Washington vacation

For Jesse's spring break this year we went to my home in Washington. Rosalee and I left earlier, so Jesse could focus on midterm tests, and then Jesse came late Friday when he was done with school. My parents live on a small farm in Graham, Washington so Rosalee got to experience A LOT of animals up close and personal, which she loved! For some reason I didn't take pictures the first few days we were in town but Rosalee kept herself very busy with chasing dogs, cats, and birds around. I also think she was fairly entertained with her Uncle JJ, Grandma, and Grandpa. Don't worry though, I made up for my lack of picture taking in the following week as you will see below. :)
BE WARNED- this will be a very very long, detailed post for journal purposes and I only uploaded 2/3 of my pictures...
~Thursday~
Rosalee and I drove to Seattle to see my old roommate Anna and then met up with another old roommate at the Pike Place Market. Rosalee had fun playing with Anna's son Braden and enjoyed getting to eat her way through the market. We went to all of my favorite shops and enjoyed the rare sunshine in downtown Seattle. For the drive home (because I was "smart" and decided to head south during rush hour) I bought some raspberries to keep Rosalee happy. By the time we made it back to my mom and dad's house there were only 5 or 6 left. When we got home my dad had made mashed potatoes and steak for dinner. Rosalee refused to eat the steak and insisted on eating the potatoes. I'm pretty sure she ate 3, maybe 4, bowls full and then passed out asleep!

The best traveler!

With her buddy Braden in their strollers



There are a few places I MUST go to when I go to Pike Place. I always have to get a piroshky, tiny donuts and some smoked salmon. I usually just get a sample of the salmon but since Jesse wasn't with me I bought a whole pound fillet of smoked salmon.

Near one end of Pike Place there is a small park that overlooks the Puget Sound. Rosalee enjoyed running around and climbing on the sleeping people. She also thought it was fun to smile at people to see if they'd feed her... she's worse than a dog at times! She enjoyed being with Braden and tried to hug him a few times. Most of the time they ended up smashing heads, but it didn't seem to bother them. Then she gave up on him and focused all of her attention on Freida, Judy's dog.

Us with Judy, Anna, and Braden with the Puget Sound in the background. The other 2 photos are of the view from the park. The sky was very clear so you could see all of the mountains. The 1st is the Olympic Mountains across the Pugest Sound and the 2nd is Mount Rainer behind the football and baseball stadiums.
~Friday~
Both of my parents had to work so Rosalee and I stayed at the house with my brother. Rosalee had A LOT of fun playing with Uncle JJ! I think by the end of the day he was more tired than she was. We also found a way to get Rosalee to lie down and go to sleep on command- cats. She slept in my parent's bed and when she'd sit up the cats would jump off the bed because she usually tried to come after them. So she quickly learned that if she would stay still and lie down the cats would stay. After a few minutes of being told, "lie down so the kitty will come" she'd pass out asleep! If Jesse wasn't so terribly allergic to cats I'd get one to use here at the house. Jesse got into Seattle around 11pm on Friday so technically he was in town on Friday but I didn't see him until Saturday morning.

Rosalee climbed in the empty milk crate and starting saying "vroooom" so my brother pushed her around the kitchen. She loved playing with her uncle.
~Saturday~

We woke up, packed the car, and drove to Port Angeles to catch a ferry. The drive to Port Angeles took about 3 hours and thankfully Rosalee slept for most of it. We got to the ferry station early so we parked the car in line and went for some lunch at a small diner up the road. After lunch, we got into the car and drove on to the ferry. The crossing to Victoria, British Columbia took about 90 minutes so we were able to take a nap, look for whales, and look around the boat. Once we cleared customs in Canada we went to our hotel. We stayed in the Queen Victoria hotel and it was amazing! We had two beds, a crib, spacious bathroom, and kitchen in our room. Downstairs is a full restaurant, sauna, hot tub, weight room, and pool. We learned that a lot of people come from northern Canada to spend the harsh winter months at this hotel so that's saying something! After we got settled we walked to the grocery store to buy our food. It was cloudy, but not too bad for a nice evening walk. After eating dinner we just hung out in the room having a nice relaxing evening. My parent's were VERY excited to watch the BBC channel because they got to see some shows that won't air in the U.S. until later this year. Rosalee was just excited to have another new place to explore.

