The perfect weekend getaway: Alderbrook

In honor of our wedding anniversary and Cameron's first Father's Day we spent a lovely weekend at Alderbrook on the Hood Canal. We had never been here before and it was the perfect combination of relaxation and fun. We kayaked along the Hood canal picking out which home we would want to escape to, spent our evenings watching the sunset, hiked through mossy woodlands and enjoyed spending time in the great outdoors. Even though the resort was at capacity, it never felt overcrowded or too busy.

Do you have a favorite weekend getaway or go to spot which makes you feel rejuvenated?

Eight is great!

I have known this man for eighteen years.
He has had my heart for twelve.
We have been married for eight
and we think eight is just great!

Let's celebrate!!

In the upcoming weeks there is going to be a lot of celebrating around here. I have teamed up with some fellow bloggers : StephModo, Ravenna Girls, Assemble Shop and Make and Takes (just to name a few) as well as several local businesses to celebrate my five year blogging anniversary. I will be hosting a variety of giveaways which will include some of my favorite things, local adventures and great locally made products. Whether you live in Seattle or hope to someday visit, the next couple of weeks have been created just for you. Make certain to check back here so you can celebrate right along with me!

Keeping with tradition

In keeping with tradition the last few years we have gone to Ray's boathouse for our anniversary dinner. We had our wedding reception here and so it seems fitting to visit here and relive those memories. We are lucky, our wedding day was truly one of the best days of our lives, but I am happy to report we are happier and more in love now than we were on that day.

It is always fun to dress up and go out to dinner, it makes it feel extra special. However, I am fortunate to be married to someone who always looks polished and put together on a day to day basis.

Fish is where it is at for Ray's.

Sometimes I think we are a little like old people. We like to eat dinner early, have the place to ourselves and then have the rest of the night to enjoy.

 The seafood sampler: crab cake, sable fish and sockeye salmon.

Orcas Island

Orcas Island is a hiker and campers paradise. There are endless trails, beautiful vistas, plentiful camping and given the relatively large size of Moran State Park it is a place you can visit again and again. We enjoyed the day by taking in views from Mt. Constitution, hiking to Cascade Falls and generally exploring the island. Orcas is a good place to have a car, there is no really downtown area when you get off the ferry, so I do not recommend walking onto this island.

So many choices and all the trails were well marked, this is such a hiker's luxury.

I could not get enough of all the moss and wonderful trails, it felt like the Hoh Rainforest on the Olympic Peninsula, but without the drive.

We saw a sign for homemade pizzas, so being the pizza aficionados we are, we turned off the road and came across this charming bed and breakfast. Once a week they offer pizzas made from their handmade outdoor oven and we happened to come on the right day. Everything about Orcas Island was charming and I am already planning a trip back to further explore the area.

Orcas Island on Dwellable

Anniversary dinner

In honor of our anniversary we enjoyed a lovely dinner at Ray's Boathouse. We held our wedding reception here six years ago, so it is always nice to go back and reminisce. We are fortunate to live close by, but we typically reserve it for special occasions. One of the best things besides the food, is the high quality service they provide. Not only are they happy to take your photo, but they are thoughtful enough to provide fleece blankets so even if there is a chill in the air you can venture out to eat on the waterside deck.

I had high hopes of making a homemade cake again this year, but settled for a petite store bought one instead. If you are looking for the perfect amount of cake for two check out your local Whole Foods, they have several adorable mini cakes. However, if it counts those are strawberries from our garden and rumor has it they are the best tasting strawberries a certain someone has ever had.

Anniversary Photo Shoot Giveaway

Hi there.

Guess what?

I have a surprise for you. Since I am so terrible at withholding surprises I thought I would announce this one a little early.

In celebration of the third anniversary of my blog and as a way to show gratitude for all my readers, I am offering one 1 hour photo shoot for free.

That is right, for free.

Rules:

1. Become a Follower AND leave a comment by Friday, June 17th. If you are already a follower, just leave a comment.

2. Winner be selected at random and has three months to redeem prize. If you live out of state or out of the country you will have six months to redeem prize.

3. The photo shoot will be taken in Seattle, Washington unless different location is mutually agreed upon.

Love is in the air

Here is a pictorial account of our anniversary last week. Maybe it was because five felt like a milestone, but I was feeling very nostalgic. I recreated a centerpiece from our wedding, but opted to use kermit mums (the flowers used on our cake) instead of gerber daisies.

I wanted to have the same lady who made our wedding cake recreate the top tier for our anniversary, but she never got back to me. I ended up making a lemon cake with lemon curd filling and lemon buttercream. Sounds like a lot of lemon, but it was all very subtly flavored and somewhat reminiscent of our wedding cake.

I surprised Cameron with dinner at Ray's boathouse, which is where we had our wedding reception. The meal was perfect, we had a waterfront table and the entire time a harbor seal kept popping up his head to say hello. Before dinner we took the opportunity to take a few photos from Golden Gardens which is where we took our wedding photos.

I wore the same jewelry and shoes I wore on our wedding day, but I took advantage of the chance to buy a new dress for the occasion.

Our Wedding Slideshow

For those of you who have been dying to see this again and for those of you who missed it the first time around, here it is, the slideshow from our wedding. This is the "Director's Cut", but I doubt anyone who saw it the first time will really notice. Enjoy all fourteen minutes!

Tip: Watch it on the small screen, full screen is too grainy

High Five

Five years ago today Cameron and I were married. Aside from being the best decision I have ever made, my life is better than I ever could have imagined. In the past five years we have moved three times, purchased four cars, traveled to Costa Rica, Belize, Guatemala and Hawaii just to name a few. We have thrown lots of parties, made lots of amazing friends and learned a lot as a couple.

Note: This was my makeshift bouquet just for a few photos at the temple. I did not have my real bouquet until later that day and it was spectacular.

I am certain everyone looks fondly back at their wedding day, but ours was truly the best day of my life. Not only was it the best party that I have ever been to (we both did not want the night to end), but we were overwhelmed with the love and support we felt from both our family and friends. I have always known that my parents love me, but on my special day I felt it even deeper. I was glad I was marrying someone my parents not only would grow to love, but already loved.

Here is a pictorial account of some of the highlights from the day:

The color palette was bold and the flowers were stunning.

The venue was idyllic and the weather decided to cooperate.

The cake was a dream and it was everything I could have hoped for.

The centerpieces were sweet and simple and executed just how I wanted.

The fatherly advice and the fact that Vivian wanted to sit on my lap made for an even more special night.

I wanted an intimate reception and everyone I loved was there and that was what mattered.

The candy buffet was a sweet way to end a sweet day.