Seattle & San Juan
We had a fantastic trip to Seattle and San Juan Island at the end of August. Visiting the San Juans was on our Seattle bucket list and we failed to do it while we lived there. Karl's cousin announced her wedding for Seattle in August (prime summer weather in the Northwest!) so we decided to make a week of it.
The kids were suuuuper excited for the cabin and the wedding. They were also psyched to have Grandma, Grandpa, Eric, Julia, and BabyCousinAlden (all one word) for a whole week.
Henry was a champion traveler, as usual.
Ingrid was a cheerful terrorist, as usual. The child would happily sit and do quiet fine-motor activities all day long at home. Put her on a plane and all of a sudden she's a high-decibel climbing machine.
First thing to do when you get off a six-hour flight? Cousin bath!
We piled the entire clan into three cars, stacked high with provisions for an entire week, and drove to catch the ferry at Anacortes. Henry was really excited about a boat so big that cars could drive on it. Puget Sound was beautiful and dramatic -- it's pretty amazing when the commuting part of a trip feels like part of the vacation.
The house we rented near Friday Harbor was perfect for a group with little kids. There was plenty of space to spread out; it had a great deck with room to eat and play and paint, and this fantastic little play house for the kids, complete with toys and books and old-fashioned phones. It also had a bucket on a pulley, which Henry found completely awesome. There was a lot of running around, lounging around, and not wearing pants.
We visited several beaches all around the island. The kids loved finding treasures, digging in the sand, and seeing tide pools. This little beach was really close to our house and it was different every time we visited -- one day very rocky at low tide, another day wet at higher tide, and another day covered in small sea anemones.
This park on the far western edge of the island is known as "whale-watch park" and it didn't disappoint! We were lucky enough to spot some orcas just off the shore. The naturalist on our boat tour told us they were transient male orcas.
On Thursday, we left Grandma and Grandpa with the toddlers and went on a whale-watching tour. Henry was delighted to be a "big kid" and go with us. We had fantastic marine luck and saw a "super pod" of 15+ resident whales. We weren't sure if Henry would be interested in the whales at all -- he isn't terribly into animals right now -- but he got pretty into it.
Before we left San Juan, we corralled everyone for family photos on the picturesque tree-bench. Holiday cards done in August, FTW!
The wedding was on a dry-docked boat in Lake Union. What a stunning backdrop for a wedding! The ceremony was held on the boat deck with this view in the background. The wedding was beautiful and it was lovely to see Bob and Joan's entire clan in the same place at the same time.
Henry had been so excited for the party . . . maybe too excited. He got himself so wound up that he spun out and was really cranky by the time dinner was served. Ingrid surprised us and rallied to have a great time running back and forth with Alden. We had planned to take the toddlers home and drop them off with a babysitter while letting Henry stay up with the grownups. We ended up splitting the difference and taking toddlers, preschoolers, and pregnant mom all home at the same semi-late hour.
We had to fly home the next morning. One word: Benadryl.
The kids were suuuuper excited for the cabin and the wedding. They were also psyched to have Grandma, Grandpa, Eric, Julia, and BabyCousinAlden (all one word) for a whole week.
Henry was a champion traveler, as usual.
Ingrid was a cheerful terrorist, as usual. The child would happily sit and do quiet fine-motor activities all day long at home. Put her on a plane and all of a sudden she's a high-decibel climbing machine.
First thing to do when you get off a six-hour flight? Cousin bath!
We piled the entire clan into three cars, stacked high with provisions for an entire week, and drove to catch the ferry at Anacortes. Henry was really excited about a boat so big that cars could drive on it. Puget Sound was beautiful and dramatic -- it's pretty amazing when the commuting part of a trip feels like part of the vacation.
The house we rented near Friday Harbor was perfect for a group with little kids. There was plenty of space to spread out; it had a great deck with room to eat and play and paint, and this fantastic little play house for the kids, complete with toys and books and old-fashioned phones. It also had a bucket on a pulley, which Henry found completely awesome. There was a lot of running around, lounging around, and not wearing pants.
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| Peeing lesson. |
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| S'mores at the fire pit. |
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| Legolas leaps. |
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| Collecting fifteen cents and a nail and the shell of a great-great-great grandfather snail. |
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| Tackling Uncle Eric. |
We visited several beaches all around the island. The kids loved finding treasures, digging in the sand, and seeing tide pools. This little beach was really close to our house and it was different every time we visited -- one day very rocky at low tide, another day wet at higher tide, and another day covered in small sea anemones.
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| Good work, boys. |
This park on the far western edge of the island is known as "whale-watch park" and it didn't disappoint! We were lucky enough to spot some orcas just off the shore. The naturalist on our boat tour told us they were transient male orcas.
This beach full of enormous driftwood was very striking and fun for fort-building. Fun for Henry, anyway. Ingrid was mostly just cold.
On Thursday, we left Grandma and Grandpa with the toddlers and went on a whale-watching tour. Henry was delighted to be a "big kid" and go with us. We had fantastic marine luck and saw a "super pod" of 15+ resident whales. We weren't sure if Henry would be interested in the whales at all -- he isn't terribly into animals right now -- but he got pretty into it.
Before we left San Juan, we corralled everyone for family photos on the picturesque tree-bench. Holiday cards done in August, FTW!
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| Ingrid was totally over it. |
As vacation week came to an end, we headed back to Seattle for Amanda's wedding. Henry and Ingrid had been trying on their fancy wedding outfits for two months. Henry was especially excited to wear a suit, just like Daddy, and insisted that Karl also wear a tan suit, blue tie, and windowpane shirt.
The wedding was on a dry-docked boat in Lake Union. What a stunning backdrop for a wedding! The ceremony was held on the boat deck with this view in the background. The wedding was beautiful and it was lovely to see Bob and Joan's entire clan in the same place at the same time.
Henry had been so excited for the party . . . maybe too excited. He got himself so wound up that he spun out and was really cranky by the time dinner was served. Ingrid surprised us and rallied to have a great time running back and forth with Alden. We had planned to take the toddlers home and drop them off with a babysitter while letting Henry stay up with the grownups. We ended up splitting the difference and taking toddlers, preschoolers, and pregnant mom all home at the same semi-late hour.
We had to fly home the next morning. One word: Benadryl.
Trekking across the country with kids is quite an undertaking, but it was worth it to have an extended trip together. Ingrid and Alden are at the age where they're pretty indifferent to other small children. But they were very simpatico at the end of a week of running around half-naked together. Kudos to Grandma and Grandpa for keeping up with them for ten days!
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