Quick Update

This week has flown by and I'm afraid all I have time for is a quick rundown of the progress we've made in the past seven days, so here we go!

- We've secured a P.O. Box and can start transferring our regular mail. My husband will pick it up when he's in town for business.

- The kids have been getting their regular check-ups taken care of so we have the most updated records and we know everyone is in good health.

- Tomorrow we pick up the trailer! HOORAY!!

56 days and counting... A huge thank you to all who have emailed me with travel tips!! Keep 'em coming!

- Jen

Sunny Days

Western Washington summers usually begin after July 5th. Before that you can count on sweatshirts and soup. Well not this year! This past week has been filled with 80+ degree days and everyone has been out enjoying the sun. It's truly an amazing place to live, especially when everything is in full bloom and alive with activity. Here are a few pictures (taken by me) to give you a glimpse.

View of Seattle from the ferry

 

One of our seasonal residents near Anacortes

Snoqualmie Falls

 

Totem pole at Beaver Lake 

On a clear day "the mountain" (Mt. Rainier) reveals itself. Usually it's veiled by cloud cover. Sometimes when it's really clear, and if you're in the right spot, you can see both Mt. Rainer and Mt. Baker at the same time. Two sleeping giants, blanketed by snow, trees, meadows, and animals. Magnificent.

This was taken during one of our spring trips to Mt. Rainier. Seattle is very close to both the Olympic and Cascade mountain ranges.

 This sign about sums it up!

I mentioned in an earlier post that I'm a member of the DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution). This weekend is our State Conference and that's where I am right now. Once a year we all gather together so the chapters can give updates to the State Society on what we've been up to all year. It's also a time to honor special people who are making a difference in their local communities. At the various meals we sometimes have speakers, demonstrations, or hear music. One of my favorite memories was when the dancers from the Chemawa Indian School came up from Oregon to dance for us. They are so talented and it was an honor to meet them. Chemawa is just one of the schools supported by the DAR. http://www.chemawa.bie.edu/

Since I'm busy at State Conference, this will be a quick update. Here's the skinny on where we are in our preparations for the trip:

- I've been busy boxing up dishes, books, quilts, and more for storage. After realizing how many books I've packed, I can officially declare myself a bibliophile.

- Since the original person we spoke with about renting our house hasn't signed on the dotted line, our house has reverted back to showcase mode for house hunters.

- We've been going from one appointment to another to make sure everyone is current on their dental/physical/eye/vet check ups. We'll be gone for more than a year, after all.

- The camping fabric has been turned into pillowcases for the trailer. One more week until we pick it up!!

We'd love to hear from seasoned RVers about things we should know. Should we join an RV club? What should we avoid? Any tips in general? Let us know! We'd appreciate it! Only 63 days to go....

Now I'm off to give my Junior Membership State Report.... busy, busy!  Have a great weekend!

- Jen

Salmon and Sinks

Our two older children are just ending spring break. They really enjoyed being able to sleep in and take it easy, although I did hear complaints because their friends were either out of town or enrolled in camps/sports practice. I tend to waffle between the two schools of "It's not my job to entertain you" and actively planning fun things to do during our down time. I guess you could say that we're sort of a mixed bag. Either way, I told them that soon enough they too would be out of town.

One event we took part in over the break was the Kokanee Quest http://www.govlink.org/kokanee-quest/ with my youngest son's Cub Scout den. It's a geocaching treasure hunt to help raise awareness about our local salmon population (unique to our area alone!), the Kokanee. This quest began at the Issaquah Salmon Hatchery http://www.issaquahfish.org/ and we were treated to a class about how the population began and how it came to behave like it does. When our training was completed and we had answered the questions, we went on to find the cache. It was a lot of fun and I highly recommend looking into it, even if you don't live in the Puget Sound area.

As of today (since I'm a day late in posting. Sorry about that!) we have 69 days until we launch. We've been checking things off my checklists to make sure we're where we need to be. As the date gets closer, things get a bit more stressful. We are looking forward to the day when we head out of the driveway with the knowledge that everything is safely stored and the house is clean and ready for the new tenants. Then we can exhale and fully embrace our adventure. The kids are coming around. They're still not thrilled about leaving their friends for so long, but I have every confidence that once we're on the road, they'll be as excited as we are. Especially since they are going to help plan our side trips.

