Start of Family Vacation to Seattle

Saturday morning early we bundled all our stuff, Jill, Joe, Karrissa and the two girls and heading to the Airport. We had lots of luggage to check, with the girl's car seats, pack&play, and suitcases for all. A quick trip up to Seattle - the girls didn't fall asleep until after landing...

We got a rental 'van' in order to hold everything and then headed up to Alki Beach. The girls liked playing in the sand and putting their feet in the cold Puget Sound. We then drove around the point and took the 'scenic' route back to Burien for a lunch at King Wha's Chinese. You can't go to Seattle and *not* do King Wha's!

We are spending a couple of days at Jill's brother's house in Bothell. Thanks Ken & Cathy!

For dinner we drove out to the indian reservation to their Snoqualamie Casino for the all-you-can-eat buffet. Jill and Joe enjoyed their crab, crab, and more crab. I was still full from the Chinese earlier in the day, so I enjoyed having a sleeping McKinley on my lap. We enjoyed visiting with Cathy's family, remembering times we spent together 15 years ago when we lived up here as their neighbors.

After dinner we drove over to Snoqualamie Falls to take in the sights. The water was way down from what we remember. But still an impressive sight. Twice as tall at Niagara Falls - but way less water volume. A unique form of electrical generation with the tunnels bored right through the rocks below the falls.

Sunday morning was Church back in our old Ward here in Bothell. Jill had a great time visiting with friends from 'the old days'!

After a little nap for the girls we heading into Seattle to Woodland Park Zoo. We saw lots of animals, took lots of pictures, and enjoyed a warm sunny day in Seattle - glad for all the trees and shade in the Zoo.

In the end though, Kylie was just too tired and sad/crying so we bundled back up and headed down through Ballard to the Crittendon Locks.

Karrissa remembered rolling down the grassy slopes on the sides of the locks. This time McKinley was sleeping, so I stayed with her in the stroller and the others did the Fish Ladder and watched the boats loading and leaving the locks. It's always a fun experience.

We were going to get some dinner down by Lake Union... but with the girls quietly asleep in their car seats... we just drove up to Red Robin in Lynnwood - then back to Ken & Cathy's house for the evening.

Jill and I with Grand-Daughters at Salty's looking back at Seattle

Val, Debbie, Cathy, McKinley, Jill, Kylie, Joe, Karrissa, Craig, Jeff

Snoqualamie Falls

Seagull fishing in stream

Flight up to Seattle

McKinley and her sea-shell

McKinley with Otters

McKinley showing what the Bats do

Getting ready for a great lunch at King Wha's

Just a bit more luggage than I'm used to

Kylie at Snoqualamie Falls

Kylie at Alki Beach - liking the sand

Karrissa & Kylie at the Locks - a Papparazzi Shot!

Kylie looking at the fish

Joe & McKinley watching animals at the zoo

Joe and Kylie at Alki Beach

McKinley and Joe at Alki Beach

Jill and the Grand-Daughters at Zoo

Lounging Hippo

Giraffe

Closeup of Giraffe - what's that on the forehead anyway?

Fish preparing to climb the 'ladder' up to lake level

Fish 'ladder'

Just a family on a walk in the zoo

Boats entering locks to be floated up to lake level

Bald Eagle

McKinley napping at Dinner

Teaching McKinley to count tree rings

Boats entering the locks from the ocean side

Grizzly Bear looking a bit 'mean'