Walk 193. 1.7 miles

Walk 192. With a friend and the kids

Walk 191. 3.3 miles

Walk 190. 2 walks, 3.9 miles

Walk 189. 2.8 miles

Check out my walk here.

Walk 188. Ants and landscape painting

Oh the 8s! Love you so!

J joined me on my walk this evening (in the stroller, without shoes). We came across a pile of ants coming out of a crack on the sidewalk. He loved playing with them. As we continued on we saw a woman all set up with an easel and her paints. He loved looking at her and as we walked on he decided he wanted to bring his easel out to the bluff/blvd and paint the evening sky. We talked about the different colors in the sky. Love seeing him get inspired.

3 miles

Walk 187. Outside UW Medical Center

I had the idea of waking up early and walking before we headed over to UW, but I completely forgot! Then his surgery was delayed... We ended up sitting in pre-op for 4 hours. It's exhausting to sit around all day. I was afraid to leave because I thought as soon as I did the doctor would stop by. Finally 2.5 hours after his scheduled surgery time they took him. I got something to eat, sat in the waiting room, and then inspired by my mom and sis telling me to go walk and not miss it (I thought today might be the first walk I missed and I was telling myself that surgery was a good excuse) I headed out to a patch of green (the surgery waiting room volunteer told me where to go) thinking I would just circle the grass. I was surprised to find a lovely trail along the ship canal!! So close to the hospital!!! I walked under the University Bridge and even across it. It lifted my spirit so much. But of course when I got back the doctor had stopped by to tell me the surgery was finished and it went great (1.5 hrs earlier than they said it would end). Doh! 1.7 miles

Walk 186. Super wimpy walk

E's pre surgery day. Stressed out, picking up the house (for the housecleaners. That's weird!), airport run...day got away from me and I realized I didn't really walk and didn't have the energy to walk. I wonder if I'm coming down with something because I'm so tired. .6 miles

Walk 186. While J slept

J had a sore throat so we walked to a couple different stores around Mags trying to find him the soup he likes. He fell asleep. 3.3 miles

Walk 185. From Discovery Park

After quickly showing the Hulets where we pick blackberries. 2.1 miles

Walk 184. 3.6 miles

Walk 183. With J & S

2.95 miles

Walk 182. 6 months!

Today is the 6 month mark! I love walking, but I'm so bad at blogging! I think the challenge should have been walking AND blogging daily. I've got the walking part down, the writing about it.... not so much. 3.4 miles

Walk 181. Exhausting day

After an emotionally stressful day (met with Lisa, cousin in the ER with possible concussion, friend with a life changing crisis, family leaving after a fun visit) I somehow dragged my buns off the couch, got both kids in the stroller, and walked to the village to look for a movie, get treats and a frozen pizza. Kids were both so sad and cranky (S was in tears all evening) but as soon as we were outside getting fresh air they both perked up. Walks are amazing. 1.3 miles

Walk 180. Discovery park and village

We all went to Discovery Park to pick blackberries and play in the sand dune. Then the older kids + my sis went to lunch at the Space Needle and I took the littles to Bartell's for a treat and the park. 3 miles

Walk 179. After dark on Dad's birthday

Was busy all day being tourists with my sis and cousins (Fremont Troll, Salumi, Bainbridge Island ferry, Listening Trees, Mora, Great Wheel). We had a nice chat and he was happy WE celebrated for him. 2.25 miles

Girls yelled, "not windy, not windy....WINDY!" as they rounded the corner at the front of the ferry heading to Bainbridge Island.

The question on this Listening Tree is "What inspires you?"

My response...