One house project I've been teasing you with is our upstairs bathroom remodel. Well, today is the day you finally get to see it! The hardware is still missing, but with the busy week my husband has had, that's totally fine with me. I'm going to show you anyway!

This is what the bathroom looked like before. My husband took these pictures with his phone. It was dated and just didn't flow well. The room had a door that separated the shower/toilet area from the sink and I had been counting the days until it was gutted. What a thrill when that day finally came!

Down came the doorway. Out came the old tile and cabinet. Out came the floor, until we were left with nothing but the skeleton. Then, the magic happened. The tile that we so meticulously selected from the tile store went up. The new, sleek cabinet and sink were installed. The sliding shower door was set in place. Then we just stood in awe of the new room. Is it weird to be so excited about a bathroom? Well then, call me weird, because I totally am! I find myself walking down the hallway and pausing just to look in. Our house is very Northwest-y and now the bathroom in in step with everything else. This is what it looks like now.

 

 

 

I couldn't be happier! It feels much roomier and is now a peaceful place to be. My husband did a great job. It's so nice to have this project checked off the list. Now on to packing...

 

- Jen

 



Renters and Quilts

We've found a renter! That means that we'll be leaving in 77 days no matter what. I had mixed feelings about showing our home. On one hand, it meant that we had to drop everything and let strangers walk through our house. Our sanctuary. They had the opportunity to criticize and comment on the home we love. They had access to our personal space and possessions. It's a bit of a vulnerable spot to be in. On the other hand, our whole family had to work together to make the house consistantly spotless and show-ready. It was really nice to enjoy it at it's best, with everyone pitching in to keep it that way.  Now that it's spoken for, we're back to "Whose day is it to do the dishes?" Oy!

I've been on Craigslist this week, selling all kinds of things that we don't need anymore. I love how it makes space in our home and also puts money in our pockets for things we might need or want on the trip. Our oldest son has a few items he's selling because wants to buy a certain laptop to help him with movie-making. He's a pretty responsible kid (proud mom!) and I have no doubts that he'll reach his goal. I love watching his process when making a big decision. He does extensive research on the item he wants and then looks for all the options to get it. Which brand and model are best? Does he want a new computer or would it be just as good to buy a refurbished one? Who should he buy it from? Is it really worth the money? Oh, if only we all (myself included) were that discerning about what we spent our money on! I only pray that he continues to use such wisdom in all his life choices.

We pick up our trailer at the end of the month and I'm just itching to get my hands on it to make it "ours". Like I said, we'll be packing only the bare minimum, but there are personal touches we can add to make it more comfortable (and fun!). I bought some trailer fabric to make pillowcases. It's the little things, people.... ;-) It's flannel and so soft!

Next week I'll show you the completed bathroom project. My husband has the before pics on his phone and I want to make sure you can really see the transformation. All we have to do now is add the hardware to the cabinets, which will be done this weekend. Instead, I'll show you pictures of the quilt tops that were finished this week. I'll be dropping them off at the quilter in a few minutes, which leaves only one more to finish before we go!! Hooray!!

This quilt is for my new nephew. I bought the plaid homespun blocks at my guild's annual show this year. I've been a member for several years and the members are seriously talented- like international show winners talented. Sometimes little orphan blocks end up in the boutique. Who am I to say no when they are calling my name? So, they came home with me and this is what I did with them. I think he'll like it. Plaid is always so homey. Plus, it works as great camouflage in case of baby "accidents".

I added some Moda graphic prints as borders. Dots make everything more fun!

This Alexander Henry print has been "maturing to perfection" in my stash, as Nan from Pots and Pins www.potsandpins.com would say. I love these cowboys! They're perfect for the back. I'm a big fan of Alexander Henry and their novelty prints.

This top is for the daughter of a dear friend. When her oldest was just a baby, he was diagnosed with brain cancer. It was a really hard time for their family and she walked through it all while pregnant. I made a quilt for her son during the hardest days to add what little comfort I could. I'm thrilled to say that he's healed and going strong today! In his honor, I'll encourage you all to make an appointment to donate blood or platelets. If this little guy can go through what he did, then we can handle a little bit of discomfort now and then. You might just save a life like his!

