Camp Wethehekawe: Day Three

Camp Wethehekawe is not just about documenting one week so that I can show my children someday that, "See you did have a fun childhood. Look at everything we did...that one week..." It's also about me, expanding my comfort zone. Today we went to Seattle. That's sort of a scary proposition to me. It's not being in Seattle that frightens me. I feel pretty safe there. It's me driving and more importantly navigating in Seattle that is unsettling. My children are always very brave...and compassionate...companions. Today Braeden gave me several pep talks. "C'mon Mom. Remember, you got us all around London. You can DO this." I'll just let him think I got us all around London when really Adam gave me a geography tutorial every night based on where I wanted to go the next day.

Anyway, widening horizons. Adam helped to soften the growing pains of my comfort zone by riding with us into Seattle (he drove!). Our first stop was the Fremont Troll.


It's weird and not at all attractive but it seems like if something like that's in your city, you should at least have the decency to go see it.

Next we had lunch at the Pyramid Brewery near Adam's office. It was a hopping place because the Mariners were playing a home game this afternoon. Braeden thought we should skip our other plans and go to the game but I wasn't that excited. I think taking Mark to a baseball game (keeping Mark occupied at a baseball game) is a two parent job.

Lunch with Dad

Adam pointed us to the bus tunnel and he went on his way to work. After we said good-bye, Mark said, "Too bad Dad can't go on our adventures with us." It is. Oh to be independently wealthy! We appreciate our bread winner. He makes it all happen.

Mark was thrilled by the bus tunnel and the fact that the bus was "actually moving!" (Not sure what he was expecting.) Braeden and Emma insisted on being annoying and comparing the bus tunnel to the London Underground which Mark didn't get to go on. My meaningful glances didn't get through to them so I finally had to tell them how annoying they were being. I meant it in the nicest possible way though.

He could be the poster child for mass transit. It made his day.

The less impressed "world travelers"

We rode the bus then walked up the hill to the Seattle Public Library. It has always been an architecturally interesting building to me on the outside and I wanted to go inside. It was a little unsettling. I think I need to go back with my brother-the-builder, Ammon, and have him explain to me how it really works and that no, it won't all fall over any minute.




Mark loved the puppets...


...and also watching the mechanics of the elevator. He could have stood there all day if Braeden and Emma hadn't been itching to get to the room where all the big maps were.


Braeden and Emma loved looking at the maps and could have stayed there all day if Mark hadn't been itching to get back to watching the elevators.



I was thirsty beyond all reason and the drinking fountain that dribbled out tepid water was not doing it for me so I solved the problem and said it was time to leave. We were parked back by Adam's work so he came out for a short break, we got refreshments at Uwajimaya (the Asian store/food court across the street from his office) and were back on our way. If you're ever tempted to try the snow pea version of cheese puffs at an Asian market, just keep walking by. That's all I'm saying.

Waiting for Adam outside his office.

Our next destination was West Seattle to go to the movie. Why West Seattle? Surely there are theaters elsewhere? There were but the only offering they had that seemed remotely applicable to Mark was Fly Me to the Moon. The New York Times review that we read said:

Parents wishing to stupefy their youngest children for an hour and a half might consider plopping them in front of “Fly Me to the Moon” — but only if a fourth viewing of “Wall-E” or a second trip to “Space Chimps” or a really bright flashlight shining in their eyes is completely out of the question.

The theater in West Seattle was playing Kung Fu Panda and that seemed like a little bit more reasonable choice.

The view from the West Seattle Bridge.

The theater in West Seattle was OLD. It may have been there before talking pictures. It may have been the first building built in West Seattle. It may be the oldest building this side of the Mississippi. The chairs were hard and uncomfortable. It was more like sitting in the Salt Lake Tabernacle than a movie theater. We liked the movie though. Call us easily entertained but Jack Black...how can he not make you laugh.

We picked Adam up from work (it was now after 6:00) and we went to...IKEA. How else do you round out a good day? Also we needed new drinking glasses.

One of the blogs I read had a funny post about IKEA and not liking it if you're Irish. Well I'm pretty strongly Scandinavian so maybe that's why I love the place.

Who needs Disneyland?

It needs to be said though. By the time we'd cozied up to our ridiculously cheap dinner at IKEA, we...were...tired.

Some weren't able to hold their heads up without support.