Go Climb A Mountain - Free Entrance Days in the National Parks

Here is the Pacific Northwest we are lucky to be surrounded with amazing options for outdoor activities.  Within an hour we can be hiking deep into an old growth forest or climbing mountains.  One of the reasons we have this bounty available to us, is the commitment to preserve these green spaces for public use.  In addition to the many state parks and community spaces, the National Parks System has several parks within driving distance with the most famous being Mt. Rainier and the Olympic National Park.  This weekend, no matter where you are in the United States, you can enjoy these historic wonders for yourself.  As part of it's 100th Birthday, the National Parks Service is opening all of it's parks for free!  That's right, no entrance fee at the more than 400 National Parks throughout the country.  So grab your hiking shoes, pack a lunch and go enjoy the tranquility of nature.

Love Is Love - Pride Parade

Every year we head downtown to celebrate our LGBT community and love with thousands of other people at the Seattle Pride Parade.  The parade has an energy of it's own, driven by the music, sights and spirit of the attendees.  The overall mood is one of joy and celebration, unabashed revelry, happiness and, simply,  Pride.  Pride in who you are, who you surround yourself with, who supports you.  These are important themes in how we are raising our boys. This year's pride served as a counterbalance to the tragedy in Orlando which also opened a dialogue about love and loss.  It was invigorating to be around so much delight and  emotion. 

Celebrate The Year of the Horse! - Lunar New Year

 

Dragons...That's all it should take to entice you to the Lunar New Year celebration in the International District.  To celebrate the New Year the international district puts on quite the shindig with dancing,  parades, food tasting, kid's costume contest and so much more. So head down to the ID and celebrate the Year of the Horse...and keep an eye out for Dragons.  More Info

Frightful Family Fun - Halloween Hoopla

Happy May The Fourth and Free Comic Book Day!

Happy Pi Day!

 

HAPPY PI DAY!

You Spin Me Round - Holiday Carousel @ Westlake

If you already feel like you're going in circles this holiday season, then stop by the Holiday Carousel at Westlake Park to have a few enjoyable turns for a good cause.  The Holiday Carousel is a Seattle tradition that benefits Treehouse, a wonderful support program for foster children.  The best part is how quickly a few turns on a galloping horse can reinvigorate your holiday spirit and create a lasting tradition that will make you return year after year.  The carousel is open through January 1st.

Holiday Carousel Hours of Operation*
Monday-Thursday 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Friday 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.
Saturday 10 a.m. – 10 p.m.
Sunday 10 a.m. – 9 p.m.

Special Hours
Dec. 24, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Dec. 25 Closed
Dec. 31, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Jan.1, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Snuggle up - Teddy Bear Suite

 

Everybody loves teddy bears.  Even the most jaded of teens will not not walk away from a Teddy without a soft pat to it's head.  That's what makes the Teddy Bear Suite at the Fairmont Olympic Hotel so special. An annual event for many years, the Teddy Bear Suite converts a suite at the hotel to a wondrous place full of 

teddy bears of every size.  The suite is open daily from 10a.m. - 7p.m. through December 26th. It's free to go, but donations are being accepted to benefit Seattle Children's Hospital. http://www.fairmont.com/seattle/promotions/festive-events/

Tasty Architecture - 20th Annual Gingerbread Houses

For the past 20 years Seattle’s top architecture firms have teamed up with the Downtown Sheraton's culinary team to create amazing gingerbread houses.  Each year a theme is offered (this year's theme is Once Upon a Time) and these teams pool their imaginations and skills, building massive structures that embrace the whimsy and wonder of youth.  Each of the structures is fantastic from a distance, but they truly shine up close.  Each of them is packed full of fine details and hidden sights.  The display will be up from November 20th thru January 1st.  http://gingerbreadvillage.myevent.com/

 

Rocket To The Top - Visit Santa Atop The Space Needle

From now through the end December you can visit the jolliest of elves at the top of space needle for free.  All you have to do is head to Bartell Drugs and pick up your FREE voucher good for one free adult or two youth tickets with the purchase of one adult ticket.  So if you have visitors coming into town and want to show them the birds eye view of your hometown, grab this voucher and do it on the cheap.

Drink Up - National Free Slurpee Day!

There are few things that refresh on a hot day like a Slurpee.   And tomorrow 7-11 and Mother Nature are conspiring together to give us both for free.  Every year on July 11th 7-11 celebrates it's birthday by giving away free Slurpees.  So from 11a.m. to 7 p.m. head to your nearest 7-11 and enjoy a cold refreshing Slurpee on the house!

Watch the Sky Explode – Family Fourth on Lake Union

Every year the skies above hundreds of cities in the country light up in celebration of our country.  We happen to be in one of the top 10 cities in the countries to watch the sky explode. The Family 4^th at Lake Union isn’t just about the fireworks though.  This year the entire perimeter of Lake Union has activities for the whole family.   Lake Union Park is the home of The Center for Wooden Boats which is celebrating its 36^th annual Lake Union Wooden Boat Festival.  The Festival allows you to tour several historic boats and build your own toy boat among other activities. Lake Union Park will also host one of two stages providing live music throughout the day.  The other stage is located as what is arguably the center of the party – Gasworks Park.  Gasworks not only has one of the live music stages, but it is also host to a large amount family friendly activities.  Inflatable play center for the kids, dual slides, Microsoft Kinect Zone, and a giant zipline….Gasworks will have something for everyone.   So bring your sunscreen and umbrella, this is Seattle, and celebrate the Fourth! Family 4th at Lake Union

Big Shoes

This being Father’s Day I would be remiss if I didn’t talk about my dad.   The saying of “big shoes to fill” doesn’t begin to establish the sheer measurements we’re talking about here.   Being the father of twelve kids couldn’t have been an easy task. Through it my Dad not only managed to retain his sanity, he also, along with my Mom, imparted some very important lessons to us.  First: Be Yourself.  All the times I came home with a shaved head, colored hair, piercings and even tattoos, my Dad may not have been happy about it, but he never once told me I was wrong.  Second:  Live Life.  It seems like a long time ago that I called my Dad to tell him the Niki and I were planning on selling our house in Seattle to buy an RV and see the country.  I fully expected my father, the financial advisor, to tell me how bad a decision we were making for our future.  Instead, he told us to do it while we were young and to have fun.  Which brings me to the third, and possibly most important lesson: Have Fun.   Raising such a large, diverse family had to be a daunting task, but our parents had fun.  I’m not talking card tricks and juggling, but the little things everyday: Bonfires, camping, backyard volleyball, cooking  and, my all-time favorite, the spontaneous singing and dancing in the kitchen.   All of these lessons helped make me who I am today and I hope I can pass them on to my boys with the same strength of conviction, integrity and love that my Dad gave me.  Happy Father’s Day Dad.