Camano Island Archives - Glitter and Dust

Fourth of July and Ahoy Baby Shower

July 6, 2015 by Kristen 30 Comments

Hopefully you all had a wonderful, safe, and relaxing 4th of July weekend. Justin and I drove up to his mom’s cabin (aka the Sugar Shack) on Camano Island early Wednesday morning to spend the holiday weekend with our families. This was our third consecutive year celebrating the 4th of July on Camano Island, which is about seven hours from Bend and an hour north of Seattle on Puget Sound. As always, the atmosphere and company made for a memorable weekend.

When we arrived on Wednesday afternoon, we were warmly welcomed by my mother-in-law, Mary (or Tutu, which means Grandmother in Hawaiian), and a house full of baby knick-knacks and surprises. So much thought and love!

After getting situated and settled in, we sat down for a few games of Sequence and snacked on several goodies that Tutu had prepared before our arrival. If you have never played Sequence before, it’s a really fun card/board game that can get pretty heated when three very competitive people are playing!

That evening we watched the tide come in over the mud flats, and enjoyed a beautiful sunset over the Puget Sound. It’s amazing how late it gets dark here!

Justin and I woke up EARLY on Thursday and were excited to start our day on the Island. We changed into our running gear and went for a short run/walk along one of the country roads. We must have seen a dozen bald eagles, and I was definitely feeling the effects of traveling and being in a car for seven hours the day prior, so I preferred wogging.

That day we sat around playing games, chatting about life, and relaxing near the beach before getting ready for a wonderful dinner at the Chuckanut Manor. Tutu had suggested this restaurant and after glancing at the menu, Justin and I were sold! We sat outside on the patio so we could enjoy the warm air and amazing views of the Puget Sound.

Once the tide rolled in that evening, Justin made his way to the water and hopped on one of the paddle boards for an evening stroll on the water. I would have joined him, but the paddle board was a little unsteady and I did not feel like going for a swim. 🙂

Friday was a special day because Justin’s sister Jill and her family would be arriving, along with my mom and step-dad. We decided to take a stroll along the beach in the morning before their arrival and played around a bit, turning over rocks in search of crabs, climbing stairs along the cliffs, and pointing out more bald eagles as they flew by.

Once our families had arrived, we did a lot of talking and catching up before getting ready for dinner and my FIRST baby shower. Tutu and Jill threw Justin and I a baby shower since they were not going to be able to make it down to Bend for my shower in a couple weeks. In addition to our families, a few of the neighbors were also invited and came over after dinner for dessert and the opening of gifts.

The theme of the shower was “Ahoy Baby”, which was perfect for the beach environment. The colors also coincided with red, white, and blue, so everything fit in nicely with all of the 4th of July décor!

After testing Justin’s taste buds with baby food flavors and dirty “candy bar” diapers, we spent some time opening gifts and learning what everything is. I am completely clueless when it comes to baby gear/accessories, so there were several demonstrations made of what to do with each gift. Jill (who has two daughters ages 13 and 11) even brought along an eerily realistic baby doll so we could practice swaddling, changing diapers, and holding a baby.

We received so many wonderful gifts from our families – the baby is SPOILED already – and even a few of Mary’s neighbors brought gifts and gave us a few words of wisdom and encouragement. It was a very special evening and I can’t thank everyone enough for all the time, effort, and thought that went into the shower. Plus, I will never forget the moment my husband ate a melted candy bar from a diaper. Pretty epic.

Saturday we woke up early to begin our Fourth of July celebrations with a morning run, as we do every year. I was able to run 3 miles without walking once, which started my day on a high note. It still amazes me how my body reacts differently each day – I never know what to expect. We also passed a young boy who was walking down the road and didn’t think anything of it until a half mile later, when a frantic mother asked if we had seen her son. Apparently he took a wrong turn during the local Firecracker 5k run, and mom was relieved to hear that we had seen him. Since we were almost back to the Sugar Shack, Justin hopped into the Jeep and drove up to give her a ride to her son and make sure they were safe. I guess that’s something else we have to look forward to with parenting…the fear of our son getting lost!

The day was spent hanging out, playing in the water, and prepping for Fourth of July festivities. Food was prepped, fireworks were purchased, and Justin got into “father mode” and set up the Elmo piñata for afternoon entertainment.

Needless to say, the piñata did not last long after my two nieces took a few swings, leaving Elmo limbless, and Justin finished it off with a bang.

The fireworks show on Juniper Beach is truly something out of the movies and several houses seem to “compete” for best show and most applause. Apparently one of the neighbors is good friends with the Chief of the local Native American Tribe, and gets his fireworks directly from him. Starting around 9pm, colors filled the sky and loud booms could be heard from every direction. We watched the show until 11pm and called it a night.

We left early on Sunday to beat the holiday traffic and make it home in time for the Women’s World Cup soccer victory. It’s never easy leaving family, but we are looking forward to seeing them a lot more in the coming months when our little guy arrives!

How was your holiday weekend? Most memorable moment?

