Teething puppy

Mister Jackson is going through a pretty rough teething phase right now. I don’t really remember Aspen teething this much at this stage; however, I remember her being particularly challenging at 4 1/2 months, so she was probably teething and I just didn’t realize it. Our poor buddy is not very happy this week, given the fact that half of his mouth is toothless and he has his adult teeth poking their way through his sensitive gums. Hopefully this passes quickly!

Chewing on his kong. We stuck peanut butter inside of it and then froze it.
Chewing on his kong. We stuck peanut butter inside of it and then froze it.

We are providing a lot of ice for him to chew on, as well as his kong toy with frozen peanut butter and his usual bones and other hard chew toys. Hopefully this helps him feel more comfortable!

I wonder what he's thinking??
I wonder what he’s thinking??

In other Jackson news, he is doing great. We are missing puppy class this week due to a work conflict, but I am hopeful that the remaining sessions will hone in on “stay,” “emergency recall,” and “drop it,” which we have not learned yet. I do really like our puppy classes structure; however, there are a lot of things I had expected we would have worked on by now that we haven’t, so that is disappointing. Last week our puppy class was canceled due to the “oppressive heat.” It was 80 degrees. Give me a break!! We are so looking forward to getting back to class and hope that they can teach us something new next week.

Jackson and me hanging out in the shade.
Jackson and me hanging out in the shade.

Fun facts about Jackson as a 4 1/2 month old pup:

  • Jackson weighs 42 pounds (as of 8.12.13).
  • Our little guy’s coat is getting so much darker! He has a beautiful golden tone to his soft coat.
  • The cats continue to amaze us with how well they are doing with their dog brother, even as he gets bigger and bigger. I am waiting for the day that I find Jackson curled up in his bed with Oliver or Henry.
  • Probably going along with his teething, Jackson has been particularly whiny for the last week or so. He may also be going through another period of fear.
  • After many weeks of digestive issues we finally figured out that Jackson’s canned food was causing him an upset stomach. It seems like we’ve gotten that sorted out by eliminating the canned food and sticking to kibble.
  • Since there is more nutritional value in a lot of canned/dehydrated foods than most kibble I am hoping we can find a canned or dehydrated food to supplement his kibble in the future.
  • Jackson discovered {i.e. remembered} that he can jump over the seats from the back of our SUV into the backseat while we were driving to our camping location last week. We were not thrilled that he reminded himself he could do that since it’s not super safe. We’ll be looking into one of those annoying barrier things to put up to keep him in the back…
  • Action Jackson still has yet to fall in love with playing fetch. We’re going to keep working on it….
  • Since we haven’t had puppy class for a while, Jackson hasn’t learned anything new. I have decided to take matters into my own hands and this week Jackson will be learning “stay.”
Jackson jumped over the seats in the car and passed out right behind me.
Jackson jumped over the seats in the car and passed out right behind me.
Alex & Jackson
Alex & Jackson
Action Jackson on the move!
Action Jackson on the move!
Jackson loves his cat brothers.
Jackson loves his cat brothers.
Such a sweetie.
Such a sweetie.

Weekend in the north cascades

Another great weekend away spent with wonderful friends in the wilderness! Our latest camping trip was up in the North Cascades at a campground called Horseshoe Cove.

Our campsite at Horseshoe Cove in Concrete, WA
Our campsite at Horseshoe Cove in Concrete, WA

Traffic wasn’t as terrible this week as it was when we went down to Mount Hood a couple weeks ago, but we still got a slow start due to Henry cat not wanting to come inside. We arrived at the campsite around 7 on Friday night and got set up while waiting for Carrie, Patrick, Mary and Ryan to arrive.

Baker Lake
Baker Lake

Our campground was beautiful – it was full of very tall trees covered in lush, hairy moss. We were situated on Baker Lake which was surrounded by evergreens that turned the water a deep shade of turquoise. It was quite a sight. The campsite we stayed in {#14} was large enough for each couple to have their own tent, plus a whole lot of room for Jackson to roam around on his long leash.

Baker Lake
Baker Lake

After setting up camp and exploring our domain for the weekend we lit a fire and spent the evening chatting and catching up. We are so lucky to have such good friends!