Music ♥ Nature ♥ The sky ♥ My family ♥♥♥

Walk 178. Started at Ella Bailey...

then met a friend to walk and talk (in the rain and in the dark). 4.4 miles

Walk 177. High tide and lightning storm

Crazy high tide at Golden Gardens (it basically pushed us off the small beach on the side of the stream) from Supermoon! Later we strolled at the locks and it looked so pretty. I've never been there so late (they kicked us out and were locking the gates!). The kids liked running down the steep grassy hill and were happy to see a sea lion. After we got home my sis and I headed out to walk....but a lightning storm was off in the distance (over the sound) so we didn't make it to the bluff :-( Instead we walked the big loop past Fatima. 3 miles

Walk 176. Supermoon

Sunday evening walk with S. We ran into some friends on the bluff picking blackberries. Fun to stop and chat with them and watch as S played tag with the kids. 2.5 miles

Here comes Supermoon

Walk 175. 2.5 miles

Blasting Arcade Fire and singing OUT LOUD. I don't care!

Plus, the moon!

Walk 174. Epic kissing anniversary

8/8/98

The day E and I first kissed.

(It was a sign. Did I mention I ♥ 8s?)

This year, he got us all tix to see Arcade Fire at the Gorge. What an awesome way to celebrate US.

I went for a walk during the day because I knew it would be a super late night.

2.7 miles

p.s. I LOVE ARCADE FIRE. I didn't know I liked them this much! I knew they were good and I was happy when E got the tix since we've never been to the Gorge and I thought it would be a good show. Who knew it would be the Best. Show. Ever. So happy we were all there together as a fam.

p.p.s. The view was SPECTACULAR.

Everyone was chilling out enjoying the view while watching The Antlers (super good as well). AF didn't go on until after dark.

Walk 173. Another pretty sunset

2.7 miles

Walk 172. Stargazing

Took the kids to a short lecture ("Black Holes, Pulsars, Magnetars, and Other Weird Objects in the Universe") at the Theodor Jacobsen Observatory at UW. Looked in different sized telescopes set up around the observatory, then went up in the dome to take a look at the moon through the 120-year old, 6-inch refracting telescope. It was pretty great! But we got home late. I went for a walk in the dark. 1.75 miles.

Walk 171. Close enough

In case you hadn't noticed, I love my sunset walks. After family time I head out on my own to enjoy the lovely evening. I don't miss GL or Discovery Park (I prob should!).

Walking up the Blvd towards the sunset, I love feeling the warm summer wind in my hair. Absolutely LOVE it. Exhilarating and energizing. Don't know why it took my so long to really notice it. After the sky, it's the best part of my walks (lately). (When it turns to freezing wind + rain in my face I'll feel differently.)

Anyway, while walking tonight it also occurred that um, HELLO! a lifelong dream of mine has actually been pretty much realized and I hadn't noticed.

My whole life I've wanted to live walking distance to the beach and go for walks on the sand listening to the waves and having them swirl around my feet. That was the dream, that would be a life goal fulfilled. (Yes Gretchen, I'm super jealous of you, especially since you don't go to the beach that often!) E shares that dream, and we've always planned on ending up near the beach.

But... I visited Orange County this spring and the sky isn't blue. I love Hermosa, or Dana Point...but the crowds and $$$ and plus starting our life over and E's business is here. (Santa Cruz, you're still on the list!) I know my beach fantasies (at least now) are unrealistic.

Walking and thinking about it and really LOOKING at where we live, I finally SEE that the walking along the sound is pretty much what I was asking for. From my house to the water it's about 6 blocks. I get to see the changing sky and blue ocean, and sort of breathe in the sea air. I walk in natural setting (grass instead of sand) and while I don't experience the waves, I see boats, islands, mountains, twinkling lights, downtown, etc.

So I say, for now....it's close enough. I'm so grateful to live and walk here.

Walk 170. Blessed

Yes, I walked! Not much to say. Love walking, love being outdoors, love listening to music, love Magnolia sunsets.

Can't add my distance because my phone is dead, therefore can't check MMW. Thinking it was about 3 miles.

Walk 169. The yooge...

or yoozh.

About 3 miles.

p.s. I love walking

Walk 168. Keep on walking...

it's pretty great.

Love my challenge.

