If you put your ear to your computer and listen carefully you might be able to hear my washer and dryer congratulating each other on a job well done. They just finished the last of fourteen gargantuan loads of vacation laundry. Yes. Fourteen.
Before summer slipped away from us, we decided to take a little road trip. The seven of us piled into the Suburban with our luggage and a lot of cough syrup (I wasn't the only one to have the 'ick'), and away we went.
Our first stop was Seattle.
Our last stop was Seattle, too.
In between, we visited one of the most fabbity-fab-fab beautiful places in the whole wide world...Orcas Island.
On the island, we enjoyed amazing vistas.
We played in enchanted forests.
We poked around in the tide pools.
And the creme de la creme... we hopped a boat to watch the Orca whales that summer in the San Juan Islands. Shooting a picture of a whale is a bit like catching a shooting star. You just don't know where they're going to show up or what direction they might be traveling. This picture is so inadequate. It doesn't begin to illustrate the magnificence of these creatures. I have gone whale watching two other times. I never cease to be amazed by these giant guys. They rank pretty high on my wow-o-meter.
It's hard to say goodbye to a magical place like Orcas.
We are home now. School has started. The mornings are cool. The afternoons are warm. I've said goodbye to August (gulp). It's beginning to feel a little like fall. Life is good.
You have introduced me to a place that is in my own backyard! Hopefully my family can go there someday!
Posted by: Trisha | September 02, 2009 at 02:05 PM
Time goes by too fast. It looks like you guys had a beautiful trip. Happy fall!
Posted by: Jennwith4 | September 02, 2009 at 03:30 PM
Holy Cow -- would you look at all those adorable girls? And Mr. Go Girl right there in the middle of them -- too cute! Love LOVE that last picture!!!
Posted by: Thimbleanna | September 02, 2009 at 07:46 PM
Absolutley beautiful photos. Sounds like you had a wonderful time. Fourteen loads of washing though, wow, the joy of having girls I suppose.
Posted by: Deb | September 02, 2009 at 08:37 PM
I figured you guys must drive around in a suburban, with such a big family! I have always wanted to visit the Seattle area, so thanks for sharing your pics. I definitely want to see an enchanted forest now too! (sigh) Welcome back.
Posted by: Terri | September 02, 2009 at 08:45 PM
I've been to Orcas Island and through the San Juans a few times--there is nothing like it. And you have a beautiful family!
Posted by: Molly | September 03, 2009 at 09:25 AM
Looks like a great family holiday! The perfect end to your summer.
Posted by: Lisa | September 05, 2009 at 05:50 PM
Beautiful picture Cassie! I hope you all are feeling better by now :)
Posted by: Amy - parkcitygirl | September 07, 2009 at 10:24 AM
How wonderful to see your photos. We don't get Orca's in the southern oceans. We get things like humpback whales...just as magnificent though! Sad to hear that your weather is cooling...around here things are starting to warm up. I have to say something about the washing though. You did really well to count fourteen loads. I would have stopped counting somewhere in the middle just to save my own sanity! LOL
Posted by: jenny | September 08, 2009 at 04:12 PM
I grew up in the Pacific Northwest. These photos make me homesick!!!
Posted by: brigette | September 17, 2009 at 07:57 PM