Mount Si

8 miles doesn't seem like much...until you did it straight up and straight down.

My soul was in need of the woods.  In need of the peace of dripping green trees, sword ferns rustling around my ankles, and some muddy/rocky trails.

Washington Trails Association is a fantastic website that lists all the trails in Washington based on location, difficulty, elevation, length, and season.  Super helpful for me, a newbie to the area!

My friend Marika and I chose to climb Mt. Si before we worked that afternoon.  Up at the crack of dawn to get on the trail at a decent time, we met in Falls City and head out on I-90.

Following the website's directions, we made it to the trail head from Falls City with out a hitch!

Let me throw a note in here.  

Having the right gear can make all the difference.  Layers for cold, the right jacket to keep you dry, boots that protect your ankles...having what you need is key.  Just like when on a trail run in Arizona, I need to be packing water to stay hydrated, and always extra in case of emergency.  Well now I'm in the snow and the type of gear is different.  It's another end of the elements spectrum.  Starting in the rain and summiting in 3 feet of snow is definitely something to be planned for.  I have no intention of being one of those news stories of a foolish hiker who made no allowances for things going wrong and died.

So for my winter hike that also had to include lunch...I packed accordingly

Hiking Must Haves for Winter

1. Water proof boots -  Mine are Keen brand because I have wide feet and those boots are shaped like a duck.  Perfection.  They are the boots I trekked around a soggy UK last January in and my feets stayed dry and warm!
2. Moisture wicking base layers - You're going to sweat, but that moisture will give you chills on the downhill or flat parts or in the wind if it remains.  So we want it to wick away.  I use merino wool base layers from smartwool and Icebreaker. They keep me warm on the move but don't over heat me to the point of crazy sweats
3. Pack dry layers. - At the bottom of the hill I only wore my merino shirt with a ghost lite rain jacket.  As the elevation increased and the temperature dropped, I needed more layers, so added my nano jacket.  I also had a fleece that I never put on but had just in case.
4. Plenty of water - Yes it's winter and rain and snow is everywhere.  That doesn't mean you don't need to be drinking just like you would in Arizona summer.  Being dehydrated in winter is just as severe as being dehydrated in summer.
5. Food - Even on short hikes, you may need a boost of energy.  Also plan for the worst...if you slip, fall, get sick, something unplanned...you want to have some snacks to keep your energy up and keep you warm in a bad situation. I packed trail mix, my jet boil with instant soup (and extra water), and some clementines.
6. A good attitude. - Nothing is more miserable than being unprepared and miserable because of it...so plan ahead, get your supplies together, be prepared so you will have a good experience, and stay positive even when it pours rain.

About the time we hit snow, we were half way up and added our extra layers and had a snack.  Made sure we had our boots laced tight, our clothes were dry under our rain gear, and we could stay warm in the lowering temperatures.  It is important to make assessments as you go to evaluate whether you should continue or not.

Don't push beyond what you can do...just get to the edge.  The edge is where you wake up sore the next day and you know you did work.  The edge is not complete exhaustion, it is the good feeling of being tuckered.

4 miles away from the parking lot isn't the time to realize you're out of energy and need to stop.  Pay attention to your body.

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I was excited to be in snow for the first time this winter! Yes I was cold, but if I kept moving I was good.

I also enjoyed practicing with my Go Pro.  I'm not terribly good at it yet but I'm getting slightly better!  All the photos in this post are taken with my GoPro Hero 4.

The day was great, I scrambled up to the tipy top in blowing snow and shared hot apple cider with some other folk who had climbed up the other side.  We chatted, shared snacks, and talked about gear. It was amazing.  Very glad I went and excited to do more!!

Groceries are Hard

#Adulting

You've heard of this movement right?

That's basically my generation's term for growing up, paying bills, having jobs, and being an adult.

I know....it's a phenomenon that really I would like to not be dealing with most times.

• I mean bills are depressing.
• Spending money on boring things like oil changes, dentists, and toilet cleaner before a dime can go to anything fun...like laundry soap is such a drain. (oof da that reminds me I need drain cleaner too)
• When going to the DMV doesn't include my Mom. (only Mom has pens in her purse)
• When you have to change insurance and residency and register to vote and then figure out who to vote for without Dad's ballot to copy...yeah it's adulting and it's not glamorous all the time.

The glamorous part is when you get to choose the food (though expensive) that will be consumed by yours truly!

I get fabulous ideas on pinterest and think "Hm you know I might try gluten free for a few weeks just for fun!"

How adorably blissfully ignorant and simple I am.

All those ideas go right out the Christmas bedazzled store window as soon as I'm looking at the produce saying "Blueberries are how much???!!!" 

so much for antioxidants.

By the time I'm nearing the end of my list which has been gutted and slayed beyond recognition...

all I want is the bread isle.

Lot's of bread. 

What goes with bread?

Wine!

So much for being Paleo and Gluten free and all those illustrious ideas I'd had moments ago.

How's a girl to deal with the madness?!

