Saturday Adventure

On Saturday we all wanted (and needed) to get out of the house. So we headed to Seattle and the Seattle Public Library. It is awesome! 10 stories high and filled with fun books and décor.

They had computers set up that were labeled "Job Resources". Gabriella wanted to know what they were for so I explained to her that they were for people to use that were looking for a job to go to work for. She ran over and crawled up in a chair and began typing away saying, "I am just looking for a job to do at home."

We took a picture of Xander by the giant #2

And Gabriella by the giant #4

After the library we got out our lunch we had packed and headed for a walk down to Pike's Market. It was a beautiful day and I absolutely LOVE walking in downtown Seattle, well anywhere in Seattle. I told Matt that he may never get me to move away from here.

We found the "Gum Wall" outside Pike's Market and showed it to Matt and the kids for the first time. Gabriella thought it was pretty gross!

My two main men!

Since it was Mother's Day weekend there were fresh flower vendors everywhere! I love flowers! I love to imagine how much fun God had when He was creating and designing them!

 

We wandered down to a little park along the street and noticed a Coast Guard helicopter hovering over the water. We watched it get very close to the water and a scuba diver jump out. That was really fun to watch.

And we finished the day with some Avocado Chicken Salad for dinner.

All in all it was a great day. I love being able to spend time with my family!

Make Your Own Stevia Extract

When I found out I had candida and a cane sugar allergy, my life changed significantly. I had always been leery of stevia and found out that it was the most recommended sweetener for people with candida. So I started doing some research.

Basically, stevia in it's true form is great. It is from a plant (one that you can grow in your home or garden). And, like most other foods available in stores today, when it is mass and commercially produced it gets bad. It is near impossible to buy stevia in the store that has not been chemically treated, enhanced or altered. Once stevia is turned into powder it starts to get a metallic taste the longer it sits. Liquid stevia has also been given additives to help with the metallic taste and to make it more shelf stable. Holistic Squid has some great info here that you can check out if you want more details. I decided to make my own liquid stevia extract so that I knew exactly what was in it.

It started with a trip to Pike's Market in downtown Seattle for some Organic Dried Stevia Leaves from Vital-Tea Company. Then a trip to Whole Foods to find some vodka that was made from potatoes and not grain (so it was gluten free)

Got my vodka and dried stevia leaves. 

I only paid $5 for the whole bag of leaves!

I poured 4 ounces of vodka into a clear Mason jar. 

Then add enough dried stevia leaves so that they are just barely covered by the vodka

Put a lid on it and let it sit for exactly 24 hours. The vodka had turned green and looks noticeably different than it did when we started. 

After 24 hours strain out the stevia leaves from the vodka. You can use cheesecloth, or an old piece of a t-shirt to get it strained. 

Cook it in a stainless steel pot over low heat for 20 minutes. Do NOT boil it! The cooking at low heat is to remove the alcohol from it. 

Here I am with about 3 ounces of liquid stevia extract after it has cooked and cooled. 

I funneled mine into a glass dropper bottle. 

It will keep in your refrigerator for about 90 days. If you don't use it a whole lot then be sure and date it or mark your calendar so you know when you need to make a new batch. 

Birthday Fun

My birthday was on the 17th of this month but I got a wild surprise on the 10th!

Matt came home at lunch (which isn't terribly uncommon). The VERY uncommon thing was when I asked him if he would like me to make him some lunch and he replied, "Nah, I'm not really hungry."

A few minutes later he headed into the living room and I heard the front door open. Then I heard nothing. I sent Gabriella into the living room (I was in the kitchen) to see what daddy was up to and still heard nothing. Then Matt called, "Emily, you have a birthday present out here. " I headed into the living room expecting a package from Mom or something, but I saw..... Jill, April and Naomi all standing there!! AAAAHHHHH!!!

I couldn't believe it!!! A few minutes later my cousin Nicole arrived too and we were off on a birthday surprise!!

We went and got some Pho for lunch...

April and Jill opted for spicy Pho!

Then Carol, Carol Dos, Knee-Highs, Coolie Cole and Fish hit the bowling lanes!

