Seattle Mom Blogs

The temperatures are beginning to plummet here in the Pacific Northwest, as they tend to do in winter around these parts.  With frost every morning, cold noses, and chilly feet no matter how many pairs of wool socks you adorn, it seems nearly impossible to warm up!  Well, have I got news for you – it’s bathing suit weather in Grand Mound.  Yes, you heard me, bathing suit weather.  And if you’re anti-bathing suits, it’s most definitely shorts and t-shirts weather inside Great Wolf Lodge where the winter festivities are in full swing!

This past weekend, Great Wolf Lodge, our favorite close to home place to go,  invited local bloggers (Kathryn, Jenny, , Angie, Carrie, Leslie, Stacey, Liz, Linda, Carrie, Alexis, Kristin, Erin, Shera and Shannon) to stay at a special media rate (hello! bargain!) and take in all the winter wonder for the first time.  There were trees sparkling with thousands of tiny white lights, giant snowflakes hanging from the ceiling and yes folks, it even SNOWED inside the lobby.  Sure, it was a harmless, odorless concotion that evaporated within minutes, but it was still snow.  With the temperatures  holding fast in the low thirties during the day, I’ll take nice, warm, fake snow over the real stuff anyday.  Besides, it’s easier to drive in.

That was a nod to you, Washington State DOT.  You’re welcome.

I’ve only been to Great Wolf Lodge once before, and that was for the Grand Opening Celebration in 2008.  Well, I am surprised and elated to tell you that the place is holding up very well.  In fact, they have even added a few more “perks,” if you will, since I was last there – including the River Canyon Run, which was one of our favorites.  My kids range in age from 6 to 12 and often times, my little one will feel left out because she can’t do all the things her brothers can, well, because she’s 6 and not yet the required 48 inches to ride the Howlin’ Tornado (that’s the huge funnel you can see from the freeway).  Being able to go on one of the “big rides” was a huge deal to her.  Between that and the wave pool, where she alternated between “lifejacket” (you don’t have to bring your own, they provide them for you) and “no lifejacket”  just to keep her parents on their toes!  I mean, what else are 6 year olds for right?  If not to keep their parents on their toes.

Our room was clean, comfy and spacious – providing more than enough room for our family of 5.  And as usual (now this is my most favorite part) it was outfitted with the most deliciously scented toiletries in the world!  Bubble gum scented body wash for the kids (don’t mind if mommy borrows some of that) and vanilla scented lotion and soaps for the adults.  I was hungry everytime I washed my hands.  Which must be on purpose because the food at the lodge is pretty good too.  Now, I normally would not recommend eating every meal there unless you want to deplete your savings account, but one or two meals during a one-night stay is okay.  There are several dining options to choose from depending upon your mood and if it’s too late to bedtime because you spent all your time enjoying the water park or collecting tickets in the arcade, there is always room service!  Oh, sweet, sweet room service.  Let me count the ways…

Oh, and the Starbucks is open, can’t forget that!

We mommybloggers gotta have our Starbucks.

It was wonderful to be able to experience Great Wolf Lodge in the winter (which is the BEST time to experience the balmy indoor temperatures when it’s freezing outside) with our families and our friends, everyone had so mch fun.  While many of the kids (and Dads) either conked out from riding the slides all day or hung out in the acrade and the g8space “club” for those over 12, us moms got to spend a little time together talking about blogging, parenting and the community that draws us each to one another.  I realized, as I sat a table surrounded by new friends and old, what an incredible gift it is to be able to share this with each other, and with you, our community, during a very cold Pacific Northwest winter.   Our families were treated to breakfast the following morning by John Poole, Director of Sales and Marketing for Great Wolf Lodge, where he went table to table, asking us questions and fielding ours.  It’s an incredible feeling to have a voice “out there” that companies want to appeal to and I feel that our experience as families, first and foremost, was indicative of the quality, care and expertiese that goes into each decision that is made at the lodge.   I have no doubt that my family will be back!

Currently, Great Wolf Lodge is running “Snowland” specials through the month of February.  During this time, special rates (at almost half off the regular booking prices) are available (enter code:  SNOWLAND while making reservations) and it’s no better time to visit the lodge.  Whether you’ve been before or this will be your first time, you are sure to be amazed by the transformation into winter right inside the gigantic front doors.  Your toes will be warm, your smiles will be big and your family will have a blast!  It’s the perfect getaway – or even Christmas gift – for everyone.