A Long and Festive Fourth of July Weekend (sneak peak of the Lake Stevens 70.3 course)

July 7, 2014 by Kristen 33 Comments

Last week, Justin and I ventured up to Seattle to visit his side of the family and to celebrate the 4th of July holiday. We got an early start on Tuesday and arrived just in time to watch the U.S. versus Belgium soccer match, which unfortunately ended with a loss. I actually enjoy soccer but I guess the rest of the country can now forget about it once again, at least for the next four years. After the match, we headed out for a little hike with Justin’s sister and our niece, quickly realizing just how much the heat and humidity would zap our energy. Seattle was breaking heat records. After walking along a few trails and climbing a huge set of stairs, I was sweating profusely. I don’t know how I ever survived running during the hot, humid Houston summers back in the day.

That evening we caught up with the family and ate dinner just down the street at Red Hook Brewery, which was packed. Justin’s sister drives a BMW 335 convertible, so we took full advantage of the opportunity and drove it to dinner while the rest of the family piled into another vehicle.

On Wednesday, Justin and I headed out early on our way to Lakes Stevens to check out the Ironman 70.3 course. We were quite surprised at how small and resort-like the town is. Really, this place hosts an Ironman event? It was quite the opposite of Boise 70.3 in every way possible. The swim area was really nice and calm, surrounded by houses and docks on each side. Sighting should be much easier on this course.

We then hopped on out bikes to ride a majority of the course, which started out fairly easy but made a big shift in level of difficulty about 10 miles in. I don’t know if it was my fatigued legs or what, but I really found the course to be challenging. There were several short, but steep climbs and descents, along with one hill that registered at 18.8% grade. I was out of the saddle, standing on the pedals and feeling as though I was going nowhere. It was quite frustrating. Below is an idea of the part of the course that I rode (through mile 40) and the last 16 miles that we drove.

The bike course itself is beautiful and surrounded by thick green trees, rivers, and lakes. After riding most of the course, I have determined that I need to go into Beast Mode when it comes to training on steep hills for the next several weeks.

The two loop run course is interesting, as part of it is really pretty along the lake, while part of it travels along industrial back roads that are very unsightly. The course is pretty flat with a few small hills. All in all I think it will be a fun experience.

After finishing our ride we headed up to my mother-in-law’s cabin (we call it the Sugar Shack) on Camano Island. The house was just remodeled, so it was fun to check out all the changes. After showering and getting cleaned up, we enjoyed a few games of Sequence (only the best game ever) and a nice appetizer before heading out to dinner at the Camano Island Inn.

We really lucked out with a great table overlooking the water and in the sun. The temperature was perfect. I had the scallops and enjoyed a glass of Syrah, while the sunset was growing more colorful with each passing minute. What a lovely place to have an elegant dinner on Camano Island.

On Thursday morning Justin had a business meeting nearby in the town of Anacortes, so we located the local high school track and dropped me off so I could get in a long run while he was working. I broke my record on the track by a long stride, completing 44 laps (11 miles) with an average pace of 7:18min/mile. It was one of the best runs I have had in a while and it felt great. I was even able to negative split the workout and run the second half faster than the first. It may sound somewhat crazy to run that far on a track, but when you have some good music and a nice controlled environment, sometimes it just works.

Justin arrived back just in time to watch me complete my final few laps, after which I quickly cleaned up and changed (right there in the parking lot) so we could go to the Lululemon outlet. I didn’t do too much damage this time.

That afternoon and evening, Justin and Mary (Justin’s mom) cooked up a storm for dinner, which included flank steak, sweet potatoes, grilled onions, and asparagus. It was fantastic and tasted extra good after working so hard that morning. Later that evening we played a few more games of Sequence and awaited the arrival of Justin’s sister and her brood.

Friday – happy 4th of July! We woke up early and decided to get our workout done while the weather was nice and cool. I did a 27-mile bike ride around the back roads of Camano, while Justin went out for a 6-mile run.

My ride was just lovely and it was great to be next to the water and able to see people out and about preparing for firework madness.

That is exactly what the Fourth of July is like on Camano Island. The people in this community do not joke about their celebrations and fireworks. All of the beaches are filled with people, bonfires everywhere, and the echoes of booms blasting all around. This was by far one of the craziest firework experiences I’ve seen, as people spend thousands of dollars to put on a seemingly professional show. Apparently the owner of the house two doors down is friends with the local tribal chief, and actually goes to his house each year to pick out roughly $5,000 worth of fireworks for the celebration.

The weather was kind of a bummer as it was cold with showers here and there, but we all bundled up and sat around the fire to keep warm. As the night went on, the weather actually got better and while it never warmed up, at least it stopped raining.

Fireworks blasted in all directions well into the night. Justin and I went to bed around 11pm still listening to and feeling the booms shake the house.

Saturday was somewhat of a (much needed) lazy day as we packed up and headed back to Seattle. Justin and I went down to the waterfront and had a late afternoon lunch at Ray’s Boathouse. It was fun to sit outside, listen to the rain trickle onto the cover above us, and watch the boats enter and exit the harbor.

