3,000 Miles and a book full of pictures later...

Yeah. We totally drove all the way to Seattle (and all over WA) and back as a family and we're actually alive to tell the tale. And you know what, I'm glad we did it! We had a really good time together. It seems like the traveling part of the trips comprise a lot of my memories of vacationing with the whole family as a child, (wrestling in the back of the blue van/ watching out for our pet iguana as it wandered the van when we moved from CA to CO). Traveling is different now than when I was a kid. Maybe Sam will remember the hour upon hour he watched Scooby Doo, or how it was even cooler in Portuguese once they tired of the English version. Scooby still starts his words with r's, even in Portuguese.

Other possible experiences that indelibly etched upon thier young minds:

Seeing a tree you could drive through if you didn't have a fully loaded mini-van with a storage thing on top. Pulling over to see a "life size" creation of Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox. We'd seen a special about this place on a Huell Howser show (that guy is the coolest), and couldn't miss a chance to be somewhere Huell had once been. He even talked and waved to us! Camping in the redwoods where we enjoyed skipping rocks and all sleeping soundly in one tent (wonder of wonder, miracles of miracles).We got to see Seattle and ride the ferry to Bainbridge Island.

Here's Chris with the kids and an oh-so picturesque Rainbow settling just over the Space Needle. Beautiful, isn't it? Here's me Reading Harry Potter in the car on the ferry while Sam sleeps off the last remnants of the food poisoning that we all got, but he was the last to get it and the last to recover. But a quiet moment in the car is almost as nice as a rainbow and the space needle sometimes.

The real reason for the drive was Chris' sister Becky's wedding. The groom's (Jon's) Dad lives on Bainbridge Island and has a gorgeous backyard where they held the ceremony. Lucy got to be the flower girl and made it most of the way down the aisle before becoming completely terrified and running to me crying. Ben liked playing with the petals, so it all worked out, and I think they got a few good pics of her before she saw the crowd, so all is well.

The bride and groom glowed and we loved being with Becky and the rest of the Barney family whom we definitely don't see often enough. Here's Chris and his brothers (Dean, Jason, and Aaron) with their sis Becky.

The women: Bridesmaid I don't know, Theresa, Becky, and Erica holding Eva.

Becky graced us with her singing/keyboard talents (she is SO amazing!) and her friends from other bands from the Seattle area rocked the reception. They were so good, they even got Grandpa busting a move! Now I know where Chris gets his moves!


Daddy-daughter dancing is the BEST!
Cute cousin Eva found Ben and remember him from their visit this summer. She gave him a little kiss and he stood ever so still. I think it means they'll be friends forever.

Forgive the shoddy camera work. She can really sing.

After the wedding, we spent a few days touring Seattle, Mount Rainier, and Mount St. Helens. Those mountains sure make you understand what it means to be the dust of the earth. They tower over everything. They are some amazing creations!

Grandma Doris and Ben playing dress-up in Ye Olde Curiousity Shoppe. Sam finding butterflies at the Pacific Science Center.

Mount St. Helens lost over 1,000 feet in height when it erupted. The whole area looks desolate compared to the lush forests everywhere else (it's still greener than SoCal!).

Mount Rainier vs. Sam -- who would you bet on?

The Grove of the Patriarchs.

We also spent some time with Grandpa Chris and Grandma Doris, who let the kids ride one of their miniature horses. They LOVED it!
That's it! We are back and glad to be back. I don't think we'll be traveling out of state for quite awhile. Come to sunny so-cal and visit us instead!