TLDR – Maddex Mila and I flew to Seattle for a week to attend Darren and Kelsie’s wedding. While in Seattle we traveled about visiting; Grandparents, family, Philips, Mainers, and Mills // Part 2 covers the rest of the trip, and getting home.
Sunday – Grandparent Swap
Sunday morning we hung out at the Miller compound playing with the cousins and grandkids until about 1300. The kids played some bad mitten, rode the four-wheeler, ate foods, had root beer floats, played on the trampoline, and other bits. Great times with the family. At 1300 we loaded up and drove towards Puyallup. Along the way, we stopped at goodwill in Tacoma where we picked up some toys and outfits to take back with us. Eventually, we made it past the new massive emerald queen casino and arrived at the Peterson house.
The kids played some board games with grandma and caught up with their grandparents. Through the window across the yard, we watched Jonathon take the cover off his swim spa. Oh snap we missed our swim spa. The water was low on chemicals but it was warm; we can shower as soon as we get out. Grandma found Mila a swimsuit, Maddex and I went in in our undies. We spent a good hour or so swimming in the tub. Took the kids a few minutes to remember how to swim but they remembered – we had a blast in the water.
Dinner was a simple salad with leftover BBQ from the wedding, and Mac and Cheese and hot dogs for the kids. Darren loaded us up with chicken and pulled pork leftovers from the wedding. We all slept in great-grandmas old room. That was a bit odd. The kids did not notice and or they were too tired to care; they passed out fast.
Monday and Tuesday
We woke up early and managed to be quiet enough to avoid waking the grandparents. We had some banana bread muffins and I baked a few Boboli pizzas for breakfast. Sure do miss the Boboli pizzas. I might have eaten a whole pizza on my own for breakfast. More games and play with the grandparents before we took off shopping at another Goodwill and Target. After shopping, we stopped at chick filet for lunch. 60 nuggets and a few orders of waffle chips.
We stopped at the park where we picked up our puppy dragon for lunch and a play. The kids did not make it long playing. The play toys were metal, the day was hot and sunny – they complained of the equipment being too hot to touch. We were going to head to a spray park, but the kids wanted to go swim in Jonathon’s pool instead. The play park has no shade, and going home is far less work – Back to the pool we went.
Brian and Everett showed up and came for a swim with us. At one point I picked Evertt up by his life jacket and he asked me to toss him into the water. When he came back up he asked me to do it “Five more times.” He was having a blast. After 5 he asked me to do it again lifting him by his legs. Looking at Brian he gave me a nod, and we went with it. Everett came up asking for “three more times” of that. Crazy kid, he got his three more plus a few more tosses for good measure. Brian and Everett took off before dinner.
Wednesday and Thursday – Mainers Wes and Jer Jer
Wednesday the kids and I were up before the sun was out again. We played some games, packed, watched a show, ate and hung out waiting for the grandparents to wake up. After what seemed like the whole day they finally woke up for one last visit before we drove off to Seattle. The first destination of the day, back to the Miller compound to pick up all of the things we forgot and properly say see ya later to the parents without all of the wedding stuff distraction.
From ma and pas we drove to Costco business for some meats and snacks where I discovered mom dropped me from the Costco account. They let me buy stuff but they took the card back; sad face. Next time we are in the UK we’ll have to sign up for our own card. Onward to Frys to shop for some kid things, Maddex’s request. He obtained a drone and Mila picked up some legos. From Frys, we drove to the Mainer house about 2 blocks from our old house in Woodinville. Mike was at work, but Manija and the kids were at home.
Kids had a blast playing together and Manija and I caught up while snacking and waiting for our man to return home from work. Manija made us some fabulous Salzburg steak and mashed tators for dinner the kids kind of eating. Sadly I was feeling super tired and only made it until about 9 going to bed with the kids. In the morning Mike made us some breakfast burritos then he went to work. Manija, all for the kids, and I went to Costco for one more shopping trip and lunch.
Trunk completely stuffed with stuff, we said goodbye to the Mainers and drove to Northgate mall to meet up with the Wes family for a day of hanging out. We toured their new place with the massive bathroom then drove north towards a Target and an REI to buy a switch and some travel bits. We played with the Mainers switch, our first time with one, and wow are they an awesome toy. We had a bunch of American cash to burn, might as well go home with a switch. Wes already has a switch and was happy to offer his experience helping us pick out what we need. Wes then helped Maddex get all setup back at his place.
Setting up the switch was another Maddex being nice moment. He setup a profile for Mila and picked out a girly avatar she would like. He did it totally on his own motivation -shocking. We left the Wes family saying see ya tomorrow and drove to Issaquah to spend the night with the Philfam. Mac and cheese and hot dogs for dinner with s’mores roasted on the fire in the back yard. After s’mores Maddex went back inside to play switch. We went back in about fifteen minutes later and found him passed out an air mattress without blankets. In the morning he said he was tired and not sure he was sleeping. He figured I’d move him where he needed to be.
Mila slept with Tori and I slept in Taylor’s bed with Maddex at my feed. Taylor was missing on holiday in California with some friends. Holly made us pancakes for breakfast while I repacked the car a few times trying to make everything fit. On the way out Mila remembered she forgot her blanket; we turned back to get it then drove to a Fred Meyer to pick up some extra switch things. Momma needed a Mario game she told us. We picked up Wes and Cari who took us to the zoo for the day. We managed to talk a park ranger into going into the Elk range to retrieve Caris sunglasses she dropped over the edge a month ago, we had some lunch, checked out some animals, bought some stuffed animals, and had a great visit with Wes and Cari.
The highlight of the zoo for the kids was the butterfly cage where the managed to hold some butter flys. Wes and Cari came with us to the airport to see us to the gate. While waiting to check in our begs Wes and the kids played switch on some luggage. While heading for security we ran into Darren and Kelsie. They are headed to a Sandles resort for a honeymoon. We hung out and some food for a bit on the other side of the TSA molestation line before parting ways. Then it was sad time to get back on a plane and fly home to Ireland. Seattle people we will miss you
Made it home – saw cats, Obtained another cat then slept
We took a cab home, a van actually as was needed to haul all of our stuff. The kids passed out in the Van about 2 minutes in the drive. When we arrived home. the kids left me at the sidewalk unloading the van,. They ran into the house carrying nothing, saying “DAD we need to go see the cats“. In the house, they ran by mom barely acknowledging her with a “hey” then when they could find the casts they asked, “Where are the cats?” –
About 20 minutes later George showed up to pick up his cat carrier so he could go home, pick up his cat, then come back with his cat for us to watch while he’s on holiday in Spain. Feeling bad I had not returned the carrier sooner I rented a GoCar and drove him to his place; my first by the hour rental from GoCar. – Somehow managed to drive there and back not falling asleep; yeah !! We arrived home and ordered roymaos for dinner ate and went to sleep – What a long day.
Bonus Pictures
