Reduce - Reuse - Recycle

by Staci Stevens

One of the most inspiring things happened to me last weekend while I was in Leavenworth. Jenelle and Torrey were hosting a BBQ (yes- it's that warm in Leavenworth) and her 9 year old cousin Gracie was there.

In between competitive battles on the Wi Fit she also talked about last weeks earth day at her school. Little Gracie was so bothered by the Styrofoam lunch trays used every day by hundreds of schoolmates at Mukilteo Elementary she decided to write a very pointed letter to her school district.

I absolutely love her candid spirit and determination to change things. I also love her reference to Jack Johnson's Reduce, Reuse, Recycle song- it's one of my favorites!!!!

Below is her letter (copied exactly from the original letter). If you do one thing all day- read her letter. It's so adorable yet inspiring.

April 22, 2009
By: Gracie (Jenelle's cousin)

Dear, sir or Gal

This is Gracie, do you happen to know that Styrofoam trays may take at least 900 to 2,000 Year’s to dissolve? Molly says you should not put mother earth down and make her mad. Kamryn says you aren’t being very smart to use Styrofoam for trays and not be able to recycle It. Don’t you know what you’re doing to our World! That’s all I have to say. Emma says I think You should be using different trays. Erika says you should be helping the Earth not killing it. It’s really not nice to hurt it. And just because you don’t want to help the earth doesn’t mean you can destroy it. So please help. Kylee says I think you should use reusable or recyclable trays and not Styrofoam trays. Saskia says I totally agree with everyone else!!!

.p.s. we all think you should think more about us because one day we will be the ones who have to live with it and were all going to be blamed! Molly says you should be nicer to mother Earth. We all say because that is just where we happen to be living; Molly says you should try to use reusable trays. We all say, because not only will it be good for our planet but also it may start to set good examples for other schools and people. Kamryn says you should think about what you do before you do it, like using those kinds of trays… Think wisely.

Saskia says our world rocks!!! Please don’t hurt it. World+ love= our lives!!!
Gracie says she love doing out door activities in fact don’t we all?!. So please please help. Emma says “Hey guys please save our planet” I don’t like it when you don’t.
We all say did you even know that we could turn out like WALL.E the movie well probably not that bad but that’s why we need to reduce, reuse and recycle. And if you listen to music you might know about Jack Johnson who happen to sing 3- is a magic number and one of the verses is actually “reduce, reuse recycle” so think about that…

Thank you,

Third grader’s: Gracie, Kylee, Kamryn, Emma, Saskia,, Molly and Erika

Ale Fest '09

Ale Fest '09 was a huge success! The event serves as the annual fundraiser for the Nutcracker Museum in Leavenworth.

The event included 20 microbreweries sampling their unique brews, popular northwest bands including Leavenworth locals' favorite Chumstick Liberation Front (CLF), and tasty treats from local chefs. The baby in my belly prevented me from sampling the brews (okay, fine - I did have some sips of Torrey's favorite dark brew). I also enjoyed a delicious cheese plate from Cheesemongers, and a big salty pretzel from Ducks and Drakes.


Visitors came from all over the Northwest, and many dressed in traditional Bavarian clothing, which added some an "authentic Bavarian" feel to the event.

The music was really good this year -lots of dancing throughout the event! I tried my best not to bonk other dancers with my giant belly!

If you missed out on Ale Fest this year, you should definitely plan on attending next year!

Stop Pecking on the New Guys

Spring is definitely in the air.

-Tulips and daffodils are reasonably priced at the market.

-The weather is terribly fickle and uncertain.

-Some (who will remain nameless) are even wearing flip flops already.

-I find myself wanting (but not actualizing) to enjoy dinner with friends on the patio.

However there is one sign of spring that is new to me, and to be quite honest an excruciatingly painful sign of spring. Actually I'm getting ahead of myself- so let me back up a few weeks.

My roommate Allison (by Washington state law she is actually my "domestic partner" considering we have lived together for over 7 years) bought a new home in Ballard. In addition to her Cuisinart & couch Allison decided to take me along to her new home.

It's quite nice- a definite "step up" in living conditions. More room for entertaining, more natural light and no dressers left on the side of the street with a sign that says "free". I'm impressed.

However one learning curve we are undergoing and that seems to be specific to the changing of winter into spring would be the wildlife. I am specifically referring to a wood pecker that is "trying" to nest in the front side of Allison's place.

The very nerve of that Pecker. He could of chosen from a multitude of houses in our near vicinity. Why (WHY?) did he have to peck on the new guys. We're new to the neighborhood and trying to learn the ebs and flows of rural life. To be honest we've missed garbage day twice now- the consequences of that doesn't need any explaining.


We are also constantly reminding each other that the crazy lady directly across from us will be a good neighbor in the case of an emergency. However for the time being we are a little worried when she is repeatedly telling us that we can "report" the cars in front of our place that are parked within 2 feet of the side of our driveway.

