Let's start with Seattle

First of all, let me publicly thank the United States Marine Corps for letting us make our own reservations to Seattle so we could acclimate before the big jaunt across the Pacific.  Because going from Omaha to Seattle is ENOUGH for one day!  Whew!  And such a bonus that we were able to walk around that beautiful city AND see my best friend from high school and Audrey's Godmother, Kelli!

So, let's see, where do we start?  Tearful departure from Council Bluffs?  No....don't feel like reliving that quite yet.  TOO SOON!  How about, the flight from Denver to Seattle on Midwest Air, now Frontier Airlines, which had tv screens in the back of the seats where you could swipe your credit card and get to watch television or your pick of a movie.  And they had Nickelodeon and Disney.  And "Diary of a Wimpy Kid."  And we had already rented a DVD player for the Bear so she was taken care of, so the flight was so peaceful!  Let me just say that I will swipe my credit card every.time. if that's an option.

Mick had found a Hawthorne Suites in Kent, Washington for a mere $111 a night for us that was a two bedroom apartment.  The second bedroom was upstairs with its own bath and the girls thought it was tres cool.  It had a free shuttle from the airport, which was desperately needed because we didn't exactly pack light.  I believe the final count was nine checked bags, two car seats, five carry-ons and a partridge in a pear tree.  ♪♫♪  No rented car could have fit us!

Travel day was Monday and Tuesday we got up slowly and then took the free shuttle to the light rail stop and took that for a 45 minute fun ride downtown.  We were joined by the freakiest looking man, dressed in fishhnet stockings, women's underwear, huge headphones and a guitar slung over his back that had a "I ♥ Haters" sticker on it.  That was an educational free-for-all which I used as a manners teaching moment as in "Olivia!  You never point at someone!"  At one stop, a woman got on with her bike and then sat by us and gushed over the girls.  A Minnesota transplant who was positively lovely and made sure to tell the girls when to look out the window to see the cool lights in the tunnel.  When she got off, the I ♥ Haters Dude serenaded us.  A very educational trip indeed.

It dropped us off right downtown and we walked to Pike Place Market.  Let me just say that I ♥ Seattle!  WOW!  What a truly beautiful city!!!!!!  Our first stop was Old Navy to get me a sweater and Olivia some longer pants, but then we walked past this pretty waterfall that you could walk behind.

Olivia striking a pose....

Claire, not to be outdone....

And Audrey, in her beloved "Thing 1" sweatshirt, running behind it...

Then we hit Pike Place Market and were offered a piece of a nectarine which was fruit nirvana.  I bought one immediately and all fruit will forever pale in comparison to this luscious piece of goodness.  The girls also had some raspberries, a plum and some strawberries.  

The next, obvious, stop is to watch the flying fish.

And then we meandered through the shops where Mick caught sight of a little bit of home. 

What are the chances it would be Hall County?  :)

Then Kelli and Ryan arrived and we tried a pic with the Pike Place Pig, but got mediocre results at best, but here it is anyway!

Olivia is in there with the purple soles of her shoes.  Claire was scared to be on the pig, but what's a little traumatizing experience between friends?

Next stop was the flower stall where Audrey picked out sweet peas for Aunt Kelli. 

Claire modeling them.

I wanted so much to buy everybody I know a bouquet of the dried flowers in the top, but restrained myself.

One last shot of one of the amazing fruit and vegetable stands. 

Poor Gigi.  As Mick always says for her, "Where is the Crazy Train Taking Me Today?"

 And then, right before the parking exit, we found a jelly shop that we couldn't resist, for obvious reasons.

Then we won't talk about how we got us and the girls to Kelli's house, but let's just say that in the 70's, they did that all of the time.  

And we didn't get caught, so it's all good.  

Kelli went all out and made us a FABULOUS Northwestern meal complete with Alaskan salmon for the surf and the most fabulous flank steak marinated in a Japanese dressing for the turf, Washington State beer, the best roasted potatoes ever and two salads.  I couldn't stop eating!!!!!!!  (Oh and drinking....she also, lovingly, supplied me with Corona with two limes.  Love that girl!)

Kell kept A and O for the night and the kids put on plays all night long which we are anxiously awaiting the upload to YouTube.  I only saw two of them, but they both were HILARIOUS (Truly....laughed out loud!  VERY creative!).

The next day Mick and I packed up a bit then went to Kelli's house and proceeded to take a nap with the two little girls.  Gigi slept FIVE hours, Claire about 4, Mick 3 and me 2.  Seriously....I really can't imagine if we would have had to go from Omaha straight to Japan!  Such a gift to stop and be treated to such royal treatment by Kelli.  I really can't thank her enough for the amazing gift of her loving hospitality!  Love you Kell!!!!!

Unfortunately, we forgot to take pictures, so I just hijacked these from Kell's FB account.

Audrey, Olivia and Kelli's beautiful daughter Alexa

Has anyone else noticed the posing that goes on by O when a camera is nearby?

Kelli's son Ryan is quite the ladies man!

Audrey tempted the broken arm fate and was nearly horizontal more than a few times on this swing!

And here's my sweet Gigi.

All in all, it was a fabulous, wonderful, stupendous trip to Seattle and we are so excited that the Patriot Express lands and departs from there!

Meet us in Seattle anyone?????????