The weather was better today and so we decided to explore some more around Springbrook Trail (it was just too wet yesterday!). There are actually a few things around the trail – the Riparian Forest, and the Waterworks Gardens. We visited both today and it was a really cool trip! If you live around Tukwila, I highly recommend it!

We parked by the Waterworks gardens, so we explored there first. This is basically a series of gardens/ponds on the outside of the sewage treatment plant – but it’s gorgeous! I’m sure that it helped that the weather was gorgeous, but we’d love to visit the gardens again.

After walking on the path through the gardens, we crossed the road and explored around the Riparian Forest. There’s a small lake in the middle of the forest – a trail loosely follows the South end of the lake, so we walked along that a bit. We were hoping to spot some herons – there’s a huge heron colony here, but honestly didn’t see any.

The Black River Riparian Forest and Wetland is home to more than 50 species of birds, including one of the largest great blue heron colonies in the region. The site is a complex ecosystem with an abundant wildlife habitat. The Black River Riparian Forest and Wetland is a year-round bird watcher’s paradise and provides an oasis and a unique view of nature within Renton’s city limits. – City of Renton

After we’d walked along the lake a bit, we decided to walk along a trail I’d seen on a map that goes around the North end of the forest. We moved the car into another area, and stared down the trail. There were train tracks on the North side of the trail, and the Forest to our right (South) – it was super desolate and we only saw one other person the whole time.

At one point along the trail there was a marshy area to our right that we saw some trails (probably deer) running through – we walked on them a bit into an are that would be pretty cool for a picnic – and I’m sure you could probably spot the birds from this are if you knew where to look. But we didn’t spend long here as Evangeline was too weirded out by the grass that was over our heads.

We followed the trail as it wrapped around the East side of the lake (this whole time we knew where the lake was but the vegetation was too dense to actually see it). We ended up next to an office complex and the trail ended – so we turned around and walked back the way we came.

It was a really fun and quiet walk. I’m so glad that Evangeline enjoys getting out and doing things with us! :)

View all the pictures here.

Tobin and I really felt like getting out of the house today so we decided to walk a short bike trail that I found close to Tukwila in Renton. We’d never really driven in this neck of the woods before – and for good reason – it’s really close to the sewage treatment plant just north of 405 across the valley – but we thought we’d try it anyways. Right when we started to walk it started raining, so we broke out our hats and continued on. Evangeline was being a good sport. As it was raining we didn’t run into another soul the whole time we were walking – so we had the trail to ourselves. It was a nice trail – all paved – only ran for a mile or two, along a little creek – but it was surprisingly private and quiet for being in the middle of a developed area.

View all the pictures here.

Tobin really liked Saltwater State Park when we visited it before, so we made a last minute decision to visit it again today when it stopped raining. It was really late – about 5:30 (we start Evangeline’s bedtime routine at 6pm), but we really wanted to get out!

Apparently everyone else had the same idea as us – and the waterfront was packed – so we found a (very muddy) hiking trail, and went ahead and hiked it. It was a lot longer (and muddier) than we had anticipated, but it was a lot of fun. :)

View all the pictures here.

We’re trying to get out and be more active – partly because I’m at home most of the time with Evangeline and it is REALLY nice to get out once in awhile and be active! Today we decided to continue walking the Green River Trail in Tukwila. Called up Terry and Christina and they came along with us.

(more…)

It wasn’t raining so we walked through Crystal Springs Park in Tukwila.

View all the pictures here.

After we all met Claire we drove back to Ephrata and spent the night with my parents. We went to church the next morning and I had to dress Evangeline again in her Easter outfit as it was so cute.

Here’s a picture of my parents with Evangeline.

(more…)

Welcome Claire Marie! :)

(more…)

The sun was shining so we decided to make a quick run out of the house. We still hadn’t visited the Tukwila Pond (behind Target), so we decided to visit it.

We parked behind Target (still not sure if that was legal), and walked the only path (on the West side of the park). I was actually surprised by how beautiful the pond was! There were several lookout dock areas, and as we were walking into one of the lookouts this guy who was just leaving pointed out the Osprey that was flying around the lake. We might have missed it had he not pointed it out, so that was pretty cool. Actually probably the coolest part of the walk. ;)

After we saw all there was to see at the pond (there wasn’t much – the trail ends behind Toys R Us), we thought we saw a trail to the front side of Target wrapping around the pond. Well maybe it was a trail for bums, I’m pretty sure we weren’t supposed to walk there (we had to hurdle a bulkhead at the end to get up to the Target parking lot). lol

Oh and I added some of those pictures of the pond to Panoramio. View them here.  See all my Tukwila pond pictures here.

So we really didn’t want to make plans for Easter this year seeing as Heather and Stephen could have a baby at any moment – but alas Easter came and no Claire, so we decided to crash Tobin’s parents’ house in Anacortes for Easter.  Greg is off in Salt Lake City visiting Peter and Lisa on his Spring Break, so it was Carol, Tobin, Evangeline & I and then Laura who brought her boyfriend Aaron.  (It was our first time meeting Aaron.) :)

Evangeline wore what I think is about the cutest outfit she’s ever worn.  Boy she looked ADORABLE (yes I am biased, but Carol and Laura would back me up on this too)! I wore a dress – this is about the second time I’ve worn a dress and heels since Evangeline was born – but I had to wear this one as I got it for $3.50 at Target (it was originally $50).  :)  Here’s another shot of Evangeline.

Evangeline is 10 months old now (and crawling like crazy – she’s been doing that since about 8 months). That dress she’s wearing is a 24-mo. The sweater is 2T and the shoes are a size 4 (which I think is normal for a baby her age). She is so SWEET! :)

So we went to church and Carol ended up in the nursery with Evangeline (she has only made it all the way through a Sunday service once or twice – EVER so no big surprise there). After church Carol showed off Evangeline to all her friends, and Tobin reconnected with a bunch of people he hadn’t seen for awhile.

After church it was back to Tobin’s parents’ house for dinner – wild salmon, steak, chicken and wild rice.  Yeah it was tough.  :)  Evangeline had a blast exploring a new place – and she was pretty adamant that she didn’t want to take a nap AT ALL while we were in such an exciting environment.  After dinner and dessert (strawberry shortcake), we headed over to the Skagit Valley where we tried to see the tulips.  Unfortunately, right as we were parking on the side of an especially beautiful field an unmarked tulip nazi roared up in his Charger and turned his siren and lights on us (and everyone else on the side of the road – there were probably 20+ cars). Jerk. Really? On Easter Sunday? :P Anyways, Evangeline was by now sound asleep and so we decided to try and find another (unpatrolled) field – which we did. Tobin and I hopped out (Carol watched Evangeline), and snapped some pics with Laura and Aaron (did I mention he’s in the Navy – and is assigned to a sub? Oh and he’s tall – 6’4″). :) It was pretty cold and windy though so that didn’t last long.  Also as soon as we got back into the car Evangeline woke up and was not a happy camper ALL THE WAY HOME (1.5hrs).  But for the most part Easter was a lot of fun. :)

View all the pics here.