Love that it's opened me up to other interests/passions (who knew my life was missing music SO MUCH!)

Love MYSELF.

Prob about 3 miles, but I'll update when I get on MMW again.

Walk 167. Super fun

Walked around the Seattle Center for free KEXP summer concert series (wasn't that far, but wanted to include it!). Met some friends, LOVED Cumulus, ate some food, got some free stuff, kids played in the whale tail fountain. Felt like summer.

Got home, charged my phone then set out for my real walk. The yoozh walk, but kind of interested in Summerfest and thought I'd check it out on my way home. Well.... lucky I did because on the way back I saw they were showing an outdoor movie on the big wall of the community center and it was "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" (which I wrongly call "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory"). So I zoomed home, scooped up the kiddos, chairs and blankies and we all headed over. It was great!

Hopefully I got close to 3 miles.

Walk 166. Home again

Walked to village for dinner as fam (we were so hungry!), then I met a friend on Magnolia Blvd and we walked/talked until it got really dark. 4.1 miles

Walk 165. Pretty hike above camp

Lots of wildflowers and nice views. J complained almost the entire way, but he walked it! 1.6 miles

Walk 164. Up the hill, then around the lake

Walked up the hill with Steph (from their house) to see a pretty view of their town. 1.9 miles.

Then, walked around part of Meadow Lake (across the logs!) once we reached our campsite. About a mile.

Walk 163. Tubing the Portneuf in Lava

We rode a 4 person raft/tube down the Portneuf river in Lava Hot Springs (With J in the middle and Isaiah on a single tube). So much fun! J was scared at first, but after the first run he yelled "One more time!!" He loved the bumpins (small rapids). At the end of the run we had to walk the rafts up again. I'm hoping after 4 runs I walked at least a mile!!

Walk 162. Same as 2 days ago

Walked around Draper. 3 miles.

Then in Pocatello, we walked down to the park by my bro's house and watched the kids ride "helicopters" down the hill and play on the playground. The sunsets here are amazing.

Walk 161. Tried to hike to Timp Caves

Sis got tix to the wrong day. Ooops. Was actually kind of relieved because I knew I'd have to carry Nug (aka J) up the 1.5 miles which would be hard in the heat/altitude. We hiked up the trail a bit...

then went to Cascade Springs (so pretty!)

where the kids played in an icy creek, almost started a water fight at the fairytale bridge, Nug complained a lot, he and I saw a deer in the meadow on the way back to the car, and on the drive home we saw a MOOSE! About 1.5 miles.

Walk 160. Draper, UT

Morning walk to Starbs. It's fun to be in Utah. Everyone has really green lawns and all the sprinklers are on! 3 miles.

Walk 159. Before leaving town

3.25 miles

Walk 158. Around the village

3 walks, about 2 miles.

Walk 157. Going the distance

Disappointed in MMW again. It stayed on pause and didn't track about 1/2 mile of my walk. This has happened a lot.....I wish I had an accurate count of how many miles I've gone.

(Of what it has tracked) I've walked 375 miles since I started using MMW. And the first month I walked without it I walked around 90 miles, right? (I can't find the post! I need to figure this out for reals.)

Anyway, so I'm getting close to 500 miles. In a little over 5 months.

Yay!

Tonight I was honestly tired and didn't feel like walking. But I did it anyway. Some walks are great. Some aren't. And I don't beat myself up on the ones where I drag my feet. I usually let myself take it easy and turn around if I want to. And know that tomorrow is another day and another walk and most likely it will be a good one. (But if it isn't, that's okay too.)

Keep walking!!

2.9 miles

Walk 156. Slow walk with S

S has been wanting to go with me the last few days, but then she goes back and forth deciding. If she doesn't join me, she waits home and regrets it, but if she does walk I think she's afraid it will be like the Russell walk and she'll get too tired. We walked slowly over to the sound, walked through the village and stopped at Menchie's (where she knew EXACTLY what she wanted. A guy even commented on her delicious looking choice and how he wanted to try it.)

