Summer Road Trip 2016 | Seattle

   We headed up to Seattle the day after the picnic and spent most of our time with Mike's family.  The trip was much shorter due to the simple fact that I didn't want to do it without Mike this year.  Unfortunately, we weren't able to do everything we wanted, but we got to do the most important.  Like squeezing in a workout at our fave gym, seeing a few friends, and a quick little afternoon date to go downtown.  Sadly, no raspberries this year.  And going with the theme of summarizing, our Seattle trip went like this:  eat, lake, blue angels, nap, more water, repeat 3x.  Again, not kidding.

  If you know Mike, you know how fond of the Blue Angels he is.  We were in for a treat watching their practices on both thursday and friday.  The weather was perfect!!

  On thursday, as their morning show was ending over the lake, we raced to the airport to watch them take off for their afternoon show.  All Mike's idea of course.

  Once I went in the water on thursday, you couldn't get me out.  Woke up early friday morning to swim and happened to get to go to the lake.  This lake during the summer is my happy place.  Early in the morning it is like glass.  The sun was out and I could have swam much longer than I did.

   The kids loved playing in the lake too.  It is no beach like we are used to, but the water is so warm!

    There was a time in my life when I would be out and about during the summer and if I had an extra 20 minutes or so, I would jump in the lake and go for a swim.  I have a vivid memory of breathing to my right and seeing Mt. Rainier so clearly and thinking, I live in the most beautiful place in the world.  It certainly is a very beautiful place and I am glad that I didn't take it for granted.  Living in a different place now, there of course is a different kind of beauty, one that I definitely had to get used to.  Of course, right along the coast is breathtaking, but on the other side of the "mountains" is a different story.  I never thought much of the foothills of the Santa Cruz mountains when we first moved, but now, even though they are brown I see them and appreciate their beauty.

  We had so much fun, hanging out at the lake and the city we will always call home.  Pretty much the exact place where we as a couple started.  Just south of this beach, Mike proposed.  We have run this lake, biked it, swam it, and many times done all 3 for triathlons.  We've had picnics here, used this route as part of a commute, and brought our kids here to play.  Such an integral part of our lives, I'm so glad we get to visit every summer!

  There's nothing like it as close by down here.  Lots of reservoirs that you can't swim in (and are pretty empty anyway) and then of course the straight up ocean.  It's a good thing we have such a great pool!  You Seattle peeps better take advantage of that lake for me!

Happy wednesday!