3/24/12
We had the aspiration to drive to Tacoma by noon so we could go to the awesome zooquarium there at Point Defiance. It's been too long since we visited (it was Toby's 2nd birthday the last time we went). But dang it! We did not leave early enough to arrive by noon and have enough time there to make it worth our while. So instead we took the kids to this little park in Tacoma, which is right next to the hospital where Brent was born!! The last time we were there was when Joshua was 2.
I think that they were happy just to get out and play for a while without wet, cold weather.
{doesn't that Ollie have the sweetest face?}
We stayed that night in Gig Harbor and went to church there the next day, which was very awesome! We love going to church in different areas and seeing what it's like. We met a lot of friendly people!
3/25/12
After church we took a leisurely drive up the Kitsap Peninsula on a lovely afternoon. We drove around Bainbridge Island and up to our lodging destination for the night: Kitsap Memorial State Park. We had a neat little cabin reserved up there with enough beds for all AND a microwave and fridge. It was perfect. But the most perfect thing about it was that NO body else was there... It was total solitude and serenity.
The view from the campground over the Hood Canal, of the Olympic Mountains. Someday we will climb there, yes.
This is the inside of the cabin. We decided after the last time we stayed at a yurt (which is like these cabins in that the beds have foam mattresses covered by vinyl, and you put your sleeping bag on top), that we were grossed out by the mattresses and other people's dead skin cells, etc...so this time we brought sheets for all the beds. It was SO much more comfortable!
BIG belly picture...at 26 weeks...
I swear that style of dress makes the belly look bigger than it is even now at 30 weeks.
the walkway down to the beach from the campground
skipping rocks on the Hood Canal
another view of the Olympic Mountains
checking out all the oysters and other sea creatures on the beach
Ollie was in his stroller (for his safety), but wanted in on the action!
{See how the belly doesn't look as big in a normal shirt?}
the kids had a great time finding the biggest shells and Ollie had a great time sitting on Brent's lap and throwing rocks into the water.
the sunset over the mountains and canal...ahhh!
Toby and I were just sitting there taking in this sunset alone together. It was a sweet little moment. Toby told me that he loves how quiet it is here and that he would like to buy some land here and build a house...haha! Me too!
3/26/12
the boys in front of the cabin
Brent making breakfast and hot cocoa.
We had to tag team between cooking and watching Ollie.
playing at the playground that was across the camp from our cabin
Unfortunately I could not keep up with Ollie all the time (he has just started running), so he got to wander and explore and play quite a bit and then I put him in his stroller the rest of the time. Thankfully he is so content sitting there watching his brothers play.
we went back to the beach at low tide, and found little crabs under every rock.
here they are scoping out those crabs
Oysters!
when you ask Ollie to smile, he is now doing that smile with your eyes thing. It's so cute!
He has a pretty nice smile when the pacifier is out too.
we were told that there was a nice little village called Port Gamble with a penny candy store and a free museum, so we went to check that out.
LOVE it!
here we are outside of the penny candy store. I think the boys will always remember their candy buying experience with fondness...since it doesn't happen very often.
{sorry Tobe, I'm not stepping on that scale in public!}
the view off the north end of the Kitsap Peninsula...such a beautiful place.
And THAT belly picture is a little more accurate.
The next thing on the agenda was a ferry ride across the puget sound to Widby Island. It was a very quick ferry ride, perfect actually. Just enough to have that ferry experience with the kids, but not too much to tire a pregnant lady out.
Ollie didn't like the confinement of Brent's shoulders very much...
he LOVED running around exploring instead!
after we got off the ferry and drove up Widby Island, we stopped at Deception Pass...a place we've read about but have never visited. It is the very narrow inlet of the Puget north of Widby Island. When the tide is going in or out, the water flows very rapidly here, like a raging river. This picture is at pretty much the best view point.
we arrived at our next cabin site (Bayview State Park...meh.), and we decided we needed to go for a drive up the Chuckanut Drive and find a city to buy a few groceries at. So we caught the sunset up the Chuckanut and drove to Bellingham, Washington...which is the farthest north in Washington we've ever been. What a great little city! Hopefully we'll drive back through here this summer on our way up to Vancouver, Canada!
Joshua's 10th Birthday!!
We woke up fairly early in our lovely cabin accommodations, and took off for Seattle. The plan was to visit the zoo and the science center (for free with our reciprocal passes).
Well, we got to the zoo and discovered that we no longer get in for free with our Oregon zoo pass, but we did get a good discount. Instead of paying $80, we only had to pay $20.
Ollie snacking on oranges
I really like the exhibits at the Seattle Zoo, even more than the Oregon Zoo (which is great too). They both have pretty natural habitats, but the habitats are almost too natural at the Oregon Zoo and it's often difficult to see the animals. The Seattle Zoo has very natural habitats, yet the animals are easy to see. I don't know, maybe the animals like not being seen better.
After the zoo we drove over and found parking at the Seattle Center, which is home to the science center and other famous attractions (most notably the Space Needle!). It turned out that the science center is not open on Tuesdays during the winter (BOO!), which made Joshua very sad. That was what he REALLY wanted to do on his birthday. So we had to come up with another cool idea, fast! We all decided on taking the elevator up to the observation deck on the Space Needle instead. It was cool, and also expensive! But at least Joshua will always remember that experience on his special day.
Seattle Center
all ready to go up the Space Needle!
oh the views!
we forgot Ollie's shoes in the car, so Brent had to carry him everywhere...
Joshy was wanting one of these souvenir space needle soda cups for $9...I told him we'd take a picture with it instead and get a smaller treat at the snack bar...which thankfully he was happy with.
just as we were leaving the Seattle Center, it started pouring for the first time on our whole trip...we ran out of there in a flash and drove home.
We sang happy birthday to our big 10 year old, ate chocolate cheesecake and opened presents.
Joshua got some toys, books and games from the Portland's Science Museum gift shop, all of which he absolutely adored...but I think this gift has been the biggest hit by far with Joshua, Toby and all of Joshy's friends. It is called the Perplexus. Trust me on this one...if you need a gift for a child this age, this is PERFECT.
Happy Birthday to my sweet, innocent, smart, funny, quirky, brave, loving, fun Joshua.
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