Trip to Washington- EMP!

We were also fortunate enough to visit the Experience Music Project, or EMP! The last time I was there was for Brandi's senior prom and we only got to see part of the building. This time I was able to explore all the rooms and it was quite interesting! Here is a picture of the outside from a website that I found:

Larry and Nancy were up from La Grande, Or visiting my dad and Kristi because their son Kyle was playing in a Jazz band at Jazz Alley that weekend! So dad, Larry, Cache and I went to the EMP because it was only fitting. :) I was surprised to see that they had other exhibits that weren't just centered around music, but also science fiction! They had an Avatar and Battlestar Gallactica exhibits! First we will start with the Avatar exhibit:

This was just neat. First thing I saw when I walked in

This was the coolest computer! It was an interactive screen where you could drop those black and white tiles on them and little menus would pop up around them and when you selected an item it would be a movie or more detailed info! Wave of the future!

Of course the massive robots

If I were an avatar....I'd be much taller!

There were also these neat digital cameras that you could shoot your own Avatar-like scene, just like James Cameran (the director) and there was this long line for a special exhibit where you could have your physical body digitally spliced into a scene from Avatar and it would read your movements. Pretty awesome! Amazing how far technology has come!
Next we found this stage with a HUGE screen playing music and documentaries on music. I think this was Cache's favorite part because he got to let loose and run around and entertain lots of people who had stopped to take breaks. He just danced and giggled at everyone.

The guitar sculpture across the way.

We did go through the exhibits with Jimmie Hendrix and A History of Grunge Bands (mostly Nirvana), but I didn't get pictures of it...must have been too busy chasing a one year old around and keeping him from pulling stuff off the walls. :)
Upstairs was the Battelstar Gallactica exhibit. So cool because it was a show that I recently discovered. It's just fun to see things in front of you that you usually see on TV. :)

Cache talking to Somebody on the Com System...

This was so much cooler in real life. All Green-lit and computery...

Next was the Sound Room. It was where you could play various instruments and be taught or you could have a Jam Session with your friends. I had been wanting to try out the vocals room, but these cute little girls were having so much fun in there and Larry wanted to try it, so I figured it was all for the better. :) But that doesn't mean we didn't have fun!

Dad Jamming on the Guitar

Cache banging away on the "table drum" as I called it

Me trying new things!

Larry holding Cache while watching me play!

Well it was certainly fun and I'm glad we finally got the chance to go. Nothing like moving far away...then moving even further to make certain things a priority!

Trip to Washington-Visiting Grandma and Grandpa Cole

Cache got to visit with Grandma and Grandpa Cole too! It's always fun to go new places and explore new things. First we went out to lunch at Red Robin. I always love Red Robin, and I have a favorite there: Teriyaki Chicken burger with fries and a freckled lemonade! So delicious! Of course, Cache usually gets to eat whatever I'm eating, so he got some fries and a mini cheese pizza. Brandi was able to join us, but Anna was at school still. It's always fun to go and eat at the places you did while in high school. Though I have to say that I don't see the people that I used to know anymore. When we left Cache just HAD to have a balloon! He loves those things. My mom even asked if the string was on tight enough and we were assured that it was, as Cache gets a little aggressive with his balloons. Sure enough, we walk outside....and there goes the balloon flying high to the clouds! So, I went back in and got him another one, made sure it was tied tight and gave it to my happy little boy.
After lunch we headed to the park with Grandpa Cole while Grandma and Uncle Brandi went to pick up some things at Costco. Cache loves to play at parks and when there are other kids around, he just loves to watch them and try to parallel play with them. He was running up and down the equipment and sliding down slides. When the soccer game in the next field over ended, a few of the boys (probably 10-12 years old) came to play until their parents could come pick them up. Cache thought they were the coolest thing ever! He was trying to play tag with them and mostly succeeding in just getting in the way, and when he started to get run over and knocked around, we decided it would be a good idea to do something else. Grandpa Cole did get a great picture of him in the swing!

After the park we all headed to Uncle Brandi's house where we visited and got to see Anna. We made plans for the next day and then were off! It was still really strange to be staying the night in my old room with my baby. Never really thought about that when I was living there!
The next morning we had brunch which was ebleskievers, bacon and eggs. Brandi and Anna brought the drinks and Cache a cup of ice. This is because at their house the day before, Cache was going through ice chips like they sustained him. :) I had told Brandi to surprise me with my drink and it was most delicious! Vanilla Bean frappacino with java chips! Yum! Most satisfying. :)
Here are some pictures from that visit:

Anna and Cache

There was also a "photoshoot" by Uncle Brandi, but those pictures are for another post...

Washington Trip-Seattle Science Center!

Lots of happy childhood memories for me were made at the Seattle Science Center. I suppose it's actually called the Pacific Science Center, but that's not what I grew up calling it. I remember the neat water pools with dinosaur statues everywhere, the bicycle ride that's way high in the air and only weighted down with a single weight, the water table and cool exhibits. My first IMax theater experience was there about Earth or the Ocean. I've been to laser light shows and run through the International Fountain. It's just a great place for kids to go and get their energy out. So of course we had to take Cache there! We lucked out because we got to go to all of the exhibits and Cache seemed to have a fun time. Unfortunately my camera battery was dead by the time we got to Seattle, so the pictures are from my or Lily's phone.

 First was the dinosaur exhibit. Cache just liked all the knobs and buttons.

 Then to the space exhibit. I think that this was one of his favorite. Look at all those switches After he played for a minute, we let the next group play and tried to explore the planets. After about two seconds of that he turned right around and headed straight back for the rocket! I had to drag him away. :)

 We were fortunate enough to be able to visit the bug exhibit with the live butterfly house! They were flying around freely and landing on people and things. It was quite neat. Cache was on Grandpa Kenny's shoulders for all of it, but he was totally entranced by the fluttering bugs all around him.

I'm a bee!

Next we went to the "water table" as I call it. It's a special part of the Center that's made for little kids. It was great! We played in the water, made music, knocked over blocks, and Cache slid down a slide all by himself!

Flying a helicopter!

We also got to play in the Touch Pool where Cache got to pet starfish, anemones and rocks. After playing in that salty water, he thought his fingers tasted good...I had to fight to keep them out of his mouth until I could wash them!

After all the exciting exhibits we got the chance to play in the International Fountain! It was one of the nicer days in Seattle and it was just about 80 degrees so there were lots of people enjoying the water too!

Best Fountain Ever!

Hail the Fountain!

Aunt Lily come to save me!

That was our trip to Seattle Center! It was fun and glad to have gone!

Washington Trip-Bumming Around Snoqualmie

I just thought I'd share some pictures from our time at Grandpa Kenny and Grandma Kristi's house! Cache had a lot of fun chasing the chickens around the backyard and messing with sprinklers. It took him a few days to get used to Linus, Kristi's wiener dog, but he was a lot smaller than the dogs he had been used to being around so it wasn't so bad. He had a great fascination with the dog and cat food bowls and he kept trying to put the food back in them if the cats left some out. Always such a good little helper. :)

He would get up here and then couldn't get down on his own...

"I'm going to get you Jet!"

This fountain is just my size!

 There was a great little ferry play area at Centennial Park in Snoqualmie that Dad and I took Cache to. It was fun and he got to climb in and out of things.

Driving the ferry all by myself!

Tunnel!

The chicken house in my dad's backyard. Painted to match the house of course :)

We had a lot of fun playing in the water, bouncing balls, running into the street, and getting some "naked time". More than once Cache got to run around the backyard with nothing on. I wish I had gotten a picture of that. :)