We’ve been back from Iceland a bit over a month now, so it probably comes as no surprise that we were itching for a weekend getaway. We don’t do big trips that often, but we tend to find the time for at least a night away once every 4-6 weeks it seems.
This time, we landed on Coupeville on Whidbey Island. We’d originally considered Port Townsend, but thanks to it being both President’s Day weekend and Valentine’s Day weekend, everything semi-affordable was booked up when we looked last minute. We picked an Airbnb just a short walk from the Coupeville waterfront, which was perfect for the single night.
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Friday’s Frugal Five
1. While we generally stay in Airbnbs when we travel, we usually pick the places where we have the whole home or apartment to ourselves. That changed a bit when we traveled to Iceland, where we stayed in Guesthouses there in family style hostel lodging. We haven’t exactly been opposed to shared spaces, but with a group of us they are usually individual ones, and when the kiddo was younger it seemed even more important.
This past weekend, we found a room only option in a shared home that slept four people, which was what we needed (Bob came with us, of course). It was cheaper than anything else around, plus it was actually available. It actually ended up being a great choice and my husband ended up having a couple of long conversations with the homeowner while we were there.
If you haven’t stayed in an Airbnb before, I would highly recommend it. We love the flexibility it gives us while traveling as a family – full kitchen, laundry, and extra bathrooms, and it’s usually considerably cheaper than a hotel, especially when you travel as a group. If you’re new to Airbnb, here’s a link for $40+ off your first stay.
2. On Sunday before we went home from Whidbey Island, we headed over to Fort Casey for the morning. There is a triangle of forts out on the island and the peninsula, remnants of World War II, but Fort Casey is the only one with the big guns still on display. Unsurprisingly, it’s the most popular of the three, and it was quit busy even though it was a crummy winter day in February.
Access to the park is with an annual Discover Pass ($30/year) since it’s a state park. Other than that, the trip is free. We visit parks enough through the year that the cost is minimal for each trip, but we would pay the fee even if we didn’t go frequently. One of my new recurring donations this year is to the state park system at the suggestion of my husband, because we really value the accessibility and importance of the natural areas in our state.
3. Monday was President’s Day, which meant the kiddo’s preschool was closed, but my work was not. He went to spend the day with my mom and grandmother instead, and they had a blast as always. We are so lucky to have family support close by, and any time we have a school closure, it’s even more obvious. And of course, he adores the, both and would spend every day with them if he could. There’s nothing better than watching that bond.
4. We ran into our neighbor while walking the trails Thursday afternoon, which resulted in an impromptu dinner together. The weather was entirely too nice to spend much of it indoors before the sun set, so we had a simple dinner of chicken nuggets, broccoli, and cheesy rice.
We are so lucky to live where we do and with the neighbors we have, and I’m reminded of that fact weekly. There’s nothing better than running into friends regularly near the house because they too live near your house.
5. One of the days the kiddo was with my mom this week she also gave him a haircut. His hair had gotten pretty shaggy and started falling into his eyes again, but we completely let his hair style be up to him. Young kids don’t have many things they can control 100% in their lives, so when we can, we let him have that control.
This week he decided he did want a haircut though, so my mom took care of it for him while he was with her. This, of course, means we don’t have to pay for a haircut, but even better, we can go on a walk in the sunshine in the afternoon instead of spending it inside at a hair salon waiting for an appointment.
Exercise Update
Still no running. I really need to sit around more often and give my foot a real break, but I just don’t sit down well. It doesn’t hurt much now when walking, but any time I run even a couple minutes I’m set back again, which is so frustrating.
So, of course, Saturday was a ton of walking around Coupeville, as we parked the car for the trip once we arrived, and I ended the day with 21,000 steps. Monday we walked into town with my grandmother, enjoying the nice weather.
Tuesday was my three mile walk to work (again, not resting the heel, oops) and then forty five minutes on the stationary bike in the afternoon. Wednesday was more walking and forty minutes on the bike. Oh, if only I enjoyed biking. Thursday was that long walk through the trails where we bumped into our neighbor.
Do you know your neighbors? If not, maybe this is the week to say hello.