The boys {Ryan, Patrick and Alex}
The boys {Ryan, Patrick and Alex}

Very early Saturday morning we were awaken by an unexpected thunderstorm. It was SO loud! Thunderstorms are very uncommon in Seattle, I’m not sure if that’s the same in the mountains, but the sound of the thunder was reverberating off of the mountains and lake around us and it was quite a show. Our tents were pretty well protected under some tall trees so we didn’t get rained on too much, but of course we were all laying awake in our sleeping bags hoping that none of the trees fell on us.

Mt. Baker Wilderness
Mt. Baker Wilderness

After a delicious breakfast of egg sandwiches on Saturday morning we set off to hike to Watson Lake. The drive to the trail head was quite precarious. We found ourselves literally driving over a dam. I was a bit anxious as we slowly eased our way onto the road that runs on top of the dam and then looking down on the other side was a whole new feeling of anxiety. Thankfully the dam was not running at that time, otherwise between me and the other girls, I’m not sure we would have made it over.

Driving up to the dam
Driving up to the dam

As if that wasn’t precarious enough, we ventured about 12 miles on gravel switchback roads as we wound our way up the mountains to our destination. We made it safely over a very sketchy bridge and eventually wound up where we started our hike.

The road over the dam
The road over the dam

The hike to Watson Lake was a bit challenging, but the biggest test was keeping the bugs at bay. I don’t think any of us mastered that task! The bugs were so bad we all got an arm workout by swatting them away for the 4 miles we were hiking.

Hikers!
Hikers!

Once we arrived at Watson Lake none of us wanted to stand still and get eaten alive by the bugs for too long so we snapped a couple of photos and made our way back to our cars.

Beautiful views on our way down to the lake.
Beautiful views on our way down to the lake.
Watson Lake
Watson Lake

We had worked up quite an appetite on our hike, so we laid out a very nice spread for lunch once we returned to our campsite. This is what happens when three girls who love to cook and eat go car camping!

Girls who cook!
Girls who cook!

All of us were fighting bug bites, covered in 10 layers of bug spray and dried up sweat so we thought that a dip in the lake was in order. It felt so good to clean ourselves off and go swimming. The lake was frigid, yet we swam out about 100 yards and Carrie and Ryan went even further and tried to climb up onto a log and jump off, some attempts more successful than others.

Mary and Ryan at Watson Lake
Mary and Ryan at Watson Lake

Jackson even took a turn swimming – he seemed to be enjoying himself. Since Alex and I were both in the water with him he seemed more comfortable and interested in paddling around a bit. Now we’ve just got to get him to play fetch in the water.

Carrie & Patrick on our hike.
Carrie & Patrick on our hike.

After we got back from swimming we picked up an earlier knitting lesson while the boys played frisbee. Mary brought her knitting needle collection and some yarn and successfully taught Carrie and me how to knit! I’m excited to pick up some supplies for myself and try my hand at knitting a scarf.

Alex and me at Watson Lake
Alex and me at Watson Lake

The rest of the evening was spent eating {Mary and Ryan made amazing pulled pork tacos} and drinking {note: next time we go camping we had 36 beers, 5 bottles of wine + vodka and scotch and we wanted more beer and wine} and hanging out around the campfire.

Gorgeous views on the drive back to our campsite from our hike.
Gorgeous views on the drive back to our campsite from our hike.

Sunday morning we woke up to more rain. It was a little chilly and very wet! That made for an utter mess trying to break down the tent and pack up the car. Between today and yesterday I did 8 or 9 loads of laundry just trying to clean the pine needles and mud off of everything.

Such a fun time in the North Cascades.
Such a fun time in the North Cascades.

We had such a great time camping! But now I’m looking forward to a couple of weekends in Seattle to catch up on things that got pushed back at home before we have some visitors and then travel for three weddings this fall.

The girls!
The girls!

5 years in seattle

Time sure does fly when you’re having fun! No wonder the last five years have been such a blur. 08.08.08 marks the date that Alex and I relocated to Seattle to start our life together. Now five years later it’s hard to believe how much our life has changed since then. We have so much to be thankful for, but today, I am feeling nostalgic and thankful for the memories we have of our first five years in Seattle.

The beautiful Seattle skyline has changed since we moved in 5 years ago.
The beautiful Seattle skyline has changed since we moved in 5 years ago.

Who knew that Washington was such a spectacular state?! We are so lucky to live here. We have had so much fun over the last five years exploring the glory that Washington has to offer. Thankfully we still have a lot left to see.