Abigail's Grocery Battle Plan

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• Shop around the edges {You know how super markets have the Bakery, then THe dairy section, then the meat section, then the produce section all around the walls of the store?  In the middle is all the more heavily processed and complicated products.  The edges are your food pyramid.  I keep costs down by not buying crackers, or canned spaghetti sauce.  Keep the grocery list simple and with basic ingredietns come up with healthy meals.  I mean Squash and butter and a drizzle of agave is healthy and only three ingredients!
• Don't be afraid to have the same thing a lot.  It doesn't make you a failure as a menu planner.  It's frugal.  My giant bag of Steel Cut Oats will last all winter, and it's a fabulous fibre and iron breakfast.  Add a few blueberries and agave for sweetening and BOOM.  That's a regular for me.  Or Granola and Yogurt.  I always have those on hand as back up for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.  Stick by your stand bys!
• Always have a variety of fruit in the house.  Bananas, apples, clementines, blueberries, They are perfect for snacks to curb hunger, or on top of other foods, or mixed together for a lite lunch.  I threw some blueberries and raspberries on my spinach salad the other day and you know what? It was good!

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Three tips to help you (and me) shop smarter and eat healthier!  

When trying to stick to a budget, remember...simple is smart

Do you have any ways to save pennies and eat healthy?  Share them with me via email or in comments!  I always love good tips :)

Gifting: Obligation or Joy?

If you saw my recent Facebook status...you'll know I finished Christmas shopping for my family...and will now be eating like a Victoria's Secret Angel to cut costs.

I'm not one to really get into the gift giving.  I find Christmas gifting stressful because it's expected of you.  My style is more like this...

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Lalalala walking through a cute shop in Snoqualmie, WA  on March 3, and I spy a lumberjack teddy bear.

"My my isn't that the cutest lumber jack Moose ever?!" (I'm taking writer's license and making it a moose now)

*Thought bubble pops up over my head with a picture of my tiny nephew Sawyer*

*Light bulb*

*Wips out apple pay (we are soooo 2016) and buys the lumberjack moose*

*puts moose in priority mail box and sends to Glide, OR*

*Sawyer opens package and squeals in glee as he puts the moose's head in his mouth*

Mission successful

Does that make sense y'all?  I'd rather see something, think  of a person and give it to them without there needing to be a societal validation for the giving.  My validation is...I care for this person and would like to be a blessing to them.

I balk and recoil at the obligation that comes with the Holidays and Birthdays that now require a gift or else you don't care at all.  

As Dwight Shrute would say. "False"

It's not because I'm cheap or selfish.  No, I'd rather recieve a gift mid May because there is no other reason that I am receiving it besides the fact that the giver thought of me randomly and wanted to express it.  And I'd rather give a gift without any obligation so the person receiving knows my intention is duty free.  (not duty free like in the airport with the no tax on super expensive stuff...you know what I mean)

So as we go into this gift giving extravaganza of a holiday that's been super commercialized...remember to think about and show appreciation for those special ones year round.  Maybe don't make such a big deal about presents and who gave what this year.  Simply be thankful for what you are given and give gifts from a place of love, not duty.

Kindred Spirits

If you've googled anything today, you've seen that today is L.M. Montgomery's birthday.

"Anne of Green Gables" was one of my favorite books just like every other homeschooled girl I knew growing up.  Anne was spunky and broke the rules in a way that wasn't rebellious, just sweet innocent fun.

Golly I wanted red hair and to have a boy in a row boat come save me...just so I could be mad and then forgive him years later.

Now that I'm a wee bit older, I miss the sweet innocence of Anne.  It's hard to be full of wonder and awe at the world when the world's cares are bombings, refugees, frustrating elections, scary headlines, and simply trying to keep one's head above financial struggles.

"It's been my experience that you can nearly always enjoy things if you make up your mind firmly that you will." -Anne of Green Gables

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I want to encourage you today to be in awe of something simple and beautiful.  

Dew drops on a spider's web.

Frost sparkling in the sunlight.

The wind dancing through leaves in the trees.

Take 5 deep breaths in your nose and out your mouth and focus on the simple, pretty, wonderful, natural thing that could have gone unnoticed like Anne would.   

"It was November--the month of crimson sunsets, parting birds, deep, sad hymns of the sea, passionate wind-songs in the pines. Anne roamed through the pineland alleys in the park and, as she said, let that great sweeping wind blow the fogs out of her soul." -Anne of Green Gables

#optoutside

Thanks REI for the campaign to spend Black Friday not shopping and shoving for $1 socks and a new coffee maker. 

As a newbie minimalist, I didn't want to join the commercialism the day has come to be filled with...but let's face it...sometimes I'm shallow and want to buy things or just lay around the house in yoga pants. 

Just keeping it real y'all! 

Thankfully I'd gone to REI a few weeks back to pick up a HydroFlask True Pint and I saw the #optoutside sticker. 

I was intrigued because I had an open spot on my 16 oz HydroFlask for a new sticker. Yes I'm so deep and yes I own a lot of HydroFlask sizes.  

Don't judge me. 

The cashier let me know that REI stores were going to be closed on Black Friday to encourage people to spend the day outside being active instead jostling outside Walmart.  