Today is the 2nd day of his damage work (a.k.a. building his nest). Yesterday afternoon I was working from home when I heard him and run outside to investigate. At first he would just looked at me for a while, I "shooshed" him, then slowly he flew away. Within 5 minutes he would return - as did my shooshing.

I woke up this morning to his "pecking". I was so frustrated that I was woken up by that %&*# pecker that I jumped out of bed and headed straight to the pantry. I needed something- Anything- to throw at him so he knew who was boss. Peanuts were the closet find so peanuts it was. For over an hour we went back and forth. He would show up. He would peck. I would hear him pecking. I would grab my peanuts. I would throw my peanuts. He would fly away. Repeat all over again.

Pardon my French..... but all I can say is "that damn pecker". I'm so frustrated by the permanent damage he has done. Both Alli and I are researching how to rid ourselves of that annoyingly penetrating pecker.

In closing- I love spring weather- however I'm not entirely sure about all the "pecking" that comes with it.

One Snuggie Meets One Girl

Fashion is a terribly unpredictable beast. Without a trend reports notice something unjustifiable and unexpected takes off like wild fire. For example, who would of thought those "Alligator" shoes would of taken off? What did you say? They're called Crocs? Oh. Well - sorry - you get the idea.

Well it seems there is another unjustifiable trend lurking. Actually I think it's past "lurking" and is now "flaunting" it's unfitted, oversized yet oh so Charmin soft self all around town.

My friends- the Snuggie has taken flight and it's likely it's won't land for a long time. I actually didn't know what a Snuggie was until I went to a birthday dinner party.... and Everyone except me cheered, laughed and even looked a little jealous when the Snuggie came out. In an effort to keep the informal, unstructured and humorous spirit of the Snuggie alive in the blog I would like to tell the story of "One Snuggie Meets One Girl" via pictures.

Boy thinks quietly to himself: I'm guaranteed to get some later tonight once she opens my gift.

Girl looks at boy lovingly thinking: I'm sure the wine from tonight will put me right to sleep as soon as we get home.

Girl Exclaims: OMG!!! I love it!!! This will definitely help me get right to sleep tonight. Also- and more importantly I know this color will look good on me since the model on the box looks exactly like me.

Girl thinks to herself: Wait a minute...... we just received a memo in the office about revised Casual Friday attire. Did they mention anything about the Snuggie. Thinking, Thinking, Thinking.......

Girl proclaims: It's just the right size for me- and it looks like I might even be able to fit one more in here.

Girl considers knowingly to herself: Yep, this will fit right in with the new Casual Friday dress code.

Later that night girl is seen reading US magazine on the couch- by herself.

Baby Season

by: Jenelle Landgraf

It seems that everywhere I look there is a pregnant lady! Maybe I'm just noticing more because I'm pregnant, or perhaps spring is the time of year when a lot of people are having babies. It could also be that I am 30 and so my social netowrk is just in the "baby stage".

Whatever the reason, babies and pregnant ladies are everywhere, and I have multiple baby showers on my calendar. Whether you love them, loathe them, or just accept them for what they are - baby showers continue to be a tradition in our culture. Which got me wondering - where did this tradition come from and how has it changed over the years? Thanks to the genes from my mother and grandpa Bob, my wondering often leads me to "research". Thanks to the Internet, I no longer have to rely on the encyclypedias like my grandpa used to do. I came across ths little article about the history and evolution of baby showers that I'd like to share:

"There is no way to determine exactly where or when the “baby shower” originated. There are several theories on baby shower history, but none can be proven. No matter where and when baby showers were first introduced, today they are a very special event celebrating a new life.
Some historians have found evidence of baby showers, or something similar, quite some time ago. These discoveries lead experts to believe that celebrating birth started in ancient cultures, like those in the Egyptian and Roman times. No definitive proof is available, but historians have deciphered data which could mean baby showers took place.
When you look at baby showers from long ago, you see that most of the gifts given to the family were handmade. Articles of clothing, blankets, and even food items were provided as gifts for the new family. Showers in the past occurred after the birth of the child, so many times part of the “baby shower” was the viewing of the new child.
The “baby shower” as we celebrate it today began after World War II. Family and friends gather together, in a party atmosphere, to celebrate the birth of a new baby. At the start, only woman were invited to attend such a gathering, but today these celebrations can include the father, grandfathers, and any male family members.
In recent years, the baby shower has started to occur before the actual birth of the child. With the new technology that is available to expectant parents, the gender of the child is not so much a mystery. Therefore, a baby shower can be thrown early in preparation for the baby’s arrival without the worry of buying the wrong thing.
No matter what the baby shower history is, the baby shower of today is a supportive and generous event toward new or expectant parents. With all the current trends toward “unisex” items, it is hard to buy the wrong thing!"