Hiking to the snow in July.
Hiking to the snow in July.
Mount Rainier is so majestic.
Mount Rainier is so majestic.

We have gotten to know the emerald city quite well in the five years we’ve been here. We have a lot of favorite things about the city and a lot of not-so-favorite things about the city.

We lived next door to the Pike Place Market and it certainly has its perks; however, the allure sure fades after a while.
We lived next door to the Pike Place Market and it certainly has its perks; however, the allure sure fades after a while.
Bottlehouse will always be a favorite on our list.
Bottlehouse will always be a favorite on our list.
Skiing at Crystal Mountain has truly changed our lives. I don't want to imagine how boring our lives would be without skiing.
Skiing at Crystal Mountain has truly changed our lives. I don’t want to imagine how boring our lives would be without skiing.

Friends are so important and Alex and I are so lucky to have made such good friends here in Seattle.

Sounders game.
Sounders game.
My bridal shower.
My bridal shower.
Carrie and Sara.
Carrie and Sara.
Ski buddies
Ski buddies

Of course we have a lot of “firsts” with Seattle, which is why it will forever hold a special place in our hearts.

Our first house.
Our first house.
Sold!
Sold!
Our first pets, Oliver and Henry.
Our first pets, Oliver and Henry.
Our first dog Aspen.
Our first dog Aspen.

We are still finding more and more to love about this great city. It has everything we could ever hope for and more. Seattle and Washington are pretty much perfect for us.

Wine country a mere 2 hours away.
Wine country a mere 2 hours away.
Ruby Beach in Olympic National Park.
Ruby Beach in Olympic National Park.
Hanging out in downtown.
Hanging out in downtown.
Skiing is our favorite!
Skiing is our favorite!

Here’s to making new memories that will continue to keep us falling harder for our beautiful residence. Life just keeps getting better and better!

Sarah’s Bachelorette Party

I traveled to Minnesota last week to help host my friend Sarah’s country-themed bachelorette party up at her cabin over the weekend. We had a great time celebrating the bride-to-be and can’t wait for the big day on 9.28.13.

Here are some photos from the party:

The party had a country theme to it.
The welcome table was decorated with country accents and girlie cookies.
Sarah's future sister-in-law decorated these beautiful cookies.
Sarah’s future sister-in-law decorated these beautiful cookies.
Adorable bunting with their wedding date.
Adorable bunting with their wedding date.
"Bride" tank top for Sarah to wear and a "Mrs. Letich" hanger - maybe for her dress?!
“Bride” tank top for Sarah to wear and a “Mrs. Letich” hanger – maybe for her dress?!
Sarah and her 20 closest friends.
Sarah and her 20 closest friends.
The bridal party.
The bridal party.
Maht girls minus Cammy and Molly who were missing from the photo.
Maht girls minus Cammy and Molly who were missing from the photo.

 

Sali!
Sali!
Kailey and her swan.
Kailey and her swan.
The whole group of girls.
The whole group of girls.
Out for the evening at the townie bars! What a great time.
Out for the evening at the townie bars! What a great time.

It was such a pleasure to be there with Sarah to celebrate her upcoming wedding!

Jackson is Four Months Old!

Somehow our little pup is now four months old?! I’m not sure when that happened, but he is sure getting big and is acting {sometimes} like a mature young dog.

Our little man is getting so big!!
Our little man is getting so big!!

Some fun facts about 4 month-old Jackson:

  • The shower is still his favorite place to hang out and sleep.
  • Jackson is teething – most of his adult teeth are in now and his sharp puppy teeth have almost all fallen out.
  • Walking, laying in the grass, being outside, riding in the car and spending time with Alex and me are some of Jackson’s favorite activities. We’re hoping that playing fetch makes it to this list soon!
  • He can sit, stand, touch, high five, shake, come, and lay down on command. I’m expecting that “stay” and “get off the couch” will be added to his list of tricks soon.
  • By some miracle Jackson doesn’t sleep in his crate anymore. It’s been over a week since he’s been in his crate – most nights he is in the bathroom with a gate up over the door, but after our camping trip where he slept in the tent with us, we’re ready to put the crate away.
  • As of Monday, Jackson weighs 36 pounds.
  • He started wearing his “medium” collar last week and the “medium” harness the week before.
  • Jackson is officially a fully-vaccinated pup! He got his rabies and final booster on Monday.
  • His fur has changed completely since we got him – he is much less fluffy and now has a thicker, darker coat. His legs and tail are starting to feather, or as the vet tech says “his pants are coming in!”
He is such a great dog!
He is such a great dog!