I'm happy she wants to spend time with me.

I'm happy she's loving being outside and appreciating how beautiful Seattle is during the summer.

I want her to feel so blessed to live in such a lovely place and to be grateful for this beautiful world.

This summer has been very unscheduled for my kiddos. No camps or swim lessons (I feel a little bad about that), not many trips planned. Just mostly unstructured days to enjoy summer (besides Irish) and be a kid. It's been great! And since we haven't been running around so much stressed to get here and there, S and I have been talking so much more. Just hanging out and talking. I love it. I love her.

I knew walking was good when I started, but I didn't think about how it would make my relationship with my daughter stronger. In fact, all the really good things that have happened after 5 months of walking are things I didn't really expect.

What a blessing.

So, my advice for today is to go on a walk with your kids.

Love,

me

Walk 155. So tired

Evening walk. Still recovering after long day yesterday (Pioneer picnic.) 2.8 miles

Walk 154. Walking fast

Walked this morning because we have a long day ahead of us as a fam. It was fun to go in the morning. I should prob mix it up a bit. 3.1 miles (15:36 pace)

Walk 153. 1.9 miles

Walk 152. Cholesterol and walking

Saw my naturopath today. Got some blood work results (they are actually outdated, but show how beneficial walking can be) I forgot to get last visit. After walking daily for two months (and not changing my diet one bit) my bad cholesterol went down by almost 30 points and my total cholesterol went down almost 20 points! I think that's impressive. (I wonder what it would be now that I've been walking daily for 5 months??)

I stopped eating wheat (gluten) on 7/4 (so 2 weeks today). I feel much less crazy about food. I think wheat was a trigger and addictive for me AND I never felt full or satisfied when I ate wheat (Funny, it turns out wheat is an opiate that makes you hungrier! At least according to this guy.) I don't feel like that anymore and it's so freeing!! I don't know if it will translate into big weight loss, but it feels great not to feel out of control about food. Hopefully just eliminating one big thing the weight (especially my tummy) will shrink. Please.

Also, wheat (or leaky gut) isn't good for folks with thyroid probs. Me again!! The plan is to heal my gut and hopefully heal my thyroid. That would be amazing! 

Walked to village during the day, then with Sarah in the evening. It was fun to walk with a friend and catch up with her. 

4.8 miles

Walk 151. Lots of walking

Walked to village in the morning, then took the kids to the park (with their play dates, Marcus and Ellery) around lunch, then walked to the library (S book club) then Albies for J. After E got home I went for my sunset walk. About 4.5 miles (It adds up quickly! We didn't get in the car all day.)

Walk 150. Milestone wallk!

Village during the day with kiddos, Magnolia Blvd around 9. 3.5 miles

Walk 149. The usual

Walked to the village during the day, along the Blvd at sunset. 3.1 miles

Walk 148. Best sunset of my life (so far)

Breathtaking, incredible, natural fireworks, yes...there really is a GOD, so so beautiful.... there really aren't words to describe it. (At least from me. Though I would like to be, I am not a poet.)

It was a great Sunday. Overcast Santa Cruz warm vibe all day. Left to walk around 8:45 pm with a spring in my step. Felt a few drops of rain and thought it would start sprinkling and even though I wasn't dressed for rain I kept on. It was warm. Was walking fast and feeling happy. I rounded a corner and literally gasped because this....

I was alone on the street and here it was. I kind of wanted to yell to everyone, "come outside!" Took my first panorama pics and turned around to see glowing red sunset through the beachy (foggy?) mist that was diffusing the light. Sprinkling, sunset, double rainbow, warm day, this was getting good. (Rainbows always feel like a message from God.)

Kept watching, walking, feeling grateful to be alive and a witness to this beauty as I walked towards Magnolia Blvd and the sound. Got there and looked up to see bright orange, red sunset with trees in silhouette.

