Weekend Escape in the PNW

Sometimes the bosslady gets to escape our beautiful wine country and get back to her roots further north where the trees meet the ocean on an island called Whidbey. The nephews got to experience a new beach, she got some good quality time sitting watching the sun go down with her pops and she even managed to drag the entire family up Mount Baker for a mini weekend adventure!

Double Bluff beach was full of driftwood forts, sandy and rocky beaches and a bluff for the boys to climb up and slide on back down. This was day #1 and they were off to a good start!

: serenity among the chaos

: forts everywhere!

: double bluff beach

Day #2 consisted of painting rocks and hiding them at the beach. Whidbey Island Rocks is a great game to play! People paint rocks, hide them, you find them and keep or rehide. Some of them are just gorgeous! Keep your eye out for cleverly painted rocks while you are walking along the beaches there! It helps the kids want to leave the video games behind and get out in nature. Then it was sunset at Deception Pass State Park with her pops. He can’t get around as well but still enjoys the beauty surrounding him and spending time with the bosslady…

: seriously want to live on that tiny island!

: everyone gathering for the sunset!

: Deception Pass in the background!

Day #3 was the trip up to the top of Mount Baker. It is visible from the driveway of her pops and yet she hadn’t been up there since she was a kid…so everyone got packed up and drove the 2 hours to the most beautiful place they had experienced in quite a while. The lady working the Maple Falls Visitor Center was wonderful!! She told us a few spots to hit that would be easy with the kids and the aging pops. She was so excited to share this beautiful place! First stop was Nooksack Falls. Um, one MUST go here!!!! It is turquoise glacier water falling 80 feet over these amazing rock formations covered in plants! Once you think you have seen the most beautiful part of the mountain, head on up the steep winding road to be amazed at Picture Lake. Seriously…you drive right up next to this small lake surrounded by young trees, mountains and wildflowers. Sounds amazing right? Ok, pull yourself together now and keep going up to the top of the mountain to Artist Point. You will know you’ve reached it because it is the end of the road. It is July and there is snow! 70 degrees in flip flops, jeans and a t-shirt having a snowball fight with the nephews! Then of course the bosslady had to check out the valley on the other side and gracefully slipped and fell on her booty and slid down about 15 feet till she reached the path. Can’t go anywhere without falling! The views were just amazing! Can’t wait to go up and hike this gorgeous mountain!