Seattle

One Wednesday morning, my parents woke up super early and started running around like crazies - apparently we had "slept in" and were "late" to catch our plane.  A plane?!  We were going to Seattle for cousin Steve's wedding!!  I hopped right out of bed and was ready for this grand adventure!  We got on the road in record time... only to sit in terrible traffic.  Mom and Dad thought we were going to miss our flight.  Mom was pretty frantic, and Dad was coming up with back-up plans.  He kept saying, "if we make it by 8:15, we can still catch the flight!"  We rolled into the valet parking area at 8:10, grabbed our bags and ran!  We were too late to check any of our bags, but the really nice airline people gave us a new friend, Joshua, to hurry us through the airport (through the employee security check point) and to our gate - ON TIME! 

The rest of the flight was nice and relaxing:

When we got to LA to switch planes, Grammy and Bimpy were waiting for us!  What a fun surprise!  They flew with us from LA to Seattle, where we got on a huge ferry to get to Bainbridge Island.

Mom and Gavin left almost immediately to attend a bridal shower for my new cousin, Laurel.  I stayed at Aunt Alice's amazing house with the boys.  I loved playing Alice's piano, where I sang the famous "Chatham, Massachusetts" song.  I also fell asleep on the couch.  It was a long day!

The next day (Thursday), Aunt Alice took us to the Bloedel Reserve on the island.  Bloedel is a 150-acre estate, with huge gardens and wooded areas to wander through.  The trees looked like something from prehistoric times - Mom kept looking for dinosaurs!  We walked around all morning, and still didn't see half of the trails Bloedel has to offer.  It was a really neat "garden" to visit!

 After Bloedel, we had some yummy pizza for lunch.  Then Mom and Dad packed us up for another ferry ride.  We were invited to dinner with our friends Ashlie, Todd, Nolan and Peyton!  Dad grew up with Ms. Ashlie and Mr. Todd, and was so excited for a chance to see them while we were on the West Coast.  Mt. Rainier even showed her glorious self on our trip across the sound.

I had such a great time playing with Nolan and Peyton!

Friday morning was so beautiful!  We spent it at Alice's house, relaxing with all our wonderful relatives.  Cousin (aunt?) Julie made a delicious breakfast casserole.  I think Mom wanted to eat the entire dish - she'll definitely be making it for us sometime!  Gavin had fun wearing Dad's sunglasses.  I had fun "driving" the boat - just as long as the scary, noisy engine wasn't on!

 After lounging much of the morning (while Dad helped the uncles set up the yard a bit), Aunt Alice took us all out to lunch at a restaurant on the water.  I ate a huge bowl of chowder!  Then we went to a distillery on the island for a vodka, gin and whisky tasting.  Except, I had a huge meltdown just as we got there.  Dad took me and Gavin back to the cabin we were staying in, and left Mom to enjoy the tasting with her family.  This was a great plan until Gavin got hungry and Dad didn't have any bottles for his formula! 

But I did get a good nap, and was ready for Friday night.  The rehearsal dinner!!  I have no idea what we were rehearsing, but the dinner was fun.  I got to wear a pretty party dress, and dance to some fantastic music from a live blue grass band!  We partied late into the night.  Gavin fell asleep in the piano room, while I got to sleep in cousin Gwen's big, purple bed.

The next morning we said a fond farewell to our little cabin in the woods.  After breakfast at Aunt Alice's friend's house, we were heading to the ferry again, as the wedding was in downtown Seattle.  Breakfast was on a different part of the island, and OH!  What a view!

 Gavin slept through the view, but I sure did enjoy it!

 After breakfast, we got on the ferry and headed to Seattle.  Mom, Dad, Taylor, Julia and Torie wanted to visit the famous Pike Place Market.  They loved seeing all the fresh fruit and veggies.

 They stopped by the famous fish market, in hopes of seeing some fish thrown through the air.  Alas, no one was buying any fish.  But the fish were still pretty on the ice.

 I slept through it all.

 After some lunch and more serious napping, I got to put on the prettiest party dress of all.  It was time for Steve and Laurel's wedding!  The wedding was on a roof, overlooking the beautiful city.  It was a little warm and windy up there, but I was a very good girl. 

 Laurel had a pretty party dress on, too.  White and fluffy.  Just not quite as pretty as my dress.

 Gavin was silly.

 Elizabeth (Wizabiff) was pretty AND silly.

 I had a lot of fun running around the reception, which was in a sort of children's discovery center, where kids can learn all about Seattle and the fishing industry... and mostly play with the life jackets on the model fishing boat!

 I had the most fun of anyone at the party when the music started!  I danced the night away!

 Gavin danced a little, too.

The next morning, we rolled out of bed, packed our bags, and met up with Grammy, Bimpy, Parke, Sarah, Elizabeth, Taylor, Julia and Torie for brunch to celebrate Bimpy's upcoming 60th birthday!!  Bimpy's birthday isn't until September, but we don't often have all TWELVE of us together - for anything!  We took advantage of the chance.  I was a little sleepy for brunch, but was happy enough on Bimpy's lap.

 After brunch, Taylor and Julia had to get to the airport, and Parke, Sarah and Elizabeth had to catch a ferry to a different island.  So the few of us left (all with later flights) visited the University of Washington for an hour or so.  The campus was beautiful!  Mostly, it was just a nice way to spend a few more hours in Seattle.

Mom, Dad, Gavin and I went straight to the airport from the U of Wa, and flew back to Maryland.  Thanks Seattle, Washington!  I had fun!