coffee, pnw, Review, travel

Unique Starbucks in Bavarian Town of Leavenworth ~ Review

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.

Book, Book Club, faith, reading, Review

Once A Queen ~ Book Review

Our March Book Club pick was Once a Queen by Sarah Arthur.
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Once a Queen is a fairytale fantasy that weaves real life family dynamics with magic portals , secret gatherings and magic woven tapestries. You meet 14 year Evie as she travels to England to meet a grandmother she has never met before who lives in a beautiful estate that has an intriguing staff. The staff is one we would all want if we were as privileged.
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It starts off slow but then quickly starts to wrap you into the story as it unfolds. As the characters unfold , and the story is weaved ,and you get glimpses of the white stag, you can’t help but to start to step into the magic of the story . Definate Narnia vibes throughout that awakened my childlike faith in reading this.
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Our bookclub enjoyed reading this and several of us are adding the other books to our list!

Hotel, pnw, Review

Salish Lodge & Spa ~ Review

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

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

homeschooling

Learning Anatomy with Veggies

Skeleton in veggies.. yes please! This was a fun project for anatomy class .

family adventures, pnw, Review, travel

White Pass Winter Castle Fun ❄️

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.


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.


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 ⬇️

homeschooling

The Life Cycle of a Caterpillar to a Butterfly in Snacks

How fun is this! The metamorphosis of a caterpillar to a butterfly in snacks..a fun way to learn this and make it come alive

family adventures, pnw, Review, travel

Frankie Feetsplinters ~ Thomas Dambo Northwest Troll

“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 ❤️

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 ⬇️