Spring has Sprung

What an incredible spring we had this year in the Pacific Northwest!  We had a lot of rain, which I love!  We also had some wonderfully bright, sunny, but not too hot, days to get out and enjoy this area I am so grateful to live in!

For Mother's day the kids and I took Nany to Northwest Trek just outside of Puyallup.

They house a variety of animals that are indigenous to the Northwest.

A big favorite were the bison!

We were lucky enough to get to see some brand new calves with their mommas!  Definitely a highlight of the trip!

Eris's favorite were the Otters.  They were also very fond of her.

They kept coming over to this rock to look up at her.  They may have been hoping for some treats, but she was smitten.

This sleepy barn owl was also a favorite, I think because we rarely get to see them out in nature on our own.

There was so much more to the park that we enjoyed.  It was a perfect day to wander through nature with family!

We stopped to enjoy a treat before heading back.

It was a great Mother's day!

With the weather warming up we are getting our hike on!

This was a new trail for us just outside of Bellingham.  A perfect warm up hike for the kids.  Not too strenuous to start, and it looped around.  For some reason they don't like hikes that are out and back, they like to go in a loop.

The trail had some really beautiful Old Growth forest.  It never ceases to amaze me!  I love that we can Always find a New area to explore.

We have had quite the congregation of Moths on our porch this year.  I have never seen so many, and so many different species.  Beren has been in heaven!  He found this amazing Beauty early one morning.  

I could not believe how big it was!

To finish up Spring and start off summer we celebrated Eris's birthday!!!

She has three years of college behind her with only one more to go.  I'm not sure I will ever get used to the fact that my baby is all grown up and heading out into the world.  She has really come into her own this past year though.  She has developed a sense of awareness and knowledge that is going to take her far in life.

For her birthday dinner she requested Bbq ribs and a "Fancy" pink cake.  I did my best to deliver!

I am getting much better at the grill and pulled off some pretty tasty ribs that everyone Loved.  

I only had to send one help me text.  (Thank you Auntie!)

The cake was the easy part.  Vanilla with Strawberry Mousse filling, American butter cream and a white chocolate glaze.  All homemade from scratch of course, even the toppers. 

(This is my happy place!)

Fancy & Pink!

Our summer is just getting started.  I hope the weather stays nice and mellow, we have some great day trips planned and can't wait to share them with you all!