Monday

Monday morning we had cousin time. The kids played together and then we made costumes out of paper bags. Ryan and Carson were robots. Lucy was a unicorn, Ethan, Jake and Ian were pirates and Eva and Audrey were butterflies. The adults were able to visit while the kids created. We then headed into Seattle to see the Chittenden Locks. The boys really enjoyed watching the boats go from Lake Washington into the Sound. There was also a salmon fish ladder so we went and checked that out. There was a part you could go to where they had put windows in so you could see the fish swimming against the current even if they weren't jumping in the air. The boys throughly enjoyed that.

Isaac and Ethan

Big fat salmon.

Ryan scoping out some salmon eggs

Carson and Ethan watching the Locks fill up.

Lots of boats waiting for their turn.

Ryan watching a seal.  I didn't get a very good picture of it so hence no posting of the seal.

Brothers. Ethan has started giving us goofy faces for pictures. I fear this stage might last a while.

A fun sculpture at the locks.

After the locks we headed to Gasworks park. This park was so cool. Originally it was a plant designed to manufacture gas from coal. In the 1950's the plant was no longer necessary so the city bought the land and converted the broiler house into a picnic area and the exhauster-compressor building into a children's play area. They painted all the machinery in bright colors.

The boys had fun climbing on the machinery, even though technically there were signs posted saying to stay off. Oops. There were also blackberry bushes all over the water's edge (of course) and the kids had fun picking and eating some wild berries. The call of the water was too strong and the boys had to go and throw rocks into the lake.

Audrey in front of a chalk drawing.

Ian, Ryan and Jake.

Ethan.

Everybody throwing rocks into the lake.  Notice Sarah in the background.  She surprised everyone by being 7 months pregnant.  Sneaky girl!

Audrey loved, loved, loved throwing rocks!

We contemplated going out to eat but decided instead to get pizza from Padrino's (I think that's what it was called) and then headed over to Idlywood Park in Redmond. The park was again beautiful and had a fun beach for playing in and a great playground.  Ryan played at the playground until a mom let her buck naked boy go down the slide.  My thoughts on this: 1.  The kid skidded all the way down the slide because his cheeks stuck.  That really couldn't have felt good.  2.  Gross!!!!  So we headed over to the beach side to play with Ethan in the water.

Ryan and Jake.  The water was a little chilly, but the boys didn't care!

Spencer, Cameron and baby Kate.  Awww cute!

Isaac building a trench.

Ethan.  I think on more than one occasion he exclaimed, "Oh, I just love this!!!"

Jacob.  You just couldn't keep this kid out of the water!