This year was so exciting, we FINALLY got a chance to take a road trip to Seattle. We have wanted to go for a long time and it was definitely worth it. My father-in-laws family lives up there and since there was a wedding in the family it was a perfect opportunity to visit. We started out early, EARLY Thursday morning. The kids did amazingly well in the car. We did try to stop and take pictures on our way up, you know seeing things for the very first time- like Oregon. It was very pretty- all those trees!! We also stopped in Pendleton, which is apparently nick named "the top of the world". It sure felt like it, to be up so high and just look down into a vast valley- it was awesome.
After 14.5 hours we made it to our hotel in Seattle. I have to say, I am NOT a big fan of the traffic there. Anyways, we stayed right next to the Old Spaghetti Factory. I was truly amazed as my kids were good little angels who, even being exhausted from the road trip, ate all their food and didn't hardly complain at all. Their reward of course was swimming in the hotel pool!! We swam until about 10:30pm. We all slept pretty well that night- wouldn't you?
FRIDAY- Seattle Zoo and Space Needle
The morning weather was a downpour, but that didn't stop us. We headed out to the zoo anyways. Luckily, as soon as we got to the zoo, the rain stopped and the sun eventually graced us with it's presence and it was a fabulous day. We rented a wagon so we could pull Timothy- but I think we all took a turn riding in the wagon. This was such a big zoo, it took us lots of hours, and lots of walking to get through. I don't even think we saw everything, but we saw plenty. We loved the bird show, and Tommy even got to help with the Turkey Vulture bit. Most of the animals were pretty active, so it was fun to see them out and about. Tommy and Savana were taking turns with my camera, learning how to photograph animals- I must say, they took some pretty good shots. Check out the picture of the the gorilla sleeping, then Savana sleeping- see any kind of resemblance? It was such a fun day, and guess what happened when we left the zoo- it started raining again! Boy were we lucky.
After the zoo we grabbed some food, because we were STARVING!! Then we headed downtown to the Space Needle. Did I mention that I did NOT like the traffic there? The roads are so narrow, there is hardly room for one car let alone two lanes. Then with all the hills, and one way streets- it's mayhem. Plus, you have to pay for parking EVERYWHERE you go. So we went to the Space Needle and parked (ended up getting a ticket because the "pay here" was not very clear-oh well), then walked a little to the building. The kids were a little nervous to ride the elevator- I mean the Space Needle is over 600 feet high. But it was a short 82 second ride to the top. Oh it was fun to see all around the city, the ocean, Lake Union, the skyline and the tops of all the buildings surrounding us. Tommy was way into the view finder things- he stopped at every one!! Nanny and I got a little vertigo, but all was well. It reminded me a little of being on the top of the Eiffel Tower as a kid. I'm glad my kids got that experience- to be on top of the world.
After the zoo we grabbed some food, because we were STARVING!! Then we headed downtown to the Space Needle. Did I mention that I did NOT like the traffic there? The roads are so narrow, there is hardly room for one car let alone two lanes. Then with all the hills, and one way streets- it's mayhem. Plus, you have to pay for parking EVERYWHERE you go. So we went to the Space Needle and parked (ended up getting a ticket because the "pay here" was not very clear-oh well), then walked a little to the building. The kids were a little nervous to ride the elevator- I mean the Space Needle is over 600 feet high. But it was a short 82 second ride to the top. Oh it was fun to see all around the city, the ocean, Lake Union, the skyline and the tops of all the buildings surrounding us. Tommy was way into the view finder things- he stopped at every one!! Nanny and I got a little vertigo, but all was well. It reminded me a little of being on the top of the Eiffel Tower as a kid. I'm glad my kids got that experience- to be on top of the world.
After the Space Needle, we went to visit Aunt Peter and Aunt Theresa and Peter's boatyard. He is a shipwright and builds and rebuilds boats. It was so neat to be on the docks, and see all the boats. Peter told us next time we come he'll give us a ride on his boat- that should be fun. It was a pretty exhausting day so by the time we got back to the hotel, we crashed out!
SATURDAY- The Locks and Wedding
The morning dawned overcast and rainy again, but hey-it's Seattle, the rain is unavoidable. But we were lucky again and it stopped just for our outing. We went to visit the Locks and the fish ladder. Tommy was fascinated by how they got the boats from the fresh water to the sea water and vice versa. I was pretty intrigued myself. We got to watch a few times as they went back and forth, up and down. The girls, they really didn't care- as is normal, this was a guy thing. Then the fish ladder was cool. We got to see a few fish jump from one step to the next. It wasn't brimming with fish just yet, it's still a little early in the season, but there were still several fish there so it wasn't a bust. 
After the Locks we got some YUMMY clam chowder and headed out to the wedding. My father-in-laws brother, Mark, and his wife, Julie, were hosting a wedding for their youngest son, Brian. Wow- I guess I could've just said "Josh's cousin", but you had to know the link. Anyways, it was Brian and Sarah's wedding. It was a neat experience for the kids- they have never been to a wedding ceremony before. A lot of it was over their heads. The girls were sitting with the "Aunts" so I couldn't gauge their reactions to it, but Savana did think the bride was very tall and pretty. Tommy was asking all kinds of questions- some having nothing to do with the cereomony and Timothy, well he's 4, I'll leave it at that. But it was fun to be there and support them. After the ceremony and reception we headed out to Uncle Mark's cabin to stay the night. W-O-W!!! What a beautiful place, even without flooring and furniture:) It is right on the water in such a beautiful place. The kids had so much fun riding on the boat. And I am including Josh in that statement. I think he only got out of the boat because it was getting dark and I told him he had to eat- if not for that he probably would've stayed out all night. We had a great BBQ and Tommy, Siera, and Savana wanted to play in the lake. It happened to be getting late, and the water was cold, but that didn't stop them at all. They did only play for a few minutes, but they loved it!!! Then a campfire by the water making smores- nothing is better than that.
