The Arboretum

When the sun is shining in Seattle it is a glorious place to be!

On Monday the sun graced us with it's presence and

 we took the opportunity to go for a walk at the Lake Washington Arboretum.

The park is magnificent.

2300 Arboretum Drive East, Seattle, WA 98112

Experience "Corner View"

Hi!  I am back!  Arrived on the red-eye flight this morning from Seattle.  Can you say tired!  I am so tired.  Didn't sleep a wink.  Oh well!  Guess I will be hitting the pillow early tonight.  I think to really experience a city you need to get out there and try some of the local restaurants not just fast food restaurants.  Every time I go somewhere, I do a little homework and find the most talked about places to eat.  Molten Cakes is one of these talked about places.  Located in the pocket community of Ballard in Seattle, Molten Cakes not only serves some delicious cake, cookies, and brownies but makes and an amazing grilled cheese.  I had the grilled cheese and this Peanut Butter Molten Cake! Every single bite was perfection and to top it off I got to enjoy it with my friend Jennifer and her daughter.  If you are ever in Seattle take a minute to visit Molten Cakes.  You won't regret it!  You may want to visit the locks if you are out the way too.  A totally fun experience!

5427 Ballard Ave NW, Seattle, WA 98107

Corner View is a weekly gathering - each Wednesday - created by Jane of Spain Daily, where bloggers from all corners of the world share their view on a pre-arranged theme. If you'd like to join in, please leave a link to your Corner View post in the comments below, and be sure to visit other participants too.

Walk of my Dreams "Corner View"

photo borrowed from google images

As of late, this photo has captured my imagination and dreams.  It is Lake Bled in Slovenia. Currently, I am working on trying to make visiting this destination a possibility come next fall.  If you have been here, I would love your suggestions of things to do and see while I am in the area.  Looking to go for a week.  Well, I am off on another adventure.  I am leaving for Seattle to visit my good friend Jennifer and her family.  Avery is coming with me!  It will be her first trip to Seattle and will put her at 8 states since she has come to America.  So off I go to stock the refrigerator for the gang who is staying here at home and to fold laundry "lucky me"  Have a great day!
Corner View is a weekly gathering - each Wednesday - created by Jane of Spain Daily, where bloggers from all corners of the world share their view on a pre-arranged theme. If you'd like to join in, please leave a link to your Corner View post in the comments below, and be sure to visit other participants too.

A Night Out!

Back in December, Frank and I had the opportunity to go out to dinner with our good friends Simona, Marco, Ulga, and Michele.  The evening started out with me sending Frank and text with the above photo of me that said Can't wait to go out with you tonight.  I splurged and went to the Dry Bar!  I love that place.  I wish I could afford to go every day!  What is Dry Bar, it is a hair salon where they just wash and style your hair.  Love it! Then it was off to the city.  Nana watched the children for us! We went to Kings and Duke.  Loved the decor, music was a little to loud, but and sadly the chef killed my steak,  The salad was fantastic and it was so fun hanging out with our friends.  Frank and I need to do this more often.  Actually, this year we have it a goal to go out on more dates with each other.  So far this year we went to lunch at California Pizza Kitchen, went to see the movie Unbroken, and went to the temple.  Not too shabby!

New Years Eve

Only a couple weeks later, but as you can tell we had a fun little pre-party.  Pre-party as in 5 p.m. because one said teenager had a dance to go to that ended up at midnight and that is just how we roll with toddlers.  So grateful despite a hard year last year, I am so greatful for good friends and my family.  

Plate "Corner View"

One could go in so many directions with the word plate as in literally and I could show you some of my favorite dishes.  My husband just bought me the most gorgeous serving dish in Mexico and two years ago I bought a lovely serving plate in Italy.  Then you could go to the reference we have here in America (not sure if the saying applies in other countries) I have too much on my plate.  That I do! Today I have so much going on it is nuts.  I have to curl my hair, drop the girls off at school, go to a funeral for a friend, who died this weekend after fighting a long battle with cancer, take my father to a doctors appointment because he can't remember where he is suppose to go, and pick up dinner, and be home in time for our one year appointment with the social worker to show that Avery is thriving in our home.  The social worker appointment is mandatory by the Chinese government.  I am fine with it, but will be glad it is the last one.  It always kind of throws the family into a tizzy as the children feel it is an invasion to their privacy.  You can also take plate in reference to a favorite food dish.  I love this one salad made by California Pizza Kitchen.  I could eat it once a week , but I don't.  It is so yummy.  It is called Thai Chicken Crunch Salad.  It has Napa cabbage,carrot, cucumber, edaname,rice noodles, fried won tons, peanuts, chicken, avocado, with a peanut spicy dressing.  It is so refreshing!  I love it!  Well, as I said my plate is full today, so I am off.

