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April 12, 2013

Seattle Area Adventure: Flipping for the Seattle Aquarium

We love it when family and friends visit. Not only do we get to spend good, quality time with our loved ones, but it gives us an excuse to explore our city (with less guilt about leaving chores and house duties for another day). Afterall, we have to show off our sites, right?

Rain, even in Seattle can put a kink in our step, especially when it’s a downpour, which was the case on this particular day. To stay dry, we sought shelter at the Seattle Aquarium. It would actually be a first time visit for Bergen and me, and I was curious to see his reaction to all the sea life. He loves our visits to the zoo, and we’ve gone to a couple of very small aquariums, but this was his first full-on larger aquarium trip.

We spent a little over an hour and a half exploring the space. I would have loved to have just a little bit more time, but lunch and nap time were looming. Even in that short amount of time though we became fans of the place and we picked up a few tips and tricks.

1. Don’t miss the Window on Washington Waters exhibit at the entrance. At 120,000 gallons of water, this exhibit showcases over 800 fish and invertebrates. Currently, at 10 am, 11:30 am, and 12:15 pm, a scuba diver swims around and answers questions from the audience. It’s quite a sight to see! Crowds happen, and if you or your little one are overwhelmed, sneak upstairs to the cafe. You can look down on the exhibit, and still hear and see all the action, but it’s less congested.

2. Take your time. With Bergen, we tend to rush as he’s always on the move, and just breezes through things, but when we stuck around, more magical experiences happened. When we were a little more patient, we saw…

An octopus floating through a glass tube
Jellyfish insides light-up
Sea Otters roll into a ball and flip in circles

3. Leave the Stroller Behind. If your little one is walking, let them roam on their own. You’ll both get more exercise! For non-walkers, consider a carrier. For one, it’s crowded. There are also a lot of obstacles you’ll run into that will make lugging a stroller around a pain.

4. Make sure sights are at kid level. We know Bergen is a mover, but sometimes he would rush past amazing tanks, pools, and other exhibits as if they weren’t even there. At first we wondered why he didn’t care, then we realized that to him (at his height), it was just a plain, boring wall. When we lifted him up to see, a whole new world opened up for him!

5. Burn off steam at the Underwater Dome. This unique exhibit gave us a chance to “relax” a bit. The dome gives viewers a 360 degree view with a feeling like you are actually under the sea, and tank is one of the largest exhibits at 400,000 gallons. With little sets of stairs to climb and so much to see, we could let Bergen view at his own pace, and he could walk right up to the windows to watch all kinds of creatures swim, float, and whirl by.

Info to Know:

Seattle Aquarium is located in Downtown Seattle on the waterfront:
- 1483 Alaskan Way, Pier 59, Seattle, WA 98101
- Hours: Daily 9:30am-5pm
- Fees: Adults (13 & over): $19.95, Youth (4-12): $13.95, Child (3 & under): FREE–hooray!
Check the website for daily activities to coordinate times of special attractions (like the scuba divers & feeding times) with your visit.
To extend your visit and stay out of the rain, check out the Miner’s Landing featuring a carousel, arcade, fun gift shop, and more.
For family-friendly local dining spot, try Ivar’s Acres of Clams.

Visited an aquarium lately? Tell us about your experience! Was it worth the visit? Where is your favorite aquarium located?

Come join the conversation! Join us on all of our adventures by “liking” our facebook page and following us on twitter!

This post is part of Photo Friday on Delicious Baby.

April 5, 2013

First Time Experience with University of Washington’s Cherry Blossoms

With some time to spare between errands and a looming naptime, Bergen and I decided to make a quick stop at the University of Washington Quad to view the amazing display of cherry blossoms. These blooms put on quite a show every spring, but after living here in Seattle for almost 8 years, this was actually my first time (and Bergen’s) witnessing the event. Sure I see the trees on our walks in the neighborhood, and other areas around town. Now I know though: The Cherry Blossoms in the Quad are different. It’s really an experience! And the beauty took my breath away.

Bergen loved running around on the brick pathways. He had a huge smile on his face the entire time, and I think he quite enjoyed all the people running around snapping photos and making a fuss.

However, he really didn’t care much about looking up, so the cherry blossom display didn’t really matter to him. He had other interests. What’s so great about a few cherry blossoms? He’d rather investigate a puddle.

Where in the world have you witnessed a spectacular Cherry Blossom display? Tell us about it!

Come join the conversation! Join us on all of our adventures by “liking” our facebook page and following us on twitter!

This post is part of Photo Friday on Delicious Baby.

April 4, 2013

A Visit to Arizona’s Biltmore Hotel: Mom & Toddler’s Takeaways

While in the Phoenix area we managed to squeeze in a visit to the Arizona Biltmore Hotel. Between Bergen’s nap schedule, Mariner Spring Training games, and vital family time, we were busy, and taking your toddler to a luxury hotel was a bit of a hard sell to my travel companions. I was curious about the design. I heard raves about the Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired architecture, and on the other hand, I heard others say it reminded them of a jail.

