Vacation - Portland and Seattle

We spent the last few days of our trip jumping from city to city on our way home.  Our first stop was Portland, where the kids enjoyed the hotel pool and I scored some great finds at the local IKEA.  We also stopped to see the breathtaking Multnomah Falls.

It was then a short drive to Seattle, where our first stop was the NorthWest Wildlife Trek.  Half of this park is laid out in a traditional zoo design, where Thane was thrilled to see cougars, wolves, bears and beavers.  Annabel, on the other hand, had a completely different favorite - a skunk!  The other half of the park consists of an enclosed acreage where trams shuttle people close to animals native to this region.  We even spied some of Santa's reindeer (aka caribou) munching at a roadside deli.  I guess that we aren't the only ones who like to go on vacation!

The next morning, Jordan and I were thrilled to eat at Pike Place Market,

while the kids were measurably more impressed with our ride on the bayside ferris wheel.  Next we took that large ferry to Bainbridge Island for lunch at a little charcuterie.
Alas, all good times must come to an end.  Thus, it was with heavy hearts (and even heavier body mass!) that we waved goodbye to Seattle and headed east toward home.  We had one more important stop, though.  Old family friends, the Shores, live almost halfway between Seattle and Colville, and we couldn't pass through without visiting.  After a lovely evening with Aunt Michelle (Uncle Kelly was working out of town), we enjoyed our first restful night's sleep since our journey began10 days before.

 

The old saying is true: there is no place like home.  Yes, we are glad to be sleeping in our own beds again, but we will treasure the memories of this time together for years to come.