Our Seattle Trip

This past Sunday we got back from a fun trip to Seattle/Birch Bay to celebrate the 4th with Mike's mom's family. It was so much fun! Our time there went by way too fast! I'm glad we were able to make it out there because it was so nice to see everyone. It had been almost 2 years! Shalom did really good on the way there on the airplane! She didn't have any accidents either! She loved carrying around her backpack and being on Daddy's back, too!

We went and got something to eat while we waited for Titus to arrive from his flight, and the restaurant had a rock wall outside. Shalom looks like such a natural on there!

The next day was the fourth, and everyone was together (our family, his mom, his sister Ema and her family, his brothers Reagan and Titus, his uncle Andy and his family, his uncle Joe, his aunt Anna, and his grandparents - 17 in all) ready to celebrate in Birch Bay! We went to a senior citizen center (where they go every year) for breakfast. I was surprised at how fast Shalom warmed up to every one she hadn't seen in so long. We walked around the town with a bunch of parade booths and then watched the parade. Compared to parades in Louisiana, it was alright. It was fun watching Shalom enjoy everything.

Later in the day, there was another parade just like 15 minutes long so all the kids and Grandma (aka Princess GiGi) walked in the parade for fun.

We went walking on the beach for a little bit. (It's definitely not the kind of beach I'm used to.) It was fun for Shalom to walk around, throw seaweed, and stomp in the water. Maya and Sofia were so sweet making sure that Shalom was safe and able to walk through the water.

At the end of the day, the kids played with sparklers and we watched the fireworks. Shalom had a blast with the sparklers. Right after one would fizzle out she quickly asked for another one. It was too cute watching her wave it every where.

The next day, Mike's Aunt Sylvia and cousin Bob and cousin Tiffany and her family came up to visit for a while. Everyone gathered around the table and took part in their family tradition of making tamales. Mmmmhhh Mmmmhh they tasted so good!

The next day, Friday, one group went to Canada (just 10 minutes North) and one group went to play putt-putt and hang out. I got to go to Canada! For the first time! (It didn't seem too different from what I saw, but it was still nice to say I went to Canada.) Mike's passport was expired so he didn't get to go. I had fun with his Aunt Anna, Aunt Julie, cousins Maya and Sofia, and his grandparents. We just walked around a bunch of shops and got some lunch in White Rock. We could literally see the U.S. on the other side of the water. With all the walking we did, I was pretty impressed with his grandparents (92 year-old grandpa and 79 year-old grandma). They kept up with us the whole time and didn't want to stop to sit down.

Later on in the evening when everyone was back together, all the cousins went to play putt-putt. It was probably the most fun we had! Mike and I both agreed it was nice to just be with all the cousins. It was nice too because we all stayed together throughout each hole. I hate when people get so far ahead in front that you don't get to enjoy it with everyone. It was also nice too because I kicked everyone's butts! Yeah, the pregnant woman's still got it! ;)

Afterwards, we all celebrated all the July birthdays (Titus-6th, Uncle Andy-12th, Ema-Chanel-18th, and mine-24th) and Titus' happened to be that same day.

It was the last night we were all together so some of us girls hung out for a little bit. It was so much fun getting ready in the mornings with Anna, Maya, and Sofia - just the girls! Maya was so sweet to do Shalom's hair in french braids each morning. If only I could get Shalom to sit still like she did.

Shalom looks like a little cheerleader up in the air. We left early the last day from Birch Bay to Seattle to go to the zoo and to Pike Street Market. I wished we could've stayed longer at the zoo because Shalom was having a blast seeing all the different kinds of animals.

We met up with Aunt Anna and May and Sofia one last time at Pike Street Market and walked around for a while. While we were there, we saw a group of men riding their bikes completely naked down the street. It was so random and luckily we just saw them from behind...gross! By the end of the day, my body was completely spent. I think all that walking caused me to have Braxton Hicks...not very fun! Everyone was joking about me maybe having the baby on the plane the next day. That definitely would not have been fun!

It was sad to say bye to everyone and to all the beautiful scenery too! (We have to go back to the desert...blah!) We made lots of great memories up there! Hopefully it won't be too long 'til we go up there again! Shalom was such a big girl carrying her backpack, and she was so excited to ride the train taking us to our gate. She definitely knows how to smile for the camera! ;)