Friday, August 19, 2011

Weekend in Seattle (yes I am updating my blog!!)

A little mini vacation in the middle of Summer, oh what fun!! Back in May, we must have been bored and decided we need somthing else to do and needed a little more baseball, so we decided to go to a Mariner's game. Well, you can't just go to the game and not see Seattle, right??!! (We have gone before, but it was several yars ago and the boys don't really remember much). We purchased our tickets, marked the calendar and anxiously anticipated the day......(Safeco, here we come!) Well, we figure it takes about 4 hours or so to get to Seattle, so if we leave by noon or 1, we should be all good, game is at 7:10, no worries.....I took the day off and figured I would squeeze in a cut and colr since Mark was working a 1/2 day. Well not all things go as planned, we didn't get out of town until almost 1:30 and let me tell you, it took 5 1/2+ hours to get to Safeco Field. I don't know how those people drive in that kind of traffic every day. It was pretty much stop and go between Lacey to Tacoma, Yes, I was getting pissy, I hate traffic and it was starting to look like we were going to miss the start of the game.

Luckily, traffic did break up and we pulled in the parking garage about 6:45, I was really glad I had pre-bought a parking pass, that made it really easy (would recommend it, well worth the money!) Off to our seats we go. Marner's were playing the Red Sox and let me tell you, a couple of times, I was not sure who was the home team, Mariner's or Red Sox, there were ALOT of Red Sox fax in the crowd. It was a beautful evening for a game, we had pretty good seats and watching it on TV is nothing like being there in person. It was a good dame, even though the Mariner's lost (the only game they lost in the 3 game series). The boys had a good time, Drake was just soaking it in and Gunner was enjoying some of the goodies (Man those nachos were good!)

After the game was over, getting out was hectic, I dont' understand why people push, they are going to let us all out!!

Off to the hotel we go, thanks goodness for the GPS on the iphone, it came in very handy, except it doesn't really tell you which streets are one way (That could also be operater, me, error LOL) Finally get there and try to find a place to park (HOLY COW parking in Seattle is expensive, have to pay everywhere you go) and go to our room. Didn't plan it but we had a good view of the Space Needle, but we were all pretty well done so it was off to bed we go.....

Our first adventure on Saturday was the "Ride the Duck", if you go to Seattle, this is very much a must do. It was a 90 minute ride thru the waterfront, downtown, over the bridge to Fremont and then you take a boat ride on Lake Union. It was a beautiful sunny day and we all enjoyed the ride. Our driver, Chuck(wagon) was very good and made it fun, showed us lots of sights and man, oh man, truly a Starbucks on very other corner!


After the duck we were all hungry so we headed down to the waterfront. After finding and paying for a parking spot (plus big rigs don't always fit so well), we started walking. It has also been recommended to at the "Crab Pot", man oh man was it yummy! We pretty much ate everything.
We had a "pot" of clams, mussels, crab (dungess and snow) shrimp, sausage, corn on the cob and red tatos. I know I am repeating myself but man was it good! (kinda expensive but oooohhhhhhh so worth it!)
After we were done we walked along the waterfront, had to walk off our lunch LOL. There were alot of people and some of the shops were crowded but the weather was perfect. There was a cruise ship sitting, loading, waiting to pull out, make me want to go on another cruise, but I think this is a close as the boys are going to get. :( After we saw everything we wanted to see on the waterfront, we headed to Pike Place. Now there were ALOT of people there too. Evidently Starbucks there is very popular, don't know if you can tell, but the line waiting to go in, goes back to the last flower and pole, Umm No thanks! got mine down on the waterfront, thank you very much!

We cruised thru the market, taking it all in, the flowers and fruit and veggies all looked beautiful and wish I could have brought some home, but it wouldn't have made it (no ice chest) or lasted very well. Of course my hubby was soaking it all in too (ummm, hello, give up the crackberry already!), so we took pictures, my favorite thing :D
We pretty much saw everything and decide it was time to move on, off to the Space Needle we go. Our plan was to hit the Space Needle at dusk, it didn't work out so well. We get there (again had to find a place to park and pay) as we go past we see a line to get in, well, looks like its going to be a wait. As we are buying our tickets, it shows a 1 hour wait, is everyone in Seattle that day???!!! The line actually moved pretty fast and we made it to the top. After about an hour we were done and headed down. Wish it would have been clearer so we could see the mountains but it was still pretty.


I have come to the conclusion that in this day and age, people cannot fly by the seat of their pants anymore. Our plan was to stay they night in Tacoma and then go to Cabela's on Sunday. Well, not sure why, but we had a terrible time finding a hotel between Tacoma and Lacey, we finally found one in Olympia and we got the last room with 2 queen beds, so it was backtrack to Lacey on Sunday morning.

The boys were pretty happy,
He kept saying "It doesn't look that big", well he thought otherwise when we got inside. We browsed for a couple of hours, didn't really buy much, but it sure made all 3 of them want to go fishing, bad!!Finally finished up and headed South. Traffic wasn't too bad, but there was still some slowness in parts and I sooo could not drive that all the time, it would give me major anxiety!! Overall it was a good weekend, really enjoyed the family time but was happy to sleep in my own bed!!






Thursday, July 21, 2011

Bad Blogger!!!


