WA

After a whirlwind 10 days with my Mom here, the Vergheses headed back to Seattle straight into another whirlwind. Last year I promised my cousin Jake that if he managed to graduate in 4 years, I would make the trip to see him walk at WSU. So making good on my promise, part of our visit was to see Jake graduate (even though he kind of cheated and is still attending WSU this summer for a few more credits he needs to graduate) but part was also a final visit as I can't imagine we will be back for at least a year or more with the twins coming.

Trying for a group shot with Calum on the 1st sunny day in over a month! Perfect for walking in the park in Mukilteo and the obligatory Ivar's afterwards.
Grandpa found a crab which Calum brazenly picked up and held!

We started our visit with 2 chilled out days with my Dad and then spent a day at Bellevue Square with my Mom doing some shopping for the babies and then a day at the Woodland Park Zoo, just the 3 of us. This was the first time we've ever taken time for just us to go out and do something whilst in Seattle and I loved it, although not as much as Calum who was truly in his element at the zoo. We met up with the girls and their husbands at El Toreador in Redmond (best Mexican ever) and we even got to go to our friends the Thuriks (http://jerameandkatiethurik.blogspot.com/) who had lots of advice to give about twins as they already have their own boy/girl twins plus another on the way due almost the same time as we are.

The girls (including Westyn!) at El Ts
Checking out Calum's favourite, bears, at the Woodland Park Zoo

After our short trip on the west side of the mountains we headed east to meet up with my Grandma McEvers who made the drive to meet up in Moses Lake from Missoula all on her own, she's 87! Was great to spend a day and night with her, a former nurse/midwife and Mom of 4, grandma of 7 and great grandma of even more; she has a true gift with children and Calum was entranced with her.

Great Grandma and Calum admiring the view-checking out the trucks on I-90
Reading our new Richard Scarry book from Gram-if you have a boy toddler and haven't got this book, run out and get it-kept him quiet the whole flight to CA and we now "read" AKA look for the hidden bug on each page a la Waldo every night

We then headed over to Pullman which was bittersweet. Had wanted to do the regular drive we always did in college but headed down a short cut from Moses Lake so Mark missed me pointing out a lot of the nostalgia. When we got to Pullman it was pouring rain, something I seem to have forgotten it ever does there-I had imagined a hot couple of days like it was when we graduated. And then we checked into the hotel my Aunt and Uncle had miraculously managed to secure, Nendles. Wow. Can't say I've ever stayed in a worse place. The 3 of us headed straight to Basilios which wasn't nearly as good as I remembered, bought a load more Coug gear (is it legal for Mark to have an alum sweatshirt?!) and met up with my family when they arrived for an awesome dinner at a new microbrewery/gastro pub type place called the River (yum!). Pullman has changed massively-there is a Walmart in Pullman, the Bookie is now a Barnes and Noble in the CUB which is pretty amazing in itself and Valhalla now has an upstairs with tvs to watch the games! Made me feel old but I loved seeing Jake graduate and had to laugh when we went to his house afterwards for a champagne toast-how did we live like that?! Congrats, Jake-can't wait to see where you go next.

Former WSU students, me, Jake and my Uncle Ken

Calum and my cousin Garrett who he decided is his idol, post graduation at Basilios (again!)