On a Day Drive to the Kitsap Area

 April 18, 2020

Waking up to rain is the best way to help me get started especially on a Saturday. Sometimes it is hard to get out of bed, because I like to just lay in bed while I listen to the rain falling on top of the house. But, I couldn't linger in bed too long because we had plans to spend the day out in the Kitsap area. 

The Narrows Bridge is a cool sight to see. Some people have spotted Orca's in this area but we never did. Kinda bummed about it. 

We got Red Robin take-out in Silverdale and ate it in the car. 

After we ate our burgers, we drove to Poulsbo and stopped by Sluy's Bakery. They have a great selection of pastries. This bakery gets so busy. Most weekends the line gets quite long. One has to sometimes wait outside in line. 

I would usually get a raised glazed donut, a coconut crunch stick and sometimes an apple walnut cinnamon roll with cream cheese. I once got a pull apart. It is raised donut dough cut and rolled in cinnamon sugar then baked in a pan and glazed. Oh boy, it is SO darn delicious!

We got our donuts then walked over to the marina. It's such a pretty view, isn't it? I love the smell too. Whenever we spend time out by the water, I make sure to take it all in ... because life is fleeting. I want to remember this beautiful scenery for ever. 

There's pretty flowers all around. Flowers add so much beauty to a place, don't they?

Riley is always climbing on things. 

After we spent some time in Poulsbo we then drove to Port Gamble which really isn't that far. It was only a 17 minute drive. Port Gamble is an unincorporated community on the northwestern shore of the Kitsap Peninsula. These small towns are so peaceful and charming. 

Well, it was bound to happen. Riley climbed this tree and kind of got stuck so he jumped off from an awkward place and he ended up hurting his left arm. I guess that's the risk one takes when you climb things, you will eventually get hurt. Live and learn I guess.   

He was fine. He just got a few scrapes and a small bruise. 

Saw this cute wedding chapel, St. Paul's Church.

We drove back down to Bainbridge Island where we took the ferry into Seattle. The Puget Sound is truly a unique and gorgeous area. 

It was a pleasant chilly day. I love being out in this type of weather. Of course, I dress appropriately for this weather. That being said, I truly enjoy feeling the cold wind on my face. It is very stimulating. After being outdoors on a cold day, going back home is extra nice because I can get into something cozy and enjoy a good movie. I appreciate my home more when I've spent time outdoors.

Don't leave your good times to chance ...

plan out your weekend to get the most out of life.

Out and About

1/19


On January 6 we had a strong windstorm that came through at 1:20 am. I got woken up by it and it actually made me a bit nervous. I'm thankful that there are no tall pine trees near our home so that was a relief, didn't have to worry about one toppling over our home. When we woke up we realized we had lost power. A wide area lost power. Our home was cold ... and although we have a gas stove we went out for breakfast so we could have coffee. Well, everyone else was trying to get breakfast too. It was crazy. After about half an hour we got our food and ate. I'm thankful that power in our area got restored by noon, others were still out of power for several more days. My in-laws were one of them. We also missed church since we didn't have hot water to shower.


The weekend after the windstorm my in-laws came along and got us into Bangor Base. The fog was very thick at certain parts in Tacoma. It looked pretty cool as we drove across the Narrows Bridge.

I like visiting different military bases. I think they're pretty awesome! The reason we visited Bangor Base was because Jacob wanted to reminisce his childhood mischievous days and mid morning hangouts at the bowling alley.

My left arm and wrist was sore by the end of the game. I got just one strike and went down hill from there. My ball kept going on the left gutter. Jacob ended up winning and I believe Riley came in second.

After we were done with bowling we made a quick stop in Poulsbo and stopped at Sluy's bakery and picked up sweets to take home. Then we drove into Bainbridge Island and had lunch at Westside Pizza. Jacob likes to eat here because there's a Mrs. Pacman game. He's pretty good at it that Riley gets bored of waiting his turn. I have to tell Jacob to purposely lose so Riley can play, lol.

And so that was our day. To me it's all about the journey, whether if it's driving around town or on a long road trip ... everything I get to experience with loved ones is what's most fun and driving onto the ferry and enjoying the ride and gorgeous views of the Puget Sound is definitely the highlight for me.

Hello Mt. Rainier!
It happens almost instantly, once we're in the presence of the Puget Sound the vibe changes immediately for us. The fact that we live in a very liberal state and see a lot of things in disarray the Puget provides a sweet escape from all the nonsense. Why is that? Because nature (God's creation) is perfect and provides so much peace and nurtures our souls. And Washington is a nature lover's paradise for sure!

I'm surprised we didn't have our thick jackets on, being that it was January. I guess it must have been a mild winter afternoon.

Pretty isn't it? There's no filter in this picture. I guess it was the angle that I took the picture and the sun almost setting that help capture these pretty pink/purple hues. Our Maker is truly remarkable and I am grateful that I have eyes to see His marvelous works.

My mother in law looks like she was in the middle of a conversation. Don't remember what it was about though.

And these two always joking around and laughing.

The person who has chosen to make gratitude his or her 

mind-set and lifestyle can view anything through the eyes of thankfulness.

Back at Home

Vacations ... sure make us become more grateful for our home once we're back from travels, especially for our own beds. Routine brings a sense of familiarity. I do miss it when I've been gone on vacation for several days.

Our first outing after we got back was to the Aquarium. It's always a fun visit. Sea urchins are my favorite to touch. I like it when their long spines wrap tight around my finger. I would have never thought to eat one though. I've seen them being prepared to eat and they don't look good to me.

Riley got a cute blue eel on his arm.
Since this was a year ago, looking at Riley in this picture I can't help but notice how smaller and thinner he was.

Last year was Riley's first VBS experience. I was impressed at how cool they decorated the inside of the church.

