Weekend in Bellevue, WA

If you have been following us for a while, then you know that last year (2018) I set a goal to run 10 miles. I never ran before. I was a weak runner. I wanted to run because every time I was in the car and saw someone run I was secretly wishing I could join them. I could hardly run 1 mile at first. Then 3 miles was easy for me and on average I could easily run 6 miles. Within only a few months into 2018 I had reached my goal and I had ran 10 miles. So I decided to run half a marathon (13.1 miles or 21 kilometers) and I did it. It was a big accomplishment for me. I put a lot of time and training into it.

But I wanted to share something with you. I got a lot of criticism. For the first time in my life after I had become a mother, I did something for me. I had people tell me that I shouldn’t run because I was already thin. I was told that I was spending too much time doing something for myself and that I should feel guilty. I was warned not to get so into it.

Running half a marathon showed me that I could do anything I put my mind to. That all I needed was Gods help and discipline. I ran in the rain (my favorite time), I ran in the morning at 5am while all my kids were still sleeping and my husband had just left to work, I ran after I had made dinner and we had cleaned up, I ran when we traveled, and I ran whenever I could.

Now, I love running. I usually run around 4 to 6 miles at a time. Maybe one day I’ll train to run a marathon.

So I want to encourage you to do something for you without feeling guilty. To not make the excuse that you can’t do it or you can’t find time for it. If you think something is important you will make time for it and you will be so glad you did.

Traveling is very important for us as a family. We make it a priority to travel. It is pretty addictive as well, but we think it is a healthy addiction.

We visited Bellevue, Washington for the first time and fell in love with the small city vibe.

 

Snoqualmie Falls

 

Snoqualmie Falls is perhaps the most fascinating body of water (268 foot waterfall) we saw during our recent Oregon/Washington trip.

There are a few very easy to get to observation decks that you can get to without walking very far from your car but to really get the “wow” effect we think that the trail that takes you to the bottom of the waterfall is the most incredible. The walk was so peaceful. The large Snoqualmie trees on both sides of the trail and the snow covering the ground really felt like we were going on an adventure to discover something new.

Located at Snoqualmie, WA 98024.

 

Chism Beach Park

 

Chism Beach Park is certainly a place to visit for those who want to relax next to a beach. With a dock that takes you to a considerable length out to the water. This is a place to visit when in the area. It is a prefect place to cool off on a hot summer day. During the summer they have a lifeguard on duty. You can see Seattle from here and the surrounding view is stunning. There is also a playground here as well as flushable bathrooms nearby.

 

 

Bellevue Downtown Park

 

Bellevue Downtown Park is a park with a huge variety of play structures in one place. From different types of swings to a small trampoline, this park is insanely exciting to visit. This is far from the only thing to do here. There is also a artificial waterfall that falls into a small pond. It certainly is an impressive thing to look at and not because it looks amazing or anything like that, but because it is so difficult to imagine how difficult and expensive this pond and all its plumbing is. There is also this concrete stairway which has very impressive design and plenty of interesting things to look at. There are benches throughout the park. This is a great place to run or walk because the side walk is marked with mile markers. There is a lot of grass which makes this park an excellent place for a picnic.

 

 

Bellevue Arts Museum

 

Bellevue Arts Museum is a place that can be visited many times. Mostly because there are never any permanent exhibits. The glass exhibit was our favorite. There was such a large variety of glass artists displaying their beautiful work here. They had volunteers here who shared more about the artists and the pieces they made. They even had samples that you could touch and look at closer so that you could understand how the artist made the piece. It was so educational. One of the most interesting pieces was a dress made out of glass that has weekly live performances of someone dancing in it. There was so many pieces to see that our family could not agree on what the best piece was. Definitely worth a visit.

Located at 510 Bellevue Way NE, Bellevue, WA 98004.

 

Meydenbauer Bay Park

 

Meydenbauer Bay Park is a park you should visit when  your in the area. If you only visit one park then this would be my recommendation. If the reason you come here is for a play structure then you might be disappointed. The play structure area consists of very small but well laid out sets. The real reason to come here though is for the design. The concrete here is extremely well structured being very pleasant to look upon and very abundant. Perhaps the most interesting design though is the dock, which is simply beautiful. It is a dock that curves creating a boundary for the swimming area and giving a place for fishermen to go to. With there being plenty of small features to appreciate. This is a place were you can also kayak and swim. This park is a great choice to enjoy water activities.

 

 

Hyatt Regency Bellevue

 

This is seriously one of the most beautiful places we have stayed at. The view was stunning from our Chairman Suite room. We could see Seattle from the distance. I am more of a country girl so Seattle is too much stimulation for me. Bellevue on the other hand, has a small town feel to it. It is so laidback and clean. This was our first time exploring Bellevue and I’m in love with the atmosphere. There are 100 urban playgrounds to choose from.

Now, back to Hyatt Regency Bellevue and why we loved it so much. This 732-room hotel is so spacious. It doesn’t feel crowded at all. If anything, you even get the feeling that you could get lost here. To us it felt like sleeping next to the mall because once you get out of the elevator there are a variety of restaurants to choose from and even stores to shop in. You do not have to go out in the cold or rain to grab something to eat.

Our room was more like a house. When you enter you find a large table that could fit eight people, two sitting areas, a television, and an entire kitchen. To the left is the kids room with two double beds and a bathroom. To the right is a master bedroom and a master bathroom. This master bathroom has a tv build in it so you can watch something as you soak in the tub. It is a beautiful room. We could seriously just move in and stay here for a while.

Located at 900 Bellevue Way NE Bellevue, WA 98004.

 

 

Thank you Visit Bellevue for hosting our stay.

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