Seattle Trip

This summer we stayed in Seattle an extra long time because of the way the flights were scheduled to arrive for the family reunion and yet stay on for the boys' Mt. Hood Tournament in Oregon!  So, Grammy and Papa had to endure houseguests for an EXTRA long time and they were so gracious about it all.  At the end of the trip, I think they may have stayed in bed all day! Haha... it was so busy and so fun.  Never a dull moment and with so many children in the mix--- it took a lot of organization and patience to manage.  I'm so grateful to my mom for planning such a fun filled and memorable  vacation!  So grateful to my dad for putting up with us and planning fun outings as well.  It was awesome.  Included in the fun times:  A trip to see the Howeys on our way home from Cel Ellum!  A trip to Snowqualmie Falls;  puppet shows, farmer's markets, park visits, blackberry picking, making blackberry shakes and blueberry pies, visiting with Aunt Diane, pizza and game night at the Paces (Jason used his amazing pizza oven!), chambers bay water hike with Mike and Jess, dropping Dane and Evelyn off to babysit their adorable cousins-- the Dave Stevens kids and the Mike Stevens kids! learning how to sew scrunchies, movie nights with the Paces, Jack TV fun with the Paces! visiting a retirement center to sing and bring cookies, Tumwater Falls hike, helping Michelle prep for Girls camp, Olympia Farmers Market, school shopping, getting nails done with Michelle, and Sunday dinner at Dave and Jen's!  I wish I could detail all of these fun excursions... but alas, I have to pick up the kids from school in about 20 minutes so I'll pray our memory serves us well and we can recall the amazing outings and adventures.  

I think the biggest hits of the trip were:

1.  a trip to Wild Waves Enchanted Village Theme park!  I had never taken the kids there!  But I never missed a summer attending this amazing place and so it was a thrill to bring them along and they had a blast.  

2. our annual swimming hole adventure.  The kids adore taking the ferry over to Anderson Island, eating yummy bagel bread, cheese and salami from the German bakery and swimming out to the big docks to dive in.  Its always such a fun day.

3. Visiting Emerald Downs for horse racing!  The kids learned all about how to place bets and find a winning horse... they had a blast and Grant even won!

4. Jet Skiing and inter tubing with Dave, Jen, Mike and Jess.  Man oh man, my kids LOVE to be out there on the lake.... just like I used to!  Dave was so nice to take us out and spend the day making sure the kids each got plenty of turns.

5. Pt. Defiance Zoo with Jess, Jamie and the kids.  SO fun!  

6. Rainiers game with the entire fam!  We don't do this often- so the boys were in heaven.  They even used their money to buy hats.  

7. Trip to Oregon for the boys to play in the big Mt. Hood Tournament and to watch a Timbers game!!!!

8. Pike's Place Market!

It really was an amazing trip.  So grateful for my family.  I love my sibs and my parents so much.  I love all my nieces and nephews.  I wish we lived closer to each other, but I treasure these trips to see them and appreciate how they give up their lives for two weeks to make it super special for us.  Don't know how or why I've been so blessed in the family department but I'm sure grateful for them and love our annual Seattle trip with all my heart.