I am such a bad blogger and I know I have not been very good about blogging and I know I keep getting told I need to update, but we have been crazy, insane busy. I had hoped to update while I was sitting at the fair with all this down time and nothing to do, HA!!! I'm still waiting for those moments. I now have a USB cable so I can try to download pics to my netbook and try to update it. All I can say though is, you better watch out, when I get some spare time, I am going to post all our summer happenings and believe me, we have been BUSY!! and we still have alot of summer fun let :D

Sunday, June 5, 2011

Weekend Shenanigans, Part 1 (Foster 5K)....

Just how much CAN you do in one weekend????

Friday night started out pretty low key, Drake had practice, Gunner was at the Land Lab helping with the FFA float so Mark and I go to dinner. What do we do after dinner (with NO kids), go to Bob Smith and watch baseball....WTH???? We decided when the kids are all grown and gone, we are going to be the creepy old people in the stands just watching who ever play because we miss it!!

Well, had to get home and get some rest cause we had the Foster Dam Fun/Run 5k on Saturday. Gunner bailed cause he was in the parade for FFA and Drake tried to bail, but I think Nicole guilted him in to going......

Got up to Foster and it was beautiful.

We checked in and then realized we had to go across the dam damn (hehehe pun intended) to the starting pointing. We meandered (ran? LOL)
to hurry up and wait. We got over that and of course had to take pictures. Brandi was there with some girls from work, so had to get her in a few pics as well.
They had a kids run before the 5k and it took forever for the that to be done so we could start. Finally it is time, and after the star spangled banner we were off (Remember speed limit 35 miles an hour!!)
Off we go, we crossed the damn and then went down the hill to a park (didn't know was there). Well you know the saying, what goes down, must come up.....That was a big ass hill!!!
(Nicole doesn't look soo good)

Then we walked along the highway to the lookout and then back along the path, by the lake to the dam again. At some point, I kinda hit a zone and lost Missy, I felt bad, but I hit my stride and decided I wanted to beat my previous time.....and I did, I beat it by 3 minutes, pretty proud of that!!

It felt great, but if felt longer than 3.2 miles!!! Nicole took 2nd in her category
and Missy and I were just glad we finished LOL......
After the race was over, we jumped in the car and raced back to Lebanon for the Strawberrry Parade......

Weekend Shenanigans Part II (Parade).....

It took longer in Sweet Home than we thought, so we were not sure if we would miss any of the parade. I knew where I wanted to sit and had a pretty good idea of where I wanted to park. As we went past Walmart (on the parade route), we saw where the start of the parade was, we had plenty of time. After driving thru town and getting to where we wnated to be (Missy had to move a barricade so I could park. She thought I was joking when I asked to her to get out and move it, I was serious LOL).
We were ready for the parade to start, we knew Gunner was in it and Angela's group from work had a float that Sherri was pulling with her pink tractor and Mom and Michelle were going to be with them.
Well, they were all at the end of the parade, but it was nice to sit and sit in the sun. Gunner has quite the cheering section when he went by....
(look at all the girls! LOL)

Once Gunner was passed, we were starving and needed to go eat. We took Nicole back to her car and then went to Uncle Herbie's to see Angela's group. They were about done and headed to Ixtapa, so we took off ahead of them and saved a table.

It had been a long, hot day, so we "HAD" to have some margaritas, boy did they taste good!!
But, ummmm, Angela, is that Medifast approved?????? :D

Weekend Shenanigan's Part III (Flying).....

As if Saturday was not jam packed enough, I had had a customer at work tell me about a program at the Lebanon airport EAA Young Eagles flying. Pilots were giving free 15-20 minute airplane rides at the airport for kids 8-17. We went out on Saturday but it was too late, they were done for the day so we got up bright and early on Sunday and headed over, we were the first one's there. The kids filled out a form, signed up and then met their pilot.
Each pilot went over things on the plan, the pre flight of the plan and flight plan, got them strapped in and went down the runway. The plane Gunner was in took off!! It was awesome.

The both headed off towards Sweet Home, Foster Lake, Drake went up Green Peter, then headed North. We could hear the pilot ask if there was anyone else waiting, there was not, so she said they were going to keep flying. They flew North a ways and then headed back to Lebanon. They go to the airport and did a touch and go, not sure if Drake was aware of that. He was able to actually fly the plane and do some turns while they were up. Evidently he was a natural, must be all the video games!!




Gunner's pilot asked Drakes pilot if there was anyone waiting and when he was told no, they turned from Foster, headed towards Brownsville, Philomath, Mary's Peak and went to Toledo. They were going to go to Newport but it was too cloudy/foggy. They headed back to the airport. Gunner was also able to fly while they were up and do some turns, but turned it back over for the landing.




Both boys ended up with about an hour in the air. I was jealous and just could not convince the guys at the check in station that I was under 17 :D

They thought it was pretty awesome and wnat to go again....do we have a future pilot??????

Thursday, June 2, 2011

Really, again???!!!

I really thought baseball was a no contact sport, but boy was I wrong. Tonight Drake was on the losing end of a collison at home plate. He was on 3rd, the tying run and he was sent to steal home on a suicide bunt. Well the batter didn't bunt and Drake was sent and well he was dead meat at home plate. Not sure the other catcher should have come up the line and tagged him as hard as he did, but, that's mom talking. Drake took the tag right in the face as he was sliding, helmet flew off and he went to his back. He was knocked out for a few seconds and when he sat up he was bleeding, I think from the nose. He ended up with a scratch by his eye, swollen nose, bloody lip (but he has all his teeth, thank god!).
Can't wait to see what it looks like in the morning.....

The sucky part was, his eye had just healed from a black eye he got a few weeks ago in a different game (against this same team!!) SIGH, I guess I won't rely on his modeling career for my retirement!!!