Mike competed last weekend in the 5th Annual 2008 Salmon Classic Invitational at Roche Harbor. Mike caught a 16lbs. 12 oz salmon to earn him second place in the event. The first place fish weighed 19 lbs, 14 oz.

Great Job to Mike and all those who participated!

I must admit I love the snow, but driving in it…. not so much! Below are a couple of pics from my way into work this morning.
The view from my front door looking at Everson Park, snow still coming down and temp. about 26 degrees. Brrrrrrr……

Main St in Everson, just around the corner from my house, roads covered in snow and ice!

Headed down the Everson Goshen Rd on my way to the office in Fairhaven. Nasty road conditions!

Now here is the difference between my house, and my commute and where my office is located…… Here is a shot in Fairhaven.

Nothing but rain here in Bellingham’s Historic Fairhaven District. What a difference in weather. Just goes to show you how diverse Whatcom County can be!

Although this recipe has nothing to do with real estate, I thought maybe others might be interested as well. I don’t know about you, but lately I have found myself coming home after the day at work, the commute, running a few errands, only to spend an hour or so cooking dinner upon my arrival and it’s a little draining from time to time. I am thinking my new thing is going to the CROCK POT RECIPES….

What’s better than coming home to an already prepared meal?…. don’t get me wrong you still have to prepare it in the morning, but there is no cooking when you get home.

The following is my first recipe that I am going to try tomorrow night. It was given to me by Jessie Frasier at People’s Bank in Everson it’s her personal favorite!

4 Frozen boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 packet taco seasoning
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup salsa

Place frozen chicken in crockpot, sprinkle taco seasoning over each piece, add can of soup, add cup of salsa. Cook on low for 5 hours. Serve over rice with sour cream.

Well, it’s official all the Johnson Team is now home from vacation and back in the office. Graham returned the end of last week from Africa, followed by Lylene and Rich who returned to the office yesterday. I am so happy to have them home! They had an amazing time and as soon as they get all settled in and caught up I will be sure to get some pictures from them to post for you to see.

Welcome Home!

During the holidays, Rich, Lylene, Graham and Meghan were all gone with just Mike and I in the office we needed a little help. We made some phone calls and came up with a great new addition to the team. Meet Lauren Bredeson Mike’s daughter!

Thanks Lauren for all your holiday help!

Fawn

What an amazing summer we have had! There is just so much that Whatcom County has to offer in the summer months. Be sure to check out our website and blog at www.JohnsonTeamRealEstate.com to view the latest photos of the summer happenings, from a team member’s hikes at Mt. Baker to the Everson-Nooksack Summer Festival Parade, the Johnson Team tries to cover it all….

Mike really enjoyed the summer. With Lauren out of school, they get to spend quite a bit of time together. Now that Lauren is getting older, events tend to be a lot more fun and exciting. She is getting pretty good at learning to fish, thanks to her Dad. She also enjoyed picking some raspberries out at the u-pick field for Mike’s lunch. Mike has gotten in some great fishing as well, even taken part in a couple of derbies. If you would like to know where the fishing are biting or what season it is, be sure to give Mike a call at (360) 201-5088.

 Graham has really had quite the couple of months in terms of diverse adventures and working at the office. He spent a great extended weekend being groomsman in a college buddy’s wedding. The festivities included the rehearsal dinner and a great night out in downtown Portland. He had an amazing time catching up with friends and reminiscing about his college years.  Graham also found time to enjoy a wonderful hike up around Mt. Baker with a fellow Muljat agent. And, as if the Mt. Baker hike wasn’t enough, Graham managed to escape for a day over to Leavenworth and do some whitewater rafting down the Wenatchee River. Well, at least no one can say that Graham doesn’t get out much!

Fawn has really enjoyed her summer months as well. She had a great time in Sumas watching some local friends compete in the Bull-a-rama and is looking forward to the next one here in a week or so.  She has continued to race at Deming Speedway and has had some great finishes. As always, she is having a blast racing.  Fawn also experienced her first Everson-Nooksack Summer Festival Parade; she rode in the parade and threw candy to the kids from her friends’ 1948 Coupe Sedan.  She has also played host to several barbecues over the summer months and is taking full advantage of cruising with her dog Yukon in her convertible Samurai. 

