Enchantment planning

Earlier this spring, Clint and I (and a few of our friends) put our names into the lottery to get passes to camp in the Enchantments this year. Clint actually won, and was awarded 8 passes for the weekend of Aug 23-25. Clint, Matt, Duane, Matt, Gemma, Ben, Amanda and I have all been looking forward to the trip, and now it's coming up quick!

Last Wednesday, we met up and had a planning party. Matt and Gemma hosted and ordered pizza (YUM!), and were ready to discuss. They laid out a map of the area under their glass table top so we could draw on it with white board pens (so fun), and had some of their gear out so we could talk about what to bring. We dialed in Ben and Amanda via FaceTime since they are in Portland, and got down to business.

We decided on things like what route to take, who would bring what, meal planning, and other fun stuff. We brought up our concerns (like how difficult this is gonna be, and how many bug bites we're anticipating), but also talked about the fun stuff like how amazing this trip will be and how beautiful we've heard it is. I really am looking forward to it (once we get past the hard hike on day 1) and get a chance to see all the gorgeous lakes. It's supposed to be the most beautiful hike in the state.

gettin down to business

We'll be leaving Thursday after work and staying in a hotel that night in Leavenworth so we can be ready to go early Friday morning. We'll hike in to Snow Lake from the trailhead on Icicle Creek Road where we'll camp for the first night. The second day, we will leave the heavy gear behind and day hike around the Upper Enchantment Lake Zone. We're debating what off shoots to take since there a couple day hikes that are worth checking out once we're up there. We'll head over to Aasgard Pass, but thankfully we'll only be looking at it from the top. If we were to hike it, it'd be a 2300 foot elevation gain in less than a mile, yikes!

map - we'll start at the Snow Lakes Trailhead
in the upper right, camp at Upper Snow Lake, hike
around the Core Enchantment Zone on day 2, then
hike back out the same way on day 3

some of the views we'll see

probably will see a few goats,
they're attracted to your pee

After checking out the Enchantments, we'll head back to camp in the same place for the night, and hike out the way we came in. Should be quite the challenge, but an awesome experience!

Hike to Poo Poo

In preparation for our big hiking trip this weekend to the Enchantment Lakes, Clint and I went on a day hike a couple weekends ago. I know of friends that have hiked the Poo Poo Point trail, and from pictures it looks like a pretty cool lookout point. It's about 4 miles to the top, and you gain 1650 feet in elevation. This is nothing compared to the 10 miles and 6000 foot elevation gain we'll make on day 1 of our trip...but it sounded like a good starting point.

Saturday morning, we headed out to Issaquah and parked in the Issaquah HS parking lot. The trail starts right behind the tennis courts. We also decided to bring our packs in order to get used to hiking with them again, and to make the trek a little more difficult. Clint set his watch and got the GPS turned on, and we were set!

setting the GPS

c'mon, take a picture with me!

trailhead - 3.8 miles to Poo Poo

The hike up was difficult at times, but mostly due to the weight on my back. The trail wasn't too busy, so we only crossed paths with people a couple times. The weather was perfect, not too hot while hiking in the shade.

one of the few times I was in the lead

halfway point at the bridge crossing

almost there!

We made it to the top in two hours, and took in the gorgeous view. You can see all of Issaquah, I-90, and the sky scrapers of Bellevue. It was a little hazy out, but we still had blue sky.

Clint and I parked ourselves on the para-gliding take-off point and had a snack while we rested up. Popcorn, almonds, and chocolate chips...yum?

pooped at Poo Poo

panoramic shot

Just as we were about to make our way down the trail, we lucked out as a group of para-gliders arrived ready to take off! We stuck around to watch and got some cool photos and video. It was pretty amazing how quickly they're up and out of there. So cool to watch.

The weather got a little overcast, and a bit cold, so we decided to get out of there. We hustled down the hill as thunder storms hit. Luckily, we only got sprinkled on towards the end, and by time we got back to the car it had stopped. I knew I would be sore the next day (or two), but it's always so rewarding to finish a hike and be heading home.

Baby fever

No, not me...but my friends sure have it!

Seems like babies are poppin up (or out) everywhere these days. I know of 6 ladies in my office that are on or about to be on maternity leave, crazy! I've been warned it's in the water...so I've been bringing in my own.