Personally, I love how different baby showers can be these days - from couples cocktail baby showers to tea time with just the ladies - it's fun to mix it up a bit!

Torrey and I attended a more "modern" baby shower recently that involved men feeding beer to each other out of baby bottles, so now my husband thinks baby showers are really cool. The showers thrown for me have been a little more "traditional" with cake, tea, silly games, and scrapbooking.



Whatever kind of baby shower you choose to have (or not have - that's fine too!), I think it's important that women continue to support each other pass down advice about motherhood.
It's important for expecting women to feel loved and supported, which is what I most appreciated about the baby showers my friends and family hosted for me.

Mapel's Top Model's Spring Break Adventure

This week's "guest blogger" is Mapel's top model, Angela Kerwin (yes, the beautiful face of Mapel's landing page) who recently returned from a spring break adventure in Southeast Asia.

Day 1 - Flew into Hanoi, the Northern part of Vietnam and it was a culture shock. This was our first introduction to SE Asia and it was indeed eye-opening. Most of the population ride motorbikes, which makes for many interesting photos but can get a little taxing on the lungs. We stayed at the Golden Lotus Hotel II and walked around the markets. After about 40 hours of being awake and absorbing as much of Hanoi as we could handle, we headed back to the hotel to crash.

Day 2-3 - We took a beautiful tour of Halong Bay. This is a must if you are considering visiting Vietnam. Definitely a highlight. We stayed in a beautiful Junk boat and enjoyed delicious seafood, kayaking, and tours on the various islands. We were the only other couple on the boat and it was absolutely perfect.Evening (3) - Upon returning to Hanoi, we went for a bite to eat at Bar 69 and then headed to the Water Puppet show. We liked this but it was very touristy. Nonetheless, it is worth going to enjoy the artistry of the puppets and the skills of the puppeteers.

Day 4 - Flew to Nha Trang, the beach baby. The northern part of Vietnam tends to be cooler than the south and so we were itching for some sunny beaches. On our way from the Da Nang airport into Nha Trang, we passed the Diamond Bay Resort and saw that last year they hosted the Miss Universe pageant. Of course, we took a photo because it was just too funny. We enjoyed the beach all day, got massages, and found a fantastic pool right on the beach where we rented a cabana for $2 and ordered drinks all day (Louisiane Cafe - order the Thai Mussels).

Day 5 - After waking up to the sunset, we rented a scooter and drove about 45 miles South to Doc Let (Yoc-Let) beach. If you are looking for seclusion, this is a great place. We swam a bit and walked the beach and then headed back to town for some dinner. Russ ordered a drink called "the bucket" and you can just imagine what is in this...lots of red bull and lots of alcohol - yuk but he liked it.

Day 6 - Hoi An. Truly one of the most picturesque towns we have ever visited. The French influence and architecture are stunning as are the hundreds of silk lanterns that line the river and are lit throughout town. We spent a good part of our day getting fitted for various clothes - -dresses, shirts and Russ got a nice suit. We were a little surprised that the prices were more than we thought but still, a custom made dress for $25 isn't bad at all. I am most excited about my Asian inspired dress and Russ' fancy suit. We stayed in the An Tuy Hotel in Old Town,which was great and near the action. But, if you have more time, we'd recommend also staying at the gorgeous Victoria Beach Resort.

Day 7 - Hoi An. Again, lots of final fittings for our clothes and we did some more shopping, ate delicious pineapple and got a drink at Brothers Cafe, a beautiful restuarant situated along the river - - it's something right out of the movies. Speaking of movies, The Quiet American was filmed in Hoi An.

Day 8-11 - Hoi An to Phu Quoc Island. This was the most random and unplanned part of our trip but was definitely a highlight! We stayed at the beautiful La Veranda Resort for our first night and it felt like a honeymoon. Truly one of the most beautiful hotels I've ever stayed in. They were booked after the first day so we satyed at a little villa on the beach at the Saigon Phu Quoc Resort. We rented bikes, swam, laid out, hit golf balls, and went on an amazing snorkeling tour off of a couple different islands. We think it would be fun to get scuba certified but we'll see. We depart tomorrow for Ho Chi Minh City and we'll see if we feel up to traveling over to Cambodia once we have a day under our belts in HCMC.

Day 12 - We landed in Ho Chi Minh City and were at our hotel by 10:30 am. We spent the day at the Ho Chi Minh City Museum, ate lunch and then visited the War Remnants Museum. This museum was compelling and contained many extremely graphic photos about the attrocities of war. We were both moved and walked away with a sick feeling in our stomachs and greater sense of compassion for the innocent victims of the war (on both sides). After walking shopping and exploring more, we decided that we definitely had time to make it to Cambodia. We purchased our plane tix and headed back to the hotel to get some rest.

