How to Know if Your Teen is Ready to Babysit

Babysitting is like a right of passage for a teenager. It's usually the first job most teens have. It was my first job and one I did throughout all of high school. It gave me great experience with kids and some good spending money on the side. It also gave me a good crash course in responsibility and a few stories I still share! Are you sitting on the fence about letting your child babysit? Are you curious if they’re old enough, mature enough or wondering if it’s even legal? There are many things to consider before allowing your child to care for someone else; for a parent, it’s a tough decision and you want to make the right one. I've got some tips on how to know if your child is ready to babysit.

Visiting Camano Island, Washington

This year marks the twentieth year I've spent living in Washington state. I am being much more intentional this year about visiting some of the areas around me because to be totally honest, I just haven't made an effort. We live in one of the most beautiful places in all of the US of A and I need to spend more time exploring it. A few weeks ago our family spent a few days exploring Wenatchee, Washington. We skied Mission Ridge and wandered through the self-proclaimed apple capital of the world soaking in all this small town had to offer. This past weekend we made plans to explore Camano Island, less than a two-hour drive away from my home, just North of Seattle. 
I spent weeks thinking that I would have to take a ferry to Camano Island and literally the day of our planned trip, I realized there was no ferry ride needed. This was both equally confusing {because how does one drive to an island?} and awesome {because sometimes ferry lines are the worst!}. I probably should look at a map of my state more often. Just further evidence that I don't get out much. Happily confused, my husband and I packed up the van with our youngest kiddo {13-year-old Owen} and set forth to explore an island none of us had been to before. Here is what you need to know if you are visiting Camano Island, Washington.

Easy Baking Hacks You Can't Live Without

I remember being a young kid experimenting in the kitchen. Thankfully my mom always encouraged me in the kitchen and I think like with all things, with experience comes expertise. Sometimes you have to fake it until you make it and you need a few baking hacks from time to time to get you through. Here are a few of my favorite baking hacks to get you started.

Wenatchee, WA in a Weekend

I'm a Pacific Northwest transplant and even though I've lived on the west coast for twenty years, I'm still discovering some pretty amazing locations. Western Washington is very different than Central or Eastern Washington. Growing up in the midwest, you could go from one end of the state to the other and not notice much of a difference, but Washington has the Cascade Mountain Range and a little thing called the rain shadow, which to be totally honest, I learned about while watching the Magic School Bus with my kids. 

The biggest difference between Western Washington and Eastern Washington is the climate. 

While Western Washington {including the Seattle area} is much milder and rainy, Eastern Washington has hotter summers and colder winters and to be honest, less rain all around, which makes it a major win in my book! Yeah, for 300 days of sunshine! I have a love/hate relationship with snow and since moving to Washington, I can usually scout out snow on my own terms, which I actually really love. But that usually requires a trip over the mountain pass and this year, it included a weekend in Wenatchee, Washington that our whole family enjoyed. Wenatchee makes a great side trip if you are visiting the greater Seattle area because it will give you a glimpse into how very diverse the state of Washington is. If you live in Western Washington, Wenatchee is worth a visit {especially for the weekend}, and here are my top picks of things to do when you go.

How to Refresh Your Home After the Holidays

The holidays were filled with warm family gatherings, lots of slow mornings in front of the fireplace and the Christmas tree and baking. Oh, so much baking. But it wasn't long after the last present was opened that I was ready to refresh my home after the holidays. I love the glitter and the twinkle that the Christmas decorations bring, but I also love the calm and simplicity that happens with clean open spaces when the decor is packed up. Once I put away the holiday decorations things feel a little bare for a few days. This year I embraced it and I loved the time I took to reset my home after the holidays. Here are a few things that I did and ways that you can simply refresh your home after the holidays.