Living Downtown

We made it to Seattle. It felt like a long week with an especially long Friday and Saturday, but the move went as smoothly as possible and we are here, which is the most I had hoped for. The plane could've gone down, the rental car could've crashed, the city could've been swallowed up by a tsunami, but none of that happened. So we are here! HERE! Heeeerrrreee! Super happy about that.

We are going to be living in corporate housing downtown for 3-4 weeks until we can move into our townhouse. In the past 24 hours since we "moved in," I've taken all these pictures, so naturally they must be blogged. Here's the outside of our place. We had four places to choose from for corporate housing and I researched them all and chose this one because it's historic on the outside, modern on the inside and within walking distance to Pike Place Market and Seattle Public Library. In short, it is so freaking cool I probably won't want to leave and move into the place we actually bought.

Here's the kitchen. I love it.

 Here's the view from one of our six giant windows.

 Here are the children in their room watching a movie and eating string cheese. This place is fun with kids except when it's not. They only have a couple toys and with all the hard surfaces their voices are especially loud. Hopefully when we get in a groove I won't feel like stabbing them with a tranquilizer. :)

And this is me after drinking hot cocoa. I'm feeling cold for the first time in a year and I welcome it! Ugly socks, tribal leggings and all.

 
And now for an afternoon walk on this sunny/rainy/sunny/rainy Sunday afternoon.

We borrowed this double stroller from a friend at church and it is going to save my bacon this month. Let me tell you, it took 20 minutes and almost $35 dollars to get out of our parking garage this morning. Long story, but we made it to church eventually. That's what we get for trying to get our spirit on. (That kind of turned into an iffy sentence, that last one.)

 At least Adam was ready with his rain gear. The kids and I ... well, I packed all wrong for us. Tomorrow we will be shopping for warmer, water proof gear.

Just a few minutes into our walk, we came upon an Irish step dancing group outside Benaroya Hall. All Adam and I could do was laugh. Oh, Seattle, you are just funny sometimes. The kids were mesmerized.

 The sky couldn't make up its mind today.

 I love this place. Coming here never gets old.

 Lauren, that donut shop is still there! Drool.

 Poor Birdie. Today she asked if we could go swimming. Eesh. And on this walk she just wanted to go home and get "cozy." Tough realities today for her.

 And poor Noah's little hands were frozen. He kept asking to get "cozy," too, because he just says whatever his sister says.

My favorite pastry shop is still here. I mean, of course it is, but you never know. You know?

 

 Thanks for pushing the stroller, Adam. Tomorrow it's all me.

Phoenix to Seattle

Buying a home is a lot like finding a husband. Check out the options, date around, weigh the pros and cons of each, consider function and veneer, let go of some of the things you thought you wanted, embrace the important things you know you really, really want, make a decision, watch the stars align, and commit. Woo, that was our last week in Seattle. Luckily we were able to complete all those steps in a matter of days. It really was incredible to watch the stars align. It almost seemed too easy! I'm paranoid and superstitious, so hopefully me saying that out loud didn't just jinx the whole thing. But it's pretty secure, so unless the whole earth explodes, we are the proud owners of a three-story, three-bedroom, three-bathroom (or 2.5 or whatever) town home in Seattle. It's back in our old ward, in a neighborhood we're somewhat familiar with, and we'll share a driveway with a family we already know! How cool is all of that? Plus it is right across the street from a park (heaven for a mom with small kids), and it's in a quiet neighborhood which is also close to a freeway entrance and a main road that shoots you straight to downtown. Adam's commute will be 30 min. on bike or bus. We (I) had originally dismissed the neighborhood because I remember it being kind of ghetto. And it still is. The park is a hang out for bums. There are some dilapidated buildings in the area. And that main thoroughfare that gets you to the city? It doesn't have the greatest reputation for being a safe haven. Adam's bus he'll ride to work is actually a bit of a joke around town...as a hangout for the homeless. Sienna's assigned elementary school is also not so great. HOWEVER. Many of the surrounding neighborhoods have been improved and updated in the last couple years and I am making a prediction that it will trickle into our neighborhood. My neighbor already told me that a new school is being built down the road. Like a charter or private one or something. That'll improve property values, eh? But really, I do think good things are happening all around us. Our row of town homes was built in 2008, and we're not the only new kids on the block. But don't go thinking I want everything torn down and built too fancy. The city-wide inter-mingling of old and new, bland and bright, shabby and chic, white and rainbow, is part of Seattle's charm. Keep Seattle Colorful. That's my slogan, anyway.

