Tag Archives: holidays

five on friday

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Everyone seems to do a ‘five on friday’ post these days. When I decided to do one today I wanted to give credit to whoever came up with the idea but I found several in just a few minutes spent with google. So I’m just going with it.

1. We are leaving Maui today. I am both sad and happy. It’s been such a relaxing and fun time spending these seven days with Greg. No plans, no calendars, no work email. Just getting up and deciding what to do that day depending on what sounded good. However, my (lame) stomach is saying “please let’s go home and eat normal food again so I stop hating you”.

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2. Since we decided to do a No Spend October I didn’t end up decorating for fall much. I am eagerly anticipating decorating for Christmas, but I also don’t want to spend a ton. I’m continually reminding myself that the less I buy each year, the more I can buy in future years to grow our collection and adapt as my tastes change. This year I am thinking basic red + white. This simple felt garland from West Elm is the best and my current decor inspiration.

3. On the same theme, I am struggling with Christmas cards. We don’t really have a great picture from this year and my plans to capture an amazing one while on vacation didn’t happen. My thoughts right now are simple + gold + merry. Do people send card without pictures these days?

4. I really want a sewing machine now that I finished with my beginner’s class. Because I don’t need it I’m having a hard time pulling the trigger and spending $150. I’m trying to figure out what I can sell and therefore feel less guilty about the purchase.

5. I used to think relaxing vacations were a waste of money and PTO. Now I can’t decide if I want to go to eastern Europe, South America, or right back to this very condo in Kihei for our next trip. Sadly I have a few months to figure it out.

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Project Life: Week 38

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Week 38 (Sept 16 – Sept 22)

When I look at these pictures I feel like I’m regressing in my photography skills. Sigh. Right now getting the album updated weekly and taking crappy pictures of it is about all I have the energy for, so I guess I should just be happy I’m getting it done.

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On to the fun. Week 38, or the week of our first anniversary! How fun is that? The week seemed to have two themes: finishing a few projects around the house and a very low key anniversary celebration.IMG_6928_edited-1

We finally got a new rug for the office. Out with the old blue rug that was impossible to vacuum. The rug was one of my first purchases when I moved into my Marina apartment in 2008 and I love it fiercely. But after five years, a dog, and residing in a very high traffic area it was time to let go. Our nightstands finally went on sale at West Elm and I snapped them up after a four month wait. And in perfect timing, the headboard I ordered from Target several weeks ago was back in stock and shipped. Once we get a few items up on the wall our master bedroom will be complete. IMG_6929_edited-1On Saturday we drove up to Bellingham to use a wedding gift from Jon and Amanda. We stayed at the Chrysalis Inn, had a fun dinner with a gorgeous view at the Oyster House, and were super lazy on Sunday morning with mimosas and cable TV. We couldn’t freeze the pie from our wedding so we saved the bottle of champagne that was in our room post reception. We topped the trip off with Mexican food for lunch, of course. (We had sushi for dinner Friday and Indian for dinner Sunday, ensuring we got in all of our favorite food groups during the anniversary weekend.)

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We decided not to do gifts and instead got each other cards. I cut out a 3×4 section of each card to add to the album. And then I mostly missed the 22nd when trying to stamp a heart on a calendar card. Perfection is overrated.

IMG_6923_edited-1I started a second album for 2013 because the first was full and very heavy (it weighs over 20 lbs!). I quickly created a title page for the album using pictures from our anniversary trip (enjoying a drink on the terrace while we waiting for our room to be ready) and a few cards I had from other kits. I still need to create a last page for the first album. We’ll see if that happens before the year is over.

Supplies used: Seafoam project life kit; Studio Calico Double Scoop & Steinbeck kits; Kelly Purkey August + September kit; stamps and free quote cards from EliseJoy.

The Mom Creative

Project Life: Week 27

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Week 27 (July 1 – July 7)

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What happened this week: Fourth of July! We worked Monday to Wednesday then took off for Lake Chelan. We stayed at the condo with Ken and Cathy until Saturday then came home to do fun stuff like laundry and grocery shopping for the first time in weeks.

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Photography: I took all the pictures with my phone. I didn’t bring my ‘big’ camera with me, I’ve realized I just don’t get it out when we’re on a trip.

IMG_6281_edited-1Out of the norm: I took a shadow picture of the three of us and it’s by far my favorite picture right now. It sums up our summer so far perfectly – long walks with just our little family. So far we’re half way to my 50 mile goal and loving it. We walk all the time (so much in fact, we went to do a mile late on Sunday night before bed and one block in he just sat down and refused to walk any more). It’s defining the summer for me and I love it.