**EDIT:  The “Snowland” promotion ends December 30, 2009.  From January 3 – February 11, 2010 use the code:  WINTER to receive amazing deals on your stay at The Great Wolf Lodge!

Carrie can be found writing her way through parenthood at Stop Screaming I’m Driving, where she tries to hold onto her sanity, one vanilla latte extra foam, at a time.

Of course I wouldn’t be saying this strictly because one of the artists just so happens to be my super talented brother, Ryan Molenkamp.  Oh, who am I fooling?  Of course I am.  Well, at least a little bit.

Wednesday night the husband, the kids, and I got a sneek peek at Vermillion’s upcoming show titled “We Built This to Leave,” which includes work from three amazing artists - Trevor Johnson, Sharon Arnold and Ryan Molenkamp.  Located in the bustling neighborhood of Capitol Hill, Vermillion is easy to find and accessible, even for country bumpkins like myself.  In fact, it was so accessible that my kids had a hard time prying themselves away from the gallery, the peole, and most especially, the street poles covered in advertising, which they found supremely interesting.  Wyatt will tell you that he also really liked the pay phone booth with the missing phone!  And McRae enjoyed the window plastered in Van’s stickers – he thought that was the coolest thing…well, besides the art hanging inside the gallery.  Katie will tell you she enjoyed the Pellegrino, which she guzzled like a sailor on shore leave.

Back to the art.

The gallery describes the work as:

“This show speaks to the obsessive creator in all of us. From our youngest memory of playing with blocks to the daily compartmentalization of our lives we are always building, organizing, and making something new. Each artist in this show explores what we are all so busy building, why we are compelled to do so, how those creations impact the environment, and what becomes of the left over materials.”

While standing there gawking looking at Trevor’s “cloud” installation, a mighty form you can see protruding as if from the wall itself upon entering the space, I knew this was the perfect show to bring the kids to.  Any parent who has ever purchased their child anything larger than a matchbox car will tell you that toys, among other things we consume like televisions and computers and leaf blowers, come with a ridiculous amount of packaging.  I have found my living room, on more than one Christmas morning, mostly unrecognizable under all the styrofoam that encased their gifts.  I have also, on more than one Christmas morning, advised my kids that yes, they could play with the styrofoam for 1 or 2 days…but no more because my goodness it makes a lot of little styrofoam babies in the form of tiny pieces all over the house!  And then off to the recycler we go…until the next birthday or holiday.  And this tradition repeats itself over and over again until by the time my children have reached the age of twenty, I hate to think of all the packaging that has made it’s way to a landfill simply because of my 3 kids.

Trevor gets that.  He gets the packaging and consumption part, and he gets the kid part.  His pieces are moving and whimsical, but they also have a message.  And my kids loved them!  Although I stood like a hawk over them to make sure they did not touch the artwork, viewing the pieces was something we all enjoyed.

Speaking of not touching the artwork…Sharon Arnold blew that all to pieces.  And I mean that in the nicest possible way.  Since we were there for a “sneek peek,” the gallery was not too crowded, which was nice.  When Sharon approached my kids and asked them if they “wanted to touch her artwork” I nearly fainted.  Touch the artwork?  Are you kidding?  But an assured smile and nod from her and the next thing I knew she had my daughter’s hand and was leading her, with the boys following, over to one of her pieces, a fascinating and familiar installation that looked like toilet paper rolls…except much prettier.

Sharon’s pieces are a feat in meticulousness, you can tell that by looking at them.  When I asked her how long it took to create each individual roll for her most fascinating (in my opinion) installation, she said “30 to 40 hours per roll.”  If memory serves me right, and you never know about that these days, there were twelve rolls comprising the piece.  That, in itself,  blows me away.  Her pieces all evoke some sort of mischief in my inner child.  The temptation to pull on those rolls, like a toddler left unattended in the bathroom while mommy paints her toenails, is powerful.  And that is just what she asked my kids to do!  “Go ahead,” she urged them, “Give it a yank.  A good pull.”  They looked at her.  They looked at me.  I nodded and away they went, silly, giddy smiles on their faces – amazed at what they were actually doing.

And this, is what art is all about.

I’m not certain if everyone will be invited to pull on Sharon’s pieces, but it sure was a cool experience for my kids and they’ll never forget it.