Now that that chapter is over, I thought it high time his little sister received her own quilt. Rainbows are so joyful, don't you think? This pattern is called "Tangled Tracks" by Kristin Gassaway for Connecting Threads. It was fun to put together. I see days of picnics on the lawn, blanket forts, super hero capes, and many other activities ahead for this little quilt! I'm so thankful that they're now able to enjoy the fun days- together. <3

Wishing you all a wonderful week!

- Jen

Walkin' on Sunshine

There's only one word I can use to sum up the Pacific Northwest. Glorious!  There's a resolute majesty in the snow-capped mountain ranges. Peaks silently remind us that we live in the Ring of Fire. Glaciers sparkle with ancient blue ice. Magic permeates rainforests that are filled with various plants in shades of green, and animals who move silently, but imposingly. Evergreen trees fairly drip with moss and lichen. Tribes of people, who have been here for more generations that I can count, spin wondrous tales that stir the imagination. An abnormally high concentration of artists create beautiful works to delight the eye, mind, and palate. Boats glide through the water alongside breeching whales and curious sea life to deliver the catch of the day. A new generation of farmers explore how to be responsible, sustainable, and chemical-free. Yes, there's no doubt that I love this part of the world. I'm in awe every time I step outside!

I was going to get around to writing about Washington eventually. After all, it's where we've made our home. If we are going to take you all on a trip around North America with us, it needs to begin where we've established our roots. Now seems like as good a time as any. Especially since we've been enjoying warm, sunny days and the landscape is awash with blossoming trees, fragrant flowers, and musical bird song. Where we live, you can get to the ocean, mountain pass, farmland, city, and desert all in under two hours. One, if you don't count the desert. Because of this, we have a wide variety of things to see and do. I could make a list of all the popular tourist attractions, but I think I'll save that for the travel guides. Everyone knows about things like the Space Needle and Pike Place Market. Instead I'll just highlight a few places that are buzzing around this time of year.

Today is the official start of the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival. The blossoms came earlier than expected this year, but if you visit now you'll see beautiful fields filled with every color imaginable. In fact, Roozengaarde is the largest daffodil, tulip, and iris business in the world! To learn more, visit: http://tulipfestival.org/  and http://www.visitskagitvalley.com/upcoming-events/spring/annual-skagit-valley-tulip-festival/ While you're up there, and if you're like me and love quilts, be sure to visit the La Conner Quilt and Textile Museum. http://www.laconnerquilts.org/ It's just a hop, skip, and a jump away.

Here are a few pictures from our pilgrimage last year.

One of my favorite reasons to visit Skagit (other than the Tulips)  is driving to Edison, WA. It's a teeny-tiny artist colony in the middle of Bow farmland. Within this itsy-bitsy town is a bakery called The Bread Farm. http://www.breadfarm.com/  A dear friend introduced me to it and I'm afraid I'm severely addicted to their graham crackers. They're like buttery, crisp shortbread... my mouth is watering just thinking about them. We especially like them frozen. The bakers are nothing short of artisans and they hold to a local, sustainable, organic point of view. The quality is unmatched and I love their charitable hearts.

We happen to live by Fall City, home of Pete Nelson from the show Treehouse Masters. http://www.nelsontreehouseandsupply.com/ I see his wife from time to time. Did you know that on top of building all those fabulous tree houses for other people, his family runs a bed and breakfast and you can STAY in one?! Yep. It's true. It's called Treehouse Point. If you aren't able to stay there, then make sure to book a tour ahead of time. They like to keep things peaceful for the visitors, so space is very limited. http://www.treehousepoint.com/

April and May is geoduck season on the Hood Canal and we love going up to dig for clams and mussels. Just remember that if you would like to do something like this, you will need a permit first. Oh, and wear close-toed shoes. The oysters are like razor blades! Here are a few pictures from one of our trips.

Here's your first picture of our kids. They love trying to find the tiny holes in the sand where you can find clams. You can only find geoduck clams when the tide is ultra-super-low.

This was the result of that trip. Yum, yum!!

Produce stands have started popping up, which means cherry season is almost here. The farmers markets will begin in May, which means we'll get to explore the new stands soon. Last year there were things like tea soda, crocheted dolls from someone's grandmother, the Molly Moon's Ice cream truck, and more. We can't wait!

As far as trip preparation goes, we had our fireplace serviced and several rooms were painted this week. There have been three walk-through's and we may have a potential renter!

84 days to go.....

- Jen