I can’t believe how much he has grown, changed and developed over the last ten weeks! He sure has changed our lives – definitely for the better. We are really excited to see what else he has in store for us.

Jackson at 7 weeks!
Jackson at 7 weeks!
10 weeks later.... Jackson at 17 weeks!
10 weeks later…. Jackson at 17 weeks!

 

Mount Hood Camping Trip

Our first camping trip of the summer has come and gone already! This past weekend Alex and I ventured down to Mount Hood, Oregon and met our friends Ali and Tyler and their seven month old baby Vivian, and of course their dog Glory. We had never been to Mount Hood before and had a fabulous time exploring.

Jackson is such a trooper in the car.
Jackson is such a trooper in the car.

The trip started off with a very, very, very long drive. It was supposed to take us 4.5 hours to get there but we both got stuck in traffic and it ended up being a 7 hour trek down to our campsite.

View from the car on the way to the campground.
View from the car on the way to the campground.

 

It was an absolutely gorgeous drive – we hauled off the highway once we found a back way and ended up meandering our way through some little towns that Alex had actually ridden his bike through a couple weeks prior. Once we got to Oregon we were in uncharted territory and were in awe of the views of Mount Hood from our drive. We didn’t end up arriving until after 9, but thankfully Ali and Tyler had gotten there with enough time to get themselves unpacked and get ready to make dinner for us when we arrived.

Our campsite was enormous!
Our campsite was enormous!
Tyler the lumberjack.
Tyler the lumberjack.

Little Jackson had never been camping before and we were a little nervous about how he would deal with sleeping in a tent and not in a crate or a confined space. He surpassed even our best expectations and handled it like a champ!

Jackson slept curled up with us all night long!
Jackson slept curled up with us all night long!

Since we didn’t arrive until after dark we hadn’t seen our campground or surroundings, not to mention the spectacular view of Mount Hood. Makes me wonder why our campground was called “Hoodview,”

The view of Mount Hood from the campground.
The view of Mount Hood from the campground.

We hung out at the campsite most of the morning and then embarked on a little trek back up the road to Timberline Lodge. Timberline is a ski area on Mount Hood that is actually still currently open. It stays open about 10 out of the 12 months each year, depending on the snow.

Pacific Crest Trail
Pacific Crest Trail

Once we arrived at Timberline we went for a 5 mile hike on the Pacific Crest Trail, which is a 2,600 mile long trail that spans from Mexico all the way to Canada.

Pit stop as we entered the Mt Hood Wilderness and left Timberline Ski Resort.
Pit stop as we entered the Mt Hood Wilderness and left Timberline Ski Resort.
Mt. Hood
Mt. Hood
Photo op at "The Lookout,"
Photo op at “The Lookout.”
Tyler, Viv and Ali
Tyler, Viv and Ali

The trail was fairly easy but it was extremely sandy, which was quite unexpected. The sand made it a little bit more challenging to walk in – it felt like we were walking along the beach for 5 miles. Also it was mostly in the sun with limited shade, so that made for one hot puppy.

Puppy ride!
Puppy ride!
Hiking along in the sand.
Hiking along in the sand.

We got some great views of Mount Hood’s peak and then Mount Jefferson in the horizon. It was a gorgeous day for a hike.

Views.
Views.

After our adventure we carted ourselves back to the campsite and made dinner and just hung out for the rest of the evening. Of course we made s’mores both nights.

Photo by the lake.
Photo by the lake.

It’s hard to believe the trip went by so fast! Sunday morning we woke up and chatted for a bit while I made pancakes and bacon on the grill, then packed up and hit the road again.

Pancakes and bacon on the grill.
Pancakes and bacon on the grill.

 

We decided to meet up in Hood River, which was about an hour or so up the road from our campsite, and have lunch together. What a darling town Hood River is! I will definitely be back. Hood River is situated right along the Columbia River Gorge on the Oregon/Washington border and is famous for its kite surfing.

Gorgeous drive home on highway 84 in Oregon along the Columbia River.
Gorgeous drive home on highway 84 in Oregon along the Columbia River.