Day 13 - We arrived in Siem Reap, Cambodia around noon and checked into our hotel, the beautiful Prince d'Angkor Hotel and then it was off to town o check out the Central Market and grab some gelato in the VERY hot and humid heat. We were most excited though to hire a tuk tuk driver and make it to Angkor Wat to watch the sunset. It was miraculous and is one of the seven man made wonders of the world. We then headed back to town to Pub Street to enjoy a couple of drinks and then ended our day getting massages.

Day 14 - Morning came too soon. The sunset over Angkor Wat was beautiful but we had heard that to truly experience all the Temples had to offer, we needed to arrive by sunrise. That's right, we woke up at 4:15 am and were en route by 4:45 am. We saw the sunrise and spent the next couple of hours walking around Angkor Wat. Then, it was back to our hotel to catch a couple hours of sleep and then more shopping! Around 3:00 we hired a guide named Sothea to take us back to the temples and he took us to Taparom Trees, Angkor Thom and Bayon Temple, Terrace of the Elephants and Leper Kings, Heavenly Jail, and ended with a hike to the top of Bakheng Temple/Moutain to watch the sunset. We then headed into town and watched some beautiful Apsara dancing and enjoyed some Amok, a Cambodian fish dish, and a couple drinks before heading back to the hotel.

Day 15 -We finally had a chance to catch up on our rest and spent the majority of the morning in the hotel and then headed out for a cappuccino and to finish up some shopping. We flew back to Ho Chi Minh City and had a great meal at the night market and headed back to catch some much needed rest.

Day 16 - We made it to the airport and took off for home! An awesome adventure and we are already looking forward to the next one. Maybe...Greece, New Zealand or Spain? - - let us know where we should go, we'd love to hear from you.

xoxoxoAng n Russ

Statement Potential

The handbag is a fundamental element of every woman's look and

directly contributes to how she feels.

Woman have become increasingly obsessed with handbags within the last decade. Who could blame us... there is so much statement potential in one little (or over sized) handbag. Trend analysts have spotted extra handbag emphasis from designers this spring season. Likely due to economic conditions designers think it might be easier for consumers to pick up a new handbag rather than a new ensemble.


This week Mapel got our spring handbag booty.... and we could not be more excited. In addition to our fav'sies handbag vendor Compose we picked up Chocolate. We fell in love with their designs, construction and quality- and we know you will too.

During this week's Happy Hour Menu Mapel offers 25% off a new handbag each day.

Thursday Happy Hour
to dye for Lace Tote $51 (regularly $68)


This spring designers played up the theme of sheer madness. Using various gossamer materials like chiffon, lace, fishnet and fringe designers lent a subtly "telling" and sexy aesthetic to dressing. These ensembles are not for the faint of heart - be you wearer or viewer. You don't have to break the "office appropriate" dress code to get this same sheer madness look. Something tells me this purse won't get you fired- but I don't think you'll get a promotion either.








Friday Happy Hour
decidedly forward Purple Braided Clutch $51 (regularly $68)


You probably think we are obsessed with purple- and we are. But it's not just us... designers keep working purple into their collections. This season purple gets a makeover when worn with electric almost contrast colors. We see vivid purple with hot red or violet with burnt orange. This season purple is for the decided woman who respects herself, pays attention to detail (like braided trim) isn't afraid to pair purple with unexpected colors.











Saturday & Sunday Happy Hour
conveniently handy Large Zebra Shopper $37.50 (regularly $50)


Most weekends involve at least one trip to the grocery store or Saturday market. What better way maintain your uber chic look while saving the enviro' than with a Large Zebra Shopper.


Actually- if you don't already have an over sized handbag you betta' get on the handbag wagon- cause this spring bags get super-sized. Think Ashley Olson proportions for the masses.












Monday Happy Hour
softly versatile Quilted Bone Tote $73.50 (regularly $98)


Find inspiration in Coco Chanel's signature classic quilted tote. This spring bone, beige and other subtle pastels painted the runway. Softer palette's of color are easily mixed with any ensemble and can be worn at any event. Bone is your best choice for elegance and versatility.














Tuesday Happy Hour
playful Gathered Grey Tote $58.50 (regularly $78)


I won't bother stating that "grey is the new black"- because I believe black IS black and grey IS grey. We can however take inspiration from all the grey, silver and metallic that covered the spring runways. Grey is a color of charm and refinement. We can also note that handbags are becoming just that- Hand Bags. Instead of throwing it over your shoulder carry your bag in your hand for a feminine and fresh approach to accessorizing.











Wednesday Happy Hour
ferocious Animal Print Shoulder Bag $43.50 (regularly $58)


Last- but certainly not least is the massive trend of animal or python print. We see it in shoes, jewelry and of course handbags. Mapel's Animal Print bag is trend right yet subtle. The bone color (see Monday's write up) is versatile.