Friday, August 22, 2014

7-12, Sequim (Part 2)

I remember when we all lived in Maryland, and Kim went back to visit Sequim.  She called us from there asking if there was anything we wanted.  "Lavender!!" I said.  Lavender she got-- a whole POUND of lavender straight from the farm.  I made a lot of lavender eye pillows that year!  (Truth be told, I still have some of that lavender left.)  It was only fitting that we go visit a farm together and soak in all the relaxing properties of fresh lavender.  It was one of my favorite--most relaxing-- moments (ok, I did have a lot of favorite moments this trip, but that's a good thing, right?!).  Oh, how I love the lavender farms......  
















He must have been the farm mascot.....

After the lavender farm and our lunch at the Oak Table, Kim took us to the Railroad Bridge Park.  What a neat place.  I think if we'd have had more energy and time, we could have walked and walked and walked.  But, seeing as we were short on both, we just looked around and enjoyed the scenery.  I could easily imagine that being my favorite exercise path if we lived there.  Coming from Denver where "trees are not indigenous to the area" (really, a realtor told me that, I was dumbfounded), it was a slice of green heaven looking at all that foliage.





Baby girl cracks me up sometimes.... ok, a lot.  We had passed some teenage boys who had rolled up their shirts exposing their stomachs.  This is how Emalie walked around for the rest of the day.  LOL......
A final glimpse at the beauty of Washington's banana belt.  (Look familiar, Kim?!)  It's got a little bit of everything for everyone.  I know we'll miss it all!  Thanks for having us, Kim, and showing us the sights-- new and old.  We're already looking forward to our next visit to your neck of the woods, whenever that may be.  And if your path comes our way, head on over-- you know we'll leave the light on for ya!  


Well, we're almost officially vacationed out.  The only pics left to post are the ones from the four day ride home.  Can you believe after 3 weeks on the road with a trailer, hubby, 2 kids, a rabbit and a cat, that I wasn't actually ready to go home?!  Nope.  I could have stayed doing what we'd been doing-- driving, visiting and seeing.  That feeling is even more powerful when you're leaving an area you don't really want to say goodbye to.  Ready for the drive back home?!  Just be glad you only have to read about it and not endure it like we did.  HA!

Thursday, August 21, 2014

7-12, Sequim

We love our friend Kim.  If the world had more Kims in it, it would be a much nicer place.  We'd lived in Colorado for about a year when Kim told us she would be leaving Maryland, as we did, and moving to Colorado as well.  We were delighted!  We were equally disappointed when Kim announced, earlier this year, that she was leaving Colorado for purpler grasses (ie, lavender).  She was carrying out her dream of moving to Sequim, WA.  We were so happy for her because as long as we've known her we knew this is what she wanted to do.  We were so sad for us because we were going to miss her!  Kim has been there with us for so many highs and lows.  She's more than a  friend, she's family.   It only made sense to extend our tour from Seattle to Sequim to visit her in her new home.  (Plus, did I already mention that we missed her?!)  Our vacation was drawing to a close, so we didn't have much time to spend with her.  However, I think our time together was the perfect conclusion to our trip.  Kim knows the Navy life and the civilian life.  She knows what it's like to live many places, including our shared ones of Maryland and Colorado (oh, yeah and Silverdale at different times, too!).  As a MT girl myself, I can relate to a girl from ID.  She knows where we've been and she knows where we want to go.  Maybe we should extend her role from friend and family to counselor and mentor!  Yes, we think the world of Kim in Sequim.  We miss you, Kim!  

A walk on the beach before taking the ferry from Edmonds to Kingston.

We took a detour off the beaten path to go to Port Townsend.  It's one of our favorite towns and we were able to do a little shopping in our favorite antique store there.  Isn't the marina pretty?!

The sign says it all.

We're so fortunate for the way our driveway-hopping turned out.  We saved a lot on campground fees!

If you remember anything about our days living in Silverdale, then you probably knew this was coming:  a visit to the Olympic Game Farm.  We couldn't believe that Kim had never been there before!  (I guess kids in the car does seem to legitimatize the excursion!)  There were lots of laughs emanating from our truck as we drove by yaks who slobbered all over the side mirrors, elk who stuck their heads ALL THE WAY into the cab and then the buffalo who tried to prevent us from driving at all.  All in a good day's fun in Sequim!


Sequim Kim




The irony of the rabbit hanging out by the tiger's cage cracks me up!





