Today was an action packed day that saw Daddy and I saddling up the steel horse and heading to the Green Lake wading pool first thing. Er… Second thing actually. Starbucks was first of course.

I played and splashed in the water for about an hour before getting chilled to the core… I couldn’t stop shaking or from chattering my teeth. Daddy decided it was time to switch to dry clothes and motate to the zoo in order to check out the flamingos and ride the carousel.

Phase 1 of his plan (biking to the zoo) went off without a hitch, but the agenda of seeing the flamingos and riding the carousel was shot down by yours truly as all I really wanted to do was run around inside Zoomazium. Go figure.

We did eventually go ride the carousel, but Daddy was a bit miffed I didn’t want to see the flamingos. But, it’s kind of like been there, done that.

Afterwards we headed to Mae’s Phinney Ridge Cafe for some ice cream and then to the Barking Dog for a quick beer while Daddy enjoyed his water.

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At around 9:30am we headed to the Nordic Heritage Museum in our neck of the woods to meet up with the Burgess/Moriarty clan and get in on a pancake breakfast, Swedish style. The pancakes rocked, it was my first time having lingonberry jam (and definitely not the last), the on-site playground was duly rocked, sidewalk chalk art was mastered and a whole lot of Scandinavian culture was taken in.

Owen “The Blade” Moriarty

J.P. “Jumping Bean” Moriarty

Lynnie “Juicy Viking Couture” Burgess

Long before I was born, Mommy has been friends with Puget Sound architect John Ottenheimer. In addition to being an architect with over 70 years of experience, John is a philosopher, poet, farmer, designer, inventor, artist, pilot, craftsman, author, landscaper.

We headed up to Mukilteo, parked the (white) Koren Rocket and walked on to the Kittitas for the quick 15 minute crossing. On the other side we took the bus to Freeland where we met up with John and had some ice cream and conversation at a local cafe.

I know Mommy and Daddy had a great time catching up with him and hearing about his latest projects. After the ice cream he drove us around the island, showing us some of the great views and one of his projects that sits on a spectacular piece of land.

Whidbey was a very fun trip and we’re looking forward to visiting again sometime and spending more time in Coupeville and Langley in addition to more time with John. Fun day trip.

John Ottenheimer and Mommy at Clinton Beach on Whidbey Island

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Today a bunch of us ladies headed to the Fairmount Olympic Hotel in downtown Seattle for high tea, or the Georgian Tea as branded by the hotel. It has been years since my last high tea experience (at the same site, but while a Four Seasons), and I had high expectations for a smoother experience at the very least.

The players for this event were: Me, Nana, Great-Auntie Sue, Mommy, cousin Jordan and cousin Vanda. I’m not sure how the staff got it all straight, but they were referring to us on a first name basis from pretty early on.

The service was top notch from the get-go and we gals had a ball. Little sandwiches, hot chocolate, fruit tarts, and impeccable service kept us loose and having fun. At one point when we needed to use the rest room, we were personally escorted and did our business while the escort waited outside. That’s pretty posh in my books folks.

Later on Daddy joined us at Nana’s only just before Great-Uncle Tom and Papa arrived home from a round at Echo Falls Golf Course. Buffalo burgers and turkey burgers were served hot off the girl as were a couple of naked toddlers. What is it with NTS, or Naked Toddler Syndrome?

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Daddy and I had a great date day as Mommy fully engaged in the Seafair Half-Marathon coming in at 2 hours and 2 minutes. Holy SH*T… That’s AWESOME Mommy!

Wow… While she was rocking the house on the half marathon course, Daddy and I biked to Green Lake (Lago Verde) to meet up with the Tiritilli/Villarans (Larry, Sofia, Leo and Mirta) for some hot and steamy wading pool action.

There was lots of wading, splashing, sunscreen and all around good times. Not once did Sofia or I get into any situations where either of us needed to show some fang. A highlight was the lady literally pedaling ice cream from her ice cream bike. Sofia and I each picked out a Strawberry, lemon-lime and raspberry princess ice cream on a stick. That might sound like a weird flavor combo, but it was the bee’s knees.

Afterwards Daddy and I rode back home, had a quick bite to eat and then rode down to the Majestic Bay to catch the opening of WALL-E.

As I was one of the first through the door, I even got a commemorative WALL-E watch. Cool beans.

We snacked on popcorn and giggled at all of WALL-E’s cute mannerisms and his crush on EVE.

The movie was cute, but not nearly as funny as the recently viewed Kung Fu Panda.

I suppose it’s because there was a minimum of dialogue with a lot of what was happening being conveyed by body (robot) language and context, I was lost more than a few times.

A bike back uphill to our house, some shenanigans in the backyard, a bath and I was done. Great date day with Daddy!

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Since Henry and the Family Light will soon be moving to Portland, Mommy thought it would be cool if he and I spent some time together while giving Don an Amy a chance to have one kid out of the house while they frantically prepare it to go on the market.

She devised the plan of picking Henry up and heading to the Majestic Bay in Ballard to watch Kung Fu Panda. Upon my arrival he presented me with a wrist corsage (pinning it to my chest was too frightening a concept) and he was wearing a boutonniere. Awesome.

And here’s a pic grabbed from Daddy’s iPhone of Henry with his hand in the popcorn bag… Good thing it wasn’t on my leg, or Daddy would have had to given him a stern talking to!