Our evening was spent relaxing on the couch and watching the Tour de France – good R&R for the soul. On Sunday morning we got another early start to avoid holiday traffic, and made the six hour drive without trouble and were back home in Bend by 12:30pm. What a busy, yet fun-filled holiday weekend with the family. Looking forward to heading back in six weeks to race!

An Unforgettable Thanksgiving Sunset

December 4, 2013 by Kristen Leave a Comment

A week ago Justin and I made our way up to Seattle for Thanksgiving with the family, and so I could run the Seattle Marathon. We were also able to celebrate my mother-in-law’s birthday, which happened to fall on Thanksgiving.

On Thanksgiving morning, Justin and I got up early and drove into Seattle so I could preview the part of the marathon course that I was most worried about → the “heartbreak” hills between mile 20.5 and 24. Running them on fresh legs didn’t seem all “that” bad; but my opinion would soon change during the marathon.

After our morning run, we cleaned up and headed up to Camano Island for Thanksgiving dinner at the Sugar Shack, a little cabin on the beach about an hour north of Seattle. The weather was perfect and views spectacular.

The day was filled with lots of football, games, and reading. I started a new book called Divergent that was IMPOSSIBLE to put down. Justin, Mary, and I played a few games of Sequence, and I sipped on a yummy mimosa throughout the afternoon. The downtime was much needed and felt incredible.

Right before we sat down for dinner we were all taken aback by the colors that were filling the sky and bouncing off the water. It was one of the most colorful and bright sunsets I have ever seen, and the calm waters enhanced the experience. It set the mood for giving thanks and enjoying a lovely dinner with family (which was DELISH).

First Fourth on Camano Island

July 8, 2013 by Kristen 1 Comment

This past weekend the hubby and I decided to road trip it up to Camano Island for a holiday weekend with the family in celebration of the Fourth of July. I had heard great things about the endless celebration and fireworks on the beach, thus was very eager to arrive. After a six-hour drive to Seattle, and another two hours of battling traffic on our way to Camano Island, we reached our destination late Wednesday evening and were greeted by my mother-in-law, Mary. She had prepared a much-needed feast with cheese, bread, salad, and a variety of seafood options.

After indulging in some yummy food and playing a couple games of Sequence (the best) Justin and I headed to bed and fell into a slumber.

Thursday was the Fourth of July. Justin and I got up fairly early and decided to journey out on a 44-mile ride around Camano Island.

I thought the ride would be flat and easy, being as though we are at sea level and on an island, but quickly discovered quite the opposite. Up and down over rolling hills, some of which were very steep. At one point Justin clocked a speed of 47 mph. After two and a half hours of beautiful scenery and tough riding, we were spent!

That afternoon we were joined at the Sugar Shack (Mary’s house) by the rest of the family – Jill, Mike, Madison, and Kendall – and there was plenty of fun to be had.

Fireworks. Games. BBQ. It was a giant celebration of freedom all throughout the neighborhood.

Justin and I enjoyed a lot of time on the beach and played some Cornhole on our OSU boards that were a wedding gift from Derek and Liz Strubel.

That evening we had a big BBQ feast with ribs, hamburgers, and hotdogs, accommodated by a few amazing side dishes. Everything was prepared to perfection.

Following dinner we headed to the beach as our neighbors stretched along the shoreline were beginning to light off fireworks.

Justin started a big fire in the fire pit and we cozied around, roasted marshmallows, and watched the sky illuminate all around us.

BOOM BOOM BOOM!!! Brilliant colors and light falling in every direction. I love a good fireworks show and this was by far one of the best I have seen. After several hours of nonstop action, we headed to bed well after midnight.

Friday morning came quickly and Justin and I were the first to rise and enjoy a cup of coffee. Awake and ready to go, we headed north to the Lululemon outlet. Yes, it is amazing. A few sports bras, shorts, and tanks later, we hit up Starbucks for a second dose of caffeine before arriving back at the Shack.

The rest of the day was filled with games, walking the beach, lounging and magazines, pedal boating, and pizza. Not to mention, a few games of Sequence.

Following a fun filled holiday weekend, Saturday morning arrived and we packed up to head back to Bend. On our drive home, Justin and I made a very rational decision to stop for lunch at one of the most unexpected places, St. John’s Bakery.

This is one of those places you pass in the middle of nowhere with an unfamiliar look and unusual name that leaves you curious and intrigued. Every time we have passed by the parking lot is filled with cars, thus after a recommendation by a friend who had a decent experience, we decided to give it a try. The bakery is an extension of a Greek Orthodox Monastery. Greeted by orthodox nuns when you walk in, it is a very conservative place that helps raise money for the monastery, filled with a variety of purchase options including pastries, an assortment of foods, a selection of coffees, handmade soaps, candles, textiles, and an array of other nick knacks. Justin and I walked away with a lemon pound cake, chocolate pound cake, and two gyros (filled with tzatziki sauce, pork, lettuce, and tomatoes). It was some of the best Greek food I have tasted and we look forward to making more stops in the future.