Seattle Catch up

In Seattle, the day after the Children's Museum we did the Aquarium. we walked and it wasn't far from the hotel. Maybe 9 blocks. We got there just in time to see a demonstration in the large welcome tank. Joel loved when diver Katie did a handstand. It was a large tank representing life in the Sound. We moved on to the Tidepools where you were allowed to touch seastars(cause they really are not fish) and anemones-they feel like cat's tongues sticky. Chloe feel in love with this area and spent a good bit of time touching and got to touch a live Sand Dollar as well. Joel loved making the tube worms contract back into their tube. We moved on to the Giant Octopi and the tube of Jellyfish you walk through. Both Exhibits very cool. They have fur seals, sea otters, harbor seals, and lots of fish including a few sharks. One of the otters was a rescue from the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill which gave an opportunity to speak current events. Chloe wants to save the world and it is always so simple to a child, why do we make it complicated when we grow up? A question I do not know an answer for. It was raining when we left and I had one umbrella which really does not work with a boy who wants to just splash in the puddles and a daughter who want to hold it but use it like a parasol instead of an umbrealla. By the time we were back I had lost my patience and actually yelled at them on the streets of Seattle for having a good time in the rain. I cannot cross streets with them in the rain, they had a different agenda than me. I realized after how silly it was of me to worry if they got hit by a car I should have just let them splash and play! :)
The next day they did not want to do anything. they slept in, we ate lunch with Tom and then walked to the Public library 2 blocks over. It is HUGE. 11 stories(that is building height not books) They Children's section was the size of the entire Rust library(for those that live in Loudoun County) The holds section was 2 Sterling Libraries. They have an entire room just for maps. Needless to say we spent a great deal of time there. Chloe desperately missing her books. Later, Tom walked her back to the library and then down to Rocky Mountain Chocolat Factory and bought apples. Mine was Granny Smith covered in caramel, white chocolate, Peanute Butter, Chocolate Chips, Crushed Peanuts, and Dark Chocolate called Party in my Mouth. Soooo good.
We did the Pacific Science Center on Friday. It is a great museum, my favorite part is the butterfly conservatory, Joel's favorite part was the outside water feature with water cannons to shoot at things to make them spin plus getting to see how a toliet works when you flush it(they have a toliet cut in half and you can flush it and see the water in action, Chloe's favorite part was the Tide pools and getting to hold hermit crabs in the water. They have animated Dinosaurs, Science experiment demonstrations, bug display(Nasty looking millipede,scorpions etc), Space exhibit and the human body.
That night we meet Tom at the Monorail station and walked to the Movies and Watched Shrek Forever After. Kids thought it very funny but I laughed so much it was hard to hear if they were laughing! Dinner was then where we saw Matthew Gray Gubler.
Every Night was swimming, bath and bed.
We got up very early Saturday Morning and left. Drove to Snowqualmie falls. On the way, a black bear ran out in the road so we spotted so wildlife. The falls were very beautiful. Foggy and rainy,but beautiful.