Standard Seattle

And I still needed my sunglasses for the rest of the ride home…weird.

Space Needle.

Aquarium Adventures

In the spirit of the penguin postcard I received from friends this past week, I convinced Chere that it was time to go to the Seattle Aquarium last Saturday. The benefit of having a toddler around is you can do these things and not look like a creeper while still enjoying your time in a kid oriented place. Granted you have to run around with them and their ADD, but it’s fun. Duder and I are buddies again so it’s a weekend well spent in my book!

At the beginning, Ryan wasn’t sure what to make of it all, but he was really excited about the fishies.

A sea anemone and urchins in the tide pools. The cool thing about the Seattle Aquarium is that there are a lot of interactive learning stations for the kids like the tide pools where you can touch the animals living there.

Ryan finally got brave and wanted to touch the water in the tide pools.

A starfish in a tank. Not exciting, I know. But that I got to take pictures of anything there while running after a 2 year old is a feat in itself.

At least he was a very good listener. When you said wait, he did.

My favorite. Sea otters. They were just hanging out, soaking up the sun.

Early Spring

Some early crocus blooms we found in the yard the other morning. It’s February! I’m not so smart on the gardening, but I don’t think these are supposed to be blooming yet…

Early crocus blooms in Edmonds.

Ferry Adventures

Took a little trip to Bainbridge Island today via the Edmonds/Kingston ferry today. I’ve been wanting to take a ferry ride since I’ve been back home but 1, haven’t found the time, 2, it’s cold. Despite the wind and clouds today, the sun came out for a little bit. Almost lost my hat…lesson learned, beanies only on ferry rides. I plan to make this trip again later in the year so that I can hang out a little more in Bainbridge, but today’s ride with the family will satiate me for a while.

Kingston with mountains.

A couple staying warm on the blustery ride.

My Mom watching the water on the way to Kingston.

The back of the boat.

The Kingston dock.

The Duder

I haven’t blogged in awhile…been busy. New job, new coast, new house, old friends, and of course there’s a baby here! I meant to post after Christmas. And then the other weekend. And then the weekend after that. And here I am doing a little procrastinating and you fine people are the winners of a new photo of Ryan.

Ryan playing on the floor with Dada before bed time on Sunday night.

Things not to do while driving: Washington

After 4 days of driving – that only should have been 2 or 3 – 2,075 miles, 8 states, and a boat load of horrible weather, I finally made it back to the Seattle area. I have never been so happy to get out of a car. I was going to take some photos of the Columbia and Yakima Valley’s but the fog was so dense that morning that I couldn’t see anything. Once you got up the east side of the Cascade mountains though, and over Snoqualmie Pass, it was smooth sailing. And with all the snow up there, I’m sure the winter sport enthusiasts will be having a ball very soon. This is one of my favorite sections of I-90 because it reminds me of how beautiful and diverse the landscapes of Washington really are. So glad that drive is over, and so happy to be back home!

Home, home, home, heading home! One of the smaller peaks as you come down I-90 from Snoqualmie Pass and into North Bend, Wash.

Things not to do while driving: Utah

I stopped very early on Sunday night in Rock Springs, Wyo., because the passes and canyons I had to drive through to get to Ogden, Utah, were covered in snow and black ice. Little did I know, stopping would be a huge blessing because of how breath takingly beautiful that area of the country is. Especially when the sun is shining and the snow isn’t leaving the ground. Despite my non-love of driving storms and snow of the winter months, the section of I-80 between Rock Springs and Ogden was amazing and I am very glad I did that section of road in daylight.

Monday morning started out beautifully as I drove through the Utah passes going toward Salt Lake City and Ogden.

About to enter one of the winding canyon roads on the way to Ogden, Utah.

The mountains behind me in Utah.

Things not to do while driving: Wyoming

Mother Nature and I got into a bit of a fight over the weekend. After making it to North Platte, Nebr., on Saturday night after the 2nd worst thunder-storm I have ever driven in, I got tossed around with 50+ mph gusts all across the rest of Nebraska and Wyoming. To top off the gusts, it was snowing too. In Wyoming, locals call them ground blizzards because the snow wasn’t necessarily falling from the sky directly over you, but was coming from farther away and the fine powder snow that was on the landscapes next to I-80. Needless to say, I was using two hands while driving through that mess of limited visibility, but I did snap a few while the weather mellowed out for 5 minutes.

The clouds rolling across Wyoming near Laramie pre “ground blizzard”.

Nostalgia

Once I finally got out of Columbia, the weather was lovely for the last section of Missouri and daylight before hitting Iowa and Nebraska on Saturday night. I was getting a little tired as I was finishing the section of I-29 north of St. Joseph and Maryville and so I rolled down the windows to smack myself around with some cooler air. I realized that my timing couldn’t have been better as the sun kept creeping lower and lower. I don’t know when I’ll get to see the sunset in Missouri again, but I’m sure it will happen. It was nice to get one last beautiful night to remember it by.

My last Missouri sunset for awhile.

CoMo Family time

I got a little distracted at my going away party night and didn’t end up taking a lot of photos. We went out to dinner at Flat Branch Pub and Brewery in Columbia, Mo., and then out to McNally’s on Thursday, Nov. 8. Parker will hang out with anyone as long as they have the tablet and are in close proximity to Mom. Adam was both. I was a little jealous.

Adam and Parker playing on the tablet at my going away dinner at Flat Branch.