Seattle's best!

Even though our anniversary was in March, we decided to take our yearly anniversary trip in April this year as we often times do. It is one of my favorite traditions that Brian and I started when we first got married. We take a new city that neither of us have been to with a LDS temple and we go spend a few days together there. We have made some of the best memories on some of our past trips. This year we celebrated our nine years in Seattle Washington. A few days before we left, a friend of ours wanted to take some engagement photos for her website. We agreed although we felt silly being married for nine years doing an engagement shoot. But it was a lot of fun and we never got official engagement pictures done when we were really engaged. This is the sneak peek for that!!

so we went Wednesday morning bright and early to catch our flight. We flew with Virgin America which was very fun. They had music blasting and their security demo at the beginning of the flight was a big musical that Brian could have created!! It was so nice to be able to travel on a plane and sleep without having to worry about kids. The first two nights we stayed in a city called Bellevue Washington. We stayed in a hotel that was downtown Bellevue and it was beautiful. The first day we went to the temple and were astounded by the beauty all around it. The flowering trees and the tulips and flowers everywhere were gorgeous. It smells so clean, and really reminds me of Canada.

Before the temple we stopped at the sandwich place called Gilberts on Main. It served some of the most delicious sandwiches we have ever eaten. Two half sandwiches and two bowls of French onion soup cost just over $40. We were worried that we were over pain until we tried to sandwiches. They were seriously some of the best we have ever had in our life.

The next morning we slept in. I think the key to sleeping in a hotel room when you're on vacation from kids, is earplugs. Brian always brings them wherever we go on vacation. Actually Brian always wears them at home and it drives me crazy! But on vacation it is so worth it. We ate at chaces pancake corral for breakfast that morning. It was kind of a mom and pop type of place that has been there for over 50 years. It is in this little shock with lots of locals in and out. The crowd is definitely the elderly crowd. It was fabulous!!! 

We then jumped in the car and drove an hour north to go and see the tulip fields. There usually is about 22 look fields but most of them have been cut. There were three fields left when we got there. They were spectacular and one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen.

After two lip town, we drove back to Bellevue where we went to yuan spa.  We were there for 6 1/2 hours getting treatments. It was amazing. We were so sleepy and satisfied. Our favorite was the full body scrub. It took a whole hour. You maybe wondering how we did a body scrub for an hour, but don't wonder any longer because it was the most amazing feeling I have ever had! I would definitely go back and have this again monthly if we lived there. Second favorite was the facial. Then it was the hydrotherapy room with the saunas and spas for us to go in. Don't worry, beating suits had to be worn!

For obvious reasons, I got no pictures at the spa. As soon as we left the spa I had heard about a new Café Rio opening about 20 minutes up the road. It was worth the drive and I loved every bite of my delicious Café Rio salad. Why there is no Café Rio in Texas is beyond me. It would be so popular here I am baffled that it is not here, but that there are three in Washington. I don't get it.

 Okay, now it is Friday morning and I tried to sleep in again with my earplugs. Every morning I happened to wake up at five then six then seven and finally was able to lay in bed until eight when I have to get up. So much for sleeping in on a holiday! We stopped at top pot donuts for breakfast. It was very underwhelming. I can count many Texas donut shops that are much better than this.  Pretty disappointing. After breakfast we headed into Seattle where we were going to spend the rest of our time.

First we stopped at the troll under the bridge. After finding a homeless man sleeping behind his head we took a few pictures and took off. We noticed that there were many homeless people in Seattle. That and the amount of smokers was crazy to us! 

We then went downtown and checked into our hotel, the W. It is a very fancy posh hotel, but it was always like we were staying in a club. Good thing we had earplugs in that hotel!! We walked up to the space needle, but decided not to go all the way up because of the $20 price each. It seems like we have seen towers and buildings a lot higher than this.

After our long walk back to the hotel, we decided to take the underground city tour. Back in the mid-1800s when people found its Seattle, they started to build buildings that continued to be covered in water when the tide came up. After a large fire they decided to take off the lower at least one floor of each building. They built right on top of these buildings and because of it, there is a whole underground city. They used it still for many years adding skylights, until they realize how dangerous of an underworld it really could be.

That night we went to dinner at the Metropolitan. It was fabulous. Brian had king crab legs and I had a steak and a twice baked potato!! The crème brûlée was incredible as well!!  