After the Locks we got some YUMMY clam chowder and headed out to the wedding. My father-in-laws brother, Mark, and his wife, Julie, were hosting a wedding for their youngest son, Brian. Wow- I guess I could've just said "Josh's cousin", but you had to know the link. Anyways, it was Brian and Sarah's wedding. It was a neat experience for the kids- they have never been to a wedding ceremony before. A lot of it was over their heads. The girls were sitting with the "Aunts" so I couldn't gauge their reactions to it, but Savana did think the bride was very tall and pretty. Tommy was asking all kinds of questions- some having nothing to do with the cereomony and Timothy, well he's 4, I'll leave it at that. But it was fun to be there and support them. After the ceremony and reception we headed out to Uncle Mark's cabin to stay the night. W-O-W!!! What a beautiful place, even without flooring and furniture:) It is right on the water in such a beautiful place. The kids had so much fun riding on the boat. And I am including Josh in that statement. I think he only got out of the boat because it was getting dark and I told him he had to eat- if not for that he probably would've stayed out all night. We had a great BBQ and Tommy, Siera, and Savana wanted to play in the lake. It happened to be getting late, and the water was cold, but that didn't stop them at all. They did only play for a few minutes, but they loved it!!! Then a campfire by the water making smores- nothing is better than that.
SUNDAY- downtown adventure (aquarium, pikes place, harbor cruise)
What a day!! Well, first of all as we were driving into town we saw a HUGE rainbow flag flying on top of the Space Needle. So, then we got to see LOTS of weird, wacky, inappropriately dressed people. Yep, it was Gay Pride day. Being in a big city on a day like this made me grateful for my life in a small town and for my beliefs. It did present lots of teaching moments- but we tried to keep to ourselves. So we headed to the Aquarium. This is always so fun. Josh is such an fish and underwater life enthusiast, and so is Tommy that it is always such a blast to see this stuff. There was a touch tank that had all kinds of star fish and sea urchins and things- the girls were super brave and touched almost everything. Siera and Josh actually fed an urchin. There was lots to see, and even part of it went out onto a dock and you were right on the harbor. I never got over that. I love water, so this was way fun.
We started to get hungry so IVERS was the place. I had been told how amazing their food was, especially the clam chowder, and they did not disappoint. AMAZING!!! The only qualm I had was the seagulls flying right over head or patiently waiting on the fence to nab your food. I am NOT a fan of birds flying at my head- I had a traumatic experience once and they freak me out!! Anyways, everyone got a kick out of me have a freak out, but I showed them, I even fed one of the stinking seagulls. The kids were really brave and held out their french fries to the birds and let them take it right out of their hands- silly kids. Only Timothy had the brains to stay away!! Even though it was loud, with all the screeching, and the wings flapping- it was the best restaurant we ate at!! Then we headed to the world famous Pike Place Market. It has been Josh's dream to buy a fish from there- so I let him. That way we got to watch them throw and wrap our fish. Yep, in the pictures- that's our fish- HUGE!!!! Pretty tasty too, and I don't even like to eat fish. As we went through the market it was so colorful and there were so many things to see and touch and smell. We'll have to go back one day- it was definitely an adventure.
We started to get hungry so IVERS was the place. I had been told how amazing their food was, especially the clam chowder, and they did not disappoint. AMAZING!!! The only qualm I had was the seagulls flying right over head or patiently waiting on the fence to nab your food. I am NOT a fan of birds flying at my head- I had a traumatic experience once and they freak me out!! Anyways, everyone got a kick out of me have a freak out, but I showed them, I even fed one of the stinking seagulls. The kids were really brave and held out their french fries to the birds and let them take it right out of their hands- silly kids. Only Timothy had the brains to stay away!! Even though it was loud, with all the screeching, and the wings flapping- it was the best restaurant we ate at!! Then we headed to the world famous Pike Place Market. It has been Josh's dream to buy a fish from there- so I let him. That way we got to watch them throw and wrap our fish. Yep, in the pictures- that's our fish- HUGE!!!! Pretty tasty too, and I don't even like to eat fish. As we went through the market it was so colorful and there were so many things to see and touch and smell. We'll have to go back one day- it was definitely an adventure.
After that we went back to the cabing. It was fun just to hang out with Mark and Julie. But since we had to get up early to leave it was an early night for us.
MONDAY- the ride home
Somehow it always seems to take longer to get home than to arrive in the first place. This was definitely the case. I somehow got the flu and so was miserable, Josh was exhausted, and the kids didn't really want to go home- so with stops every hour or two, it took us until 12:30am to get home. It was so nice to get home and sleep in our own beds. The kids took to their bikes first thing the next morning and it was back to normal. Such a fun vacation- I can't wait to go again!!!
1 comment:
Looks like a lot of fun! The absolute WORST thing about living in Seattle is the driving/parking!!! But I'm glad you guys had fun!
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