Seattle Part 1

***This post is just as much for me as it is for anybody else reading it. I want to remember all the fun things we were able to do together. So if you get bored reading all the details, sorry.

We went to Seattle to visit some friends we've had since our first year of marriage--Jason, Dawn, Laura and Schuyler. We left as soon as Megan's Kindergarten ceremony was over Friday morning and didn't get to their home until around 11 that night (I think). We were tired. In fact, I was kind of dragging all week.

The next day we drove about 4 hours along the Washington peninsula to catch a ferry over to Victoria Canada. Here's a shot of Laura and Anna tuckered out.

The drive through the Olympia National Forest along the coast was breath-taking. There was water on one side and snow-covered mountains on the other. Everything was lush and green. It was just gorgeous.

Here we all are on the ferry. It was quite chilly with a strong breeze blowing across the cold waters.

By the time we had driven so far and rode the ferry (which took about an hour and a half) and made our way off the ferry into Victoria, we were ready for supper. We ate at a local seafood steakhouse right on the water. Then all we wanted was our beds. We didn't even have the energy to go swimming that night.

The next morning, in true Megan fashion, we were up around 6. Our friends slept in, so we got some donuts and took the girls swimming for about 2 hours. (Actually Jason took the girls swimming while I tried to get breakfast for over an hour--then I finally joined them at the pool).

Afterwards, we all walked to a castle and toured it. It was beautiful and had some neat history facts. Here are the kids standing in front of it.

There was an antique piano inside with a note that said if you were musically talented you could play a song. So, we all took turns (including all the kids) playing our beautiful music. Laura's been taking piano, so hers was good. Schuyler's was his own renditioin of "I Dropped My Dolly In the Dirt," which Megan also played. And Anna graced us with "Hot Cross Buns."

Then we went through the touristy downtown area on our way to the Undersea Gardens which had aquariums and a "touch and feel" area. Here are the kids feeling starfish and some other creatures.

After that, Jason and me and the girls went to the beach while our friends went to another museum. The water was freezing! But the weather was gorgeous. Picture perfect. Along the coastline there were snow-covered mountains. The scenery and serenity was wonderful. The girls had a blast playing in the sand. In this picture, you can barely make out the snow-covered mountain in the background.

Jason and Dawn had found a fisherman's wharf that we all went back to for supper. And there was a local shop that sold fish you could feed the wild seals. They would literally jump up out of the water and take the fish right out of your hands. It was amazing. Truly a great experience for the kids.

We went swimming a little that night and the next morning before heading our to catch a ferry home. We took a different route back going through the San Juan islands. It was about a 3 hour trip. We were just blown away with the beauty up there. Everywhere you looked you saw gorgeous scenery. Back in Washington we stopped at Deception Pass before heading back to their home. There is a huge bridge that crosses over an inlet of water. It is so high up it makes you a nervous wreck looking down. The pictures do NOT do the reality justice at all. We even spotted a harbor seal swimming down in the water on our way across the bridge. Again, it was beautiful.