This has been a non-stop weekend…no joke!

We spent our 14 hour drive in small gas stations, clearing bugs off the window.

This is Shasta Lake, which I have never seen so dry in my life.  I have snorkeled in this lake throughout my youth, and there is hardly any water left.  It is very concerning.

Hour 4 into the trip.

Mt. Shasta!  So beautiful. But I am going to jump from the 14 hour drive to…the condo! W00t! I am guarding shoes like a dragon.

 

Chillin’ by the Sound, playing with ducks.

 

Also hit a Farmer’s Market in Fremont. Nice place…very quiet.

Getting a lay of the land, driving through neighborhoods, getting a feel for everything.

 

Don’t underestimate how many hills are in Seattle.  There are a ton.

Pioneer Square

Utilikilts!  W00t!!  Totally seals the deal.

The Seattle Art Museum is HUGE, and there will be more pictures later.

Getting a feel of downtown Seattle.

I had to get at least one picture of a Starbucks cafe`. They are everywhere, obviously 🙂

We spent the rest of the day looking at houses in different places.  This was the driveway of one house, which was pretty darn beautiful.  Not a good house for us, but the front yard was gorgeous.

And this is the lounge that Ben sent me to on our roof, where I got to relax by myself.  It was then where the enormity of “Seattle” started sinking in.  Driving around all day, looking at houses in Ballard, Fremont, Eastlake, Lake Sammamish, Issaquah and a little bit of Renton…I was bushed, overwhelmed and running on adrenaline.  And it was the first day.

Just staring at the Sound was relaxing, and comforting.  I watched a few ferries come in and unload a ridiculous amount of cars from it’s hull, people walking off and going home.  The ferris wheel was turning slowly next to me.

This is going to be a big change.  This is going to change the course of our kids’ futures.  They are going to have completely different childhoods than I had.  I won’t go to the same stores, I won’t see the same people, I won’t have the same routines.  I won’t even be wearing the same clothes (oh man, I took my shoes and socks off asap.  I am a barefoot person, and socks were killing me).

It was a good time though. Just reflecting on everything, watching the water.

And then we went to dinner at the pub downstairs 🙂  The waitress lived in SF for 6 years, and she loved talking about the differences between there and here.  It was a great time…I love pubs. They are always friendly and comfortable.

And this one had Irish Coffees with cinnamon swirlies, which totally made my day 😉