After lunch we headed back for our cars and ended up spending the entire rest of the day on the road for another 7 hour drive back home. It sure was worth it for such a fun weekend, though!

What a great weekend!
What a great weekend!

Wine, wilderness and work

It’s been really, really, really busy around here, hence it has taken me until Wednesday evening to post some notes from our weekend of “w’s” – wine, working and wilderness adventures. The last few weeks have made me unbelievably thankful that I’m able to work part-time so that I can manage our house, keep tabs on the pets and successfully plan our adventures all while Alex is working double-time at his job.

Jackson has been such a terror this week! Learning how to jump on the couch was only the beginning....
Jackson has been such a terror this week! Learning how to jump on the couch was only the beginning….

Even though Alex had to work part of Saturday we managed to have a pretty fantastic weekend! After Alex got back from work on Friday evening we headed up to the Bottlehouse and had a wonderful bottle of rose on the patio. We always have such a fun time up there.

Jack-o is getting so long! He weighs over 35 pounds now.
Jack-o is getting so long! He weighs over 35 pounds now.

Saturday was pretty laid back – Alex went in to his office for a few hours and then Jackson and I joined him for a family barbecue that his company was sponsoring, perhaps to make up for the fact that their employees have been working so much lately. Afterwards we brought Jackson to University Village, a dog-friendly outdoor shopping center, and did a little shopping. We were shopping for shorts for Alex but I ended up finding some awesome stuff on super sale at Banana Republic, so I was the only one who purchased anything.

I think Henry wants to go for a bike ride :)
I think Henry wants to go for a bike ride 🙂

Since it had been a whole day since we had been to the Bottlehouse we decided to run up there and grab a couple of bottles of rose to take back and drink on our patio. It was a wonderful way to spend the evening.

So much to be thankful for.
So much to be thankful for.

We found a very family-friendly hike just off of I-90 near Snoqualmie Pass at Denny Creek to take Jackson to on Sunday. This was his first “mountain hike” – we wanted to see what his limit was and wanted to give him more of a real picture of hiking since we have a big camping trip coming up.

Hiking at Denny Creek
Hiking at Denny Creek

Jackson did really well! The hike was an easy 4 miles with little elevation gain. He was so happy and got an unbelievable amount of attention from other hikers who passed by.

Taking a pit stop for a snack.
Taking a pit stop for a snack.

The mid-point of the hike was a rocky part of Denny Creek, so we let Jackson take a little dip in the water. Needless to say, he was filthy by the time we got back to the car.

Hiking.
Hiking.

Once we got home and got Jackson hosed off he was plum tuckered and passed out in the shower, so we got ready to meet Ali, Tyler and baby Vivian at Chateau Ste. Michelle’s member appreciation concert that they graciously invited us to attend with them again this year. The band was an Abba cover band, so they played a great variety of old Abba tunes – it was really fun!

Ali and Viv at our spot at Chateau Ste Michelle.
Ali and Viv at our spot at Chateau Ste Michelle.

We have been to a few concerts at the winery before and have built up quite a spread – we’ve got the wine glass stakes to hold the glasses in the ground, and thanks to Alex’s cousin Jenny’s generous wedding gift, we have an awesome picnic basket set. We failed to find a low table before the concert, but now know that we need to look on Amazon. There’s always next year, I guess!

Our amazing spread! LOVED the food :)
Our amazing spread! LOVED the food 🙂
The Furtwanglers!
The Furtwanglers!
Enjoying the music.
Enjoying the music.

This week has been off to a surprisingly busy start – I am frantically putting the finishing touches on planning Sarah’s bachelorette party next weekend, trying to get organized for this weekend, coordinating our amazing new dog walker and both Alex and I have a busy work week. Maybe by this time next year things will calm down???

Cuddles!
Cuddles!
.....quickly turned into biting of the arm.... story of the week!
…..quickly turned into biting of the arm…. story of the week!
Cooling off from the warm week.
Hard to stay mad at this face for too long 😉

STP, Jackson’s Knee Injury and a recap of the week

It’s official – Alex is done with his big 200 mile bike ride to Portland! He finished STP (Seattle to Portland) on Sunday afternoon after 11 hours and some minutes of biking time. He left our house early Saturday morning and rode with his friend Nigel down to Castle Rock, Washington, where they camped overnight before embarking on the second day. Now that he has recovered and is still on his “bikers high” he is plotting to do “RSVP” which is Ride from Seattle to Vancouver and Party – it’s a 180 mile ride in mid-August. We’ll see what he decides…

Alex finished the 202 mile bike ride from Seattle to Portland!
Alex finished the 202 mile bike ride from Seattle to Portland!

