it seems like forever...

It HAS been forever since I've posted.  Geez - over two weeks. I can't believe it.  So I have a much overdue post about my trip to solo trip to Seattle and all the goings on since. This might have to be two posts - let's see how it turns out shall we?

So I left on Wednesday the 6th for Seattle at the end of the day - I had a fun dinner with my family, Ryan treated me with some goodies for the plane and pictures that I recently took of him and the kids along with a card and a picture of myself and Joel (refer to previous post), I suppose it was a reminder of what I was going to be away from and my guess is that it was also a small attempt to make sure that I didn't forget what was waiting for me at the end of the week, just in case I got any ideas about extending my stay.  I happily headed to the airport knowing that I had four solid days of no one to be accountable for, but myself.  WOW.  I settled into my seat at the airport and started to read Twilight, I had saved the saga to read on this trip, there are a handful of things that I can do well in this world, reading for entertainment purposes is one of them.  I read and I read fast.  We were informed that Chi-town was experiencing bad weather and we had to sit on our plane for about forty to fifty minutes until we had clearance to leave.  Fortunately for me I had no one sitting next to me so I sprawled out and read.  We arrived in Chicago at 8:08, my connecting flight was LEAVING at 8:15 - on a positive note my connecting flight was still in the C terminal, the bad it was at gate 22, I was at gate 2.  So I hauled my butt and my bags and sprinted down the terminal (a sight I am sure) and managed to be the last one on the plane.  I arrived in Seattle at 11pm and Twilight was finished.  

Can I tell you how much I loved Seattle.  Now I have to say I do love the sun, I do.  However, I love gray, misty, chilly weather.  I think I've mentioned before that I really, really wanted to move to Minnesota when I graduated.  I just love wearing jeans, warm shirts and sweaters.  Some people want to retire to Arizona or Florida, I love to retire in Maine or now Seattle.  I digress.  So Heather is a friend of mine that I met through my girlfriend Jill.  I've talked about Heather before, she is a phenomenal designer.  So talented, her eye, how she can pull colors and styles together.  She is just an incredible creative soul to be around.  Her and her husband Shawn are the hosts with the mosts - they are rather used to being a bed and breakfast for family and friends who miss them and also want to get a glimpse of their life out in the PNW.  

I had no agenda for my trip, I wanted to see some of the typical stuff, the needle, Pike Place market, but other than that, I was just happy to be away and in the presence of much missed friends.  Heather took me around to some of her favorite restaurants and shops.  Darling little cupcakes, top pot doughnuts and gelato - oh heavens did I eat dessert!  It was all balanced with rest, reading and visiting.  I just am floored by how much we did over the course of three days - we saw so much and did so much, but I never felt overwhelmed or rushed.  I had the opportunity to go on a mini hike on Saturday and see Snoqualmie Falls (insert Twin Peaks theme music).  The weather was phenomenal while I was there, but we did have some gray, chilly wind and rain, but like I told Heather, I would have been disappointed to have come all this way and only experience 60 degrees and sunny skies.  Gray skies and rain are indicative of Seattle - I love to experience places in their true form.  

I thought that I would be ready to leave on Saturday night when we headed out to the airport, truthfully I could have stayed for a few more days.  I guess as the kids are getting older, spending some time away from them is a bit easier, knowing that they were doing just fine and having a great time with dad.  Being away is good for me because it allows me to be Annie and keep that part of me alive and well, but it is also good for the kids to have some solo time with Dad and vice versa.  Sure it shows Ryan what a true day in the life of a stay at home mom is, but it makes him stop being Ryan the employee and HAVE to focus on Ryan the dad.  It's a win-win all the way around the block.  I boarded my red-eye flight back to Chicago-Indy and finished reading Eclipse, the third book in the Twilight series.  

I arrived home at 11 am on Mother's Day to find that everyone survived, I had cards and flowers waiting for me, my dad was here and my only request was a BLT, minus the L and the T and a hot cup of coffee for breakfast.  Dad stayed until 2 and I settled in on the couch to read Breaking Dawn, the final book.  We had take out Chinese for dinner and watched Wizard of Oz, which I saw up to the tin man and then off the wizard was flying in his balloon - I guess I was pretty tired.  We calculated I had been up for forty-two hours and it was time for bed.  I got me thinking how the hell doctors can perform surgery after long shifts- it is no wonder more people don't die under the knife.

Since then I have been in recoup mode.  It took me nearly a week to settle back into my routine, painting, child rearing, household chores and the projects that we've taken on all at once.  I am happy to say that two weeks later I am finally back to normal, whatever that is. I mean it's 8:30 and I'm on my fourth cup of coffee for the day and I still have a ton to do, so normal is relative in this house.  So there is much to share, I will pick up from this point in a few days.  I am wishing everyone a wonderful, safe holiday weekend.  Enjoy this glorious weather and take care! Thanks!

the needle

cupcake royale - yum!

snosqualmie falls

rachel the pike place pig bank

heather and i 

the skyline

the incredible, but terribly disturbing gum wall around the block and down an alley from pike place market

oh yes this miss WAS a hit.  heather has these HILARIOUS censor glasses, they were begging to be used.

again and again

so the library is an interesting architectural number, but the fourth floor where shawn works is just darn cool - heather did the settings on this picture so i can take no credit what so ever.

the flowers are AMAZING - I am sure everyone who is a transplant in Seattle swears they'll buy flowers every week at the market these glorious bouquets go for 10$, are you kidding me?

gelato - just like the real thing in Italy - I have never tasted authentic gelato here in the states - oh it is SO good!