It wasn't until I started looking through the pictures we took this last week that I realized how much we have actually done in the last little bit. The big event, obviously, is our family trip to Seattle. And that is what the majority of this post will be about. But then there are several smaller things that are nearly as important. I guess our summer is starting to wrap up, but we are definitely making the most of it before school starts up again in a few weeks.

Here are some photos. Some stories. Some memories.

Have a good week!

The four of us went to see Margaritaville at the Spokane Valley theater. We didn't really know what to expect, and were pleasantly surprised with this fun, energetic show. Escapist entertainment at its best, which I guess is probably what they were going for. Also, we'll all have Jimmy Buffett songs playing in our heads for a while now.

Retrospect (the band Ev plays in) did a set at the state fair. Their music was a bit heavier than what they normally do and I personally didn't recognize many of their songs. They did finish with the crowd favorite, "For Whom the Bell Tolls," by Metallica, and I think they are happy with the performance.  

Rach and I went out to the ball game with work friends. We all got a box to hang out in together, which was tons of fun. Afterwards the majority of us kept the night going at a karaoke bar, where the food and music were equally bad, but the company was good.

Seattle Trip

Plans for the trip all began with the Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP). From the moment Ev heard about this magical place, she has been focused on making a plan to get there. We gave her a budget, and she was off and running with her ideas. She planned most of the trip, and stayed within the budget we gave her. We spent three days and two nights there which was good, and still left us feeling as if we have a lot of the city yet to explore. As an added bonus, we came home with a new drum set that we got a good deal on and that Ev paid a large portion for. 

The first few photos are from the Seattle Aquarium. 

This is Queso, the octopus. He's pretty neat.

We actually spent two afternoons at Pike Place Market. I've been there many times before, and I will probably go many times again, and yet each time I seem to find a new little shop that captures my imagination. This picture is at the iconic gum wall, where Lindsey added her contribution.

The Chihuly glass museum and gardens. This was probably my favorite place we went. I could spend hours here. It's not just about the pieces themselves- though they are spectacular. It's just as much about the ambience in which they are presented though. This would be an excellent place to come and just find a quiet corner to read or write in as you allow yourself to marinade in the dream-like spaces they have created.

We went to the space needle. Because...Seattle.

Laying on the revolving glass floor

Picnic lunch in the park

Museum of Pop Culture. Evelyn was downright giddy about this place and skipped around like a schoolgirl. I don't think I have seen her smile so much or for so long in quite a while. She spent an hour each in the Nirvana and Jimi Hendrix rooms soaking in the plethora of information and enjoying the vibes. 

Ev has become quite the music buff. She took a class last year on the history of Rock and is almost constantly reading a book about some band or musician. She is a little bit in love with Kurt Cobain's personality (along with every other teenage girl ever) and this exhibit was maybe her version of heaven. It was fun to watch her get so worked up.

Maren, in the "horror" exhibit

This was interesting. We stayed in a hotel one night, but the other night Ev had us at this "campground" which turned out to be a trailer park meant primarily for long-term residents (we had brought our trailer to carry the drum set home in). At least it was in the middle of the city in a safe neighborhood and close to a Safeway, so it actually worked out pretty well. Overall, not my favorite though.

We went to this beautiful park for dinner. We will not soon forget the army of ducks that slowly advanced upon us as we ate, begging for our food. Eventually, most of the kids joined in on a "touch a duck" contest. Also, I feel like feeding bits of chicken to a duck is a little bit morally ambiguous and strikes me as weird.

Blackberries were everywhere we went. Near the hotel. Near the campsite. Near the beach. Ripe and full and delicious.

Lunch at the beach. I think this is also the only full family picture we took.

Tide pools!

These two did a great job planning the trip

I've always got to find a high spot to stand on

Lots of starfish, hermit crabs, and sea anemones 

We finished the trip off by taking a boat tour of the skyline. It was near sunset and a beautiful way to wrap up a great trip. Seattle is a fun city with a neat history and seems to have something for everyone.

We couldn't have asked for better weather. 

And once again- Have a good week!

Hazard family reunion. Courtney and Rick did a great job planning it this year. We got a perfect campsite in the Tetons where all of us could stay. Each day had a good mix of planned activities and time to relax. The week is probably best shared in pictures rather than words. Enjoy :)

My sister and my mom. This is from a hike we did to some wind caves- a couple of miles each way. All the kids came and did a great job with the walk. We had lunch at the caves, and a few of us explored pretty deep into them. The next several pictures are from this hike. The waterfall was right before the cave at the top (the water actually emerges from the cave- pretty cool!)

Right by my feet is where the river comes out of the ground inside the cave

It starts out pretty big

But then it gets a little smaller

And smaller still. There were several parts where we were crawling on our stomachs to make it through to the next opening.

This (plus me) is the group that went the deepest in. With proper gear it is possible to spend several hours plunging the depths of this cave. We went about as far as we could without needing ropes, which was quite a ways. 

We went to a rodeo. This is a culture and a world that doesn't overlap very much with what we normally do as a family, and while it was a good time, I think it may take a while for my kids to get over their shock. They liked watching the riders and animals, but some would burry their heads in their laps during most of the actual events. It may take a while for us to deconstruct this experience :)

I got up early one morning with Evelyn, Addy, and Jack, and we did a quick hike up table rock. We were at the top to watch the sun rise, and back at camp for breakfast.

It can get pretty steep at times. On "Trails.com" it says the average time for this hike is around 7 hours. We did it in under 4. We felt pretty good about that.

Just a few pictures at the top. Evelyn actually got up twenty minutes before everyone else so she could do her hair. I thought that was funny, but she said she knew I would take her picture and she wanted to look good.

Here's Ev, rocking the good hair, with the Tetons behind her.

Going down was a joyous trail run, with plenty of stunts thrown in just for good measure. It reminded me of when Maren got bunnies and we read in a book that "A domesticated rabbit will binky out of sheer joy." Yup. That was us. Good times. I love that I can do these things with my kids.

There were two ways up the mountain. The "normal" way, and the "Face Trail." "Trail not maintained. Very steep. Not recommended."
In other words...Perfect.

On one of the days we went canoeing on the Teton River. It was a pretty chill float with lots of wildlife.

Jack and Lindsey

I was in a boat with these two, and I'm pretty sure we had the most fun

Evelyn and Rachel shared a boat. They were the fastest. Also, check out the Tetons in the background. It was an incredibly scenic and relaxing outing. The most exciting part was when Google gave us bad directions, giving us a chance to test the off-road capabilities of our Subaru. It's a good thing we didn't have our van with us!

Just hanging out at camp

Rick organized the "Hazard Olympics," where we played several games for small prizes. There are some very competitive people in this family!

Well, that's about it for the reunion. We drove home on Sunday. The next day we recovered from all the activity. I rollerbladed a lot (41 consecutive frontside grinds on my 41st birthday. Silly, I know). Me, Addy, Lindzo, and Maren went to the river and jumped off of rocks/did the rope swing. Life is normal again. It's hard to believe that just a few days ago we were exploring caves, playing with cousins, or watching the sun rise over the Tetons. I've come to really appreciate these surreal moments- the afterglow of a trip well worth it.

Have a good week!