The next morning we went to a restaurant called glo's. It was on the other side of downtown, but worth the small ride. We waited outside for a table for about 45 minutes, as the restaurant was tiny. Brian got eggs Benedict, and I got the stuffed French toast which was amazing. But that with their freshly squeezed orange juice and we were in heaven.

After breakfast we headed down to the market at pikes place. It was one of the finest places I have ever been!! If I lived in Seattle, I would come here several times a week for fresh flowers. The price was so inexpensive for such beautiful flowers. I actually couldn't resist and have to buy a bushel of lilacs for our hotel room. The only downside is that I think it gave our allergies a little perk and I could barely sleep that last night! But they looked and smelled beautiful so I didn't care.

Brian ran into one of the Texas rangers that we were about to play that night, Michael choice, and he told him to win tonight. It is kind of cool that Brian knows so much about athletes that he recognizes them big or small wherever we go.

For lunch that day we went to Beechers, where they make their own cheese right there in the window in giant metal bins/troughs. I got the "best mac & cheese in the world". It really was delicious.  I got a large with the intention to share with Brian, but of course I ate it all myself. Thank you very much.

As soon as we were done there, we have to make her way down to the Safeco Field for the Rangers and Seattle Mariners baseball game. When we got there, we realized that we have the most amazing seats in the whole ballpark. We got to sit right behind the Rangers dugout.  It was seriously one of the funnest baseball games I have ever been to. To be able to watch the team interact with each other and see their faces and hear them talk to each other was so cool! 

We had a fantastic trip in the city of Seattle. There were a few things that we didn't get to do like take a ferry ride and visit the gum wall. That was my fault,  I forgot that it was on our list of things to do! But it was so much fun to be together make new jokes, and make new memories. I am the luckiest woman in the whole world to have Brian for my husband! He take such good care of me and we have so much fun together. He truly is my best friend.

Here's to another fabulous year, and next year will be our 10 year anniversary. I am trying to convince Brian to go to Europe, he is not convinced! 

Easter weekend

This weekend out stake hosted the prom, modest or mormon prom. I work with the best presidency and I have just grown to love them all so much. I know that I won't always be with them and I know I won't always have my wonderful calling in the stake young women's presidency, but for now I will love and cherish all of the time and learning experiences I have with those I work with! Prom was amazing and beautiful and everyone did a fantastic job! 

We dyed eggs. I tried this new tie die egg which lesson learned- not to do it again as it stains fingers bad!! But the kids always have fun with that, even though I don't and I'm kind if OCD with he mess it creates! 
Then it was prep time for Easter dinner. I made 2 strawberry pies, funeral potatoes and Brian made his corn casserole... Mmmm!!! 

Saturday, after we recovered from a late night at prom, we went to Rawlins for the annual grandmas Easter egg hunt. It was fabulous and fun! The boys, as in grown men, always make up the funniest games that we love to watch and catch a glimpse into what they were like when they were younger!! This day it was a spin off on baseball, and depending where and what the ball hit determined the points they received. Haha 

Sunday morning the Easter bunny had come and they were so excited for the treats and the eggs that were hidden around the house. We were able to attend our church and a church of our friends. It is always a unique experience to go to church with a live band rocking out! 

It was a beautiful day to remember our savior and the price he paid for our sins. I feel blessed to have the gospel in my life and the knowledge I have and am able to teach my children about the redirects Jesus Christ and that we can live again as well. Happy Easter! 

Rangers experience

Tonight we went to the Rangers game with our friends Tyson and Heather and Libby and Sean. This is seans first Ranger game, and major-league game ever. We had a blast. And the Rangers won! Brian caught his first Rangers game ball ever as well!!! He dove like a crazy man but he was determined to get it.

Texas State Flower

I am not awesome with taking my kids to the bluebonnets every year, but I have done it a few times. Bluebonnets are the Texas state flower and they grow wild here in Texas for a few weeks only and then they are gone until next spring again. You cant wait too long or you miss the all together. This year I took the kids up and Natalie was in full poser mode. Courtney was NOT as compatible and as these pictures show, she was mot interested in posing for me. Brian told e once they are illegal to pick and so my kids are super sticklers about them and they threw a fit today when they saw that one little flower had been picked. Natalie is my nature lover, and anything that comes between what nature should be makes her super upset. 

I love these 3 kids and their sweet faces. They love each other so much and I was happy to watch them play around in the flowers today. I couldn't help but treasure the few moments I wasn't mad at them for not holding still. I have been getting mad a lot the last few... years... and have tried to chill out and tone it down, so today was fun to just let them play and run and be silly little kids.