Great Things

There are several great things we miss about the Northwest and on this trip back home we’ve gotten to experience many of these great things all over again.  Most of them we don’t have in Costa Rica (exception: Great Friends) so it’s extra special to soak in all these little and big blessings.  Here are the top 4 Great Things we’ve re-experienced over the past two weeks:

Great Activities

• We went to the Oregon Zoo two Fridays ago.  Perfect weather and lots of animals were out!

This is Packy, the 49 year-old elephant, who will celebrate his 50th birthday in April.  They were doing a b-day photo shoot the day we went to the zoo!

•  Tot Bop: This is a little Community Center run movement class that Kate and I used to take.  The friends we are staying with take it too and invited us to do a drop-in class last Monday.  Kate had a blast and it was extra special since we were with friends Tina, Asher (3.5) and Isaac (1.5).

Ring Around The Rosy.

Tina, Asher, and Isaac.

Waiting in line for the mats.

Jumping off the wedges.

Sheet ride!

Kate!

Mama and Kate time.

 Great Friends

• This of course, has been the best part of being here so far... seeing old, good friends.  We've been especially blessed to spend lots of time with the Berg family, the friends we're staying with, who have graciously opened their beautiful Queen Anne home to us for 8 days.

The Washington boys and Kate... doing gymnastics.  Eryn, the mom, is a close friend from high school.

Kate and the Washington kids.

Kate pushing Isaac on the swing... this is where we're staying.

We had a little get together with our "Baby Class" - the group of folks we took a Labor and Birth prep class 3 years ago... tons of kids.  Tons of fun.

Kate with Baby Class friends Logan and baby Stefan.

Riding the bull at the get together.

We finally got to meet baby Chase, my close friend Dede's new baby boy.  Josie is the proud big sister.

Tina reading to Isaac and Kate

Went to a kid-friendly pizzeria with friends Eric, Lindsey and their break-dancing son Ollie!

Ollie is stretching out.

The Great Outdoors: 

• We haven't gotten outside as much as we'd like because the weather has been... well awful.  At least this week in Seattle.  But last week in Vancouver was mostly beautiful (and even warm!) and we really enjoyed the almost-spring weather.  We really enjoyed running and walking on the dike that is just 5 minutes from Joe's parents' house.  It parallels the Columbia River (hence, the dike).

Beautiful winter reflection.

The path on the dike.

Joe and Dawson... oh how we miss him!

Beautiful Mt. Hood in the distance.

Even though we haven't gotten outside in Seattle much, we reallly have enjoyed this view from the Berg house... at least when it's been sunny!

Great Food

• We sure have missed all the variety of food and great restaurants a big city has to offer.   We've been really enjoying buying yummy food at the grocery store for a reasonable price (i.e. Gorgonzola cheese, Cheerios, trail mix...) as well as going out to eat.  A lot.  

Kate coloring with concentration at Julia's, our favorite breakfast place.

Good ol' American breakfast.

Love this place.

Trophy cupcakes!

Asher and Robbie make pancakes every Saturday morning and they made Kate a K pancake!

The Not So Great Weather: 

• Yeah, we had some beautiful weather last week in Vancouver, but since we've been in Seattle... rain... and sleet... and snow... and more rain... and then more snow.  There have been maybe 4 hours of sun breaks the entire week.  So yeah, we may miss all the other Great Things in the Great Northwest, but we do not miss the gray skies, cold temperatures, and rainy days.

Yes, that's snow.  It's fallen several times this week, but luckily been short-lived.

The way the view from the Berg household has looked most of the week.

More rain.

The same view as the one farther above; not quite as pretty.

 We leave Seattle tomorrow to go back to stay at Joe's parents in Vancouver... Hopefully the weather will start to turn, but even if it doesn't, it's been great to spend so much time with friends (a HUGE Thank You to the Bergs for hosting us!) and we look forward to a couple more weeks with family.  And then back to sunny and warm Costa Rica!