This adventure needed to be quick and focused. We still managed to enjoy ourselves though as we toured the grounds with drinks in hand.

I had to takeaways from the experience:

Look Up
Look Out

When looking up, the details in the ceiling and in the lighting are incredible. I learned that Frank Lloyd Wright is known for his use of low ceilings, and this was especially evident to me in the bathroom of all places. My favorite though was the lighting in Wright’s Restaurant.

Wander out to the courtyard, look out, and you’ll notice all the little touches that make this space an architectural marvel. The landscaping, the placement of artwork, and the structure of the hotel itself all come together and was quite pleasing to my eye. I also feel like Camelback Mountain in the distance is necessary for all of these elements to work.

Bergen (18 months) also had two takeaways from the experience:

Throw oranges
Try to take a swim in those lovely fountains

Ever since he found out that balls were for throwing, he’s found all sorts of round shaped objects to practice his skill. The abundance of oranges in the Phoenix area was perfect for his new hobby and worked wonders on the his accuracy.

Bergen is a water baby. He seems to think any water, whether an ice cold lake, murky swamp, or gorgeous fountain, would be a great place to take a dip. In fact we quickly had to whisk him away from the pool because he started throwing a fit not being able to get in and enjoy a swim.

Needless to say, I’m a fan of the hotel and the hotel’s design even though I may never get chance to actually spend the night!

Are you a fan of Frank Lloyd Wright? What structures of his design have you visited?

Come join the conversation! Join us on all of our adventures by “liking” our facebook page and following us on twitter!

This post is linked up with Budget Traveler’s Sandbox Travel Photo Thursday!

April 2, 2013

Seattle Area Adventure: Getting Lost in West Seattle’s Schmitz Preserve Park

Easter weekend here in Seattle brought absolutely beautiful weather. The kind of weather that reminded us of why we live where we live. Those mountains that surround our city? We could actually see them in the distance due to clear skies and sunshine. Did we take advantage of the circumstances in all it’s incredible glory? Not really. Between getting a tooth pulled and needing to make our newly remodeled house look halfway presentable, we were tied up for much of the three days.

We certainly got a lot done, AND we did manage to squeeze in one amazing morning so I can’t complain, really. Given the weather and given the holiday, which I also see as a fresh start and a time to enjoy all things “new”, we decided to check out a place a that I’d been meaning to explore for a while: Schmitz Preserve Park in West Seattle.

Upon entering the park, we really had no route or destination in mind. We knew the park was just 53 acres with easy to follow trails, so losing our way wasn’t really on our minds. We let intuition take over, and simply enjoyed our surroundings. While hiking among old growth trees with birds chirping and water gently rolling by in peaceful streams, we got lost. We weren’t thinking about all the concrete and housing that encircles the park, just put one foot in front of the other.

Before long our adventure brought us to an unexpected creature. Lucky for us, he wasn’t too threatening and we were able to move on without incident. We did marvel at the creative use of a fallen tree!

Between some muddy areas and tree obstacles, I was glad that we went the ergo carrier route instead of risking it with the stroller. This was after several days of dry weather. I can only imagine the amount of sogginess you’d have to deal with given our usual conditions. I was also glad I had a hiking partner to let me know if I was clearing Bergen’s head as I ducked under logs.

Again, not really knowing where the path might lead, we scurried up quite a steep hill. I really had no expectations in my mind other than making it to the top. Wondering what greeted us? A beautiful view of the city? A look out toward Elliott Bay and beyond? No. A sidewalk. A sidewalk and some houses. We were out the park just like that.

We weren’t about to hike back the way we came, so off we went to find another entrance. After just a couple minutes of walking, we discovered our way back in just behind an elementary school bearing the park’s name. And a warm welcome we were given.

This time, we walked straight through to the opposite side (via the Schmitz Park to Alki Trail) remarking at how lucky the residents surrounding the space must feel. A beautiful forested area ready to explore, investigate and learn from right in their backyard.

Schmitz Preserve Park was donated to the city in the early 1900’s. Ferdinand Schmitz set the land aside and gave a large portion of the park to the city because he hated seeing the amazing Northwest forest dwindle away in place of more and more homes and other buildings.

Do you have similar preserves in your city or town OR have you encountered a preserve in your travels? Tell us about it!

Info to Know:

Schmitz Preserve Park is located in Seattle’s West Seattle neighborhood.
- We entered at 5551 SW Admiral Way, Seattle 98116, and exited (in the end) at the Alki Community Center, Playground and Whale Tail Park: 5817 SW Stevens St, Seattle 98116
- Hours: 6am-10pm
If you stick to the main trail (Schmitz Park to Alki Trail) you could probably get away with using a heavy duty jogging stroller, but I’d recommend going the carrier route for little ones.
Be aware that parts of the trail are bound to be wet and muddy, so plan footwear accordingly.
Need something to entice tired little legs? Plan to exit near the Alki Community Center. An amazing park awaits and just a few short blocks away, you’re at the beach!

