Honeymoon For Now

Last year at our wedding Dr. Trotta and Kathy gave us the weekend use of their home in Seattle as a wedding gift.  What a fabulous gift! And almost 1.5 years later we were finally able to do it! They just bought the home earlier last year and have spent almost every weekend over there renovating and furnishing it.  We tried coordinating a weekend they would be gone with a weekend we wouldn't have the girls/didn't have other plans.  So about 2 months ago we coordinated schedules and settled on this past weekend to go.  Of course plans changed at the very last minute but we still decided to go.  I'm so glad we did! 

Most evenings we are finally both home around 8:30 and when we do finally get home we are trying to get ready for the next day with class prep or packing lunches or grading (or sneaking in a guilty-pleasure episode of 'X Factor'). With both of our work schedules, kid schedules, and all the worries we have going on right now, it is easy to disconnect.  I think this weekend was really rejuvenating for our relationship and our individual peace of mind.

We didn't take a honeymoon, in fact, we both had to work the day after our wedding!  Definitely, do NOT recommend that to anyone.  I decided this would be sort of a "honeymoon for now."

As far as lodging, this was top notch!  Check out the view from their living room:

 

We did some site seeing and LOTS and LOTS of eating!  My idea of a perfect vacation and we had amazing Seattle weather, 50 degrees on Saturday and Sunday!

Friday night we wondered up and down Queen Anne and ate a salad at 5 Spot which rotates its decor around 5 different cities every 3 months.  This month it was Philadelphia and they had all kinds of cool paintings and Philly landmarks:

Saturday morning we went to Pike Street which I had never been to and walked around all morning with a cup of warm coffee in our hands (Shane had cocoa).

 The fruit and vegetable displays were gorgeous.  I saw fruits I had never heard of before - it was beautiful.

 I got to see the Fish Market and got a bowl of shrimp cocktail as a snack - YUM!

 They had HUGE bouquets of flowers for $10 - I couldn't believe how many flowers there were!

 We accidentally wandered past THE ORIGINAL Starbucks.  I had no idea it started so quaint!

Later Saturday afternoon we drove to his friend Ryan's house to say hi.  I had met Ryan a LONG time ago at OIT when him and Shane visited. Shane had a good time reconnecting with him, his wife, and new baby.  On the drive to Seattle I saw the shipyard which was incredible:

Perspective: look at all these railcars

Check out this boat

Railcars loading on a boat

= AMAZING

We were going to buy crab legs at Pike Street but decided against stinkin' up Tom & Kathy's house so we went out instead.  We ate at a cool restaurant on the water with a great view.  The bibs were every bit as cool as they look.

 Found my dream bus:

Sunday before we left Kathy told us to walk to a nearby bakery for fresh pastries and coffee.  What a perfect way to start a Sunday!

 I came home relaxed and 10 pounds heavier!

This picture was after MANY attempts to get our faces in the same shot as the Space Needle!

 Happy 'honeymoon for now' to us!

Walla Walla

Our hobbies lead us to Walla Walla on Saturday.  Shane found a fantastic hardwood store there called Jensen Hardwoods. They had a ton of selection and great prices.  I think we'll back for more when we (I say "we" but I really mean when "he") gets ready to build our next project. 

I also found the cutesiest, most inspiring quilt store on Main Street.  It's called Stash and had the most beautiful quilts on display - very inspiring.  I found my next project there which is a lot cheaper than making a quilt and looks fun.  I'm going to attempt to sew a purse - sorta like the Vera Bradley ones I love so much.

They had the best fabric selection there - I could have spent hours in there - yes, Nicole - HOURS!  I loved this fabric below but couldn't think of a project it would work for me in.  It's by Valori Wells and she has a whole line of "birdie looking fabric" - super cute!

I have been working on a few projects to give as Christmas gifts from a new collection of fabrics.  One of the fabrics in the collection has a bunch of small towns printed on it to look like newspaper print.  I thought it was pretty awesome Walla Walla made it on here:

We ate at a Vietnamese place on our way out of town and had Pho and spring rolls.  I love the name of this place - it cracks me up:

Nightstand Evolution

Shane is making us nightstands and he finished mine last week.  Here is the evolution of my nightstand:

 1)

2)

3)

Isn't it beautiful?!  He is finishing one for his side this fall.  He is really talented and I can't believe he can make stuff like this just out in the garage.  I love it!

Work Weekend

We went back to Mom and Dad's this weekend for a work weekend.  Ok, it wasn't all work, but the boys did get the garage re-roofed.  Mom and Dad did a ton of prep-work so when we all got there it was ready to go.  Dad, Shane, Reid, Ryan, and Tyler finished it Saturday morning.

I took my sewing machine and finished the valance for the playhouse and made a tablecloth for the new table Shane built.  It is such a beautiful table where kids will be making mud pies and bug soup. Even though Shane wasn't worried about it, I felt like the top needed just a little coverage.  It turned out cute :)

Next spring we'll put in new windows and the place will be like new!

Unskinny Bop

Shane and I went to see Bret Michaels at the Benton County Fair.  We drove out there after work on a Wednesday night - how could we miss the chance to see BRET MICHELS in Tri-Cities?!

He came out and the crowd went wild!  He said "Hello, Ken-ne-wick! We've got alot of songs prepared for you!  We are ready to rock you ALL night long!"  Well, apparently all night long meant about 45 minutes and about 6 songs.  Which ok, may just about been all of his hits :)  He promised to be back next year & if not, the year after that...he better hold to that cuz we are SOOOO there for his return.

 Oh yah....he's singing right to me:

 

 

Creatures

We have 2 creatures living on our front door step.  One I am happy to see stay, the other not so much.  But Shane is fairly fond of one, not so much the other.  We have compromised and they are both staying :)

Can you tell which one I like?

It's a slimy frog

Cute 'lil dove (until she poops all over the deck)