As for Ryan’s work, I’m really at a loss as to what to say without sounding biased since he is my one and only brother (whom I teased unrelentingly in our childhood and will forever be apologizing for that- and I will always thank him for letting me tie his wagon to the back of my Big Wheel and tow him around our patio with impressive speed…without a single injury – I’m sure these experiences translate themselves into his painting in some way or another), but his work is so interesting it hurts.  I’ve watched his talent grow and grow and grow and only get stronger with each piece he unveils.  They are small, they are large, they are in the middle too – in size.  They are intricate, they are surprising, they are unique – in form.  When I ask him if a certain painting is of a landscape from our hometown he answers, “It could be,” with his trademark raised eyebrow (a trait only the males in our bloodline inherit).  His pieces have a message too.  They speak about the impact of people on the environment with their contrasts of the man-made and the…not.  The urban sprawl and the way it makes it’s mark upon the landscape are familiar themes that run through many of his pieces.  But what I think I love most about his work is that it is unlike any I’ve ever seen, and he doesn’t argue with you if you say you see a floating lily pad (even if it is not, indeed, a floating lily pad at all and you were just saying that to see what his reaction was).

Ryan’s work is grand and it is intelligent.  My favorite pieces are those with a lot of color, but the black and whites hold just as much impact.  And I could be completely swayed because we share the same DNA, but I think this is his best show to date, even though he wouldn’t invite you to touch his artwork, like his lovely co-artist would.

All in all, “We Built This to Leave” is an eclectic blend of 3 different viewpoints on basically the same thing, our world.  The show is a great one to bring kids to as it can spark not only their creative spirit, which seems to remain right beneath if not plastered all over the surfaces of our children, but a good conversation about how humans affect the environment.  The show opens tonight, November 6th, and runs through November 29th.

Carrie Blankenship is the author of the blog Stop Screaming I’m Driving, where she attempts to tell her story of motherhood, as only she can.  She likes long walks in the park, dancing in the rain, and can be bribed to do just about anyting for a vanilla latte, extra foam.  Contact her with column suggestions or just say “hi” at carrieb[at]seattlemomblogs.com.  Or, .

Looking for something to do to combat the winter weather blues?  The MamasPod gals are always out and about enjoying different local activities with their kiddos.  Come and join us!  This Friday the 21st, we, and some of you we hear (yeah!), are headed North to the Imagine Children’s Museum in Everett.  It’s their Free Friday Night Live and admission will cost you nothing after 5:30pm!  They have lots of educational (and FUN!) exhibits to entertain you and your child and joining us will be a great way to forget that the sun sets at 4:26pm tomorrow.

If you can’t make it tomorrow (and even if you can), consider joining us for one of our future outings.  We are in the process of planning trips to some of our other favorite places; Seattle Children’s Museum, Seattle Aquarium, Museum of Flight, and other local venues.  Stay tuned for the next outing!

I know there’s a lot of fun stuff to do here. So why is it that half the time I find myself totally without ideas? Fortunately there are some local sites dedicated to helping parents scope out the best of our local possibilities.

The next time you have visitors from out-of-town, a birthday party to plan, or are just looking for something new to try, check out these great local sites.

1) Little Kids, Big City (http://www.nwsource.com/column/little-kids-big-city)

BloggerLora Shinn is a veritable treasure trove of great ideas for restaurants, wading pools, and more.

2) Savvy Source (http://seattle.savvysource.com/)

Local mom Bethany Dunn shares a wealth of info on fun things to do in our lovely city.

3) Mamaspod (www.mamaspod.com)

This is a great hands-free option for the mom on the go! Tune in as three local moms dish on what’s great (and not so great) to do in Seattle and the east-side.

4) Parent Map (http://parentmap.com/)

No list would be complete without including Parent Map, themust-visit sourcefor up-to-date listings of events and resources. Sign up for the weekly e-newsletter, which shows up every Thursday chock full of suggestions for weekend fun!

Did I miss your favorite website? Leave a comment and I’ll add it!

Jenny Blackburn. All Rights Reserved.

Catch more of Jenny Blackburns humorous anecdotes on being a mom, a woman, and a whole lot crazy at Absolutely Bananas.

Bainbridge Island gets lots of visitors, many from Seattle coming over for a ferry ride and a day of exploring. We still have a few more weeks here before school starts, so if you’re coming to the island with kids, I thought I’d share some tips from a local.