We are hoping to get some of the official race photos of Alex – I have seen a few and there are some great shots. Stay tuned…

Ready to leave the house at 5:30 a.m. to start the ride...
Ready to leave the house at 5:30 a.m. to start the ride…
Finished day one!
Finished day one!

While Alex was riding his bike to Portland I was taking care of our injured puppy. Jackson ended up hurting his knee somehow and began limping quite noticeably on Friday afternoon. Alex and I agreed that if he woke up on Saturday and wasn’t walking normally that I would take him into our regular vet’s office. As it turned out, Jackson woke up still limping and was acting extremely lethargic.

Taking it easy sprawled out on the kitchen floor.
Taking it easy sprawled out on the kitchen floor.

I was able to get Jackson an appointment at our vet at 10 and the vet was able to quickly determine the problem. Poor little guy had torn/pulled a muscle in his knee. The vet confirmed there were no broken bones by doing an x-ray, then prescribed Jackson some anti-inflammatory meds and requested that I ice his knee. Once we got home and Jackson took his meds I had him continue to rest while I went for a run, then came back to find that my puppy had returned to his normal happy, energetic self.

Jungle dog!
Jungle dog!

Sunday morning I woke up and hung out with Jackson before meeting my high school friend and Seattle neighbor, Sasha, for brunch before heading down to Portland. As always, it was great to catch up and re-connect with Sasha.

Hanging out at a park in Portland with little Jack man.
Hanging out at a park in Portland with little Jack man.

Jackson came with me down to Portland – we reserved a room in a dog-friendly hotel and he was a hotel champ! The hotel was very accommodating and even had a sign at the front desk welcoming Jackson, and they gave us a little packet that included treats, extra bags and listed a local dog park.

Cuddle time :)
Cuddle time 🙂

Portland is very dog friendly, so luckily it wasn’t an issue that we were asked to not leave Jackson in our hotel room unattended. There were a few restaurants close to our hotel that offered patio seating for dogs. We were so impressed with how well behaved Jackson was – it ended up being much easier than we had expected.

Jackson is getting comfortable swimming.
Jackson is getting comfortable swimming.

In other news, Jackson is 16 weeks old and he is a puppy preschool graduate! Last week he passed his graduation test at puppy class and will advance to puppy kindergarten, which starts next week.

Puppy preschool graduate.
Puppy preschool graduate.

Jackson learned a fun new trick last week. He knows “high five” and every time we tell him “high five” we still get a kick out of it. It sure is fun doing training with him.

High five!
High five!

I got a bunch of new running gear last week and have been testing it out ever since. I went to a store called Road Runner to get fitted for the best pair of running shoes for me and my feet. They recorded me running on a treadmill and measured my instep, as well as fit me for a custom insole, then had me try on a few pairs of shoes to see which one I liked the best. It was an amazing experience, other than the pretentious salesperson, and I am so happy with my new running shoes and all of my gear. I had a fantastic run today with Ali – we ran/walked 7 miles and I am hopeful that I can keep it up.

New running get up!
New running get up!

 

 

Our not-so-little puppy

It’s been 7 weeks since we’ve brought Jackson home and since then he has turned into an almost 30 pound, well-adjusted, easy going little puppy man. He was such a baby for the first bit of time, and he still is a little bit of a baby, but he really has become very confident and pretty darn well behaved if I do say so…

Jackson at 7.5 weeks
Jackson at 7.5 weeks
Jackson at 14.5 weeks
Jackson at 14.5 weeks

In other notes, Jackson has his “graduation day” from puppy preschool on Wednesday, then he starts puppy kindergarten in two weeks. He kind of sucked at puppy class because it was so exciting and distracting, but at home where it matters he is really rocking at being an obedient dog. Hallelujah for him finally beginning to lose his puppy teeth because now when he bites us it doesn’t hurt so darn much!

So handsome and grown up!
So handsome and grown up!

Jackson continues to impress us by how smart he is. He learns new things so fast and it’s really fun for us to watch him grasp something new. He is starting to fall in love with playing fetch – Alex introduced it to him early last week and he is really getting the hang of it.

