We've been lucky enough to have been to Seattle several times over the decade. We first visited in 2013, just after we got married; a coastal highway (hwy 1) trip from Seattle to the Bay Area in 2016, again in 2017, and then lastly in 2021 that even included the dogs. The 2021 visit has a special place in my heart because we basically relocated there for one month while waiting to close our house in Arlington. We did a lot and explored a lot. It's also where I concluded my "working era" - I resigned from Webster University, my admission job, after working there for 7 years. So, I technically started my full-time stay-at-home-mom era in Seattle.
So, when we found out that Audrey and Nan were making a major life decision and deciding to sell their house, we felt the urge to drop by and say "hey" to that house one more time. Going to Seattle for the 4th of July was not in our summer plans, but we bought that plane ticket and headed that way. We were back exactly 3 years later.
It was Zoe's second time and Zaylee's first. Sadly, Zoe doesn't have too much memory about her visit in 2021 because she had just turned 3. She does remember some things - like lots of boat rides. Pretty sure her love for boat rides began there.
It was one of the more laid-back trips we have had. There wasn't a long itinerary or anything particularly planned out in advance. We focused on enjoying Lake Washington, this house's beautiful view and amenities, and spending time as a family.
We had an early morning flight on the 4th. When we arrived, girls were obviously very tired and needed a break before the 4th of July festivities began. Except for Zoe (not surprisingly), we got a couple of hours of nap in. When we got up, Audrey's family (who all live in the Seattle area) had arrived and Nan's amazing food have begun to make its appearance on the table. I won't be lying that Nan's cooking truly elevates any party. Kids all got to play with each other and obsess over watching Zaylee as she was the youngest of the 5 kids that were there. We enjoyed watching neighbors rivaling their fireworks show.
The few following days, we enjoyed a boat ride, outdoor hotpot which was amazing, swimming in the lake (mainly for Zoe and Z...it was too cold for my standard), and morning paddle boarding. Paddleboarding definitely proved my core strength was not there while Zoe was thriving in anything lake life.
On our final morning, just a few hours before our flight back to TX, Zoe learned catch-and-release with Nan. She was so proud and amazed to see fish up close.
We had a good emotional closure with the house. Yes, it wasn't our house by any means, but we had a lot of wonderful memories being in that house experiencing the lake life, and giving us an excuse to travel to PNW. And we wish the best to Uncle Nan and Auntie Audrey on the start of their new phase of life!