Seattle

I already blogged about the road trip, so now let's talk about being in Seattle! We got there on Sunday night and drove straight to my aunt's house. She had dinner waiting for us so we ate and stretched and then my brother and I drove to his condo. We unloaded his car, but were both tired so we didn't actually put anything away. I decided to go ahead and go to bed- because I'm old and have an early bedtime. My brother went over to a friend's house to hang out for a little while.

The next day, we slept in and then unpacked all his stuff and tried to organize some things. Then my dad and 2 aunts came over to see his place and we went to get brunch. I got chicken and waffles. It came with a bourbon maple syrup that apparently has such a high alcohol content that you can't take it to-go. It was delicious!

After brunch, my aunts left and my dad and brother went to fix his car. Then we ran a few errands, went grocery shopping, and picked up a few things for the house. Apparently Seattle is the greenest city. The recycling bin is bigger than the trashcan and you get fined if you throw things in the wrong container.

* My brother has asked me multiple times if something goes in recycling or compost.

We went downtown that night for a little shopping and then stayed at the condo that night. The next day, my brother had a few more things to take care of. We went by the gym that is right above his office so that he could join. I could totally get used to running to this view!

He joined the gym, stopped by the office to say hi and introduce us to everyone, and then we went to an amazing Thai place for lunch. We hung out at the condo that afternoon. I could tell my brother was starting to get a little anxious about work so he locked himself in his room for a while so he could get some things done.

His roommate was coming into town that night and then they were starting work the next day, so Tuesday night he drove my dad and I to my aunt's house and we hung out with my cousins for a little while and then we said our goodbyes before he left to pick Andrew up from the airport.

Wednesday was a pretty lazy day with family. My aunt and I took my cousin to school and then met up with my other aunt and another cousin and went to see my grandmother and take her some medicine. Then my aunt, cousin, and I went to the park for a run. I love looking at the different scenery and exploring new places through runs. And this view was pretty peaceful!

After the run, we went back to my aunts and put on comfortable clothes and laid around. Then we got out and ran some errands, but quickly made it back home to do nothing. It was a typical, dreary Seattle day so we curled up on the couch and watched movies. That night, my cousin and her husband came over for dinner and we just got to relax and hang out.

Thursday, my aunt and I took my cousin to school and went to see my grandmother. I ran in to give her her meds and she was upstairs doing a chair exercise class. It was precious! I talked to her for a second, promised that I would be back later, and then my aunt and I took the light rail to the market. It rained the entire drive to the light rail, but by the time we made it to the market, it had stopped. It was still a little cool though so there weren't many people there. It was perfect!

I took advantage of as many free samples as possible. I sampled all the oil and vinegars at OMG! Olive Oils. They were all so good! The basil garlic olive oil and the raspberry balsamic were probably my favorites. I also sampled some barbecue (that didn't compare to Memphis barbecue) and some smoked salmon that was amazing! Then we got the best frozen yogurt ever! I looked for some artwork, but didn't find anything. I ended up with a new coffee mug- and I got a Seahawks shirt, because obvi.

That night, my aunt, uncle, cousin, dad, and I went to a greek place for dinner. My aunt just ordered a bunch of things and we all shared. Everything was so good! My aunt and I shared a spiked coffee for dessert. The owner came over and made it at the table. There was fire and magic. It was quite the show. And it tasted amazing, but so strong!

After dinner, we went back by my grandmother's to hang out and say goodbye to her. She is hilarious. She's 89 and so feisty! She said that she is healthier than anyone else in the family. She is so witty and loves to push everyone's buttons. Before I left she told me that next time I was there she would tell me about the facts of life! Then she laughed and said that I could probably tell her a thing or two! Oh, granny!

We left early Friday morning. My aunt took us the airport. My other aunt was supposed to come with us. She was going to fly to Nashville to see her daughter, but she got sick and was feeling worse so she cancelled her flight. The flight was fairly uneventful. I got to see Mt. Rainer from the sky.

We had a layover at DFW so we got something to eat and waited to get home. The second flight was pretty uneventful as well. I listened to some podcasts and slept some and we landed in no time. My mom picked us and dropped me off at home. I had the weekend to catch up on sleep and some things before the work week started.

It was a great trip! It was sad saying bye to my brother, which is weird. We haven't lived in the same city since I graduated from high school, but it is still sad that he is all the way across the country. I know he's loving his job though and it's keeping him super busy! It was great to see all my family and spend some time with my grandmother. I'm already planning a trip back soon!