Seattle "Staycation"

Some of you may remember from previous years, we have a tradition of getting Seattle City Passes every August before school starts. This was our 3rd year doing it :) Here we are walking in the heat really fighting the urge to jump into Elliot Bay, on our way to the Aquarium.
The kids checking out the fish in the huge tank. (yes, I realize Carter is wearing socks with his sandals... he's totally the NW sandals and sock guy, LOL. His eczema is getting so bad, it's the only way I can get him to not scratch it)
Touching the Sea Starts
Nannie, Kyle, and Grampa with the kids
Cristian and Megan (my Aunt Lisa and her girls joined us on our Seattle Staycation this year!)
Carter and Ava
Checking out the Hawaiian fish tank...
Nemo!
Cousins and my 2 kiddos
Just being cute together :)
Carter and Kyle watching Sharks (and other fish) swim all around them
The 5 of us outside the aquarium
Next up we went on an Argosy Cruise... thought it might be a bit more cool to be out on the water with a bit of a breeze... but I was WRONG!!
Ava enjoying the cruise.
Carter, right before he fell asleep :)
A couple pictures of the Space Needle...

A few days later we went to the Woodland Park Zoo. Here are Carter and Ava with the giraffes.
The Meerkats, extremely entertaining little animals!!
Climbing around in rock caves
Cristian takes his role as big brother very seriously! Such a helper!!
Hawk
All 3 in the cave (oops, this one got out of order...)
Big Brown Bear
Feeding the birds
One landed on Aunties head
A snow leopard.
The kids checking out the flamingos
Carter talking to the horsies
At the Farmers Market :)
On the tractor
By the Monkey statues on the way out of the zoo
The very next day we went back to down town Seattle and went to Science Center.
Me and my 3 kids

Cristian holding a giant cockroach, SO GROSS!!
The kids all love the Butterfly exhibit!
Carter and I checking one out that landed right by our feet
One landed on Cristian's shorts
And one landed on Auntie too!
Me and the kiddos
the kids doing a dinosaur craft at the Dinosaur exhibit
Cristian, Abby, and Paula playing with the giant water guns
Ava, me, Carter, and Megan playing with the water ball
All the kids running in the giant hamster wheel
The traveling exhibit right now is called "Circus" I can't wait for October when the next traveling exhibit comes... Harry Potter!! Here the kids stuffed themselves into a box
Carter playing
Didn't get too many pictures in here, too busy keeping up with Carter and making sure he stayed with the group. But the exhibit was really cool!
A few more shots of the Space Needle

Me and Carter waiting to go up to the top!
Me and the kids at the top of the Space needle overlooking down town (silly faced Ava, LOL)
My mom and sister with us too :)

Next stop, EMP... although we didn't stay long. Everyone wanted a snack from their restaurant inside.
Me and the kids outside of the Fun Forest
Before heading home after our fun day, we stopped at Starbucks. Apparently, Carter really likes Caramel frapachinos, LOL. He drank two of the little samples.
My mom and I with our lattes. :)

Husky Picture Day

The Huskies had their annual picture day the Sunday before we left for Hawaii. The kids LOVED going down on the field and getting players' autographs and their pictures taken with them. It was an EXTREMELY HOT day, close to 100 degrees, so the temperature was very close to unbearable down on that field. (and I am one who LOVES hot weather... but even this was a bit much after awhile).
The kids with Nick Montana... doesn't he just look like a baby??
We had an 8x10 photo printed of Jake Locker with the kids' last year. Here is Ava handing it to him to sign! Cristian had his football signed too.
Our Family and Jake Locker.
We also had an 8x10 photo printed of all the fans storming the field after the USC victory last year. All the players signed the white mat around the picture, and every single one of them commented on how cool this picture was! It's now hanging up in our house :)
Kyle, the kids and Jordan Polk
The kids with Quinton Richardson
Kyle and the kids with Chris Polk.
Harry the Husky
All of us with Cousin Meredith. (note all the red faces!!)
Our entire family at mid field on the Husky W.

We're back!

We're back after a wonderful 9 days in Maui! I have a lot of catching up to do on my blog and plan on getting it all done this holiday weekend, so stay tuned!!