But I wanted to use this post to congratulate my close friends who have become or are about to become new mommies. I'm so excited for you all, and can't wait to be their favorite auntie!

Erica had her second little boy 6 months ago on February 17th. From when I met Luke, and the photos I've seen, he seems to be the happiest baby ever. Always smiling, and so cute. Congrats to you and the fam, Erica...so excited for Dylan to have a little brother!

happy baby

brothers

Char and Ko recently had their first baby...Sebastian. From photos, I can tell he is the most adorable thing ever. He was born June 28th, so he's still just a little guy. Congrats you guys, can't wait to meet him!

SO adorable

family of 4: Pookie, Char, Ko, and little Seabass

My childhood friend Sarah just had her first baby as well. Sweet little Emma Lee was born on August 5th, adding another girl to the Bankston clan.

Sarah with her sisters and mom ready to pop -
just a couple days before Emma Lee arrived

baby Emma, 3 days old

Weiner is expecting her 2nd, this time a boy. Baby Max should be here in September, which will make Maeve a big sister. Can't wait for him to get here and meet the little guy face to face. Hurry up, Max!

Maureen and her two little ones

My friend Rachel recently found out that she is expecting, and I couldn't be more excited for her and Peter. The two of them will be great parents. They find out soon if Baby Cougan will be a he or a she!

Congrats, Cougans!

Recipes

Lately I've been trying to make more of my meals at home instead of dining out or snacking on processed foods for dinner. I've come across a few recipes that turned out really good, so I thought I'd share.

Cauliflower Pizza Crust

Who knew cauliflower could trick me into thinking it was pizza dough, but surprisingly these are delicious! I found the recipe on Brenna's blog (which she found from Mimosas in the Morning), and had to try it myself. They aren't quite the same as the real deal, but they turn out so yummy and cheesy.

Ingredients:
1 cup cooked, riced cauliflower
1 cup shredded cheese (I used 3/4 mozzarella and 1/4 Parmesan)
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp crushed garlic
1/2 tsp garlic salt
pizza sauce, shredded cheese and your choice of toppings

Instructions:
To “rice” the Cauliflower: 
Take 1 large head of fresh cauliflower, remove stems and leaves, and chop the florets into chunks. Add to food processor and pulse until it looks like grain/rice. Be careful not to over-do the pulsing or you will puree it. Place the riced cauliflower in a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 5 minutes (No need to add water, the natural moisture in the cauliflower is enough to cook itself).

To Make the Pizza Crust: 
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray. In a medium bowl, stir together 1 cup cauliflower, egg and mozzarella. Add oregano, crushed garlic and garlic salt, stir. Transfer to the cookie sheet, and using your hands, pat out into a 7-9″ round. Bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes.

Remove from oven. To the crust, add sauce, cheese and toppings. Place under a broiler at high heat just until cheese is melted (approx 3-4 minutes).

cauliflower pizza crust

Mexican Street Corn
I found this recipe on Pinterest, and the picture looked delicious. I gave it a try, and it did not disappoint. It was, however, very messy. The second time I made it, I ended up cutting the corn off the cob and then mixing in all the ingredients. Kinda like a corn salad...still very good and easy to eat.

Ingredients:
4 large ears corn
butter
sea or kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup mayonnaise (I actually used greek yogurt and it was still delicious)
1 + 1/2 cups Queso Fresco, crumbled or Cotija or Parmesan cheese, grated
4 tablespoons fresh cilantro, minced
4 teaspoons chile powder
1 lime, cut into four wedges

Instructions: 
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Brush corn lightly with butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast 20-25 minutes. Alternately you can grill or boil it. Working with one ear of corn at time brush with mayonnaise, sprinkle with cheese, cilantro and chile powder, pressing it onto the corn to help it stick. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Serve with lime wedges.

mexican street corn

Ground Turkey Lettuce Wraps

This next recipe was sent to me in the SassyFit newsletter (the bootcamp workout I used to do at Gas Works Park). Every now and then they send out healthy recipes, and this one looked good. I had wanted to find a recipe to use the butter lettuce my mom grew in her yard and shared with me, and then this recipe shows up in my inbox! It's a healthy take on P.F. Chang's lettuce wraps, and they are delicious.