A Little Inspiration

Hi! How was your weekend? Mine was pretty good! Roman and Addy returned to German School on Saturday. Everyone loved the muffins!  I think they could use a little more sugar, but at least I don't have to feel guilty eating them. Frank and I went to a movie! We went to see the movie Unbroken! It has had me thinking all weekend.  Not that there are any answer to these questions, but for example how is it that 70 years later we still are still fighting in wars, how can we in one moment be competing in Olympic games and the next killing those we just competed against, and why does a father get killed in Paris at work.  It also got me thinking about our family dynamics of having a daughter who is Chinese and from a communist country.  Could we someday go to war against her ancestors?  How do we somehow forget that a mother had the same aspirations and dreams for her child as we do for ours, but find justification for killing that child.  At the same time I feel so much gratitude for all the Men and Woman who have fought in these wars that I may live free under a democratic government. On another note, I had some time on the cruise to read.  I read the book Focus by Noelle Pikus. Noelle was the Olympic Silver Medalist in the Sochi Winter Games for the Woman's Skeleton. I loved her book! Even better is her TED talk she gave! So worth watching; especially, if you are looking for a little inspiration to start the new year. How are you going to live this year?  Do you allow the frictions in life to slow you down?

One more thing, my 7 year old told me had a crush on a girl from German School (Megan).  He said to me as we were walking to the car that he wanted to marry her.  In his words, When she is 28 and I am 27 it won't matter that she is older than me.  "no joke"  he said this with real sincerity. He is the first of the boys to announce they like someone.  He is growing up way to fast.  Breaking this mamas heart.  Well, I need to run!  It is Monday and our refrigerator is bare and I need to sign up my oldest for a class at the community college to help him with his writiing if they will allow him to attend.  Have an awesome day!

Guilt Free Breakfast Muffins, A Good Movie, and a Sweet Face

Hello Weekend!  Can't believe we are almost 2 weeks into the new year.  This year is going to fly by as our family calander is filling will so many wonderful things like a boy who is turning 16, a boy who is turning 8 and who is going to get baptized, a wonderful husband who is turning 50, my mother-in-law and nephew are coming from Germany and we are going to DisneyWorld, a trip to Seattle for me at the end of the month, and the list goes on!  Anyway back to the sweet face, she has a new dog.  She lost her little huskey on the cruise and so we found this doggie in the toy box.  She was so happy.  I am so excited to take these muffins to German School in the morning to share with the other moms. The thing about them is that you don't have to feel guilty eating them.  They are low fat, Gluten free, and low in sugar.  The low in sugar will be perfect for the German crowd because most bakery items in the states are just too sweet for them; however, for most Americans I would venture to say they are not sweet enough.  In this case, replacing the coconut sugar with real sugar would do the trick.  Looking for a good movie to watch?  I saw this movie this week and loved it!  It made me laugh and cry.  I love the scene where the young men are being introduced to their new apartment in the United States and the represenative gives them a jello mold.  They had no idea what to do with it and I love the scene where they get a total kick out of the joke Why did the chicken cross the road. What are you up to this weekend?   I am looking forward to my husband coming home from Chicago tonight.  He has been gone all week, and boy do I miss him.  

One Year! Twinkle "Corner View"

Ok, I know this is cheating just a little, but she does bring a Twinkle to my eye!  Can you believe it has been one year since we flew to China and this little girl became forever our?  I can't!  I flew by so fast!  We adore her and are so happy she joined our family.  I know the video is long, so watch when you have a few moments to relax.  Love you Avery and thank you everyone for following our journey this past year with Avery.

Corner View is a weekly gathering - each Wednesday - created by Jane of Spain Daily, where bloggers from all corners of the world share their view on a pre-arranged theme. If you'd like to join in, please leave a link to your Corner View post in the comments below, and be sure to visit other participants too.

Costa Maya, Cozumel, and the end of of our Cruise

Costa Maya was or next destination which also was Christmas day.  Originally, we had planned to go to some ruins but in the end canceled as everyone was a little tired.  One might think spending Christmas on a cruise ship to be strange and in a way it is, but at the same time it can be really fun. The ship had a meet and greet with Santa in the morning where he passed out small little gifts to the children and some candy.  Frank and Winston went ashore and had a nice little shopping trip. Sunglasses were bought, a few t-shirts, chocolate, a pair of earrings and a beautiful porcelain bowl for me.  In the evening we enjoyed a fantastic dinner and then a Christmas show.  It was a pretty relaxingly day.  The following day we docked in Cozumel and Frank and the boys went scuba diving.  Frank is only a couple dives away from becoming a master diver.  Harris isn't too far behind. Some how I managed to read four books while we were on the cruise.  We had one more day at sea and then it was time to return to Atlanta.  Cruises may not be for everyone.  While everyone talks about how amazing the food it, I would say it is OK not fantastic not bad.  The one thing they offer for us is the opportunity to relax.  We have now been home almost a week.  I am finally caught up on our laundry, had the opportunity to go to the gym a couple times this week, the refrigerator is stocked, we went to see the movie Into the Woods, both the older boys went to parties with friends from church, Harris went golfing and to a dance.  He also went to see the Hobbit.  I went to see the new Annie movie.  I cried.  I am such a big baby.  I have always loved the music from this soundtrack.  I used to no all the words, but now that they have changed some of the songs I am going to have to learn the new scores.  Wish the girls had been old enough to see this one with me.  Now we are resting and getting ready for school to start next week.