This first installment, to get you all warmed up, is a video from the Bachelorette Party.  D planned an amazingly awesome Chelan excursion with a “Reality TV” theme.  We had an Amazing Race scavenger hunt, a Top Chef cook off, a how well do you know your celebrity Bachelor and Bachelorette game and a Biggest Loser competition.  It was awesome.  And all superbly documented by KMJ who put together this cute little video.  Love my girls.  Long time.

I was talking to a new girl at work this week and learned about this man-made island just off Everett.  Yeah, I know, it’s pretty sad that I’m learning about my city from a girl that moved here only three months ago.  Since we’re headed to Hawaii next month, we figured we should get into shape and practice our people watching, reading and napping on the beach skills.  Turns out, we’re pretty good at it.

We paddled to, from and around the island but most people take the free 2-minute ferry ride.  It was cool being so close to home but feeling like you were somewhere far away.  The view was gorgeous and there were lots of families and even more kite boarders who were really fun to watch.

Stay-cation in Everett – who knew?

Boat launch and kite boarders on the back side of the island.

We’ve never surfed the Washington coast during the winter months but lucked out with a beautiful weekend.  It was actually warmer in February than it was when we went last July.  I was surprised I couldn’t tell a difference in water temperature between February and July.  I guess it’s just always really cold so it doesn’t get that much colder!

Every weekend at Hobuck is a good one.  I love that we have so many friends willing to make the drive to go surf in the cold.  I’m sure we’d have fun just the two of us but the game of dominos just wouldn’t be the same.

There was clamming, bueno, dancing, bueno, crockpot cook-off (way to go Matty on taking home first place!), bueno, games, bueno and lots and lots of fun with our favorite party crew.  Did I mention there was bueno?

He usually manages to surprise me with a romantic overnight date.  This year, our weekends were already pretty full with fun stuff so we had mutually decided to take Monday off to spend the day together; maybe go snow shoeing or something active.

Well, he tricked me again.  Instead of snow shoeing on Monday, his real plan was to take me to Alderbrook Resort Sunday.  He had arranged for us to snow shoe still, then wine and dine and then get massages on Monday.  Oh, go ahead,”aww.”  I know, right?  Isn’t he the sweetest?

Well, our romantic getaway turned into a very long Sunday drive.  You may remember the last post about all the rain at the luminaria?  Well all that rain turned into a mudslide, closing part of Highway 3.  But(!) never fear, there is another way to get to Alderbrook – it would just take a lot longer – but we weren’t in a hurry.  So, we decided to go up and around Hood Canal, driving back down Highway 101.  We were in the car about four hours now and made it to the final stretch when sadly, the only other road to Alderbrook was closed due to floods.  We literally couldn’t get there.

By now it was dinner time and all we had to eat all day were cookies from the night before.  We couldn’t quickly get back to the ferry so continued to drive south to Olympia and then back home, making a giant circle.  Our romantic evening away turned into a six hour Sunday drive, McDonald’s for dinner and a chick flick.

So, the day….well, it was a total waste – but at least it was memorable!

Another fantastic weekend getaway with awesome friends, three days of surf,  yummy food, hours of dominos and beachfront fireworks.  The sun joined us too – we could even see Tatoosh Island!

Cape Flattery

Kevin, KMJ, BK and I had the best weekend at Hobuck in Neah Bay.  We were in search of our “go to” surf spot and we found it!  Hobuck Beach Resort, located on the Makah Indian Reservation, is a small camping area with a few cabins for rent.  It’s right on the ocean, and not too populated.  There was one point Kevin, BK and I had the whole ocean to ourselves.  And the waves…they were the best we’ve ever had in Washington.  We’re used to surfing in the white water waves of Westport, which doesn’t take too many skills.  At Hobuck there was no wind pushing us miles down the beach and the wave intervals were long enough that you weren’t getting pounded by ocean every three seconds.  We could actually get out past the break and surf.  In real waves!  We’re no Kelly Slater but it was the perfect venue for us to practice in good waves – not too big, not too small but juuust right. 