It looked like something from a Disney movie. Walked up towards my stop sign turnaround spot and just LOOKED. The sky kept getting more beautiful, I couldn't actually believe how pretty it was. There I was walking in the sprinkling rain my shirt getting kind of wet, breathing deeply, legs moving, feeling so fortunate to be a witness to this....to be part of it. Cars started pulling over and people got out to take pics. Usually I see a few people on my sunset walks. This was so beautiful folks were stopping to take notice. It was pretty cool.

Kind of hung around the stop sign grassy area to watch. Then walked home feeling so so blessed.

The thing about these moments in life is you can't plan for them. You just have to be present and willing to let life happen. And pay attention. It's such a huge gift...one that I wasn't expecting. I am so HAPPY I was outside walking. Like I've said before....I will never regret a walk taken.

3+ miles

(Oh and Madison his his 2nd grand slam of the year. Go Giants!)

(And of course this was walk 148. Everything great happens on an 8.)

Walk 147. Pics don't match sunset walk

But they're pretty cute...

Another hot hot day in Seattle. Took kiddos to Golden Gardens before noon, which I thought would be safe and not crowded....but it was already packed! We had to park far away and walk in. They were troopers carrying all our stuff and not asking to be carried too (J). They played in the warm sun for a couple hours. Then we went and got a burger, S headed to a late-over birthday party, and J and I went for an evening walk. He was happy to go, had fun remembering previous walks (as we passed certain points along the way) and as we got home he asked if we could go again tomorrow. 3.5 miles (including an early walk to village).

p.s. we had a great dance party after S & E got home and the kids went to bed way too late. Love summer!!

Walk 146. Locks, then with S (holding hands)

It's been hot. Too hot to go to the park (we tried Ella Bailey, but cowered in the one shady spot under the slide). And one cranky kid did not want to go to the beach (she later regretted this decision) so we mostly hung out indoors and played games. Later we headed to the Locks to feel the ocean breezes and stretch our legs (and try to get a free slurpee...but we were 5 minutes too late. Doh!) 1.5 miles

Around sunset S and I headed out for a walk. The sky was pink gorgeous. Pink clouds surrounded a full moon (never seen that before). We walked and talked. It was so great. Love that girl. And got home way after dark. When we were almost home we met an inquisitive and I think hungry cat that made us laugh.

3.5 miles

Walk 145. My new routine

When I started this challenge I was excited for summer because I thought I'd take my kids on all sorts of walks all over Seattle. Especially bridges, which I drive across daily but have never walked across.

Instead, I seem to have fallen in a routine of walking around the village during the day and taking a sunset walk along Magnolia Blvd.

It makes sense, because I'm so sick of driving after a long school year.... but maybe I need to be a little more motivated.

Or, I can just enjoy pretty Magnolia. Why would I want to walk anywhere else? ;-)

2.8 miles

Walk 144. 7/9, 9 years

July 9th is a hard day for me. 9 years since our angel girl Juliet passed away. Leading up to the 9th I usually get sad, forgetful, tired, cranky, etc. I really don't like this day.

But...

Today there were lovely moments. J & S both had friends over and we walked to the park. It's fun watching my kids have fun. It would be really great if Juliet were here too....but I'm learning to be grateful for what I do have and not always look back and think, "what if?"

We got pretty balloons from Bartell's, and walked home with them through the village. (About a mile.)

S fell asleep on my lap. That was wonderful. Even though she's so big, it felt like holding her when she was a baby. It was a perfect day for her to fall asleep on me.

An old friend sent an unexpected email that felt like a message from heaven. That was so nice.

Got lots of FB love. I posted a pic of me holding both girls. I looked tired.

People dropped by with flowers (starting the day before) and a couple friends went and got their own balloons and wrote their own notes. And came over to release them in our backyard.

We went to Discovery Park as a family at sunset. It was beautiful. J fell asleep. E & I let off our balloons, and a few friends came to join S as she let her balloon go (and J's which we thought was an ooops.)

