Finally Seattle Family Trip - Part One

Many events conspired to keep us away from my homeland this year: whooping cough, hospital stays, and pellet factory demands to name a few. So we decided to go the first available weekend, despite it being smack between the holidays. It always gives my city-girl heart a thrill to see Seattle again.

We took the kids to Seattle Center all day Saturday! First we played in the Pacific Science Center, including dinosaurs, the butterfly exhibit, and an Egyptian IMAX movie.

There was also a "magic show" that taught scientific reasoning - and Sam was one of the chosen volunteers!

We had lunch within the Science Center - there was too much to see to leave. But at a certain point it became hard to keep everyone in remotely the same place, so we switched venues and split up. I took the three oldest up in the Space Needle (Charlie needed to vanquish the Evil King who lived up there).

Space-age Santa was up top to help conquer evil, so that helped Charlie out a lot. Riding back down the elevator was the best view I managed of the new-to-me Chihuly museum. Gonna have to check that out some day.

Meanwhile Mark had taken David into the Armory to get a chocolate shake and check out the festivities indoors. We caught up with them there.

We were playing the whole day by ear, and ended up having some fun outside by the Experience Music Project (also went inside for the first time - to use the bathroom).

Charlie and David begged to ride the monorail, so we went downtown to see the city lights.

 Mmmm, fresh donuts to warm our fingers and our tummies.

Back to the Center and time to drive home, to my mom's place. (That's Grandpa Golden being surrounded there.)

Someone had a full, fun day! After all this, Mark & I went out to dinner with my brother and his girlfriend (Danny treated for my early birthday present) and we hung out at his apartment afterwards as well.