In addition to our awesome waves, we had great company in BK and KMJ.  It was a fun little getaway with lots of yummy food, a mean game of dominos and a couple of hikes.  Saturday we hiked out to Cape Flattery, the northwestern most point in the contiguous United States.  At the end of the trail, the lookout is of Tatoosh Island where you can often see whales, puffin, seal, sea otters and a lighthouse.  But we, saw nothing.  That dreaded marine layer hit again!  I am kind of getting sick of going to the ocean, leaving 90 degree weather, then a mile out from the ocean, the marine layer strikes.  It has never ruined one of our trips but COME ON!  I’m beginning to wonder if the sun ever shines along the coast!  Sunday, before heading home, we hiked 3.3 miles into Shi Shi Beach.  It was a really pretty beach and touted as one of the Top Ten “Most Wild Beaches.” I’m not really sure what that means but it sounds cool.  I had read Shi Shi was known to be a good surfing spot.  I will stick with our private beach at Hobuck as there is no way I’m hiking six miles with my surf board.  I can hardly carry it too the beach as it is!

We loved everything about our weekend in Hobuck and definitely plan to go back once or maybe twice next year.  You should come too – Kevin offers free surf lessons!

I love surprises!

I immediatley ask “What is it?  What are we going to do?”  Well, he of course thought he’d be real cute and kept it a surprise.

So, Thursday, day of surprise, we’re chatting over email and I tried to “sneak” it in to see if he’d slip. He didn’t.  But instead, gave me THIS clue.

I looked at it, TOTALLY cheated and googled a couple of things.  Too rusty to be a radio tower.  It’s not Gasworks.  Then, it hit me!  He was so excited about though, I played it cool.  A few hours later he sent me THIS clue, attached with a mu-wha-ha-ha-ha-haaa!

It definitely confirmed my guess – and I was SO EXCITED!  Did you guess it too?

Some of you know my fascination with “World’s Largests.”  To date, HERE are the “World’s Largests” I’ve seen.  Right here in our backyard of Georgetown are the World’s Largest Cowboy Hat and Boots – and I’d never been.  Kevin took the opportunity to surprise me with a picnic at “The Hat ‘n Boots,” something I’ve been talking about checking out for over a year now.  What a good listener!

I know you’re curious, so here’s the skinny on the giant boots and hat:

“”The Hat n’ Boots” gas station was to be the cornerstone of a planned Western-themed shopping complex. While the shopping complex never came to be, “Hat n’ Boots” because of its strategic location on US 99, soon became Washington State’s highest sales volume gas station.  Construction of I-5 in 1962 significantly affected the traffic volume on US 99. Business at Hat n’ Boots went into a long decline and the station eventually closed in 1988. After 15 years of neglect and deterioration, Hat n’ Boots is now in the process of landmark designation and on the road toward its rebirth in a local park.  Thus, a story of a cowboy hat and pair of boots with a happy ending.  The Hat, by the way was the main office of the station, the Boots housed the restrooms.”  (We thought they might have been bathrooms – yes!)

The unfortunate part of the trip was the Hat was under construction and therefore covered in a giant white tarp.  We’ll have to go back.  Thanks Kevi Kev – I LOVED my Secret Surprise.  Now when can we go here?!

We did have a fantastic birthday weekend. Kevi celebrated his birthday on Friday. He had a happy hour at Linda’s (and let me share it!). Then he drove KMJ, BK and me over to Spokane in his NEW CAR! It was a comfy ride and it was extra nice for me because I didn’t have to drive! Plus, his car has butt warmers – what a brilliant feature!

Once in Spokane, we hit up the Milk Bottle for lunch. No one was brave enough to have a milkshake plus a side of ice creams, like LB, the Dairy Queen, did a few years ago. We saw Wolverine (because really, there’s not much else to do in Spokane) and visited with my family. Alli takes after her Auntie with a love of cake and all things sweet. In fact, the first thing she said when she ran to me and gave me a big hug was, “Cake! Mumble, baby talk, mumble, birthday cake!” That’s my girl!

Sunday was Bloomsday of course. Kevin beat me by 2 minutes. And I didn’t beat my personal best. I’m kind of kicking myself for not training more because I have some wicked blisters on both feet. And I was actually sore the next day. I wasn’t even sore after I ran the marathon – how sad is that?! I’m either getting old or am out of shape. Or, *gulp* both.

Despite my crappy time, I love everything about Bloomsday. I love the scenic course and all of the bands along the way. I love how involved the whole city gets. If not running in the race, then volunteering. If not volunteering then out cheering on family, friends and strangers. I love the hoses and squirt guns people blast you with as you’re running by. The parties on the balconies along the course. Even how excited everyone gets just to see what color the Finisher T-shirt is. It’s such a fun event! And I kind of love saying that I had 50,000 people at my birthday party