So we went to get him another one and let it go on the lookout point on Magnolia Blvd. Then he wanted to go get a slurpie (because his cousins got one).

S and I cried.

We miss her.

2 miles

Walk 143. Zoo, village and MMW malfunctions

Took the kids to the zoo. Prob walked a little over a mile. MMW didn't record it right (I think I forgot to stop it and drove away. Ooops.)

Walked the village in the dark. Perfect summer night. 1.25 miles

2.25 miles total

Walk 142. Ugh, I haven't blogged in a week

But I definitely took this walk. And it was so pretty I turned around. Usual evening walk along Magnolia blvd...with backtracks. 4.25 miles

Walk 141. Why didn't we get New Order tickets?

I have been so forgetful lately! Yesterday during breakfast (Pancakes. I'm trying to be a Saturday-morning-it's-always-pancakes kind of mom. Even though I just gave up wheat. I know!!) we chatted about what everyone wanted to do. It was decided we'd go swimming and there were 3 open swim times. 3 times we could have gone. Then I promptly forgot that was the plan and we got a new fish instead and when it was time for bed we all said, "we forgot to go swimming!"

And tonight was New Order! We decided to try to get tickets last minute on CL if we could find a sitter. But I totally forgot to even try to line up a sitter and didn't remember about the show until a FB friend posted they were there. Doh!

It was a lovely Sunday anyway. S gave a talk in primary. J went on a bike ride with E. I went on another after-kids-in-bed walk along the sound.

2.9 miles

Walk 140. Pretty Olympics

They looked different than I've ever seen them. Kind of ghostly and haunting. But really pretty. 2.9 miles

Walk 139. Happy 4th

Went and saw Lisa (PTSD therapist) this morning. Lots of stuff being stirred up making me unsettled, uneasy, and just sad. It's hard remembering...

We went back and forth on deciding if we should brave the crowds for the Gasworks fireworks. It got overcast, kind of sprinkled, J refused to nap....so we let off last years firework stash in backyard. They LOVED it. I was a little worried we'd get the cops called on us (we started while it was light out) but by the time it got dark our neighborhood (quiet little Magnolia) had fireworks blasting everywhere! We went for a walk around the block to watch (after I got home from my walk. 2.8 miles.)

Still, I felt guilty we didn't go. We're planning on going to a Mariner's game on fireworks night to make up for it.

Walk 138. My anniversary

15 years! How in the heck did that happen?

Nice mellow day with the family. Wanted everyone to go on a hike, but the kids did not like that idea (especially S, who kind of faked an injury). I ended up going by myself after they were tucked in bed.

It's been so lovely. Lovely summer, lovely husband, lovely family, lovely life. I'm blessed. (Even if this time of year is so hard.)

2.8 miles

Walk 137. Kid parade

Walked to park with my kids, met up with some other kids (Ruby, Eva, Cosme. Their mom dropped them off to play with us!), walked back to our house for 2 kinds of popsicles. Then decided to walk to library to get S's book ("We Didn't Mean to Go to Sea") and the other kids got yellow sticker books too. Then walked them all to their house. It was pretty slow. J and I then walked home (well, I pushed him in the stroller). 1.9 miles

Walk 136. Another lost walk :-(

Wait...now I remember. Walked with kids to park in early evening and E met us there an hour later. They rode the mini balance bike down the grassy hill while trying to avoid some sort of hipster all-over-the-place bocce ball game (those balls are hard). I left to walk, but kept looking back through the chain-link fence across the field at them having fun...so I went back. These warm summer evenings just hanging out at the community center field are "moments!!" Lovely moments of their childhood I cherish during the endless winter rain and will also cherish when my kids are too old to hang out at the park with their parents. S worked on learning how to cartwheel, J rolled down the hill, few more times on the balance bike for S...it was great.

Then I walked through the village, past Bartell's, across the ravine bridge and up Magnolia Blvd almost to the stop sign. Then home.

3.4 miles