Seattle

So after spending the week getting caught up on sleep, work, laundry (ha! just kidding) and life in general, I though, "Hm. Maybe I should post a few Seattle pictures on my blog." That "few" has turned into 40. And I'm guessing you don't have time to read a lengthy diary entry about the trip...nor do I have time to write one.

So, with as little explanation as possible...enjoy these precious mems from my jaunt to Seattle. The five original Immels, together again...

(Courtesy of Kristen) K's view of the Sydney Harbor. Beautiful, no?!

Kristen's first McDonald's in....quite a while

Amanda & Jason's humble abode. I LOVE their house. It's perfect for them!

A little slice of their view. Mmmmmm jealous.

Bennet (a.k.a. Buddy) waking up from his nap and meeting Aunt Kristen for the first time :)

Me & Bennet LOOOOOOOVE tummy time

He's all spiffed up for his dedication at church. Jason put "product" in his hair because his locks are incredibly long in the front. So it was kind of "combed" over. Precious. I wish I'd gotten a better picture of it.

I love a baby who loves to accessorize with scarves.

Those cheeks! I could die!

At church, with the grandparents. (I'm not sure why this uploaded - I selected a picture that included Jason's parents standing right beside my parents. Oh well. For what it's worth, Lynn & Connie, we love you.)

My sisters

Immel breakfast at Oak Table. It lit'rally doesn't get better than this.

Middle & Youngest

Dad paying for breakfast, oh-so masculine, with the flower pen the waitress provided for him.

Aaaaaand...more eating. Sluys Bakery!

It's obviously time for Bennet to start on some solids becauuuuuuse he basically reaches for any and all "real food" in sight. Such as the man-shaped donut in Amanda's hand.

My Viking. That's right. I ate it all.

The most laid back mom I have EVER seen. She's a natural and I love it!

I'm pretty sure this is the only family picture we got out of the whole week. Oh well. Treasure what you can :)

I love the fact that I have pictures of Nate, Mercy AND Bennet reaching for coffee cups at around this age. Perfect.

Casual chit-chat in downtown Poulsbo

Alright, pause for a story.

I committed myself to going into Seattle one day (it's a long story) but I needed to get some coffee mugs from the Starbucks at Pike Place. So, not wanting to waste a day doing something we'd all already done (multiple times), me and my sisters decided to catch an early ferry across the Sound into Seattle. We were planning to catch the 7:05 ferry, be in Seattle by 7:35, and be back at the ferry to catch the return to Bainbridge Island at 8:45. My dad scoffed and told us we wouldn't make it. So naturally, we set out to prove him wrong.

We (albeit JUST) made the ferry to Seattle at 7:05am. We power walked uphill to Pike Place and couldn't decide if we should just purposely miss the 8:45 back and kind of enjoy ourselves and walk around a little. Well...at about 8:20 we decided we REALLY wanted to try to make the ferry. The three of us were practically jogging down the streets of Seattle with a stroller full of Starbucks merchandise, a photographer and a baby in an Ergo. It. Was. Panic. So in the last few minutes, Amanda told me to run ahead and buy tickets. So I did. I ran. Through the terminal, to the ticketing window and saw the ferry was still there! I hurredly (and windedly) bought three tickets. I turned around and saw Kristen and Amanda on my heels, ready to board. We dashed around the corner, only to find a ferry worker who (not so kindly) yelled "Can't board! Gates are closed!" It was like trying to make a connection in an airport but they'd already closed the door.

It was painful because WE WERE THERE! But my dad would still have given us SUCH a hard time about not making it. So...of course...we never told him.

Good morning, Seattle!

I didn't even know this picture was taken until we exchanged pictures and I saw it on Kristen's camera

Seattle's newest addition - a sort-of version of the London Eye. Amanda so cleverly has come up with the name "The Eye of the Needle." Get it? Reference the London Eye AND the Space Needle? She's clever, that one.

Keeping a strong, steady pace on our way to Pike Place

We made it! Let me tell ya, if you're going to go to Pike Place, do it at 7:30am. There's NOBODY there. It's wonderful.

The Market, against and unnaturally blue Seattle sky

Love them dearly!

I love this picture. If it weren't for the age difference and hair color, we could be twins. Our personalities are pretty much a carbon copy of one another.

Me and Amanda, running

So...we didn't make the 8:45 ferry...

Bennet's first ferry ride! (Well, except the ride over, but he was asleep for that.)

Oh my goodness. Hahaha! Do we look tired? We were TIRED.

Beach day! (With Mt. Baker [I think?] in the background)

And in this context "beach day" definitely doesn't mean bathing. It means looking for beach glass until your neck and eyes hurt.

Love this gal

The state-side sisters, on a stroll

I. Love. This picture.

Me & A-train :)

Somebody ALWAYS has a camera

Haha! Mom is singing in this picture :)

Saying my last farewell to Bennet :(

Mt. Rainier on my way to the airport

Heading home. (Any faithful Grey's Anatomy watcher will recognize that little strip of water in the lower left corner. It's the view when they do the helicopter fly-in on opening scenes of the show. I mean...I don't pay that much attention. Nevermind.)

The beautiful Cascades

Mountaintop lake. So beautiful.

No matter how many times I fly, views like these never get old

And on a completely different note, Dan has taught me to keep an honest-to-goodness baseball score card! I took a picture of my first complete game :)