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Alfred learned to swim! Greg took him off the boat launch into the water and to his ball. Once his little legs were moving, he let him go and he swam right back to me on the steps. He won’t jump in and swim on his own yet, but at least we know he can do it. IMG_6279_edited-1

Supplies used: Seafoam project life kit; Elise Joy *You Are Here stamp; the heart and observations cards are from the Studio Calico July kit.

The Mom Creative

Project Life: Weeks 13 & 14

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Playing a little catch-up this week with weeks 13 and 14 (for those of you who don’t live in Project Life land, we’re currently in week 18). I had four weeks of pictures delivered this weekend and had a lot of fun remembering the last few weeks.

Week 13 we took our winter getaway to Phoenix. We had impeccable timing as Alfred spent the weekend in the snow in Redmond while we sipped fruity drinks in 80 degree weather. You know it’s a very relaxing getaway weekend when you have so few pictures you include one of the bird in a tree who pooped on your husband’s iPad.

Roberta sent me a few pictures of Greg as a child this week and I included them. He still does all the vacuuming.

IMG_2035_edited-1 IMG_2036_edited-1 IMG_2037_edited-1Week 14 was a pretty normal week. We celebrated Easter and Alfred’s first birthday with Roberta and Don on a lovely 70 degree weekend.

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The Mom Creative

Playing Catch-up

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I’m trying to blog more, but I’m also trying to get more into a routine so mornings are less crazy and so I have an easier time falling asleep at night. Which mostly means I’m not using my computer after work for things like Project Life or blogging. This week I’m trying out an early morning routine for doing my fun computer stuff.

(And before you think Project Life was one of my hair brained ideas that lasted for only the first nine weeks of the year (why would you ever think that?), rest assured I’m still keeping up. I just made a few changes and haven’t had time to…document my documenting?)

So here’s what’s been going on the last few weeks:

Proof that I can clean & jerk 95 pounds.

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I wouldn’t want you to think I’m some sort of CrossFit phenomenon. Please take a look at the results from my box. There are people who didn’t even do all five workouts that rank higher than I do. Ha! This is why I love CrossFit, literally anyone can do it. My goal this year was just to complete all five workouts and I did. Screen Shot 2013-04-09 at 6.07.53 AM

Sometimes you need ice cream on Friday night for a more enjoyable TV watching experience. We shared B&J’s cookies and milk, which tastes incredibly like a glass of milk with cookie crumbles in it.

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Friday nights are my favorite because we usually do nothing besides catch up from work and travel all week. And I get pictures like this of my people that just make me really happy.

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Alfred turned 1 on Saturday, March 30th. I decided that when we should really celebrate is Memorial Day weekend, when we’ve survived one year of puppy. Nonetheless it was a beautiful day so the birthday boy got an extra long trip to Magnuson for swimming in the lake. Mostly it was extra long because I dropped his collar and we had to walk the entire (large) park a second time to find it.

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We had Roberta & Don over on Easter for dinner. I made this salad which I put on cucumber slices for an appetizer. I suggest you make it soon. I think this is the first time I’ve hosted a holiday, so of course it required some table decorating.

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I made a little dog cake for Alfred who ate his and Bailey’s as well. I guess when it’s your birthday you are allowed to eat your guest’s cake. Yes, I made him wear a bow. Only because the grocery store did not have party hats.

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Happy belated Easter from the Martins.family_bday_edited-1I’ll leave the living room painting saga for another post. I’m not ready to relive it quite yet.

Happy New Year (and some before pics)

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Happy 2013, blog friends! It’s been a fun few days for us. We started the new year celebrating on Saturday night with the ninth annual New Year’s Eve Eve party – it was my third year in attendance.  That really seems crazy, I know we’re married and all now, but it doesn’t feel like we’ve been together long enough for me to have been to three of these. Is that a good or a bad thing? I’m going with good?

As we finished setting up, I mentioned to Greg that the only thing on the table we owned prior to our wedding was a cutting board, the beer and wine bottle openers, and the spoons. Is it okay to admit that wedding gifts are totally fun? I’m obsessed with my centerpiece bowl, but I only had decorations for Christmas and NYEE so I’m not sure what to put in it now.
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There was even a picture of me, which is rare these days since I’m usually behind the camera.