Nickie has had a very exciting month.  She has been accepted to the University of British Columbia’s nursing program. Nickie will be leaving the team at the end of the month. She was a very integral part of the team and she will be greatly missed by everyone here! She and her husband Phil will continue to live in Ferndale as she attends the nursing program in Canada.  We are sure she will drop by the office for a visit every now and then… and .of course. Hopefully to bring by some of her famous cookies!

Rich, believe it or not, actually took some time off work and the website to enjoy some time in their boat. Mike helped him and Graham install some downriggers on the side of the boat in hopes of making a big catch. Rich, Lylene and Graham spent a great Fourth of July out on the boat enjoying the San Juan Islands and the waters of Bellingham Bay. 

Lylene has been enjoying the boat as well. It really reminds her of when her boys were young and things were a little less hectic.  She is continuing to work on her lawn –now if only we could get her to remember her sunscreen we would be doing good!  Both she and Rich are working on a remodel of their house as well, taking out an old brick fireplace and installing a new, efficient gas fireplace. They can’t wait to enjoy it during the upcoming fall and winter months.

Another addition to our team is a new listing search tool! Be sure to visit our website at www.JohnsonTeamRealEstate.com and click “Search Listings” to use the new search tool. You now can search by map, or by your desired criteria, or even go as far as to do an address or neighborhood search. If you have any ideas or other searches you might like or see any problems with our current search tool, be sure to let us know!

Whatcom County is such an amazing place to spend the summer months, with all the natural beauty this area has to offer. The Johnson Team, along with many of our out- of-town clients, has had the opportunity to enjoy many of them from the waters of Bellingham Bay to the hiking trails at Mt. Baker — we are trying to take it all in. Be sure to check out our blog at www.JohnsonTeamRealEstate.com/blog to see photos of events such as the Farmers Day Parade in Lynden and the Deming Log Show. 

Mike has really had a wonderful summer. Mike, his wife Kim and daughter Lauren have spent some sunny afternoons out on the waters of Puget Sound in their boat, hiking around Sucia Island and enjoying lunch at Roche Harbor and Friday Harbor. Mike is in the process of getting his dock built at Sandy Point and can’t wait to have his boat on his own dock. He has also been very active on the local golf courses, practicing his swing and taking part in his men’s league at North Bellingham Golf Course on a weekly basis.

Graham took a long weekend at Lake Roosevelt, enjoying some great camping and catching up with some old college buddies. The weather there was amazing and a great time was had by all. He has enrolled his dog Mia into Cedarwoods dog training school and both he and Mia are learning a lot — although we think Graham might need a little more training that Mia. Graham has also been busy doing things around his house, including the addition of a new fireplace and fire pit in his back yard.  It’s the perfect place to relax in the sun after a day in the office.

Fawn has had quite the diverse couple of months staying very busy with her social calendar as well as at the office. She has continued to race at Deming Speedway and has been doing very well. Fawn also competed in the Deming Logging Show in the “Ma and Pa Bucking” event with one of the boys from the local Zender logging family.  She had a great time. Not from a logging family herself, Fawn learned a lot about the industry and all the hard work involved. She has also been spending time at Hannegan Speedway, taking in the motocross races on Thursday nights and the occasional flat-track racing as well. There definitely is a theme when it comes to Fawn and her events.

Nickie and Phil had are settling into their new house. They are now playing host to two Japanese exchange students who will be attending school at Whatcom Community College over the summer. They also enjoyed a visit from a couple of friends from Germany and went on a road trip with them down the Pacific Coast to Las Angeles. Nickie flew home early to start classes for summer quarter and Phil and their friends continued the trek by car.

Rich has been working out at the YMCA on a regular basis and is working on his cardio rate. He and Lylene have finally managed to get out and enjoy their boat. They took a day trip to Roache Harbor to have lunch and enjoy the waters of the Puget Sound.  Rich had his tap dance recital last month and it was a real hit. His group danced to “Mambo Number 5.”  The recital was such a big hit it sold out both Friday and Saturday and an extra show was added for Sunday as well.

