Space Needle

Spent a beautiful Sunday in Seattle. The Sky City Restaurant sent us a complimentary entree for our anniversary, and Frances has been asking to go to the Space Needle, so we decided to ferry over and spend the day. We took the monorail to Seattle Center where they've built a new play area. What a great place that turned out to be!

Frances, the sure footed mountain goat, climbed all the way to the top on her own (a few times!). She's the little pink one climbing inside.

 This was the easier way up to the top!

 Sucking down some bloody mary's. 

 Lucas taking a picture.

View of downtown Seattle, oh, and my kids.

The professional picture

Dessert! The Orbital, which has been on the menu since the World's Fair in 1962.

Outside on the Observation Deck

 Finished up the afternoon at the fountain

Frances was a bit leary about going near the fountain, she eventually ran under the spray that came near her. Funny, because she normally has no fear.

It was a fun day at the Seattle Center. Lucas hunted for Pokemon and Frances got to see her skyscrapers. There's too much to do in just one afternoon in Downtown Seattle. Need to get back more often, now that the kids are older. Off to the next adventure!

Summer, thus far...

This summer is moving just as fast as I thought it would. However, as I type this, the rain pours down, which somehow I'm ok with, because that means I don't need to water my garden, plus we have vacations planned to really hot places in the very near future. Having said that, just as we had a very wet winter, we are having a very wet summer. Experiences continue non the less! So, here they are, in as much as I could upload. 

Frances in the Parent's Day Program. Of course, this day, when we're all trapped in a little room, it was extremely hot!

Lucas was a Sedimentary Rock in the play - best rock there was.

His Science Fair Project display. We are very proud of him, he worked hard on everything.

Lucas and Ms. Edith after the Piano recital.

Lucas and his teacher Mrs. Geiss at the end of the year picnic.

Frances started piano! She's so excited!

Our first harvest

The summer library programs are in full swing. Lucas is currently working on earning a tee-shirt for 100 hours of summer reading.

Finding a garter snake while at a friend's Bar-B-Que.

Frances did not want to put him down!

Family day at Camp Seymour 

Having fun at St. Vincent de Paul's thrift shop

Happy Father's Day Dad!!! You know I love you dearly.

Randy got a grill, and a new shit too!

Enjoying the sun on Father's Day

Camping this last weekend at Salt Creek Recreation Area.

Exploring the tide pools at Salt Creek.

Spending the day at the Miller's Lake Cabin for the 4th of July.

Randy, Doug, and Scott went diving to see what was in the lake - not much - but they sure had fun.

Back at home setting off fireworks finishing off the long weekend. 

2016 is half over! But, I know we are going to make the most of the second half. We're checking off lots of things on our summer bucket list - and we're looking forward to upcoming trips. Hopefully, the sun will return soon. But, until then, enjoy the moment and Happy July!

Spring

Spring has come and is quickly going. Only two more weeks of school! Ugh! It's been absolutely beautiful lately and we're getting lots of outdoor time. But, time to catch up with what's happened over spring break and the last few weeks. 

Spring Break my sister and I, plus the kids, took a road trip to CA to see our family.

Mid-way trough our drive.

At the end of our 12 hour day.

My bros new pool. Awesome!

Visiting Merced Zoo

Roller skating!

Rocking the pink skates

Nicholas slowing down for Frances

Getting to devour the Easter Bunny

The aftermath 

Grandma Rose 

All of us crammed in her living room.

Frances x 2

Spending the day at Foulweather Bluff with our cousins. 

It was a perfect day for the beach

Baby Kilo Ren

Lucas testing for Purple Belt Level 1

A school field trip to explore low tide at Southworth Ferry Dock

Climbing the maple tree

This will be what summer is like, I can already tell. Camping, beach exploration, trips to the zoo, swimming in the pool, long summer nights outside riding bikes. Can't wait!

Washington DC

Lucas and I went on a school trip to our Nation's Capital last week. We left on a red eye Saturday night and returned home Wednesday night. It was a whirlwind trip, but very good and kids had a great time. 

Getting ready to board

Checking out the Ocean exhibit at the Natural History Museum.