Boom! 

New sticker and a bandwagon I can jump on to get me out of the house after Thanksgiving! 

If you look up the hashtag on Instagram you'll see a plethora of folks doing outdoor activities and enjoying nature. After a whole day dedicated to being thankful...somehow it just seems right to step away from the normal Black Friday madness. 

None of this is to put down those who took advantage of great sales! Way to be frugal! This post is to encourage all of us to take a step back (preferably outside) and get active and explore nature, the most beautiful free experience we have on this planet! 

Selfie of my Uncle Jim and I as we spent the morning and early afternoon biking around Lake Washington. Such a sunny gloriously crisp day! 

Here come the Holidays!

it's happening...

The season of copious glazed and saturated foods cached underneath billow bulky sweaters is upon us.

Yep!  And around December 31st we will be loathing ourselves and making resolutions for the New Year.

The list will look like this...

1. Lose weight/eat healthier/workout more

Then it's the all out scramble to get fit really fast in 4 months so when summer comes around we can wear swimsuits with no reservations.

Buuuuuut guess what?  If we cut the head off the snake...plan ahead...maybe we won't have to do the summer death scramble and maybe we can feel good through the holidays instead of bloated and oozing frosting out our pores.

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How are we going to do this?

When most of having a healthy body is about eating right...how do we navigate the yummy land mines of the season?

Here's my plan sweets!

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How to eat (semi) healthy during the Holidays

• Plan ahead

  You know when those parties, cookie exchanges, potlucks are going to be. So eat clean before hand.  Like if I know that Susie has made approxomatly one zillion pies for her Autumn Awesomeness party...then I won't be having panckakes with syrup that morning...no I'll have blueberries to boost antioxidants, and yogurt to keep things rooollllliiinnngggg on down there.

• Choose your battles

  What is your favorite?  Pumpkin pie? Then eat that and skip the cobbler.  You don't want to miss the joy of the holiday foods...just the guilt and food babies.

• Don't Drink your calories

  Yes tis the season of egg nog lattes, punch with ice cream floating on top, and pumpkin beer.  What I've done is skip buying juice at the store or coffee drinks.  I drink water and green tea so I haven't loaded up before I even eat.  Also keeping hydrated will help you digest holiday food and make you feel much much better! (And look better...remember hydration and healthy skin are buddies)

• Set tiny goals (and stick to it)

  Setting a goal like "Don't gain weight before Christmas" is silly.  Our weight fluctuates daily, even hourly based on hormones and digestion and with our super heightened "OH MY GOSH I GAINED A POUND" is only going to de-rail and depress.  Instead set an easy goal like "At this party I'm only eating one plate of food", or "I will eat green leafy veggies for lunch this week"

• Skipping meals before a party is a no-no

  If you show up starving in that skinny dress...you are going to stuff your face or hate your life as you sip ice water and watch everyone else eat.  How about don't do either?  Eat your meals.  A 4:00 event doesn't mean skip lunch.  Eat those leafy veggies from your previous goal ;)

• Walk, walk, walk

  It's hard to exercise when the weather is gross and you want to chat inside and snack more.  Trips to the gym or home workouts become nearly extinct.  How about grab the gals and take a walk around the block?  Then you can catch up on the news while getting some air and MOVING! 

• Be positive

  BE POSITIVE! Don't beat yourself up if you had two scoops of sweet potatoes with marshmallows.  The holiday's aren't a time to be stressed (even though we know stress happens).  Holidays are for being with friends and family, keeping warm in the cold, and celebrating!  

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These are my tips ladies and I shall be striving to keep them up through the New Year!

I hope at least one of these will prove helpful to you as we head into the last bit of 2015!

Cheers!

When in Seattle

Yes I'm in the home of Pike's Fish Market.

And guess what?

They have a little satellite shop just down the street from me.

So yes...marvelous fresh fish is only a short walk away.

It sounds dreadfully romantic, like something from a comedy with Jennifer Anniston.

"Young college grad moves to a new town and takes walks in her rubber boots and snazzy rain jacket down to the fish market to buy her dinner from Kevin the plaid clad fish man who internalizes his pain and as they become friends he learns to let go while she learns to cook crab cakes and deal with her past."

Seriously I think I saw that movie.

To clarify...none of that is real.

Except that the fish man's name is Kevin and he does wear plaid.

Kevin sold me on crab cakes when I was in the shop getting veggies and blueberries.

He explained how to make it and I thought..."what would Jennifer do?"

So there I was.

With a crab cake, a frying pan, and a dream.

I'd like to say I had an epiphany but really I was thinking "Don't mess this up Talcott because Kevin is going to ask how it tasted and you don't want to have to say that you totally failed and ate box mac and cheese instead"

According to the fish man, here are the intricate directions:

1. Smoosh the crab ball into a patty about 3/4 of an inch thick

2. Put a sploosh of olive oil in the frying pan once it's hot

3. Cook the patty for a bout 7 minutes on each side

4. Boom

Thanks Kevin!  It was yummy!

Mission success