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Yesterday was the first of what will likely be many family bike rides. We headed down 8th Avenue NW, joined up with the Burke-Gilman Trail and headed east. Daddy popped into Recycled Cycles, his bike shop of choice, to pick up a bell before we continued on to University Village.

Mommy and Daddy loaded up on coffee while I slugged down a mango juice. I spent about an hour on the playground there as Mommy took some time in Fireworks and Daddy has a quick look at some photo books at Barnes & Noble.

On the ride home we stopped in Fremont at PCC to grab a lunch and then it was on to Cold Stone Creamery for some ICE CREAM!! The rest of the ride home was uneventful, be all three of us were glad we made the whole without rain. Fun!

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It had been too long since I personally have paid a visit to Grammy Sam, so Daddy and I set about rectifying that matter while Mommy donned Lycra and spent the better part of the day biking and running her way through some schizo spring Seattle weather (rain, sleet, AND snow).

Three hours in the car down to Grammy Sam’s (relatively) new digs in the Hazel Dell area of Vantuckey Vancouver and we were finally there. But only in time to be mauled by all of the old ladies that live there. Daddy and I had no idea that it would be so crazy. The old ladies dig the Ella. For real.

Visiting Grammy Sam was a hoot in spite of the pawing I took from the adoring masses, but the highlight was actually playing hide-and-seek with Daddy during a sun break in Highgate’s courtyard. Fun stuff. Daddy’s not very good at hiding though… He always seems to reveal himself after I call out to him three of 4 times. Sucka.

Tickle, tickle!

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Tonight the Silver Wheatley, nee Galloway, came over to relieve Mommy and Daddy from their usual Friday night parental obligatos so that they could go out to dinner at How to Cook a Wolf with Daddy’s co-worker Patrick Napper and wife Rebecca Luke.

Silver and I didn’t make it too far into Ratatouille before I was lights out. Easy peazey for her. Mommy and Daddy didn’t come off too easy in the $$ department with the 2 hours spent idly tossing back the bevvies at Opal on top of dinner, but I hear the restaurant had some very tasty fare. Although not a place they’d return to due to the ASININE practice of no reservations.

And WTF with the crazy April snow?!! It was really coming down and STICKING!

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Yesterday the fam and I headed up north to Vancouver, BC in order to meet up with Shannon Mead née Murray, her new son Luke, Shannon’s brother Marc, mother Susan, Marc’s daughter Maddie, 7 week old son Cash and wife Jen.

We arrived in Vancouver on Sunday evening after a leisurely drive up Chuckanut Drive. Our hotel was the lovely Hotel Le Soleil on Hornby. After getting settled in the room, we headed out and had a great time having bevvies and 3 rounds of oysters while seated at the oyster bar at Joe Fortes. Always a crowd pleaser.

Afterwards we headed back to the room to get a pizza from Nat’s, watch movies and enjoy some mojito’s made with genuine Habana Club Anejo rum all the way from Cuba. We had a junior suite so Mommy and Daddy had the main room while I was on the pullout in the living room. Daddy joined me later as he was booted by Mommy due to excessive snoring. Dudn’t bother me any, and you’re good in my book if you can take my non-stop barrage of kicking and churning.

Monday morning we had a relaxing morning around the hotel gnoshing on Starbucks breakfast sandwiches and watching the Canadian equivalent of Sprout TV. Not once did I see a show that I am used to viewing at home. Alas, all good things come to an end and it was time to saddle up and meet the Murray/Mead contingent at their accommodations, the Sheraton at Wall Centre.

Mommy and Daddy were thrilled to death to see Shannon and Luke. Meeting up with Shannon’s mom, Marc, Jen, Maddie and new baby Cash… THE BONUS. Cash is sooo small, Luke is soooo cute and Maddie is soooo much fun.

After some time mitigating the chaos of four children and no fewer than 4 adults six feet tall or taller packed into a ridiculously tiny cozy room, we headed downstairs to the hotel’s posh-ish Indigo restaurant for a lovely lunch. Mommy and Daddy paired off at a separate table with Shannon and Luke while I was left to raise the roof with Maddie under the patient and watchful eyes of Susan Murry, Jen, Marc and the unforgiving eye of little baby Cash.

An afternoon coffee session at one of the two Starbucks at Thurlow and Robson, a warm goodbye to Shannon and Luke and the Beelman 3 were on our way down south sans haste. I didn’t even make it through Surrey before I was out cold.

Daddy and Mommy got off at exit 230 and guess what they found. A taco truck!! And just in time for dinner. After a few tacos they proceeded to cruise around Skagit valley in an effort to find some tulips for Daddy to photograph. Sadly there were none yet, but they found field after field of beautiful daffodils. La Conner is quite the cute town and I can’t wait to visit in a couple of weeks when the tulips finally take off.

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Last night Mr. Owen Moriarty joined me as my first ever sleepover guest. And yes, he is a boy. It might be funny to share that sparks flew like crazy between us and that we stayed up all night plotting out our next 3 weeks of naps together, but it was just a simple play date that ended with us crashing on the different levels of my trundle bed and waking up to fresh pancakes a la Mommy.

Ella: Good morning handsome!
Owen: Hi
Ella: Are you aware of the significance of last night?
Owen: Umm…
Ella: We can still be friends, right?
Owen: Umm…

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