Weekend in Port Angeles

We went to a wedding this weekend in Port Angeles. Sarah's niece, Jackie, was the beautiful bride. Cole and Christina call Sarah tutu. Tutu is a term Hawaiians use in the same way they use "auntie". It's a person who is like a grandma to you but not really a grandma (I think).

Tutu, Richard and Audrey on a visit they made last summer. She is holding the quilt she made for Audrey.



Grandpa and Audrey at the rehearsal dinner. Alex was extremely impressed with the groom's parent's land and shop. He said he could get used to living out there. I promptly informed him that it was only like this 1 month out of 12 and the rest of the year it was cold, drizzly, overcast, and wet wet wet. I've lived in Port Angeles.



On Saturday before the wedding we took a scenic tour with Richard, Sarah and her cousin and sister from out of town. We ate at the Family Kitchen in Joyce - Home of the 1 pound hamburger for $14.75. If you're interested and have notable facial hair you can compete in the beard, mustache, and goatee contest at Joyce Daze on August 2.



We then went to Salt Creek. One of my favorite beaches. It was recently featured in Sunset Magazine.



An unfortunate fact not mentioned in the Sunset article is that the biggest part of the beach is off limits unless you pay $5/person to Crescent Beach and RV Park. On the day we visited there was a person stationed near the boundary with the state park to keep the hordes at bay. Cole was given the boot by Johnny Law.



Cole wasn't too bothered. When playing by a creek Cole wants to damn it or build a bridge over it. Sticks and driftwood are blasters or lightsabers.





The wedding was held further west at a place called Silver King with stunning views of the straits and Mt. Baker.

Audrey was a doll in her bumblebee dress.







Weddings are a good excuse to get posed family shots.



Christina looking as beautiful as ever.

WALL E

Mom, Cole and I went to see WALL E (short for Waste Allocation Load Lifter Earth-Class) at the Cinerama downtown today. This was Cole's first time seeing a commercial movie at a movie theatre with popcorn etc. We all loved it.

Alex and I made a counter-offer on the house in Bellingham today as well. Barring unforeseen roadblocks, I think we bought a house. It's exciting and sad at the same time. I love Seattle. The traffic gets to me and this house gets to me sometimes but mostly I really like living here. I've got good friends and there is a ton of fun things to do especially with kids.

Bellingham has a lot going for it too ...

music

beer

mountains


ocean


some culture because of Western Washington Universtiy

and my mom of course.

House update

We made an offer on a house in Sudden Valley last week. It had sun, was on a double lot with a creek in the back, and was on a quiet street with lots of families with young children. I thought ok we're really doing this but there is a hitch. The owners of the house declared Chapter 13 bankruptcy the day before we made the offer. So we are now in limbo and not sure how it will all turn out.

Meanwhile the yard has started to produce yummy fruit for us. We've been eating strawberries for a couple weeks but the recent rain and sun has brought out the raspberries.



I hope we get to eat these cherries before the crows get them.



We took a trip to the library today and got a new stack of books. Cole was excited to find Guji Guji, the story of a crocodile that is "born" into a family of ducks. We first heard this story on a website called Storyline Online after following a link from the Seattle Children's Museum website.

4th of July

We met Alex on Bainbridge Island after work on Friday. It was a jam packed day that started off with a bang. I started getting ready to leave the house around 1 for a 2 p.m. departure in order to catch a 3 p.m. ferry out of downtown. It's best to give myself A LOT of time when I really have to be someplace on schedule. We actually got out of the driveway at 2:06 (amazing) and headed into town to find a place to park and walk on the ferry. Thankfully there was no traffic but also no parking - cruise ship and baseball game. So we finally found a spot under the viaduct north of the Pike Place Market. I loaded up the kids in the double stroller and jogged to the terminal. I was sweating, red in the face and panting when I bought the tickets but we made it with 5 minutes to spare. I need to get to the gym more!

