Vacation - week 1

I was going to update our blog more frequently so I didn't forget anything...but I forgot!  We've been home almost a week already.  I think I have finally caught up on sleep and am starting to feel normal again.  So, what did we do on vacation?  I'm glad you asked!  Here's a recap of week 1.

Sat. Oct 1st - drove and flew all day (see previous post about the crazy flight)

 Sun. Oct 2nd 

• the boys picked some watermelon out of grandpa's garden - they were huge!

• went to church at Chestnut St. Baptist (where I went as a youth/young adult and where Casey and I married!)

• enjoyed lunch with my extended family (aunts, uncles, cousin, brother, etc.) at my parents house.  In the afternoon we picked pears off the tree.

 
Mon. Oct 3rd

• lazy morning at my parents house and then Casey went on a mountain bike ride with good friend Jeremy in the afternoon.
• Dinner with Jeremy and Janelle Johnson and their kiddos.  Great time of catching up and fellowship!  

Tues. Oct. 4th

• lunch at Pastor Frank and Jeannie Johnson's home.  Their daughter (and my good friend) Melissa was there too!  Love the whole Johnson family!  Their family has blessed me/us so much over the years we've known them.  
• packed up and headed to Wenatchee, WA to stay with our good friend Laisa and visit friends.

Crossing the Columbia River

A view from the Columbia River Bridge in Vantage, WA

A view from the lookout point on the East side.

Another view of the Columbia River and bridge.

Wed. Oct. 5th

John & LauVonne (photo by Josiah)

• started off with breakfast with John and LauVonne Melton (love them!).  It makes my heart happy just thinking of them.  
• stopped for a quick visit with Ann at Wenatchee Valley Baptist Church - then went on to visit a few more people for a quick hug and hello before going back to Laisa's for lunch.
• We picked up Ethan's bff Dylan, after school got out (they hadn't seen each other in over 2 years, but it was like they've never parted!) and took the boys to Cashmere for some bowling and french fries.  Such a sweet time for the boys.



Ethan & Dylan (and Josiah)

• Had dinner with our good friends Todd and Margie Reno and their kiddos.  Great time of fellowship with them as well.  The kids really loved seeing each other again too.  Their two youngest are Ethan and Josiah's ages.  

Thur. Oct 6th

• packed up and headed over Blewett Pass and then Snoqualmie Pass on our way to Seattle to visit my grandma.  We made it to her place in the afternoon and had a short visit with her and my great-aunt Betty.  
• Went to the water front which is right near my grandma's place.  I made a wrong turn and ended up going up to the overlook instead of down to the waterfront beach.  Unfortunately for me there was a trail going down to the water so we hiked down.  It wouldn't have been bad if I had been wearing something other than heeled boots.  I might as well have been wearing high heels!  Anyway, it was a steep trail down and back up and my legs (and knees) were feeling it!  
• Drove north from Seattle to Casey's parents house in Granite Falls (about an 1.5 hours with the traffic).  

Fri. Oct. 7th

• went down to Mulkiteo to ride the ferry with Casey's mom.  We had lunch first at Ivar's and then walked onto the ferry.  It was very cold!  We got off the ferry and walked a little and picked out some shells from the water.  We caught the next ferry back and thankfully it was much warmer.  It had warmed up enough for an ice cream cone at the outside Ivar's booth.  
• After dinner back at the McCarthy's the boys enjoyed feeding the goats.  The goats really love corn husks.  It was fun to watch Josiah feed a goat and then giggle and laugh at it.

Sat. Oct. 8th

me and Kim

• sad that it is time for Casey to come back home!  The boys and I drove him down to the airport and dropped him off in the morning and then made our way to Pike Place Market in Seattle to meet my friend Kim and her son Josiah.  We had a nice visit, although it was way too short!
• Drove up farther to the Ballard Locks in the afternoon.  It is basically a lock between a fresh water bay and the saltwater ocean where they let the ships come in and out by raising and releasing the water.  Make sense?  Probably not! lol

That was just the first week!  Phew!