo .The other trolls are on Bainbridge Island; Ballard, Seattle; Portland, Vashon Island and West Seattle. Check out our post below of the other trolls:)

Frankie Feetsplinters ~ Thomas Dambo Northwest Troll

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

And here is the link for the Troll Map to find them all ⬇️

https://trollmap.com/#/jakobtwotrees

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family adventures, hiking, pnw, travel

Kamiak Butte Trail

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Kamiak Butte Trail is a beautiful trail tucked into the rolling Palouse farmland and comes with some great view points that is near Pullman ,Wa.


It was the perfect trail to stretch our legs after a long drive and take in the beauty of the area. I love that the landscape is so differant there . It reminds me of parts of Texas with its rolling fields that look like a quilt of patched farmland everywhere you look.


There is also a beautiful park with playground by the parking lot if you are looking to have a picnic with views and want to skip the hike.


Here are the stats ⬇️
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📍Kamiak Butte Trail
🧭 Palouse , Wa
🥾 2.5miles RT ( we came in at 2.57)
🏔️ 715ft elevation gain ( we gained 704)
⭐️ Stats based on AllTrails and Apple
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Goals, hiking, pnw, travel

Lake 22 Trail

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View at the summit of Lake 22

Lake 22 was one of the most beautiful hikes we did in 2024 . The pics don’t even begin to do it justice or show just how huge the rocks are…Amazing!

Stairs
This log was huge!

This trail was not at all what I expected. With the elevation being under 2000 gained I was thinking easy but it was not. It was a great workout and the views were stunning! It was rocky which I wasn’t expecting and had some bouldering .
Definitely one of my top favs!

Huge boulders
Look at how little these hikers look on one of the many rocks
Lake 22
Huge boulders
Other less traveled side of Lake 22
Best view!

The stats for this trail are ⬇️

📍 Lake 22 Trail

🧭 Granite Falls, Wa

🥾 5.9 miles RT ( we came in at 8.38)

🏔️ 1446 ft elevation gain ( we gained 1526ft)

⭐️ Stats based on AllTrails and Apple

Trail to walk around Lake 22

View on the opposite side of Lake 22

Check out our reel below ⬇️

coffee, family adventures, hiking, Review, travel

Espresso Chalet

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Espresso Chalet has one of the best views of Mount Index . It was the perfect stop to grab coffee after hiking Wallace Falls & Heybrook Lookout. Both hikes are within a few miles of each other with the Espresso Chalet between them. Look for the Bigfoot and you will know you are there.


We ordered our drinks and then went to soak in some more Mountain views… amazing! Perfect place to stretch your legs and grab some drinks or snacks before heading home .


A fun fact : this was an official location from the movie Harry and the Hendersons … anyone remember that movie?

Check out our reel below ⬇️

coffee, pnw, Review, travel

Unique Starbucks in Bavarian Town of Leavenworth ~ Review

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One of our favorite @starbucks is in the Bavarian town of Leavenworth . The decor is a modern ski lodge vibe which we absolutely loved!

Looking out the window you can easily access Aasgard without the grueling workout or magic portal 😉


If you’re wanting a fun weekend adventure , Leavenworth is a great place to explore. Hike, shop , eat , and enjoy feeling like you traveled to a different country. Grab your favorite book and grab coffee as you soak it all in at this unique Starbucks.

Hotel, pnw, Review

Salish Lodge & Spa ~ Review

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Salish lodge is one of our new favs! Oohh this hotel made us feel like VIPs !We can’t wait to return.


The rooms are beautiful,spacious, clean and offered a beautiful view over the falls. We loved the decor and the coziness of the room. My favorite moments were having coffee snuggled up in the fur blanket on the couch in the mornings.


A few special perks that come with your stay :
Complimentary welcome seasonal drink at checkin before 6
six different types of pillows to chose from to improve your rest and relaxation.
Terrycloth robes
Daily newspaper
Morning coffee and afternoon tea in the lobby
Trail mix station to fuel up with snacks
Copper kettle and pour-over coffee service in room


We also added the Club 268 package which included several upgrades including the Spa.The spa services were exceptional ! We enjoyed the pools and the sauna. Fresh lemon water was available and the relaxation room was the perfect ending. The eucalyptus shower spray is one of our new favs from the spa so we had to pick up a bottle of it to bring home.
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The food at the Lodge is impressive. We loved how they knew it was our Anniversary and set up the table with rose petals. Such an amazing surprise! Everything was perfectly cooked and delicious.
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After dinner we hiked down to the falls and it was wonderful. The views are breathtaking! You can do the short hike to the overlook or go to the lower falls which is a little bit of a climb to get back up but it’s super short and worth it.
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There are so many more hikes in this area if you’re feeling adventurous. We did Poo Poo Point on the day of checkout and were able to see the paragliders which was a cool experience. Some other hikes in the area are :
Mailbox Peak
Mt.Si
Little Si
Twin Falls
Rattlesnake Ridge
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If you’re looking for a peaceful escape with incredible views ,lots of nearby trails to hike and amazing food, Salish Lodge & Spa is the perfect place for your next getaway.

Book, history, homeschooling

A Few of our Favorite Books in Homeschooling

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States, Presidents , American Girl and sight words are just a few of the things we have been learning this year ❤️

family adventures, pnw, Review, travel

White Pass Winter Castle Fun ❄️

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Winter Castle at White Pass

A few weeks ago we were able to attend the Bantam Cup event @whitepass. It was such a fun day and we loved all the excitement on the slopes. We saw so many that were dressed up as chickens and all sorts of characters that it added to the fun of the day.

Winter Castle podium
White pass Snow Castle
Bantam Cup


One of our favorites was the life size Winter Castle from the Winter Carnival weekend . The Castle crew, artists and sculptors all did an amazing job on the art and sculptures creating a circus theme. It also made the perfect back drop to the awards podium plus it was fun for the littles to explore.

Snow Castle
Tigger and Eeyore on the slopes


Have you ever seen a life size Snow castle? Check out our reel below of the castle ⬇️

And check out our other post of White Pass ⬇️

Bringing in the New Year on the Slopes
family adventures, pnw, Review, travel

Frankie Feetsplinters ~ Thomas Dambo Northwest Troll

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“Frankie don’t like slimy fish, cause fishes are all so dumb
And Frankie don’t like little humans, humans are so dumb
Frankie don’t even like trolls, cause trolls are also dumb
But Frankie’s mouth’s the only one that says the word of dumb”
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  • Thomas Dambo


Frankie Feetsplinters,one of the Thomas Dambo’s Northwest Trolls, lives at the National Nordic Museum in Ballard.He is one of the six trolls that the Danish artist has made from recycled materials and has installed around the Northwest . Frankie is the youngest and most irresponsible of all the Trolls in Way of the Bird King.You see him stepping on a wood bench which is part of the art.
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He is also one of the few Trolls which has come out of the forest to an urban environment.Look for the birdhouses . They are a clue that you are in the right area .
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Pro tip- plan to go on the first Thursday …Admission to the Nordic Museum is free ⭐️

coffee, Gathered thoughts

Be Still ❤️

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