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If you need a fun party drink, try this Lemon Drop Champagne Punch from Martha Stewart. I might be partial since my favorite hard A drink is a lemon drop and I pretty much exclusively drink champagne these days, but it got rave reviews from everyone who tried it. (To any fellow Whole30s who might be reading this, I apologize for dangling a delicious idea in front of you on day 1!)

Last night we stayed in. We’ve never done that before and it was awesome. We watched a great documentary on Netflix, ordered Chinese food (I found homemade chow mein noodles on Day 0 of the Whole30, probably a good thing), and drank one last bottle of champagne before going dry. That’s actually a lie – I know it’s time to detox when we couldn’t even finish a bottle of one of my favorites.IMG_4853

We woke up this morning and I had a bounce in my step. I love new beginnings. Usually I spend the first day of the year in a tizzy over all the resolutions I’ve set. Since I didn’t do any this year, I spent the morning with my little family, taking a walk around the neighborhood. Greg and I decided on a word for 2013: Relax. Not to be confused with lazy, but we are going to focus on a relaxing, calm year, enjoying each other, Alfred, family and friends, and our new house. A walk with coffee and some playing in the park with the dog seemed the perfect way to kick off our year. Plus the sun is shining and when that happens in Seattle in January, you get yourself outside.

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And now I’m going to make a meal plan and grocery list to kick off Whole30 week one. I’m sort of winging it today, but we have plenty of compliant food to pull it off. I can’t believe I’m doing this, but that damn Holly issued a challenge I couldn’t refuse, so here are my before pics. Let’s hope things are looking a little better on 1/30! It’s a sad day when even lulu can’t help.

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I hope you all have an amazing start to 2013, however you are spending it!

Easiest Christmas Dinner Ever

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I didn’t set out to make a big Christmas dinner since it was just Greg and I, but that’s what accidentally happened. Since it was super easy and felt a little fancy, I thought I’d share.

I’ve been procrastinating making a ham that came in our pork CSA for a while, but then we got another one in our December box. Time to make some ham. While looking for a simple recipe (that preferably didn’t include two cups of brown sugar) I came across crockpot ham. Seriously? My love for my crockpot grows by the day.

Christmas Eve afternoon I peeled and chopped a pound of carrots and also trimmed a bag of TJs Brussels sprouts. 10 minutes.

Christmas morning I threw the carrots, ham and warm water in the crockpot on low. The ham had been in the fridge about 24 hours, so it was still a little frozen. 5 minutes.

Around 5pm I spread my sprouts out on a baking sheet, added olive oil and sea salt, and popped them in the oven for 20 minutes (my new oven works much faster than my old one, which took about 30 min at 350). 5 minutes.

Not all the water had evaporated in the crockpot when we were ready to eat and the carrots were rather mushy. I decided to add a few pats of butter and purée them with my hand blender. I also took the ham out and sliced it. 10 minutes.

Once the Brussels sprouts were done I tossed them with some fancy new balsamic vinegar I got from my MIL and plated our food. 5 minutes.

I forgot to take a picture of Christmas dinner, but here is the ham in all it’s leftover glory tonight. (Side note: another 10 minutes of work and I had tonight’s dinner and tomorrow’s lunch done. We had to eat it with lots of mustard today because apparently ham gets very dry when you microwave it to reheat. Who knew.) This picture demonstrates my need to work on focus.

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Greg had been wanting pumpkin pie for a while but I was not interested in baking a pie for the two of us. We came into this marriage with no expectations of me ever baking, people. I found this recipe for pumpkin soufflé and whipped it up an hour or so after dinner. It took a few minutes since I didn’t have pumpkin pie spice and had to make that as well. 10 minutes.

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So dinner plus dessert was a total of 45 minutes (didn’t exaggerate any of the numbers) over two days and I totally would have served it to guests. Winner, winner pork dinner.

Our First Christmas

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How is it already Christmas? This year really has flown by. I’m snuggled up on the couch with Greg next to me working very intently on building an accurate 3D model of our house floor plan. Since it’s keeping him from working and will help me as we consider new furniture pieces, I’m supporting the project. But also making sure to appropriately tease him every time he gets off the couch to take another measurement.

I miss my family terribly, but it is really nice to not have traveled for a holiday. We’ll be FaceTiming later and I can’t wait to see all the little ones. Today seems normal since our Christmas day tradition is to be as lazy as possible.

Yesterday I finally was feeling normal and ran two hours worth of errands in the morning. Whole Foods had SPD directing parking lot traffic. Is Seattle’s biggest issue making sure no Audis or Volvos are injured during last minute holiday preparations? I thought it was a bit ridiculous.