It was a perfect day and Bainbridge Island is a pretty place. We went to Hank and Chelle's for good food, mojitos, and fireworks. Both Hank and Chelle are two of the nicest people you could meet and they have a backhoe so fun was had by all. Cole is actually past his big machinery phase and onto his Star Wars / good vs. evil phase. I hope it's a phase. Cole introduced himself either as Anikan Vader, Han Solo or Luke Skywalker. When we first arrived he ran up to a group of people he didn't know, jumped into a fighting pose with arm raised, and yelled STAR WARS.

Drooling over the box of fireworks.



Throwing POP-ITS.



Audrey and Dad eating. Audrey liked the grilled salmon.



Audrey's always happy in Daddy's arms.



Here an older boy lights bottle rockets (there had to have been over 100 of these in the box) to the delight of Cole and his new pals. Unfortunately he decided to attach a lego man to the rocket. What is it with boys?! I hoped that Cole didn't notice and was satisfied to be amazed by the loud sounds and missiles flying up into treetops.



The boys would squeal "awesome" every time and ask for more.



We decided to head home before the big show. It was 8:30 and Audrey's usual bedtime is 7. Alex dropped Cole and I off at the market so we could catch the show over Elliot Bay. It was a long day and night. Cole fell asleep around 11 - possibly a record and he proceeded to wake up whiny and grumpy.

Building Things

We've been slowly opening and playing with gifts from Cole's buddies that he received at his pool birthday party.

We had fun building this lego motorcycle (actually I built the motorcycle while Cole played with the lego man and alien). This kit was labeled 7-14 years old but his little girlfriend that gave it to him was so pleased to see how much he liked it. She knew he would.





We built this Lincoln Log fort a couple days ago.



Cole ran off with Audrey's pj's on the other night. I've decided that pink just looks wrong on a man's dress shirt after having seen several examples recently but Cole looks ok in pink.

Cole in Audrey's pj's.



Audrey in Cole's (old) pj's.

Swimming Firsts

We've been up to a lot these last days of Alex's off week but I don't have too many pictures to show for it.

We all went swimming at Mounger Pool in Magnolia yesterday. It's an outdoor pool with one very shallow, very warm pool for little ones and another bigger pool for laps, pool slide, etc. Cole went down the slide by himself and I was at the bottom to catch him. He loved it and wanted "to do it again, and again, and again!" We also dove down to touch the bottom of the pool with our hands (4 feet deep). He had a great time and Audrey enjoyed bobbing around with dad.

Today at his swim lessons he jumped off the diving board into 12 feet of water with his instructor waiting to help him. This was a first yet he didn't flinch.

We drove up to Bellingham to look at a house and we may make an offer. We both liked the house.

Strawberries and the Car Show

It was predicted to be in the 90's this weekend so Alex thought we should get out of town and on the water. We spent the night in Port Townsend on Friday - Alex LOVES Port Townsend. I must admit I was taken by the charming houses and stunning scenery.

We spent the day at Fort Warden enjoying the cool breezes, views of Mt. Baker and Rainier, and playing on the beach.



As busy and industrious as Alex is at home, he is just as happy lounging on a beach. Although he is usually scheming on how he can build a sailboat.



Audrey.









Cole.





Building a sand castle with a moat.



Audrey and I after a walk up the beach. She took a small nap while I carried her.



Though Alex took many pictures at the vintage car show, this was my favorite car.



After checking out the cars we went to Sequim to pick strawberries, explored another beach near Port Townsend and then headed home.



This farm will soon have a field of lavander in bloom.



It was another hot day today. We enjoyed a day at a neighborhood park and bbq'ed at home. Cole wrote his name in chalk on the brick patio.





Cole and Audrey eating potato chips while Alex finishes dinner.





Big sister came home from Mexico today with lots of stories. She and Cole hung out and listened to Kenny Chesney while I blogged tonight.