If you walk on (to the ferry, that is), you may enjoy:
1. Kidimu — a Blue Man exhibit, crafts, and an outdoor dig for dino bones are the current attractions.
2. Waterfront Park — a nice playground easy to walk to from the ferry, we locals visit regularly (it IS next to a grocery store!); events include Wednesday free concerts at 7pm for another week this summer and Saturday night movies in August, too. Rent kayaks and canoes down at the water, too.
3. Eagle Harbor Books — large kids books section with toys to play with while mom and dad shop; they also have storytimes and other events for kids of various ages.
4. Lollipops — located in the Winslow Mall, they have fine children’s clothing, with an old-fashioned play kitchen my child must always check on.
5. Winslow Green strip center — you can run on the lawn, up in the gazebo, shop for kids at Skookum’s, Calico Cat and Possum, and break for cookies and lattes at Bainbridge Bakers nearby (my favorite bakery because they have lots of parking, more tables, herb cheese sticks, and decaf drip coffee–hey, it’s harder to find than you think!).
6. Paper Products — my child always begs for balloons from here, next door to the downtown Winslow Drug drugstore which always has some interesting doodads my child adores.
7. Blackbird Bakery — located on the “main drag” of Winslow, local kids get their TOAST with jam (I’m serious) and animal-shaped cookies; for fun, sit at the window counter and see how many folks walking by will wave back at you (we got 9 in just a few minutes). If you’re a knitter, sneak around the corner to Churchmouse Yarns, an awesome shop with incredibly helpful staff for knitting dummies like me.
8. Teriyaki Town — located in Winslow Mall, this restaurant has taught my child the thrill of egg rolls and gyozos (and she eats the chicken and rice, too); order at the counter (great prices, huge portions and brown rice if you like) and take it to go for picnics.
9. Mora’s Ice Cream — the BEST ice cream, almost gelato, it’s so soft (unfortunately, kinda pricey and no child-sized cups, but their sprinkle portions are astronomical).
10. Town & Country — gourmet grocery store with salad bar that includes pasta salads my child is always willing to try, sandwiches ordered to go, and the best fried chicken on the island (for us health nuts). We love the dried mango downstairs in the bulk section. Walk down to Waterfront Park with your favorites.
11. Doc’s Marina Grill — walk a little farther down Winslow to Madison, down hill towards the boat marina and you can eat outside at Doc’s; their food is decent and they have a kids’ menu including hot dogs.
12. Pegasus Coffee House — next to Doc’s, if you get this far, they have a nice cozy inside and now an outdoor patio as well.
13. Casa Rojas — next to Kidimu in the Pavilion mall, they have lots of high chairs and many options on the kids’ menu, along with roving musicians and singers if you time it right (or wrong!). Don’t we all just want somewhere to have a margarita while the kids eat (or throw their food)?
14. Cafe Andante — the newest coffee shop on the island, they have grill cheese sandwiches, friendly staff, and GREAT hot chocolate if our Northwest weather turns on you during your visit.

Driving over? Check out these places outside of Winslow:
1. Battle Point Park — huge playground, duck pond, and currently osprey nesting on the water tower.
2. Aquatic Center — great indoor fun (so come in winter, too!), tunnel slide, lazy river, toddler pool, and rope swing (check for open swim hours online).
3. Bainbridge Gardens and New Rose Cafe — our local garden store where kids can run up and down rows of plants, pricey but comes with expertise (as for the cafe, it’s tasty, but beware, last time I ordered to food to go, they charged EXTRA for bagging it up).
4. Bloedel Reserve — a large private estate on the north end of the island that requires parking reservations; little feet will definitely want a stroller (however, some areas are not stroller-friendly) although bigger feet will enjoy the trails, the Japanese garden and open spaces; you’ll spend a minimum of 1 1/2 hours here. Check out the photo albums in the house; they have great shots of eaglets in a nearby nest.
5. Bainbridge Library — a frequent stop for locals on cloudy days, with an entire downstairs for kids’ books, toys, puzzles and fish tank.
6. Fay Bainbridge State Park — picturesque park blending playground and beach fun located on the far north tip of the island; it’s usually windy here, so be prepared.

After a long day of exploring, bribe the kids back on the ferry with promises of popcorn and chocolate milk (okay, beer for you parents), race car video gaming or a popsicle. Plan ahead for a ferry wait if you are driving on, particularly on Sunday afternoons in the summer when lines can be long.

I could go on and on (oh, looks like I already did!). Feel free to comment or email me if you have any questions about visiting our green island. We are a friendly bunch!

For more discussions on family life on Bainbridge Island, check out Wendy’s blog, Let the dog in!