He loves to play fetch!
He loves to play fetch!

Over the weekend we took Jackson to Seward Park, a very large park near our house that is on the shores of Lake Washington, and he got his first exposure to swimming. Safe to say, he is a water dog!

Easing his way into the water...
Easing his way into the water…
Jackson is swimming!
Jackson is swimming!

We are really looking forward to exploring the Pacific Northwest with our little adventure dog this summer!

Check out the video of Jackson swimming:

WP_20130707_050

Fun Fourth Weekend

The perfect weather combined with amazing friends resulted in a fabulously fun fourth of July weekend for Alex and me. We spent most of the weekend with the Millers and “the Buffs” (Carrie and Patrick) and an evening with Sara and Carsten, as well as some other friends and acquaintances.

Sporting some sort-of patriotic shirts
Sporting some sort-of patriotic shirts

I didn’t take any photos on the fourth for some reason, but we spent the afternoon and evening at Mary and Ryan’s house. They were gracious enough to invite Jackson to come hang out and break in their backyard and house, as they are getting a puppy in a few weeks. We grilled brats and had quite a few sides, salads and desserts to choose from. It was great to meet a few new people and spend time with the Millers and the Buffs.

Love these guys!
Love these guys!

Alex and I were rather surprised when Oliver woke us up at 8:30 on Friday morning because usually our alarm clock named Jackson goes off at about 5:30. I guess he was too tired from running around at Mary and Ryan’s the day before. We both had planned to spend the morning doing our respective athletic activities, Alex had a 50 mile bike ride and I had a 6 mile run, so we were a bit frazzled to not have the whole morning that we expected. It worked out fine, though, and we still got our activities in.

Such a great weekend with these girls!
Such a great weekend with these girls!

Carrie invited us to spend the evening on her parents new boat on Friday night. We joyfully agreed and had a fantastic time. Their new boat is beautiful and the 12 of us had plenty of space to sit and chat and move around. We grilled chicken and brats and had some potato salad and a few other sides, but I have to say the highlight was dessert. Mary and Sara tag teamed dessert and Mary made a peach/blueberry crumble and Sara made homemade caramel ice cream. It was to die for!

The ferry in the sunset
The ferry in the sunset

We did a little cruse around Elliott Bay in the Puget Sound and had a wonderful time enjoying the sunset and the views of the city. It was such a fun evening!

Seattle skyline
Seattle skyline

Saturday started with me dropping Jackson off at Fetch for the day so Alex and I could take a bike ride with the Millers and the Buffs to Woodinville. Patrick ended up hurting his foot on the boat the night before, so he and Carrie met us at Red Hook. We met the Millers at Matthews Beach and then rode 13 miles on the Burke Gilman and Sammamish River Trails until we reached Red Hook Brewery.

Hanging out at Patterson Cellars.
Hanging out at Patterson Cellars.

Red Hook has an awesome patio and by some miracle there was a 6-top table that opened up right after we arrived so we didn’t have to wait for a table at all. It was glorious to sit outside and soak up some sun. From there, we walked up the road and did some wine tasting at Patterson Cellars, J Bookwalter and then Alexandria Nicole, which is where Carrie and Patrick are having their upcoming wedding catered from. J Bookwalter continues to impress me – I think Alex and I will make another trip there during the week and have dinner and wine out on their patio – they allow dogs, so we’ll have to bring Jackson next time!

Love J Bookwalter.
Love J Bookwalter.

By the time we got back to our bikes to make the trek home we realized that my back tire had literally exploded! Ugh! I was very disappointed to not get to ride my bike home, but was thankful that we had a ride home, though of course not that Patrick had hurt his foot. I’ll get some new tires and take my wheels in for a tune up and hopefully after Alex’s big 200-mile ride next weekend he’ll calm down on the biking and we’ll get to take some low-key rides together.

Tire explosion!
Tire explosion!

The rest of the weekend has been uneventful compared to our fun times with friends. Today we’ll just stay home and get some stuff done around the house and in the yard. We might venture down to Seward Park this afternoon with Jackson, though. Maybe we’ll even bring a picnic?

Here are some more photos from our boat cruise:

Amazing sunset over the Olympic Mountains.
Amazing sunset over the Olympic Mountains.

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