Seattle

On Monday night we got back from our almost week-long trip to Seattle. My parents just built a house on Whidbey Island, which is about a 15 minute drive and then 10 minute ferry from the city. They are splitting their time between their new house and house in the city now, but will eventually move to Whidbey when they retire… we opted to spend most of our time on the island. It feels like the country; it is so wide open, yet quaint and small. It reminds me of Vermont and New Hampshire. We only spent one day in downtown Seattle, but were excited to get back to the island to rest after that busy day.

The best part of the trip? My dad and Tommie got to meet Emerson for the first time! They fell in love with him, as did many people we met this weekend. I realized that having a baby in a place other than Utah is kind of an anomally, so people flock to the babies. In Utah I never get a second glance when I’m out with E, but in Seattle people were going out of their way to walk up to us and check him out. Oh gotta love the differences in the baby capitol of the country.

Worst part of the trip? Feeling sick from eating way too many sweets. Why do I feel justified eating desserts all the time when with family?? Comfort food maybe? I’ve been making salads for us for dinner every night this week just to recover. Here are some pictures:

The lighthouse by the ferry dock

E’s first ferry ride!

Grandpa Matthew meeting his newest grandson

The cool pond they’re finishing in the back yard

So many deer on their land every day

The foxgloves were very vibrant

I’ll spare you a Bridget Jones-esque rundown of every unhealthy thing we ate, but the below pie and cake were certainly part of it. Best pies at the Greenland Farm Cafe.

Made my special orange cake for my dad’s 60th bday (check out Mitch and E playing in the back)

At the REI flagship store in Seattle; it’s so high-tech now… when I was a kid it was an old building downtown with creaky plank floors that sounded like they’d crack if too many were on them at once

Hiking down to the beach for family pics

E loved his grandpa

I hope we can still make it up to Seattle every year when we have more kids; the green mountains and water are so rejuvenating (especially coming from Utah in the summer with its slightly barren and brown mountains).