We took a 9 day trip to the Seattle area...

...beginning with two nights with Repparts and a trip to the zoo. When we lived in Seattle we had a yearly pass to the zoo and acquarium. So, C has been to the zoo from the time she was five months old. She used to stare at all of the leaves and foliage. She loved Woodland Park Zoo. L, on the other hand, has grown up in Spokane, so this was his first visit to the zoo (that he remembers...he went to the zoo in infancy, but that was before his love of tigers).

The Ferry ride from Edmonds to Kingston

Then on to the ocean and 3 nights in Kalaloch

We met my parents and camped for three nights in a fabulous campground right on the ocean. Our campsite was overlooking the water and all we could hear was the sound of the waves crashing in on shore. It was cold in the mornings and evenings, but the sun burned brightly during the days. So we hiked up the beach a couple of miles and hung out by ourselves for several hours each afternoon. C and L absolutely loved the sand, waves, rocks, sticks, logs, streams, and FUN that the beach offers. C said to me several times: "Mom, this is really really fun." She genuinely enjoyed herself and so did L. There were challenges--L kept asking, "Where's the house? I want to go inside. Let's go inside the house. Where is it?" He didn't grasp the idea of camping right away. But, once he understood we were sleeping outside and eating outside and spending the night and day outside, as well as playing outside, he settled into camping.

Third Stop: Pond Family Reunion

and we finished the trip at Wybuls's

We stayed the last two nights of our trip in West Seattle.

Baseball

I took the kids to a Spokane River Hawks collegiate baseball game tonight. The visitors were the Bellingham Bells. We won 3-2 in the bottom of the ninth with two outs!

They played at Gonzaga's baseball field. It was a perfect night for baseball; the full moon rose over the buildings in the distance, over center field.


MP had to work late tonight, but C and L and I had a great time with the Giangrecos. I realize I miss baseball. This game was just our pace: 50 fans in a large stadium...fans seemed to be mostly family members and girlfriends. And, of course, a few kids since tonight was sponsored by Mobius Kids children's museum and by our dentist!

Now we will have to take in a Spokane Indian's game. My camera batteries were dead (fully recharged, but dead, all the same), otherwise this post would be visual.

Hammock!!

Abbey's 10th Birthday

Abbey turned 10 years old on July 4th. She still has just as much energy as ever. Her only give away that she's elderly is the gray hairs on her chinny chin chin. Interested strangers [and believe me, strangers have always been drawn to this dog--we get tons of "what kind of puppy is that?" everywhere we take her] still think she's a lab pup.