Next we all got manicures! So fun!!! 

Pretty nails!!

We ate dinner back at the house and then Nicole had to head back to Vancouver since she had work the next day. Gabriella and Xander loved her!

The rest of us stayed up WAY too late eating chocolate, watching girlie movies and throwing cereal at each other. 

We were up the next morning early and after a power breakfast of oatmeal we were off to Seattle!

(Here we are in a traffic standstill 1 mile down I5 from my house)

We hit the troll under the bridge

(as seen in the movie 10 Things I Hate About You)

And Gas Works park

(where they filmed the paintball scene in the same movie)

Ah Seattle. You are one of my favorite places in the whole world!!

It was CRAZY windy!!! Here we are at Kerry park. 

Then we headed downtown to Pikes Market. 

Going for a golden piggy ride!

Big Foot!!

Oh my word! This is the "gum wall" at the market. It is like in this weird little alley out back. We of course added our gum to the wall. 

Sisters (in law)!

Getting our veggie on, lol!

Texas donuts!

Hilarious bathroom sign!!

We had to head back to my house so the girls could hit the road to head home and hit a MEGA hail/rain/wind storm! You know its bad weather when everyone on the freeway is driving 30, not just me!

Aquatic and land tour vehicle. 

Water raging down the streets while the wind was trying to blow it back up!

Just the four of us celebrated my actual birthday on the 17th by going out to dinner at Red Robin for my free birthday burger!

Us girls eating our burgers!

Xander was too busy eating to do much else!

The boys!

Then Matt took me to H&M to use our two $6 Wrapp App free gift cards. Woo hoo!! I got 3 shirts for less than $4!

I've been sick a bit lately so I totally spaced on making myself a birthday pie (I have apricot pie every year since I was 10!). Praise Jesus for moms! Mom sent me this box of cookies and 30 candles in the mail. 

So we had birthday cookies and Gabriella and Matt sang to me!

I ended up getting horribly sick all night Friday and spent most of Saturday on the couch (more on that later). But overall turning 30 was pretty great. I feel so incredibly blessed by my hubby planning for, working out the details and paying for everything the weekend the girls came up. And I am SO blessed to have friends that are like family and family that are like friends who drove 16 hours to spend 24 with me! 

Vacation Day 2

We let the kiddos sleep in on Sunday morning and left for Seattle at 10.

We got to Seattle Pacific University first. It was so fun to walk around the campus and have some good memories and laughs. I was bummed the shellhouse wasn't open, but that's okay.

The dock where we launched our boats every morning. 

Cheesy picture in front of the school's sign. 

Matt helping Gabriella peek into the shellhouse. She just said, "ooooooooh!" a lot while looking in. 

After the campus tour we headed over to Freemont for the Freemont Sunday Market. Matt and Gabriella tried a Bacon Peanut Butter cookie. And then Gabriella insisted she had to go potty so we used the grossest bathroom EVER!

Funny faces in the bathroom mirror

We headed up the road a couple blocks and had a gluten-free and vegan snack at the Flying Apron. 

I was loving my hemp milk mocha!!

Gabriella drinking my mocha

Nursing break again!

Xander giving Victory kisses. 

Victory kissing him back

(PS. I LOVE his hair in this picture!)

We headed downtown next and stopped in at Chipotle for lunch. 

"This is just my chip with abocado on it!"

Headed down to Pike's Market after getting my free spice jar (with a coupon) from Penzy's Spice.

My two favorite guys! 

Gabriella crashed out! She was so tired!

Crazy street musician. He was hula-hooping, playing a harmonica/singing, playing guitar and had bells and bamboo on his feet making noise. Later on he balanced the guitar on his chin with NO HANDS! It was crazy cool!

After Seattle we headed back to Tacoma and made a stop at the SouthSide Mall. I needed some Jamba Juice ;)

Xander loved sharing the carrot juice mango orange smoothie that I got.  

                                              Gabriella horsing around in the car while I fed Xander!

We had a great day in Seattle and finished it off in Tacoma where Ryan made some more amazing French Fries! Yummmmmm!!