Emalie couldn't understand why we didn't let her drive all the way home since "Daddy let me drive!" in the game farm.  That was a fun argument to have every time we got into the truck for the 1500-mile ride home!  LOL.....



We worked up an appetite from all the fun we were having.  Our stop at the Oak Table for lunch had been planned for MONTHS.  Definitely a favorite for all of us.


What?  Eat again?!  You got it.  Not too long after lunch, we headed out again for dinner at the golf course.  (A destination that could help satisfy my craving for crab cocktail.....).  It was a delicious dinner.  We enjoyed getting to meet and acquaint ourselves with Kim's 'adoptive parents' (not literally, but figuratively).  At least we know she's well cared for in her new surroundings.  They were a lovely couple and it was so nice to put faces with the names.



That concludes part one of our day in Sequim.  These were the phone pics from our time there.  My next post will be from the pictures I took from my other camera.  Think PURPLE!

Monday, August 18, 2014

7-10, Our Last Day in Seattle


The events of our trip are starting to fade away from the surface of my mind.  I guess they're officially 'memories' now.  In the present day, today, Nik is beginning week 2 of 7th grade and (gulp) Emalie started preschool this morning (another post to follow once I get caught up).  It's a little hard to shift gears and remember those feelings and moments from over a month ago, but since I've left you hanging and we're still carefree on vacation in blog-world, I need to resume.  Our final day in Seattle was like each of the preceding days....busy!  We enjoyed a beautiful drive from Edmonds to West Seattle to meet cousin Emily and (second cousin?) Kelsey.  We think the world of Emily (my dad's cousin's wife).  I'd never met her before a family reunion several years back.  She entered our world and our hearts that reunion and we've kept in contact since then.  Our initial bond and conversations revolved around our adoption process for a little girl from China.  How very long ago that was!!  I'm happy to report now that our extended family has TWO Emily/Emalie's of Chinese descent.  Aren't we so very lucky?!  Anyway, Emily and Kelsey made the drive from Issaquah to West Seattle so we could spend some time together.  It was a beautiful day and we were fortunate to have timed our meeting at the beach at a very low tide.  The kids enjoyed exploring on the beach and asking questions to the volunteers from the Seattle Aquarium who were there as well.  As you can imagine by now, I was in a very happy place standing there surrounded by family and nature's bounty.  

Nothing more iconic than the Space Needle enveloped in fog.

Driving over the bridge to West Seattle.  Love and miss those ships.

Kelsey, Emalie and Nikolas enjoying doughnuts that a super thoughtful Emily brought for them.

Nik enjoying the awesome play equipment at the park.  (The video I took is hilarious.  It's stored somewhere on my phone....)

The ferry from West Seattle to the peninsula.

Exploring, exploring!

Thank you for sending this pic to me, Emily!

Lovely Emily.

What a jellyfish!

A child after my own heart.  I wouldn't dare touch a snake, but I could definitely handle a baby starfish and crab.  Nikolas LOVED the time at the beach.

Emily and Me.

I chose this particular park because it's located right next to Aunt Merle's old house in West Seattle.  Merle was my dad's mom's sister.  She let me stay with her while I did my internship with the WA State Ferries during my academy days.  What wonderful memories I have from that time with Merle, as well as later when Sven and I lived on Whidbey.  Merle's house is in the center of the picture elevated above the house on the beach.  I'm so happy we were able to figure out which one it was!

Merle's house from the street.  I'll never forget riding with her back in those days.  She'd gun it in reverse out of the driveway and, I swear, never look.  Scared me to death every time she did it!  It sure is funny in hindsight though.  LOL.....



After our nice visit with Emily, we parted ways and our little family headed to the Seattle waterfront.  We were in search of our pirogue place in the Market.  Sadly, it's not a pirogue place anymore.  But, it gave us the opportunity to visit the waterfront and Market one more time.  I wish I could have bought some flowers like we used to do, but just no room in a trailer.... with a cat!
I was on a serious crab cocktail kick during our time in Seattle.
This picture just makes me smile (and hungry....)!

We ended our stay in Seattle hanging out at the brewery where Chris works.  I think Sven AND Nikolas would like to work there, too!

Sven's sister, Nina, and her husband, Chris.

Nina and mom..... a fuzzy picture but cute mother/daughter moment!

Moving on out.  All aboard!  Goodbye Seattle, for now, time to slow down the pace.  Next stop:  the Olympic Peninsula, specifically Sequim to see Kim!