Seattle!

After three days in the Owyhee desert it was so lovely to step out into the 70-degree niceness of Seattle. We love our old home and I never see Zane so happy and comfortable as I do when we're there. He loves the fog, the water, the smells and the food. And we love doing the fun touristy things that we used to do when our family visited us there.

Seattle isn't Seattle without a trip to Pike Place Market. Not being a fan of all the smells, if I would let her, Eliza would walk through the entire street with a clothespin attached to her nose.

The kids spent A LOT of time catching tiny frogs at the cousins' house, which, conveniently, is surrounded by wetlands. The kids are endlessly entertained. Just the way kids should be.

But of course, the real reason we were in Seattle had
nothing to do with fish or frogs or fog.
It had to do with our favorite baseball team.
Wilson was enthralled by batting practice.

It is so cool to see our favorite players up close...
first and foremost, the Captain...
(am I allowed to write M-E-E-Y-O-W on a family blog??)

...Pedroia and Ellsbury

...Gonzo

...and Big Papi

And what would a series of pics be without a good photo-bomb from Wils?

We may have been at Safeco Field, but you would never know if
from the showing of Red Sox fans

Our Seattle family pulled out the rally caps for their beloved Mariners...

...but the Sox won by two runs that night.
(The next night? Not so much)

Here we are on the ferry to Bainbridge Island

...and at our old stomping grounds--Alki Beach.

And of course, the first item of business at the beach
would be for a little brother
to chase his big sister with a big, old nasty chunk of seaweed...

...and then to search for shells and beach glass.
(Notice how completely *Zen-ish* Zane looks)

And we have these two to thank for a fabulous vacation! Thank you for the lodging, the food, the good company and crossword puzzles! Thank you for providing excellent playmates for our children, parenting lessons and for generally being responsible for our blood pressure being at an all-time low this year. We love the Allens!