Showing posts with label Seattle. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Seattle. Show all posts

Friday, July 27, 2012

Seattle

This past weekend we took our second annual family vacation to Seattle.  It went fine.  It was not wonderful, nor horrible.  After all, we do have two toddlers, one who takes two naps for a combined four hours, and one who should nap, but refuses.  If we went by their sleep and rest schedule, we would not have left the hotel.


Successes:

1.  We had a very successful dinner at Buca Di Beppo Friday night.  This was HUGE because we had just spent 3 hours in the car and we did not sit down until it was Abby's bedtime.  I credit this success to the large party of teenagers dressed oddly for a scavenger hunt.  Ella was enthralled with their costumes.  For instance, one guy had a sand bucket as a hat and a stuffed monkey on his shoulder.  Who knew what she was thinking, but she was relatively quiet the entire dinner.  Her mind must have been processing something.

2.  Breakfast. The hotel had a hot breakfast every morning.  We owned that breakfast.

What We Learned:

1.  Ella still needs to have the option of a stroller during long walks, especially if she needs to keep up a decent pace.  A tired three year old would have a better attitude in a stroller.  Duh, that is why we bought the Double BOB! We should have brought it.  Knuckleheads.

2. A one bedroom hotel room is not going to work, yet.  So our family of four slept in one room while the pull out bed remained untouched.

Daddy and Abby 

Abby is amazed at the fish 

Ella the Octopus


Ella and Mommy 

Abby's first carousel ride

Add caption

Balloon Man 

$5 bouquet 


Pretty similar to last year's photo

Um, YUM!

Check out last year's visit HERE.  You'll be amazed how much the girls have changed within the year.  


Friday, August 5, 2011

Vacations~ Not Like They Used to Be

Ryan and I are  were jet setters.  We would take off on a weekend trip with a few days notice.  Hawaii for the weekend?  Sure.  Boston for a few days?  No problem. Being a pilot's wife sure does did have its perks.

These jaunts consisted of hours by the pool, soaking in the sun, fun- fruity drinks (or beers in Ryan's case),  and spendy  dinners out. Vacations were heaven-sent.  Not anymore.  Our vacation style has done a 180 degree turn.  Instead of anticipation, there is anxiety.  Will they sleep okay?  Did I pack everything?  How will they do in the car (notice I said car, not plane)?  Is this a mistake? That being said, we took our first family vacation as a family of four last weekend.  And, we SURVIVED!  It was actually fun, but I can tell you, it was not the vacation of old:


  • 1.  We were in our hotel room by 7:30 each night
  • 2.  We ordered take-out or ate at family restaurants
  • 3.  We lugged around a diaper bag all day and pushed a gigantic stroller
  • 4.  The agenda did not include what we wanted to do, rather what would work for the kids' schedules 
  • 5.  Naptime
  • 6.  We were awake by 7 each morning


Regardless, we had a fabulous time and although we did not get to soak up the rays at a pool, we were able to make memories and I can tell you, these types of vacations are just as fabulous (albeit more work) than resort vacations.

Amazed  by the fish at the aquarium 

one must have fish -n-chips in Seattle

dinner at Buca Di Beppo

Seattle sun?

Pike's Place... watching the fish toss

Such pretty flowers (and so cheap)

riding the pig

balloon vendor

momma and Abby

Ella ~ so proud of her flower ballon but so serious in this picture