Last week, my family was in a whirl of activity. We had the 2017 Mitsubishi Outlander all loaded with snow gear, swimming suits, and all the clothes, luggage, and gear a family of 5 requires. We were all heading out for a media trip in Hood River, Oregon when we got the bad news: our press trip was cancelled because the highways to Hood River were all closed. 
We debated for a bit on what we should do and whether we should just scrap the whole trip and head to work and school, but the kids were devastated that their "snow trip" was cancelled. Plus, it's a whole lot of work to pack for so many people and plan an adventure.
Where we were
Where we were: Boston, Massachusetts
This winter, I got invited on a luxurious-sounding press trip to a winery in California, alone with my husband where we could relax and unwind from our hectic life. And, I almost went.
But, instead we packed up the kiddos and their million pounds of gear and hopped on a cross country flight to Boston. Once in Boston, we did without a fancy hotel and we crashed in the living room of a cousin who clearly didn’t know what he was getting into offering 5 people a place to stay and disrupt his life. Once we fully shook up their house and their lives, we then went all day long with four kids on very few hours of sleep trying to cram in all the sights, sounds, and history of the city together. 
And, honestly, it was the perfect choice for us.
You see, we’re kind of warrior travelers. We do overnight flights with infants, long international jaunts with layovers, and we do packed days and short nights. It’s just the way we travel, and it’s now how our kids are used to seeing the world.
20+ kid-friendly activities in Olympic National Park {and 20+ tips to make the most of your stay}
Can you believe that I’ve lived in the Pacific Northwest almost my entire life, yet I had never been to Olympic National Park? We travel a lot as a family, but somehow the National Park just hadn’t made it on our radar until earlier this year when our oldest got excited about rain forests and we realized how overdue we were for a trip to ONP.
For this past Father’s Day weekend, we decided to do a somewhat last-minute trip to the peninsula so we could explore the Olympic National Park as a family and finally see what we’ve been missing. It turns out we’ve been missing a lot.
For one, there are actually 4 parks in one in Olympic National Park. From glacier-covered peaks, gorgeous lakes, miles and miles of Pacific Ocean beaches, old growth forests, waterfalls, hot springs, and ancient rain forests, there truly is something for everyone.
21+ things to do with kids in Olympic National Park
Where we were: Disney World for #DisneySMMC
This last week was pure magic. We just got home from 9 days in heaven and now I'm enjoying all of our amazing memories we made during our week at Walt Disney World. It had been over 16 years since hubby and I visited Disney World, and to say we were overdue is definitely an understatement.
This is us in Disney World back in 1999 with my two sisters {I'm second from the left, hubby is on right}. We were BABIES! 
Travel: 12 reasons to visit Leavenworth, WA in winter {+ 3 things to know before you go}
Willkommen in Leavenworth, WA
It’s been a pretty hectic holiday season already and I’ve been working a ton recently while running from event to event. So, when we found out hubby had a few extra days off work, I wanted to make the most of them. We needed to get out of town and get somewhere where we could just relax and have some good family time before all the festivities next week, and I knew just where to go.
Located just a few hours outside of Seattle at the base of the eastern slope of the Cascade Mountains, very near the geographical center of Washington State, is the cutest little town called Leavenworth, WA. It’s been one of my favorite spots in Washington since I was a girl, and I love that it’s basically unchanged in the past three decades.
A little history: In 1962, Project LIFE {Leavenworth Improvement For Everyone} Committee was formed to transform the city into a mock Bavarian village to revitalize its economy. From the architecture to the specialty shops and retail, it truly feels like you are strolling through a quaint German town instead of a tiny town nestled in the mountains in Washington State.
Here are just some of the reasons why you should check out Leavenworth in the winter:
Where we were: soaking up the last of summer in Edmonds, WA
As much as we love to explore new towns, we definitely have our favorite local towns we could visit over and over again and probably never get sick of. One such town is Edmonds, WA, located just 11 miles north of Seattle but worlds away in terms of pace of life. Even with a busy train station, a popular ferry route, and an abundance of city-wide festivals, markets, and holiday celebrations, Edmonds still manages to feel like a small, close-knit town.
In fact, some of our most idyllic nights as a family take place along the Edmonds waterfront and it has become one of the kids' very favorite places to swim and play in the ocean. 
Admit it, it's pretty hard to top this view of the Edmonds-Kingston ferry on a beautiful summer evening. Whether you are enjoying the view while sitting on the beach and listening to the waves, or you are dining at one of the handful of restaurants with an awesome waterfront view, this view never gets old.
Where we were: exploring Washington
Have you noticed it's been a bit quiet here recently? Want to know where we've been for the past few weeks? The answer is everywhere. 
After my sister announced she was moving across country last month, we embarked on a mission to see as many of our favorite Washington sights as we possibly could fit in. Knowing that we would all be adjusting to not living walking distance to each others homes and instead being two planes away was tough on everyone. But our mini road trips gave us lots of time to talk, to make plans for future visits, and to let our kids enjoy a condensed version of the summer we were hoping they would have. 
Where we were: Greenlake, WA
I love Greenlake in Seattle, WA. The area around the lake, the lake itself, and the walking path that surrounds it all have had my heart since I was little.
Growing up, my family used to visit Greenlake almost as often as we visited parks within walking distance of our house, and it will always remind me of playing in the wading pools {which have since been removed, probably as a result of the thousands of stubbed toes I gave myself growing up}, playing on the playground, and renting paddle boats {happily, these are still there} during long summer days. 
Where we were: Washington State tulip festival with kids
Every year we go see the tulips with the kids, and this year we decided to go even earlier than normal after hearing that the tulips were out even before the festival "official" opening. And, I'm really glad we did. Almost no crowds to deal with, great weather for pictures, and beautiful blooms in just about every field rounded out our trip to see the tulips at Roozengaarde in Mount Vernon, Wa. 
Here's just a few of the 200+ pictures of our trip up to the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival this past weekend. 