He had a fun time and it was good to see him participate.

Riley hung out at the YMCA several times during the evenings last summer. He really likes the activity pool. This is a newer YMCA so it's really cool looking.

Attended a family gathering. These two older kids of mine are hardly available to photograph so since we were all in the car I took the opportunity to snap a picture.

My parents came for a quick visit. I wish they would visit more often but they're just not into traveling. We took them down to the waterfront and also took them to the Aquarium.

We then had lunch at Red Robin then we took a ferry ride over to Bainbridge Island and had ice cream at Mora.

My mom made menudo the following day. This time I made sure to observe as I wrote down the recipe. Menudo is not for everyone. It contains hamony and tripe. Nathan will eat it sometimes but not Jacob or Sydna. I love it.

And of course, it's never fun saying goodbye. Riley gets so attached so whenever someone visits and it's time for them to leave he always has a hard time saying goodbye. He was fine once we were halfway home.

July seems to last so long. And this is around the time when it starts to get hot here in the PNW.

Everything in life requires balance. 

Too much of anything is never good.

April Outings

Going to baseball games is fun. We love its traditions ... National anthem, the ceremonial first pitch, the ever yummy stadium food, ballpark anthem, 7th inning stretch, and father son bonding time (even if Mom tags along).
These are the little things that make life exciting ... for us. These outings break up the monotony of life and they sure are a treat. I mean, come on! Who doesn't love stadium food!!! I (we) sure as heck do especially their nachos! Hearing the fans cheer is contagious. I just make sure to remember to wear a thick jacket and bring a blanket when going to a baseball game at Safeco Field.

Sometimes innings are slow so I try to remember to bring a book that I can read during these particular instances. And even though Riley has his own seat he likes to sit with his dad.

It was quite cold and it had begun sprinkling so they rolled out the retractable roof. It was cool to see it covering the top opening. We immediately noticed the difference. We were no longer freezing our buns off.

I don't think we go on the ferry often enough so when we do it feels like a treat. There's an ice cream shop in Bainbridge Island called MORA. They offer one of a kind flavors along with the well known ones.
We discovered that a MORA ice cream shop will be opening about ten minutes from our house. Jacob is definitely excited about it.

I love to observe these pretty houses right on the edge of the island. I bet it is so peaceful and with views like these I don't think I would want to leave my home ... however, sometimes I think I'll get bored living on an island given how little there is to do. We like to take spontaneous trips so island living wouldn't work for us at this stage in our lives. Who knows, maybe once we're in our late seventies we will think differently.

Riley and Jacob had a fun afternoon out at Family Fun Center. Riley's your typical boy, full of energy so it was a good idea to take him there to burn off all that energy. He had lots of fun. They played laser tag ...

... and air hockey ...

... and had fun on a Jurassic Park ride.

Afterwards they went to McDonald's for lunch. I'm sure Riley will remember this outing forever. Spending quality time with just his dad is so special and much needed.

A father's deep affection offers a sense of security

and assurance that nothing else can give. The heart

of a child is beautifully designed to respond to that love;

it is a connection strong enough to last a lifetime.

Puget Sound Love

August was a month of dozens of wildfires throughout the Pacific Northwest. It rained down ash on everything. I had forgotten that I had left a couple of windows open and when I went to close them the blinds were covered in ash. You can imagine the mess and how challenging it was to clean them. Not fun.
We stayed indoors during the worst part of it. I can't remember how long it was from the time it was raining ash to the time we finally left the house but once the air quality wasn't hazardous we ventured out. The atmosphere was still a bit hazy.

I love going on walks and you know I love to hang out along the Puget (or Lake Washington) so that's what we did. Lincoln Park in W Seattle has beachfront views of the Puget Sound, the Seattle waterfront, Bainbridge Island, Vashon Island and the Olympic Mountains. It is just gorgeous. I know I say this often but it's the truth. I haven't gotten tired of thinking that so I hope you don't get tired of me saying how beautiful it is here.
Never treat life as mundane ... there is beauty all around you, you just have to have eyes to see!

Sitting next to my husband on that log, looking out at the water, observing the few boats that go by and hearing the crashing of the waves is truly captivating. I constantly yearn for views like these and thankful that God has placed us in such a beautiful state to be able to have these experiences. I'm truly grateful.

The following day, a Sunday, we took a ferry ride to Bainbridge Island. Always bring a warm sweater along when you ride the ferry, that is if you want to see the views from the outside. It doesn't matter if it's summertime.
The ferry ride from Seattle to Bainbridge Island is only fifteen minutes long. Even though it's a short ride we still get out of the car and walk around the ferry, stopping by towards the front and take in the views. I tell Riley to be on the lookout for orca's and seals. We've only seen an orca once. It was a cool sight even though we weren't very close to it.

We had a picnic at Fay Bainbridge Park. It was our first time there. It wasn't very busy which is always nice. The views are gorgeous. There's several houses nearby. Lucky people.

I did bring Riley swimming trunks but I completely forgot to have him put them on in the car so I let him splash in the water in his regular clothes. This is the first time this has happened. He had fun splashing even though the water was cold. Jacob was a bit nervous about Riley losing his footing and going under. He was tense the entire time.
Riley gained a bit of weight during the summer. Eating more often I suppose. I didn't worry though. I knew that once he went back to school he would lose it and he did. But, he did go through another big growth spurt.

Glad we came across this park. The restrooms were very clean plus there's picnic tables and grills, a playground and it's also a campground. We'll be coming back here for sure.

On the ferry ride back I stayed in the car. I like it when we get the lane closest to the water because I get to sit in my car and admire the views while feeling the wind blow on my face. Very relaxing.

We were meant to enjoy life, not to be drown by it.