Rosalee enjoyed her lunch in Port Angeles. Her favorite things were the pickles, french fries, and pea/carrot mix. We left her bib in the car so we wrapped some towels around her neck to keep her shirt clean.
The video was taken by Jesse and he wanted to record EVERYTHING so the video is fairly long.

As I stated, some watched for whales and others napped.

The boat was rocking a bit so I was having a hard time keeping my balance with Rosalee on my hip. I love the picture of her with the bell because of her cheesy grin!

The 1st picture was taken right before we docked in Victoria. The next picture is of a boat that we decided was a Rosalee size ferry.
~Sunday~
We woke up, made breakfast, and headed out for the day. The hotel is right on the edge of downtown so we were able to walk everywhere we wanted to go. We started by going to the Undersea Gardens which is an underwater aquarium in the harbor. Rosalee kept tapping the glass and saying "fish" in her excited voice. The aquarium has a small pool for touching some of the animals and Rosalee liked it more than I thought she would. Next we went to the large viewing area and we got to see an octopus! We think it was Rosalee's favorite because for the rest of the weekend she kept saying, "octopus, touch octopus". After the aquarium we went back to the hotel for lunch and Rosalee's nap. My mom said she'd watch her so the rest of us could go swimming. I wish I would have thought to bring my camera because it had been 25-30 years since the last time my dad swam in a pool! Jesse and Dad enjoyed soaking in the hot tub but prego me got to enjoy dipping my feet in it. When we got back to the hotel room we found my mom "watching" Rosalee by napping along side her. Once everyone woke up we walked to the miniature museum to look around there. We were VERY impressed with how tiny and detailed the displays were! On the walk back to the hotel we passed the Old Spaghetti Factory and decided to stop there for dinner. We all ate ourselves ridiculously full but the food was GREAT!! Rosalee filled herself with bread and spaghetti. Being the nice parents we are, we let her feed herself, and then promptly bathed her upon returning to the hotel room! Well we had other reasons for bathing her as well but for her self esteem we'll keep that in the family... just know that a pillow, headboard, and the sheets were cleaned and changed and her shirt was thrown away.

We had a seagull outside our window all morning so we threw it some food and that only made it stay longer!

Getting ready for our walk and Jesse posing as a base of a totem pole.

This is the Undersea Gardens and the part that is visible is the gift shop. The actual aquarium is all under the water.

Rosalee petting a starfish and anemone

A wolf eel

Looking at fish and Rosalee's best friend the octopus

These were some of the displays we found very interesting. The 1st is a Civil War scene and the 2nd is a classic car show.

Leave it to Rosalee to find the phone!

The dollhouses at the museum were HUGE! Some of them would take up the average living room. They had one that they claim is the largest dollhouse in the world.

The carnival and circus scene was on a timer with dimming lights. When the main lights dimmed the lights on the minatures turned on and it was really pretty.
~Monday~
On Monday we woke up and headed to the Craigdorrach Castle. The house was built in the 1800s and has served several purposes over the years. Currently it is used as a museum of the time period. Rosalee had fun climbing the stairs and poking around the different rooms. By the end she was VERY tired and ready for a nap! After we touring the house we went to the Victoria Bug Zoo. Sadly Rosalee was only awake for 5-10 minutes but we were still able to have an interesting time. Next we had lunch across the street from the ferry docks and then we got ready to leave. Only leaving wasn't as easy as it should have been... my dad couldn't find his drivers' license and I only had my social security card and license. Apparently the U.S. wants you to have a passport or bring your birth certificate with your drivers' license to get back into the country. We started walking to the main building but found out the gate was locked so we went around. Then we got yelled at for trying to leave the secure area and finally directed to which building we were suppose to go to. After being grilled by Officier I Glare A Lot we were told we could come back to the country this time and sent back to the car. We hurried back and were very happy when the ferry took off! We drove back home and didn't waste time in going to bed.

The exterior of the place

Rosalee exploring the castle. The video is my dad playing a song at the piano in the old dance room. He's never had formal training on the piano and we're never quite sure what he's going to play.