Lylene has finally gotten to where she wants to be in terms of her lawn. Now the issue is keeping the deer from eating all the buds and blooms off her plants. She has continued to head to Eastern Washington to visit her father and help on her brother and sister-in-law’s cherry orchard as well. Lylene has also been busy baking and making care packages for her nephew Josh, who is currently serving in Iraq.  There is nothing like homemade cupcakes to make someone feel more at home. Lylene is looking forward to more time out on the boat around the islands, as it reminds her of when her kids were young and they spent time on Lummi Island.

 We would love to hear about what you or your families have been up to this summer. If you have photos from your summer events or would like us to include information about one of your activities on the blog, don’t hesitate to e-mail!

Can you believe it is summer already?  Changes in the season also mean an ever-changing real estate market.  If you want to stay up to date on the latest Bellingham and Whatcom County real-estate statistics, visit our website, www.JohnsonTeamRealEstate.com. and click on “Market News” to view the monthly updates, as well as past quarterly and annual updates.  The updates including pricing increases, number of pending sales and so much more!

Mike had an amazing spring season and is looking forward to more great weather this summer.  As with Mike, great weather means great fishing.  He got away for a couple of days and headed north into Canada for a fishing tournament, as well as some ling cod fishing around the Puget Sound.  He has even enjoyed some evenings at Lake Padden fishing for trout with his daughter Lauren.  She loves to cast her pole into the water, but is a little reluctant with the whole patience of waiting to catch one.

Graham and his dog Mia enjoyed a solo backpacking trip to Stehekin, which is at the end of Lake Chelan.  They took a foot ferry from Chelan to Stehekin and spent three days backpacking the hills and trails around Lake Chelan.  He had a great time and got to use his new backpacking equipment that he recently purchased from REI. His new lightweight sleeping mat seems to weigh less that an sheet of paper!

Fawn has dived into racing season head-first and is so happy to be driving at Deming Speedway again..  She has had some great finishes, coming all the way from the back of the B Main event and finishing mid-pack in the A Main.  She also took a trip to Portland, Ore. to watch the Sport Fighting Championships, where she had the opportunity to meet and take pictures with Ultimate Fighting Champion of the World Randy Couture. Fawn and her extreme sports — it just seems to have no limit.

Nickie and her husband Phil are still basking in the fact that they no longer have over a 30-minute commute to work, and love being Ferndale residents.  They are still shopping around for a new dog, and hope to have one really soon.  They are soon to have their friends from Europe come to visit them and then the four of them with be off on a road trip to California and Nevada at the end of the month.  Nickie is also currently deciding on which classes to take in the fall quarter. 

Rich is still working on backward links to our website.  He has also been busy keeping his lawn groomed in the evenings.  Sometimes he tends to wait a little too long and has the joyous occasion of having to mow it twice in a row to get it a short length.  Rich is still trying to convince Lylene to get a puppy, which is not working too well. 

Lylene has been working like crazy in her lawn and definitely is feeling the burn when is comes to muscles she hasn’t used in while.  She has been working on getting her drip-watering systems done and has been pulling weeds and moving trees and shrubs around her property. Lylene has also continued to make her trips to Eastern Washington to visit her father, brother and sister-in-law.  She tries to make it over at least once a month if at all possible.

 Don’t forget our moving truck for your next event or move. It is here for you, free of charge for all your moving and nonprofit needs. Call us at 527-8766.

With spring in full swing and summer almost here, The Johnson Team has been busy taking lots of photos in the beautiful weather. The photos are for updates on the website about the various neighborhoods and communities around Whatcom County. Be sure to visit www.JohnsonTeamRealEstate.com and click on communities to see the latest of our virtual tours. The tours are a great way for out-of-area residents to get a feel of Bellingham and all it had to offer.

Mike enjoyed the start of halibut season in April, taking full advantage of the nice, sunny, wind-free days. He also took some afternoon trips to Sucia Island with Lauren and Kim to enjoy an afternoon picnic and kite flying. Mike has also returned to golfing in his weekly men’s league at North Bellingham Golf Course.