Ingredients:
1 tsp Sesame Oil
1 pound 99/1 Lean Ground Turkey
1/2 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
2 cloves Garlic, minced
1 tbsp fresh Ginger, minced or grated
1 tbsp Oyster Sauce
1/2 tbsp fresh Lime juice
2 tbsp Soy Sauce
1/2 cup Water Chestnuts, minced
1 bunch Scallions, minced
1 head Butter Lettuce, leaves separated, cleaned, and dried

Instructions:
Heat sesame oil over medium heat. Add ground turkey and brown, breaking apart into small pieces until cooked thoroughly. Drain and set aside. Combine pepper flakes, garlic, ginger, oyster sauce, lime juice, and soy sauce and add to sauté pan, sauteeing for 30 seconds.

Add turkey, water chestnuts, and scallions, and cook until heated through. Place into lettuce cups, and enjoy!

ground turkey lettuce cups

Favorite things

My friend Jingle has done a couple of these posts where she talks about her favorite things, so I thought I'd join her and share some of my own. Some of these may be helpful and inspire you to try them out yourself, where some are just weird and quirky and only I will appreciate them. But here goes...

fitbit
I purchased a fitbit about a month ago after Boeing started a company wide initiative called Boeing on the Move. Basically, they have you form teams, send you a pedometer, and have you track your daily steps and compete against other teams. If you reached an average of 12k steps a day, you would get a $100 gift card. I preemptively spent mine on one of these, and I love it. It's a bracelet you wear all day long (even at night and in the shower), so it can track a variety of things and display it all for you on the app on your phone. It'll tell you how many steps you've taken, distance, number of very active minutes, calories burned, etc. It will even track your sleep and let you know how many time you were restless or awake in any given night. Another fun feature is that you can link up with your friends and challenge each other. Your weekly stats are posted so that you can fight for the number 1 spot. A little silly, but it does work as motivation to get up from my desk and move more.

fitbit flex

Jawbone JAMBOX
This was on Jingle's list, but I love mine too so I'm posting it as well. My friend Duane brought his out on the boat, and I thought it was the coolest thing ever. This little speaker box (although I have the larger one which isn't so little) produces so much sound! It syncs to your phone, iPad, or anything with bluetooth so you can play music. I also use it to enhance the speaker quality on my iPad when I watch movies or tv on it. It's been great to have outside, and anyone can connect to it to play their own music. It can even be used as a speaker phone, so I've thought about bringing it along in the car with me. I've already gotten a lot of use out of it, and so happy I splurged on the big one.

Jawbone JAMBOX

eos lip balm
I came across this chapstick while I was checking out at the Wax Bar (they have the cutest stuff there, and I'm suckered into buying something I don't need every single time). The one I got was normal shaped, and looked like any other chapstick. Then I lost it, and of course the Wax Bar didn't have them anymore. I was bummed cause I loved the scent and it goes on so smooth, it's like heaven for your lips. Then I started to see these weird shaped little balls, and noticed it was the same brand! I snatched one up and have been hooked ever since. The ball shape makes them even more fun. My favorite scent is honeydew, although I just noticed on their website one called medicated tangerine. I bet that one is all sorts of tingly fun, so I'll be trying that one next.

eos lip balm

Trader Joe's
It's no secret that Trader Joe's is my favorite place to shop (for groceries that is, apparently for clothes it would be the Rack). I love finding new things to try and hearing what other people always buy there, because it seems like there's always something new to discover! I was there with Clint a while back, and the sample table had cilantro and jalapeño hummus. They were serving it on pita chips with cucumber slices, and it was ohmigod so good. I've bought it four times since. I keep meaning to try making my own version to see how it turns out, but I get nervous and just go for the stuff I know I love. If you haven't come across this on your own yet, get it now.

Cilantro & Jalapeño Hummus

Another staple I buy every time is their plain greek yogurt. It is by far my favorite yogurt, and I use it for everything. To eat plain, with pomegranate seeds, and as a substitute for mayo in chicken or tuna salad, sour cream on tacos, and even to make tartar sauce. So versatile!

Plain Greek Yogurt

Benefit BADgal lash mascara
Kylee introduced me to this mascara a few years ago when she bought it for me for my birthday. She said it was her favorite, and it quickly became mine. Each time I run out, I try to branch out and try a new brand, but I always come back to this one. It makes my lashes look long, and never clumps. Thanks, Kylee!

