Portland/Seattle Fun-ness

So last weekend we got to go on a family visit to see Bob and family in Seattle and Josh and family in Portland.
The drive up to Seattle was long... but luckily we got a killer deal through USAA and got a rental car for the whole week for super cheap. We got the new Kia Forte-- awesome car! We got it the night before and then left at like 3am (with a 14 hour trip ahead of us) we drove straight and got in around 4:30, picked up bob from work and got to hang out with them for the night (we were glad we didn't' do much cause we were exhausted!) The next morning (DORANDA's BIRTHDAY... YAY!!!) we jumped on the ferry and went into seattle. we explored Pikes Place and got some fresh flowers and tried all kinds of food, And we ate at a really good seafood restaraunt, you can see the picture above of tucker eating calamari, he LOVED it! we also went to Seattle Shirt Co and made Shirts. Bob and Doranda and Tucker made matching ones for their family reunion... Samuel just copied my design because he thinks i'm cool... (j/k). Then we went home (just beating the rain) and made SKYLINE!!!! yummy yummy! and ate birthday cake for the birthday girl! Sadly they had a family reunion so they had to leave in the morning and so we made our way to Josh's house in Portland
Luckily that drive was only 3 hours (it went by so fast!) we got there and since we were ahead of schedule we just got to chill for the day and play with the HUGE GREAT DANES!! Josh did take us to a cool restaurant that night where we had some way good BBQ, then he had to go to a 24hr scripture marathon with the youth. In the morning Allison took us and the kids to a total dive for breakfast, but it was some of the best breakfast food ever!!! we were so stuffed by the end of it we couldn't move! but when josh got home we went into Portland to the Market and didn't even cover 1/2 of it... i loved it.. we got some really fun cajun spices we want to try out! we also went to Rock Bottom and ate some yummy food there. We grilled out that night with the family and just hung out. Sunday we went to church and then everyone went crazy cooking...
The family that lives with them downstairs... the husbands a chef, and of course josh cooks extremely well from my experience so our sunday dinner was like a 5 star restaurant. i feel like i should have paid $50 for my meal! i was just glad everyone let me watch them cook! they made goat cheese stuffed pumpkin blossoms, pruschutto wrapped dates, mozzarella salad with olive oil ice cream, bread with amazing Parmesan garlic and basil dipping oil (from seattle), and josh's version of spaghetti. It was all AMAZING!!! i asked if they cook like this all the time and they said mostly for sunday dinners, but thanksgiving is CRAZY... so i think we may have to make a trip there for that holiday because i want to see and taste that!!
Monday morning we went home. we left at like 830, and should have gotten in around 9pm but made a few stops at some outlets and didn't get in until 12. but thats ok... i got jeans for $8!

pretty much it was an amazing trip!