Summer Scrapbook: Part 1

Posted on July 5, 2013 by Juliet Tiu

Hello, friends. We loved every minute of our two week adventure in the Pacific Northwest… except for my week of pink eye. Grrr. But all is well. Consider this just a portion of our memories. I hope one day my kids appreciate the pictures I take – not just of them, but these little landscapes and close-ups. I just think that there’s just so much world to admire and enjoy.

Sitting down to look at my father-in-law’s architectural sketches

Used to be able to see Mount Rainier from my brother-in-law’s backyard. Trees grow, I guess.

The flowers always seem so vibrant here…

…and so do the fruit.

See what I mean, vibrant fruit.

Let’s not forget to snack while we walk Pike Place Market. These were amazing.

Gratuitous bike shot, sorry.

Quiet time in the mountains.

Where we stayed. This pic is like an ad for Acura (which we all drive).

The stores and food, just too much deliciousness.

And you can’t beat the views.

We did hit up some cool educational spots, like the Museum of Flight.

Scrumptiouness everywhere in this Cakery!

Are you enjoying your summer?

Chaperoned an Outdoor Education Trip

Posted on September 17, 2012 by Juliet Tiu

The grade school Outdoor Education trip. Somehow, I missed this rite of passage when I moved schools between sixth and seventh grade. Actually, the three-day trip was a welcome change of scenery and nice chance to see my kid with her friends, and maybe more importantly, without her little brother. And, for the record, I’m not really outdoorsy.

I’d never been camping before, though, this was far from REAL camping. I imagined the movie Parent Trap – both versions. And no sleep… kids trying to escape the cabins, playing pranks on each other. Nope, none of that. I think the main reason you don’t sleep is because you’re not in your own bed and you hear all the swooshing of polyester sleeping bags on top of vinyl mattresses during the night. Not to mention, the warm weather.

As chaperones, we watched and helped with classes and activities like canoeing, archery. And the campsite… really nice facilities! (For a camp… this isn’t a five-star hotel, right?)The kids amazed me (most of the time) with their respect and listening skills. I met a few new students, watched how classmates could be so kind to each other… and I saw how some kids can be so competitive. The girls basically went to sleep when they were supposed to, but I did enjoy the sound of giggling and whispering as the other moms and I called “Lights out.

You might call me a brave soul for going on a trip with my daughter… and 109 other students from her fifth grade class. I would recommend it to any parent, if you can set aside the time. I figure, she still doesn’t mind me being around. That may change sooner than later, but I hope not. Thanks, kiddo, for letting me see you in your world. Love, Mom.

Julie Tiu | www.julietiu.com | Camp Duncan YMCA

Chaperones at archery

Wordless Wednesday: 30 Days of Biking

Posted on April 11, 2012 by Juliet Tiu

Day 11/30: Hour before Sundown

First Visit to a Bed and Breakfast

Posted on February 25, 2012 by Juliet Tiu

Our friend turned innkeeper - perusing a cookbook

What would you say if your friends called and said, “Hey! We bought a bed and breakfast! Who wants to come for a working weekend to help us get ready?”

We said, “Of course!” We had never been to a bed and breakfast before, but mostly because of accessibility issues. Luckily, there was a ramped entrance and we had a ground floor room. Perfect.

So two weekends ago, we packed up our bags, brought an air mattress, blankets and headed two hours out of Chicago to their bed and breakfast in Michigan. A possible snow advisory didn’t stop us either.

Doors and walls in the innkeepers home needed painting, furniture had to be moved, kitchen cabinets and appliances were waiting to be cleaned… and there were over ten adults (along with at least fifteen children – I lost count) willing and able to do jobs. Talk about a great greeting – having friends come out to your car with big hugs.

I stayed in the B&B where all the kids were. (Couldn’t leave them to their own devices.) Spent most of my time in the B&B kitchen catching up with other friends who had come to help. Oh, and I contributed – scrubbing out cabinets, finding miscellaneous kitchen gadgets and glassware left behind by the previous owners. Not your typical weekend activity but I loved it. The evening ended with wine, guitar playing, kids in the basement complete with pillow fights, and prepping for the next morning’s breakfast… awesome.

What a truly exciting adventure ahead – so proud of our friends, Julie and Eric.

Adobo Cook-Off, Fire Pit and a Long Bike Ride

Posted on September 19, 2011 by Juliet Tiu

What a fun-filled weekend!

Attended a Filipino food cook-off, Adobofest 2011, in one of the many forest preserves around Chicago. It seemed pretty well attended, but I heard there were four times as many entries as there were this year. More on this event tomorrow.
Filipino Cook-Off Event: Adobofest 2011
Used our fire pit for the first time. Told the kids this was a close to camping as we’ll ever get! I’ve never been camping. Ever. But I am open to the idea of putting up a tent in the backyard one nice summer night. Maybe next year?
Roasting dinner over the fire in the backyard with the kids
Abby’s soccer team won their game after a harsh season opener (they lost 8-2)!
And I rode 50 miles in the North Shore Century Ride! Started with a lovely sunrise over Lake Michigan – but quickly turned into a rainy mess of a day. I was drenched by the end. Took me 4 hours and 25 minutes, and on somewhat spongy tires for the middle leg of 20 miles (Oops.). It was really fun, but I won’t lie – it was a lot of work in some spots. And, I’m not very athletic at all. This may be my one big athletic accomplishment to date.
Sunrise at Lake Michigan - Dawes Park - Evanston, IL

The eager cyclist - I'm so excited

Morning registration

Bike odometer reached 50 miles at Bahai Temple of Worship, Wilmette, IL

I’m ready for a relaxing week. Too bad it won’t be… always something happening around our here! *grin*

Have a great week everyone!

Snow Log 2011 and Random Winter Thoughts

Posted on February 1, 2011 by Juliet Tiu

Snow log, star date 2.1.2011, time 06:00: 2″-3″ on the driveway and sidewalks. Light to moderate weight. 38 minutes to clear. Hehe…

Sunday, I watched the morning news and was surprised when they forecasted 13″ of snow by Wednesday morning. This morning, I shoveled the drive before my husband left for work… so here we are, done with January awaiting the epic snow storm of 2011. Incidentally, it was also described this morning in the media as “snow in amounts of biblical proportions”, “snow-pocalypse”, and “snow-maggedon”. Told my kids we might have a snow day (or two) soon, and reminisced about the snow drifts and plow piles being several feet above my head. That was 1979, I was six. My uncle was stuck in his car for hours, afraid he’d run out of gas before getting home.Â I can’t remember if he abandoned his car at one point. That was the deciding factor for him and my aunt to move to a warmer climate.

You know what’s easy to do when you’re outside before the crack of dawn and all is quiet? Meditate. Well, sort of. My mind wanders all the time. I’m surprised I even stay focused at all, sometimes. In the winter months, I get really introspective, thinking where am I going, where have I been. Life has been a tremendous ride so far, and I would have never guessed I’d be where I am.Â 2011 has so much opportunity, and I think my biggest lesson I’ve learned is that for every “yes”, there is a “no”. It’s like the big yin and yang, finding balance in the force, that sort of thing – something I’ve struggled with for a long time.

Well, with all the snow that’s coming our way, there should be more time to think about all that…

So This is Julie

Make | Create | Cook

Category Archives: outdoors