I made fudge to take to dessert at Roberta and Don’s. I made it with dark chocolate and more natural ingredients than marshmallow fluff. Shockingly, it wasn’t amazing like the fudge of my childhood. Maybe next year I won’t eat crap ALL. DECEMBER. LONG. and then on the holiday I’ll splurge on crappy but delicious fudge.

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Once Greg was home from work we headed over to Redmond. From our new house the drive is only thirty minutes. I thought Roberta’s old fashioned tree with pearls and tinsel was really pretty.

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I didn’t take any pictures, but when we first got there we all had a glass of wine and some appetizers while we opened gifts.  Aside from many other gifts, Roberta gave us a cookbook that she has worked on for five years. It has 100 recipes along with history and pictures from both the Watson and Martin families. It was a real labor of love and I think everyone who received one this year is very appreciative. She made it on a website and it looks incredibly professional. I’m amazed she’s kept it a secret for years! I’ll have to get some pictures when I use it for the first time.

We framed the picture of Roberta from 1980 for Don. He teared up a little when he opened it and Roberta was shocked to see a picture she thought was long gone.

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This was a very hard won battle for Mike. He has been staying with us for a little over a week and when he first got here Alfred hated him. I’m not sure why and I’ve never seen Alfred act this way, but anytime Mike was in the room he would just bark and growl at him non-stop. It was pretty hilarious. A finally seems to have accepted that Mike is not going away. Alfred wore the collar Becky and Arek got him for Christmas.

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Our first Christmas picture!

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He’s getting a little too big to be held these days, but sometimes we can’t resist. I might be partial, but I think my boys are both quite handsome.

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We got home and I put Alfred’s Christmas pajamas on him. Unfortunately (for me) he is not into wearing clothes. He froze and was very nervous in them, so I took them off and didn’t torture him. I’ll have to find something that doesn’t have the hind leg part as that was what was freaking him out. The picture on the right shows how tiny he really is – he’s all fluff!

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Merry Christmas from the Martins!

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Thanksmas

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We spent the Thanksgiving holiday with my family this year and celebrated Thanksmas. On Tuesday night we flew down to Palm Springs after work and enjoyed four days of relaxing in the sun. I also started my photography class, so I have hundreds of photos from trip. The few here don’t really do our time with the family justice, but it’s something. And something is better than nothing.

The new family portrait. We only added six new people this year. No big deal.

Palm trees and blue sky. What are two things we don’t have a lot of in Seattle, Alex.

New babies and proud papas. I can’t wait to watch them grow up together (both the babies and the papas). And a very proud grandpa. Wait, new dad. Wait, grandpa. Oh, it’s so confusing.

One is a very proud big sister. The other is a very tolerant little sister.

Flip flops: proof that my very pale legs were actually in the sun for three days. Chipped pedicure: proof that I’ve become a PNW hippie.

Birthday Recap

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While I still have trouble accepting that I’m now 31, it was a great week of birthday celebrations.

Last Sunday we met Greg’s family for lunch and Roberta surprised me with a gift. She gave me a beautiful Kate Spade vase. I can’t wait to display it in our new house at some point.

On Thursday, my team at work surprised me with a cake and a round of Happy Birthday. It was especially shocking as I did not know that anyone knew when my birthday was. That night Greg gave me my present (we don’t really buy each other presents, we prefer to go out to a fancy dinner instead). We had some champagne that our CEO sent us for the holidays to ring in another year. Here I am in my new “T-Rex Hates Push-ups” t-shirts. This will be making it’s debut at the gym soon!

Friday night I got home early from work to presents from my sister and my parents – fun kitchen toys and bathing suit coverups to get excited about Mexico in September! Later that night we went out for my birthday dinner. Greg picked El Gaucho, a steakhouse that reminded me of restaurants you see in the show Mad Men. We had such a fun date night and the food was amazing. We had spicy shrimp to start, followed by steaks with mashed potatoes, and a few bites of a sundae that they sent out for my birthday. 

And finally, on Saturday night we had dinner with our friends, the Kays. Kii’s birthday is next week, so Greg and I picked up cupcakes on the way. After dinner at our new favorite Ballard restaurant, Root Table, we headed to a new Scottish pub, Macleod’s, for a drink and to share the cupcakes. We split three of them and left the fourth for our cocktail waitress. It’s nice to have a non-dive bar that isn’t too loud to have a conversation in the neighborhood. And with that statement, I guess I’m officially an old lady.