Seattle: Days 1 & 2

For our family vacation this year, we saved up and did something bigger than we've ever done as a family before.  We took flights to Seattle to visit some close friends who now live there.  Matt and I met Jeff and Tahlia as a newly married couple 6 years ago; they lived in our same apartment complex and were fairly newly married as well.  We got together for a Family Home Evening and discovered we got along really well.  Tahlia and I had so much in common as far as similar interests.  Even as we talked on this vacation, we found that we were living very similar lives, just across the continent.  She and I are both pregnant with our third baby due a month apart from each other.  Matt and Jeff got along very well as well.  For the next two years, we always joked about their "bro-mance" because of their similar humor and personalities.

We each bought our first houses around the same time and lived 10 minutes away from each other.  Tahlia and I had our first baby 9 months apart from each other and would walk/jog as we pushed our babies in a jogging stroller most every morning along with my sister, Ariane.  We went on a cruise with them for our 3 year anniversary and had a blast!  We hung out together most every weekend for games or movies over the years.  Matt and I were so sad the day they moved away.  It's very difficult to find such good friends...and even though we haven't seen them for 3 years, we were able to pick up right where we had left off.  Everything seemed the same except for the addition each of a new child.  They were so great to plan wonderful excursions to show us the city and entertain the kids.

The plane trip there went pretty well; we left last Wednesday afternoon.  Carter was his usual grumpy self, so he caused a few scenes.  Luckily we all had seats together on this flight which allowed both Matt and I to be "hands-on" when Carter was having a tough time.  Caleb did so great and was such a trooper during a long day either in the airport or on a plane.

We arrived at 8pm Seattle time.  (That was a challenge adjusting to the time change.)  We were greeted with cool weather, and it felt wonderful!  After putting the kids to bed, we stayed up chatting over some pizza since Matt and I were starving.

The next morning we had some yummy french toast with buttermilk syrup for breakfast.

Carter enjoying his meal.

Jeff had to work Thursday morning, so the rest of us went to the park for awhile before we could meet up with Jeff downtown for the afternoon.

Carter enjoying playing at the park!  We haven't played at the park all summer since our summers are spent indoors to avoid the heat.

Claire, Caleb, and Lily

First sight to see downtown was Pike Place Market.

Carter and Daddy looking at a jellyfish in the water while kiddos and pregnant Mommas were going potty.

Pretty view of Lake Puget Sound behind the market

The fish market was only a small part of all the shops in the market.  It was fun to see them throw fish.

Family picture in front of the fish market

Caleb and Lily held hands a lot as we walked all over downtown.  It was so cute :o).  We made jokes the whole weekend about their future nuptials.

We made a stop at Beecher's Homemade Cheese in order to sample the "World's Best Mac & Cheese." The boys enjoyed watching the machines used to make the cheese.

After lunch, we enjoyed some gelato at Bottega Italiana.

Caleb in front of Seattle's Aquarium

We spent the rest of the afternoon at a Science Museum since Tahlia had some free passes.

Caleb exploring some water animals.

Caleb, Carter and Daddy in front of a dinosaur exhibit.

All the kids:

Carter, Caleb, Lily, and Claire

Sitting in a dinosaur footprint!

Next we walked through the butterfly exhibit trying to get butterflies to land on us.

Family picture in front of the space needle.  It was too tall to capture the whole thing.

Caleb and Lily with the space needle.

Next we headed to International Fountain.  It was a super big fountain.

They also had this large whale that the kids enjoyed climbing on.

We ate a picnic dinner at Alki Beach.

The kids in front of the water.

We ended the night with more chatting and a yummy pumpkin dessert that Tahlia made in honor of my pumpkin obsession.  It was so sweet of her and very tasty!