The Hope Diamond

Korean War Veterans Memorial

On the steps of the Lincoln Memorial

The spot where Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King delivered his speech. These steps were pretty amazing to me. How many people have stood there and the important history that has been made there on those steps. I think this was the most significant thing of the trip for me.

This guy is pretty grand

So is this guy.

Another important person on these famous steps

This was after two very long flights with very minimal sleep, a long day spent exploring museums, dinner at a busy train station, walking around the Vietnam and Korean Memorials being on their best behavior, then ending up here at the Lincoln Memorial. These kids did great! Better then me, I would say. I was a wreak by this time. 

Lucas and his teacher Mrs. Geiss at the Marine War Veterans Memorial (Iwa Jima). I was amazed at how big this memorial is - I had no idea it was so huge.

All the theaters the Marines have fought.

The Eternal Flame of JFK and Jackie with The Arlington house in the background.

Changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. 

We also got to see a wreath laying ceremony by a visiting high school from CA. It was pretty moving to see taps being played here. Have to say I got a little emotional.

The cherry blossoms were so beautiful

I think this picture is my favorite of all

George Washington's teeth!

The greenhouse at Mount Vernon in the upper garden

George and Martha's tomb site

Down at the wharf of Mount Vernon. I took this picture to send to my parents letting them know we were all good - unfortunately, that morning there had been a shooting at the Capital.

Better view of the Wharf

The Mansion

Where we had dinner that evening - I had red beans and rice - it was so good. 

Exploring downtown Alexandria after dinner. 

Our tour director Jenn giving Lucas the low down of where we were at. 

We then went on an evening Ghost Tour of the oldest street in Alexandria  - Cameron Street. This is Gadsby's Tavern where George and Martha would eat dinner every night that they were in town. 

And this is their town house - it had no kitchen. 

Our last stop on the tour was Christ Church Cemetery. It was totally cool. I wish I was able to get better pictures of it. 

The next morning - first stop was Thomas Jefferson Memorial - which is right on the Tidal Basin where all the beautiful cherry trees line the walkway. If you look to the far right of the picture, that white speck is the MLK Memorial. 

Side view of TJ

We couldn't go in because the guy was mopping the floor. Pretty disappointing, but it was still beautiful.

The trees were in full bloom.

White House!

The South Entrance 

The group

The kids and the teaches on the steps of the Capital.

This was a pretty amazing tour - however the capital in under restoration, so 90% of the inner an outer dome were covered in scaffolding. 

Could've spent the whole day here and still not seen it all. 

Our Capital Tour Guide. 

Hanging in the lobby - figured it was the closest I would get since were weren't going to the Archives. 

Each state has two statues at the Capital - this one was our meeting spot. Pretty perfect, huh?

Library of Congress - this building is the most beautiful I've ever seen.

Our last Smithsonian 

The famous ruby slippers

View of Washington Monument from the WWII Memorial at sunset - that's mine and Lucas' shadow. 

Couldn't be more beautiful

Where it all began - for us.

Looking toward the Pacific 

Washington

MLK

This is the only non-military or non-political figure Memorial there is in Washington DC - very poignant. 

The trees at MLK

Looking across at Thomas Jefferson Memorial where we started our day.

Last day a stop to shop, but first a picture op at the Peterson House, where Lincoln died. I would have love to go in here. 

Ford's Theater

Our last stop was the National Zoo. We watched this panda for quite some time, he played around, ate bamboo, then climbed a tree. He was about 30 feet up playing around on tiny little branches when he fell! He was stunned for a while, then grabbed the broken branch with his teeth and walked away. Hope he was ok!

We watched these gorillas for a while also. I was really impressed - they were walking all over the place, picking at bugs. I've never seen animals so active. 

And this guy was crossing from platform to platform. I was the coolest thing I've every seen an orangutan do, not that I've see them do much!

It was a pretty amazing four days. Jam packed and full of information, but I think, made a very lasting impression on the kids (and the parents). Our tour director was awesome and we couldn't have asked for more. Our kids did great as well, for being as young as they are, they did better that a lot of older groups that I saw. All and all worth all the trouble and money we put into this trip. Hopefully, in a few years we can return as a family.