Graham has finally started to settle into his house. He is in the market for a second car that is a little more suitable for a dog – a car that he can take up to Mt. Baker and not have to worry about it being spotless for clients.  Graham and Mia have taken some great hikes in the Mt. Baker area, as well as around Larrabee and Chuckanut Mountain.

Fawn is having a lot of fun at Deming Speedway, where she is racing for a couple of different car owners this year. She’s having a blast getting back in the driver’s seat.  Fawn has also been working on her house, getting the backyard landscaped and beauty barking the flower beds. She and Yukon have enjoyed cruising in her Suzuki Samarai down at the river and around in the hills.

Nickie had quite the month. She and Phil sold their home in Sumas and have moved to a beautiful home in Ferndale. Both she and Phil are so happy there with plenty of room, a much shorter commute and a great backyard for the dog they are hoping to get soon. Nickie also loves the open kitchen area, perfect for cooking and entertaining, some of her favorite pastimes. 

Rich has been the one taking most of the neighborhood photos for our new virtual tours. He had a great time going from neighborhood to neighborhood, checking out the sites and taking in all that Bellingham has to offer. It’s amazing how much you miss when you aren’t really “looking.” Rich and Lylene are hoping to take their boat out soon and enjoy some evening cruises around Bellingham Bay and beyond.

Lylene finished her “spring cleaning” and arranging out at their Lummi Island house. She moved in some new furniture, got rid of some old stuff and gave the home a wonderful new feel. Lylene enjoyed her time at the island, remembering all the great times there and especially that gorgeous view of Mt. Baker and Hales Passage.

Don’t forget our moving truck for your next event or move. It is here for you, free of charge for all your moving and nonprofit needs. Call us at 527-8766.

Can you believe that Spring is already almost upon us, where does the year seem to go.  The Team has been busy getting new ideas up and running for the new year, one of which is The Bellingham Blog.  The Team has been working to make the blog a great source of information on the Bellingham area, the latest real estate developments and issues that effects residents and those buying and selling homes in our area.  We would love you hear your opinions on the blog, so be sure to visit it sometime at www.JohnsonTeamRealEstate.com/Blog

Mike is staying busy as ever with Lauren around. She is loving school at Whatcom Day Academy and can already spell her name, and she’s only 3!  Mike went down for the boat show in Seattle and had an amazing time checking out the latest and greatest in the marine industry.  He has also been able to get some great fishing in with clients and friends alike.  If you ever want to go, or just want to know the latest fishing spot, don’t hesitate to call in and ask Mike, as he would be glad to help!
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Graham enjoyed some great snowboarding over the winter and is not looking forward to the end of the season. He had a great time taking Mia (his German Sheppard )  up to the mountain. Mia loves to go boarding with Graham and gets her exercise running down the mountain along side him. He is also loving his new house in the Birchwood area, a great change from the condo.  He really enjoys his back deck where he spends the mornings eating breakfast and watching Mia play out in the yard.

Fawn is going full swing, racing season started locally at the beginning of the month which means every Friday night you can catch her a Deming Speedway and Saturday Nights, at Skagit or other northwest tracks, it really is her passion.  She and Yukon also went on some hikes up on Chuckanut Mnt, and had a great time taking in the beautiful views of Bellingham Bay and the surrounding islands.

Nickie had a birthday in March.  She is quite the chef and baker so her husband Phil bought her a new set of pots and pans, which she absolutely LOVES!  Nickie has never had a brand new set and can’t believe the difference it makes in her cooking, which by the way was already unbelievable.  She and Phil have also been looking at houses in Bellingham and Ferndale and are anxious to find the right place for them.  They can’t wait to cut down there commute times and be a little closer to town and all that has to offer.

Rich is looking forward to the warmer, sunny days as that will get him out of the YMCA gym and out on some local hikes and trails.  He has also been busy working on The Johnson Team’s reciprocal link campaign for the website.  If you have a site and would like to exchange links with ours, contact Rich and he will get you signed up.  Lylene is looking forward to the greenery of spring and enjoying her landscaping she has been working on over the past year.  She has continued to spend her weekends in Eastern Washington with her father, whom is in an assisted living facility.

If the Spring times means of move for you, your family or a big event, don’t forget The Johnson Team Moving Truck!  It is available free of charge, to clients and non profit organizations.