Come join the conversation! Join us on all of our adventures by “liking” our facebook page and following us on twitter!

March 28, 2013

Escape the Ordinary and Experience the Magic of Orcas Island Pottery

If you spend even just a couple hours on Orcas Island, a San Juan Island North of Seattle, you’d really need to be out of it not to notice art sprinkled all around in nooks and crannies and in places you wouldn’t necessary expect. Many art installations, like the sparkly mobile hanging on the side of the road going into town essentially became landmarks for me, reminding us of an upcoming turn or destination.

Unfortunately, many of the galleries and museums are closed during the winter months (we visited the island this past January). If places were actually open, they often had limited hours, so some of my choices for outings, like the Howe Sculpture Garden, had to wait for another visit.

One truly special place stays open year round though, with hours that easily worked into our schedule. Orcas Island Pottery is no ordinary pottery studio. It’s been around for generations. In fact, it’s the oldest existing craft shop on the island and the oldest pottery studio in the entire Northwest!

You might think it would be quite foolish to bring a young, energetic, rambunctious toddler to a place that sells, makes and displays pottery, but it turns out Orcas Island Pottery is great for kids and adults alike. That’s not to say we could kick back and relax, we still had to watch Bergen like a hawk. The difference is that he had diversions and he was welcome.

For one, the grounds are spacious with lots of room to run around and little paths to take. Plenty of recognizable (and some not) ornaments and fascinating objects to point at and wonder about. Did I mention we were visiting in January? We had the place to ourselves.

Once Bergen was tired of wandering around, he climbed up and explored an incredibly built tree house. From the top, we were able to view the property as a whole and I took some time to look out onto the President’s Channel with other islands and even Canada in the distance.

Later, the friendly potters invited Bergen and Slaed in to learn about how all this beautiful work is crafted. Bergen even got to touch the clay and watch real live students try their hand at the art. Syd Exton, the owner of Orcas Island Pottery gave them a personal tour, and helped us to pick out a set of glasses; perfect for sipping wine.

And finally, our visit was capped off with a good old-fashioned swing. Bergen’s definitely done some swinging in his little life and has enjoyed some nice views, but this one has to be at the top of his list.

Info to Know:

Orcas Island Pottery:
- 338 Old Pottery Road Eastsound, Washington 98245 (follow signs)
- 360-376-2813
- Open Everyday (except Christmas and Easter) 10am-5pm
With so much to explore, plan to stay for an hour or so.
Owners are welcoming. On a nice day or evening, feel free to pack a picnic and enjoy it on their grounds.

What’s been your experience with toddlers and art studios, galleries and museums? Share your stories and tips.

Come join the conversation! Join us on all of our adventures by “liking” our facebook page and following us on twitter!

March 25, 2013

Embracing the Arrival of Spring at the Seattle’s Washington Park Arboretum

With the sun beaming in through the windows and gorgeous blue sky greeting us this morning, I knew we had to get outside while it lasted. What better way to enjoy the spring weather than at our nearby Washington Park Arboretum? Little legs can run free while I take some time to check out what’s in bloom, and try to soak in as much warmth and rays before the clouds return.

From the moment those stroller wheels touched ground inside the park boundary, Bergen and his buddy Dylan were in their element. Pointing at the trees, following robins as they fluttered by, and “remarking” about whatever else they noticed. Soon stroller patience was over, and it was time to get out and really explore.

Pink was around every corner. I love the green of Western Washington just as much as the next gal, but it’s nice to have some variety back in our landscape.

It was clear the birds were grateful for this day just like the rest of us at the park (from runners, to cyclists, to dog walkers and school children). Their songs became our background noise and soon the boys were doing their best to sound just like them or at least laugh at my attempts.

Toward the end of our time at the park, Bergen proved he loved being out running the trails even more than I thought. While he’s a happy guy, he’s not one for cuddling or creating tender moments. He’s much too busy for such things and would rather be off getting his hands dirty and making messes. Today was different though. After a shriek, he came barreling down the path in my direction as I was crouched down taking photos and gave me a great big hug.

It didn’t stop there though. No, Bergen had more love to give. After he was finished with me, he scrambled right over to his buddy for his very first “friend hug”.

Do you share his sentiment for the new season?

Come join the conversation and follow us on all of our adventures by “liking” our facebook page and following us on twitter!

*Also if you have a quick second, please take it to vote for us in the Circle of Moms: Top 25 Outdoorsy Moms contest. It’s easy and you can vote once a day. Voting ends 3/27/13. BIG THANKS!

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