BAD gal lash

Electrolux Ergorapido Ion Stick & Hand Held Vacuum
I love to vacuum. I love hearing the dirt get sucked up into the tube and rattle around...so rewarding. Back when I had the cats, I had to vacuum every other day to keep up with their shedding coats. I did not love it so much back then. But now, this little beauty has restored my love. It even takes away the part I hated...lugging out the vacuum from a closet, and having to deal with a cord. This thing is so light, no cords, and it sits on it's charging dock in the laundry room where it's so easy to get to. It glides around my hardwood floors, and even has a light so you can find the stuff in the dark corners. It's super easy to clean, and it even has a detachable dust buster, how great is that?! It's not the best for carpets, but it does get the big chunks before company comes over. If you're thinking of getting something similar, I did my research and think this is the best one. It has an ion battery, so it stays charged longer. I also bought one by Hoover, but it was so hard to push around I ended up returning it for this.

Electrolux cordless vacuum

Pocket Hose

My grandpa actually discovered this for me when he bought himself one after seeing it on tv. After hearing about it and seeing how it worked, I thought about getting one for myself. Then, my mom went and bought one for me! I love it. It expands in seconds, and is so compact when I'm not using it. It's perfect in my backyard since I have to water the plants everyday, and it just shrinks back up when I'm done. No more winding up the hose!

Pocket Hose

Crappy TV

Embarrassingly, part of my tv addiction includes crappy tv. Not to be confused with trashy tv...I don't keep up with the Kardashians, and I probably couldn't identify a real housewife (from any region) even if my life depended on it. No, I enjoy watching tv that to anyone else would be considered crap. I know it's bad, but I just can't seem to help myself. Right now I'm stuck on the current season of Big Brother (like I am every summer), and Pretty Little Liars (yes, I know it's on ABC Family).

Big Brother has been good in the past, but not this time around. I don't like any of the players, and I'm not rooting for any of them to win. Yet, I still find myself watching (3 times a week no less!) and getting sucked into the drama.

Big Brother 15

I got hooked on PLL (that's what us fans call it) when my friend Sarah came for a visit. We found it on Netflix and proceeded to watch 8 episodes in a row until we got too tired to keep our eyes open. I finished watching seasons 1-3, and am currently watching it each week now that the new season is on. Season finale is just 2 shows away, yay!

Pretty Little Liars

Seafair Saturday

Oh Seafair, you lure me back every time.

Clint and I had planned to go on another overnight hiking trip this year and opt out of Seafair shenanigans...but when an invitation to go out on a boat comes along, it's hard to turn it down.

Clint's friend Matt owns a sailboat, and made the last minute decision to take it out. I invited Colleen to come along with us, along with Clint and Matt's friends Jen and Kyle. The day started out overcast, but we were optimistic that it would burn off. If anything, it couldn't possibly be as bad as the year it down poured on us.

We were right. As soon as we got out on the water, the clouds parted and we could see blue sky. It was as if the sun was only shining down on Seafair.

Jen in control of the boat - she headed
straight for shore before Kyle took over

representing Texas - upside down

Clint and his Sefair beads

After going through the cut and under the 520 bridge, we headed out and found a spot to watch the airshow. This year, the Blue Angels left us and the Patriots tried to fill their spot. The show was still entertaining, they did some cool tricks and left red, white and blue smoke streaked across the sky...but they just weren't the same. They were no where near as loud, and definitely not deserving of the Top Gun soundtrack.

Patriots

blue sky comin out

watching the airshow

how we used to do Seafair - not so much anymore
now that we're 30+

After the show, we met up with JJ, Tommy, and Kimmy and tied our boats up for a bit.

Kimmy and Matt

Tommy and I

Me and Colleen

JJ celebrating America

We then made our way to the south side of I-90 where the real action happens. Kyle maneuvered us around as we dodged water balloons and squirt guns, until we decided to reel it in and head back.

Back at the dock, we unloaded all our stuff and moved the party to Clint's place. We listened to some of Clint's records, freshened up, then headed out into the Capitol Hill night life. 

We started out with cream cheese hot dogs for dinner (of course), visited with a goat, then on to Poquitos and finally ended the night with dancing at Havana. It was a long day which made for quite a lazy Sunday, but we had a blast.

just me, Kimmy, and a goat