Update on the Bucket List!

Here are the ones that I've done since I originally posted the Bucket List:

1.  Portland -- I went last September but we're going again this weekend!  Yay for long weekends!

6. Visit Scuttlebutt Brewery - February 5, 2011.  I'm not a huge beer person but I thought their beers were good and they had a pretty good menu for a brewery.  It was also packed at 4:00 p.m. on a Saturday so I'm pretty sure they are doing something right!

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14. Experience Music Project - January 17, 2011.  I blogged about our Tourist Day over MLK weekend, which included a trip to the EMP:  

J. looking at the Guitar Tower

46. Ski Stevens Pass - I can't remember if we went in January or February now, but I'm leaning towards February :)  It was a beautiful day when we went and we stayed for night skiing.  It was such a great time!  

50. Visit the Fremont Troll - January 17, 2011.  Also part of our Tourist Day!

That's Mr. S. up top and some randos to the right

51.  Visit the Ballard Locks - January 17, 2011.  Tourist Day!

52.  Kerry Park - January 17, 2011.  I'd like to go back on a clear or sunny day and get some really good pictures of downtown and Mt. Rainier.  

53. Go to the top of the Water Tower in in Capitol Hill - January 19, 2011.  I'd also like to go back and get some better pictures!  

What a gorgeous view!

The elusive Mt. Rainier

That's what we've been up to lately!  We are really enjoying our time out here ... it's so nice to be in a different part of the country and have the opportunity to travel around and explore such fun and interesting places!

Volunteer Park

On a beautiful, sunny day in January I drove over to Volunteer Park to go to the top of the Water Tower.  I was not disappointed with the view:

Have a good weekend friends!  

What we're eating this week ...

This week has FLOWN by ... I cannot believe it's already Thursday.  I am really looking forward to coming home tonight, eating beef stew and watching TV all night :)

Sunday - J. was gone (he has been SO busy at work lately, I'm looking forward to seeing him this weekend!) so I had leftovers.  

Monday - It was Valentine's Day so we had Filet Mignon, Twice Baked Potatoes and Asparagus.  It was really good.  We  didn't really use any recipes ... J. just marinated the filets in steak sauce for a bit and then made them in his cast iron skillet.  I made a delicious peanut butter pie for dessert.  Most people use a graham cracker crust but I chose an oreo crust this week.  It's such an easy dessert to make and very light ... and we've had pie all week! 

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Tuesday - we had fish tacos ... I blogged about them last week, but J. didn't get to try them so we had them again.  This week, I let J. make the dill sauce and it turned out pretty spicy!  We also added store bought pico de gallo and this spicy corn salsa I found.  They were tasty!

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Wednesday - we ordered in pad thai.  One order of pad thai from our local Thai place is enough for three meals (no joke) and is $10.00.  This is our go-to when we don't feel like cooking.  

Thursday - we are having beef stew.  I put it in the crockpot this morning and it will be waiting for me when I come home from the clinic tonight!  Now that's what I call on easy meal!

I hope you all had a great week!  I feel like I am in a recipe rut ... any new recipes for me to try next week?  

Ten on Tuesday - #4!

Happy Tuesday friends!  Link up over at Roots and Rings to play along this week.  


1. Any vacations you are looking forward to this summer?
None that are planned so far ... we have about a million weddings to attend but I don't know that we will make it to all of them and I don't really consider going to Indianapolis or Louisville a vacation.  Sorry if that offends anyone.  What I REALLLLLLLY want is a beach vacation.  Desperately.  But then I'd have to get in shape.  

2. What is your favorite article of summer clothing (shoes are included)?
I love summer dresses and wedge sandals.  I recently spied this pair on Nordstrom.com and I'm in love:

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3. What is your favorite summer drink (alcoholic or non)?
Hmm, I like lemonade and really good mojitos.  The kind where the bartender muddles everything right in front of you so you know it's going to be amazing.  


4. Do you tan or burn?
I used to burn then get a fabulous tan, but now that I live in the Pacific Northwest I'm ghostly white.  

5. Any goals you are working toward this summer?
I have a big goal that I'm working on and will reveal sometime in the near future.  I'm also working on a lot of smaller things like getting in shape, running a 5K, planning a beach vacation!  

6. What is your favorite summertime food?
Salads and grilled fish.  And ice cream, but I'll eat ice cream anytime.  
  7. What song most says “summer” to you?
Hmmm, I can't think of a specific song that just screams summer but I'd have to say any country song.  I feel like the speed of summer is slower just like most country music! 

8. Any home improvement goals planned for this summer?
Well, I don't know.  I don't currently live in a home but that may change since our lease is up at the end of May!

9. What is one thing you hate to see at the beach?
Smelly seaweed, dead fish and trash.  Keep the beach clean!  

10. Did you ever go to a summer camp?
Yes, I went to a two week summer camp in Tennessee called Camp Nakanawa.  I got very homesick and my dad sent me a box full of books!  I still have a manila envelope full of the letters/postcards I got when I was at camp.

Blog-Lift

I need help!  I wanted to give my blog a little makeover and I finally figured out how (pats myself on the back!) but how do I get the design to extend all the way to the top?  I hate how the background of my header is just a huge white space and not the pretty Clementine design.  I am technologically challenged, so if any of you can help me with this in very simple instructions I would be forever grateful :)

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day friends!  I hope you all had a wonderful day, whether or not you celebrate V-Day!  I am working on a very exciting project over here in my little corner of the world and I hope to share it with you very soon!

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Until then, Happy Valentine's Day and have a fabulous week!

What we ate this week ...

I've had so many other things to blog about this week (doesn't happen that often so had to take advantage of it!), that I haven't had time to post about our meal planning for the week.  So far this week, we've eaten:

Sunday - we went to a Superbowl party at our friends house and they made amazing ribs.  It had been a VERY long time since I've eaten ribs and they were so good.  So so so good.  I don't know if I have it in me to try to make them sometime, but it's tempting.  We also had a bunch of chips and dips and other appetizers as well.  Yum.

Monday - leftover chili and corn muffins.

Tuesday - J. had a late night and an early Wednesday morning, so he stayed up north near the base.  I made myself these fish tacos.  They were really good, but I burned the fish a bit so I've got to work on my fish frying methods.  I LOVED the dill sauce that goes with the recipe and I also added avocado and black beans because that's what I love about Mexican food.

Wednesday - Chicken with Coconut Lime Peanut Sauce.  I would give this a 2.5 out of 5.  Overall, it was good, but the sauce wasn't fantastic.  It was pretty thick and needed to be a little sweeter or more coconutty or something.  I'm not sure.  I added lots of extra lime juice and coconut milk to try to thin the sauce out but it still ended up pretty thick.  It also could have been my fault because I used regular coconut milk and not lite coconut milk -- maybe the key is in the "lite" version!

Thursday - Chili Glazed Pork with Sweet Potato Hash.  J. was not a fan of this dinner, but I liked it.  The pork tenderloin could have used a little more flavor, but the sweet potato hash was amazing.  I added a little bit of salt to it like the comments suggested and I thought it was tasty.  I don't know what I would do with the pork tenderloin ... maybe increase the amounts in the marinade and possible marinade the meat longer?  I don't know.

Tonight we are heading to Bellingham, a college town about 60 miles north of us to see what it has to offer ... so I better go figure out what I'm going to wear!  Have a fabulous weekend friends!