Where we were: the first Dick’s Drive-In Seattle
If you are looking for a burger in Seattle, you will probably hear Dick's Drive-In as one of the first suggestions. That's because Dick's Drive-In has been a staple in Seattle since the summer of 1953, when then 29-year old Dick Spady opened the first Dick's Drive-In.
The first restaurant was located on N.E. 45th Street in Seattle's Wallingford neighborhood not far from the University of Washington, and quickly became a success. A second drive-in was built on Capitol Hill in 1955, followed by Holman Road in 1960, Lake City in 1963, and Queen Anne in 1974, always keeping the restaurant's growth within the Seattle area.
Matching Girls Monday: the beginning
For this Matching Girls Monday, we're taking things all the way back to 2015 to the very first matching girls day, ever. Baby was almost two weeks old and we were getting ready to explore a new town near us, and my oldest brought in these Carter's dresses for them to wear. The smaller dress was size 12 months, obviously intended for when baby was much older than newborn, and it was sleeveless because it was bought for much warmer weather than February. 
Personalize your exterior with 100% maintenance free HedgeScapes
Who knew that a few plants could make such a huge difference in the way you feel about the exterior of your home? I'm realizing just how important a little greenery is, and how much fun it is to have another area to decorate and personalize. One week with this fun little topiary greeting me morning and night and I'm already smitten.
Simple kids craft: make your own doll sized Unicorn Frappuccino
To celebrate the release of the new Z Yang doll from American Girl who hails from Seattle, I’m sharing a quick craft that my daughter and I whipped up today {pun intended}. We’re super excited about Z and couldn’t wait to add to her Seattle accessories with a trademark Starbucks cup.
Hey Seattle, it’s officially cruising season!
This weekend was an exciting one for Seattle as the first Holland America Line cruise ship of the season arrived, kicking off the cruising season. This year is especially exciting because Holland America is celebrating 70 years of Alaska explorations this year and the ms Eurodam is the first of five HAL ships that will be cruising into Seattle throughout the season, with 58 Seattle calls in total. 
And, the weekend was specifically exciting for me because I got to do something I have day dreamed about my whole life. I was so excited when I was invited to the media day to welcome the ms Eurodam, tour the ship and learn about the company, and I was even more excited when I walked aboard a cruise ship for the very first time.
Z Yang events this Saturday at American Girl stores in NYC, Chicago, Seattle, Dallas, and DC
Have you heard the news? American Girl just released their newest contemporary doll, Z Yang last week. “Z” {short for Suzie} is Korean American and hails from Seattle {every girl in the PNW, including my two littles, is squealing right now}. 
Not only do I adore that she’s from Seattle, I love that Z is a stop-motion vlogger, which is my oldest’s dream job. Fans have come to know and love Z as the star of the American Girl’s immensely popular web series, Z’s Crew. In the web series, Z loves staying connected with friends and sharing a good story through her stop motion videos.
Matching Girls Monday: vacation style
My matching girls were comfortable and cute while traveling this spring. When we are traveling, I like to dress them in clothing that is comfortable to play in, sleep in, and can be layered for warmth.
During the day, they took off the leggings to wade in the water looking for fresh water clams, and later in the afternoon when the wind picked up, we added light coats and the outfit easily went from day to night.
Where we were: Skagit Valley Tulip Festival
Hey, Washington State, it's TULIP TIME! The tulips were at full bloom last week, so there isn't much time left to plan your excursion to Skagit Valley to see the tulips before they get harvested. 
10 tips for planning a simply perfect bicycle picnic
This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #AquafinaSparkling #CollectiveBias One of hubby’s and my very first dates was a picnic…
People Blocks first building sets allow little ones to create with the power of magnets
My little one is convinced that she’s as big as her siblings and should be able to do every single thing that they do. Unfortunately, this is most definitely not the case, which makes for some really frustrating play times when she insists on playing with the older kids’ toys but isn’t able to master the skills needed. 
This is why I’m always on the hunt for toys that seem older and more mature, but are easy enough for her to grasp the concept on her own so she can play without frustration. An added bonus is if they can keep her occupied for hours, but even better is when those toys also hold the interest of all of my kids so they end up playing happily together for long periods of time. People Blocks ticked all of these boxes and then some, and they are one of my favorite new toys to make their way stateside.