So, as I spend one more week in Phoenix, trying not to go crazy in the 100+ degree weather that never ends, I have to say there are things I will miss. I will miss the year-round tan, never having to wear a jacket, desert sunsets and sunrises, running on the trails of South Mountain, pool-life with kids, the children's museum, cheap rent, never having to pay for parking, using that residual income to go on dates at least once a week, living off smoothies and salads, monsoons, our spacious apartment, abundant sunshine, and some really fabulous people who will be lifelong friends.

Things I'm looking forward to in Seattle? Wearing a coat, wearing pants, wearing boots, yes, just bundling up and all the fun layering that comes with it, getting into Cafe Bru (100% cacao beans brewed like coffee except they turn into hot chocolate...YEAH), wearing boots (I already said that one), wearing my hair au natural because it'll curl a bit in the humidity, trying out the 1 million awesome restaurants and cafes, running at Green Lake, running outside anywhere, puddle hopping with my kids during which they will wear adorable galoshes (boots, again, I tell ya, they're calling me), cooking lasagna, baking muffins, baking bread, baking, baking, baking and more baking, snuggling up in front of our fireplace, taking hot bubble baths, getting into hot yoga (maybe??), buying almond croissants at Honore bakery, visiting Pike Place market, taking the kids to the library, Carkeek Park, Golden Gardens, my awesome book group, getting back in touch with so many great people once again....

Shoot, I swear if I was moving back to Phoenix in a couple years, that paragraph would be long and the Seattle paragraph would be shorter. The two places are polar opposites and both really tough places to live because of the extreme weather.... but both have many redeeming qualities. I love them both for totally, completely different reasons. I'm so glad I got to live here for a year and discover the desert's finer qualities. I'm so, so happy to get back to a city that Adam and I both love. In fact, when we were house hunting last week, we went to dinner at our favorite family friendly hipster pizza place, I was eating my pizza (mission figs, goat cheese, prosciutto, balsamic reduction, rosemary...amazing), and a Ray LaMontagne song came on and I thought .... I'm home. I get to call Seattle home. Life is GOOD.

Weekend in Capitola

 Two weekends ago was the Begonia Festival in Capitola, California. My entire family was there to enjoy it and celebrate our parents' 40th wedding anniversary.

Some of us kicked off the trip with a sail by San Francisco on my brother's father-in-law's boat. It was pretty amazing.

 Mark is ready to go, Three Wolf Moon shirt and all.

 Heather and Tyler are setting out for the open sea.

The weather's perfect!

 We came really close to the US Sailing team's boat. Here's a picture I took.

 And here's a picture I found online that shows it more up close. It was unlike anything I've ever seen. I watched some of the competition on TV and they said the sail is 13 stories tall. Seriously. Unreal.

 Adam's chillin'.

 We took turns driving the boat. It was terrifying. The thing about sail boats is sometimes they lie almost perpendicular to the water on their side when the wind is really strong. Again: terrifying. But as long as our captain, Dennis, wasn't scared, I figured I'd be fine.

 McKenna's in a photography class, so she was taking pictures left and right. Also, she has amazing sea hair.

Like I said, my entire family was there, meaning a LOT of people. We were spread out in a couple beach houses, the bulk of us with little kids in this one below, and the others in Dennis' rentals across the bridge.

 
Here's the waterside outdoor area near Dennis' rentals. It's hard to explain, but there's ocean and there's canal. They are really close to each other. And we enjoyed them both! That's all you need to know. Here's Al now!

Eating dinner and Sienna making sure the ducks have water (??) and dinner (cheese puffs).

Allen's twin boys, Kobe and Maddox, getting ready to go to sleepy town.

Allen at the grill with Simon, our family friend, behind him.

Dad, Wendy, Owen and my mom's arm.

Heather and her mini-me, Robyn.

Our beach house had this perfect little breakfast nook where all sorts of face making fun was had.

Our location was perfection, just steps from the beach. It made it so easy to come and go with the kids. And look at those colors! This place has a charm factor of 10 out of 10.

My handsome, handsome, handsome, handsome boys.

Volleyball! Owen brought a deflated ball + air pump in his suitcase. Of course he did!

And now for the Begonia Festival! Float making ensues and we can walk by and steal flowers at will.

We're ready to watch the floats!

Pretty pretty.

Eating cake with the guests of honor.

 And then we left...