martinimade

I was going to write this long, informative (and funny!) post about our Seattle vacation.* It would have changed your life. No, really. **

As it turns out, however, I'm too wiped out from re-entry after our return, so you're just going to get some pictures. Feel free to skip if you couldn't care less about someone else's family on vacation. Or about Seattle. Or about car accidents.

First day there we went to the Seattle Pinball Museum. The girl took to this machine.

Pike Place market. We seem to have eaten our way across the city and tried foods from many lands, all of it good.

Seattle Aquarium. 

PUFFIN! Also: they have Sea Otter cams. I can promise that at any given moment, the otters are having 4 times the fun you are.

The lovely Tacoma Museum of Glass. FWIW - the Corning MOG is a much more immersive and thorough experience. The Tacoma MOG, however, lets you just hang out in its hot shop for as long as your heart wants. Which could be a long time indeed.

That night, the hub and I went to a delayed anniversary dinner at Etta's*** while his sister took the kids for video games and ice cream. 

Then there was Bainbridge Island. Just for the record, I harbor no ill will toward it. When we woke up that morning, each of us was feeling a little out of sync with the day. While that should have been a sign to just stay in and drink coffee, we bulled ahead with the day's plan. Which included a visit to the Suquamish Center and Chief Seattle's grave.

Tokens left for the Chief, should he need them.

After a trip to an awesome playground where my kids just sat like lumps, this happened: 

I managed to open our rental car's door (not pictured) just as this car pulled into the space next to us. *sigh* We're still working all of that out. 

As a consolation, I might have bought some yarn at Churchmouse Yarn and Teas. I would also like to live in Churchmouse Yarn and Teas. We do what we can.

Undaunted, we regrouped and went to the fish ladder the next day, where the Boy decided that he didn't want to be photographed.

And had lunch at another Seattle institution:

before going for a paddle around Lake Washington, not pictured because I didn't want to get my camera wet. 

Then the Cougar Mountain Zoo, which is very small but where you can get very close to the animals.

Like this close. No zoom or anything. Pants-wettingly close.

Then we restocked with exotic foods, like Japanese soda and mochi.

For what it's worth, my brain doesn't know what to do with mochi.

Then, last stop, Mount Rainier. These pictures can't even begin to capture it.

As it turns out, the Boy does not like mountains. Not even a little bit. So we took turns sitting with him someplace flatish while the rest hiked. 

Marmot.

Then, the next morning, at a truly unpleasant hour, we flew home. And started to do the laundry.

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* Why Seattle? My husband's sister lives there and we've been meaning to get out West for 15 years now. We are nothing if not prompt.

** Short version: love Seattle. Had great weather. Would move there in a heartbeat if it didn't involve, you know, moving.

*** So, so good. The beets and berries appetizer changed the way I look at both.