We went to the bug zoo and they had some LARGE bugs! Rosalee pet a stickbug before passing out for a nap. My mom held a leaf bug, Jesse held some large cricket type thing, and the one I held was so big the guy had to help me hold it.

How Rosalee kept herself busy waiting for me and Grandpa to return from the customs office.
~Tuesday~
My dad had the day off of work so we hung around the farm helping with chores. We took my dad's old farm truck into the woods and help cut and gather firewood. When we got back to the house my aunt stopped by to invite us to dinner at her house on Wednesday. We all agreed that since she lived closer to the airport we might as well stay at her house and then drive to the airport early Thursday morning. My dad got out his electric keyboard and Rosalee and him had a great time having a jam session. That night Rosalee fell asleep and Jesse put her in bed. She was sleeping in a toddler bed and had been doing fine with it. We went downstairs and a few minutes later we heard a loud thump, followed by footsteps, giggling, and Rosalee shouting "kitty!!!" as she attempted to climb into my mom and dad's bed. So we decided that she'll stay in the crib here for a few more months.

Rosalee was helping gather firewood with us. Aren't her boots adorable!? My mom got those for her and I love them.

My brother with his super human strength and my 60 year old dad working on the farm. I swear that man is in better shape than most men half his age!

Axe man Jesse splitting a smaller log. Rosalee had to help the boys split some wood. It's hard to see but she has a HUGE goofy grin on her face.

Rocking out with Grandpa
~Wednesday~
On Wednesday we got up and helped feed the animals with my parents. Rosalee LOVED all the animals so we knew she'd have fun helping. First we went out to the pig yard and fed them some old bread. Rosalee would run after the pigs but they were too fast for her to get near. When the pigs would squeel and run she'd laugh at them. Next we fed the birds and Rosalee handfed the peacock named Lucky. Every day she wanted to feed Lucky so I figured I should take some pictures to show how she spent every morning. Rosalee quickly learned that chedder cheese is the best way to get, and keep, the attention of the birds. After getting dressed and ready we went to lunch at the culinary college my brother attended. The school is close to the Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium in Tacoma so we went there after eating. The zoo isn't very big so we were able to walk around and see all of it in less than 3 hours. Of course Rosalee had a BLAST! The attention she gave to certain exhibits amazed us. She stood in front of the fish tanks for longer than we thought was possible for someone her age. At the elephant exhibit she "talked" to the elephant and laughed her head off. After the zoo we went to my aunt's house for dinner and Rosalee played with my cousin's daughter Alyssa. Alyssa will be 3 this May so it was interesting to see how they played together. Rosalee would follow Alyssa some of the time but most of the time she'd just wander off and play with the toys.

Playing with some of my old toys

Rosalee feeding the pigs with Grandma and Grandpa. I think she ate more of the bread than she gave away though. She liked chasing the pigs and being chased by the pigs, it didn't matter she found it all amusing. If you notice in the last 2 pictures she has a spot on her pajama bottoms where she sat on my dad's boot. At first I thought she had a messy diaper or someone kicked her in the bum.

Feeding cheese to Lucky and Lucky showing off his feathers.

Looking at the salt water aquarium

LOVING the elephants!!!

The walrus fell asleep against the glass and Rosalee kept trying to hug him. She also tried to kiss the beluga every time she swam by.

Sharks!!!

A rare family photo

Playing with Alyssa at my aunt's house

Exhausted after playing

But not too tired to ham it up for another photo!!

~Thursday~
We woke up super early and headed to the airport. It was a 4 hour flight to Cincinatti from Seattle and then a 21 minute flight from Cincinatti to Indianapolis. Our friend Tina picked us up at the airport and brought us back to Lafayette. It was nice getting away for awhile but it's good to be back. The best part- Jesse has less than 2 months of school left! Which means we're going to start packing some of our things away so it isn't a mad dash come May. Jesse has a good lead on a job that we're hoping he gets so we'll keep you posted on that when we know more.

I think we need a vacation from our vacation! :) (This was taken on the drive from the Indy airport to Lafayette.)