Va-ca

I mentioned a couple days ago that we just got back from a little R&R vacation.  We wanted to go somewhere that we hadn't been (well, we both went to Victoria B.C. about 20 years ago-are we really that old?) and that was within driving distance so we chose Port Townsend & Victoria.  Port Townsend as I had never been there and Steve's great uncle lived there so we thought that it would be fun to check out.  Victoria so that Ben could have his first adventure outside of the country.  We lucked out as it was chilly but only brief rain showers the first morning in Victoria, otherwise we scored dry weather. 

We drove up Thursday late afternoon after Ben got home from preschool and I got off of work.  About half way up, I all of the sudden muttered "oh sh**.  Turn around."  I realized that I had forgotten the passports (Ben just needed a birth certificate).  Luckily, our neighbor (who is awesome) took pity on my preggo brain and over-nighted them to us so that we were still able to go to Victoria. 

* all these pictures are from google images.  For some reason, I forgot to take any pictures of the Victorian homes.  The bottom picture is of the court house.

We spent the first two nights in Port Townsend.  We basically just mosied about town, drove by his great uncle's old home and admired the gorgeous Victorian homes.  We also spent a bit of time in the heated indoor pool at the motel (the reason why we stayed in a motel vs a gorgeous Victorian B&B).  I'll actually admit that I just stuck my feet in the hot tub while Ben and Steve played in the pool.  I'm a chicken when it comes to water that is the slightest bit cold-you wouldn't know that I used to swim in the ocean daily during my junior high summers-brrrr. 

the view was gorgeous from the Fort

lighthouse on the Fort-I *heart* lighthouses

one of the houses on the property-there were many and most were much nicer than this one.  Note the high leaded glass window on the house in the background.  Guess they spared no expense back in the day. :)

 We also hiked around Fort Worden one afternoon. 

 Some of the local houses.

 Enjoying the beach.

 Yummy italian food

 The Empress

 Ben became shy when we asked some random people to take out pic

 Crazy to watch a seagull eat a live crab-poor crab :(

Victoria was gorgeous.  We walked around a ton and again I loved looking at all the gorgeous old buildings.

The ferry ride back to Port Angeles-the sunset was so pretty.  And the little man was sooo cute!

A little vaca done the Wright way

I have been missing from the whole blogging world for a bit because we took a family vacation to the Midwest last week.  I know, crazy, why waste a few of the last beautiful summer days in the Pacific Northwest to go on vacation in Nebraska and Kansas?  Well, we went to celebrate Steve's cousin's, Angie's, wedding to her partner Mindy.  They had their legal ceremony in Iowa the Friday before Labor Day weekend and then had their marriage celebration and reception on a beautiful garden farm property Saturday.  We were so thankful to be there and it was awesome to see Steve's family. 

Ben was a hoot at the wedding, getting his dance on in the side gazebo.  I caught a little video of it but am so sad to say that it somehow and I really have no clue how, got erased from our camera.  The rest of the pictures were taken by my sister-in-law so I have nothing else to show for the night

While in Lincoln, Nebraska we took some time to visit a couple local parks and drive the neighborhoods.  It is an adorable little town/city and there are some gorgeous old homes.  Steve's grandparents lived in Lincoln and raised Steve's dad there.
 
Steve has many fond memories from visits with his grandparents there.  We also stayed in Omaha for a night as that is where we flew in (way cheaper).  We visited the Omaha zoo which is pretty awesome, Hay street market area which has awesome old buildings and brick streets and is on the water.  Our hotel also had a water parks of sorts (more like a water features and two little slides) which was like Disneyland for Ben.

After Lincoln, Steve flew home (to bring home the bacon, you know), and I met up with my friend, Kelly in Wichita.  She moved there a couple years ago as her husband is doing his medical residency there.  They have a precious four month old little laddie named Bram. 
While hanging outs looks slightly different from grad school days (girls nights, bars and more to burping and walks), Ben & I had an awesome little visit and it was so so good to see Kelly and her fam.  Ben's first flight last year was at just 3.5 weeks old-we flew to Vegas for their wedding.  We did get in a little day trip to the Wichita Zoo.

playing at Bram's place and breaking in his toys

this pix cracks me up-Ben has developed a new fear of large animals and I couldn't keep myself from laughing

Kelly with Ben & Bram

and on one of our walks through College Park in Wichita, we were just walking, walking, walking and I was checking out all the awesome gorgeous old homes.  more like drooling over them and their prices (compared to Portland and Los Angeles where I grew up), and I am looking at this one and thinking that it reminds me of a Frank Lloyd Wright.  and then Kelly is like, oh yea, that's a Frank Lloyd Wright and I was like "stop in your tracks" drool. stop. (break out my iphone, asking Kelly a million questions)  drool more.  "Kelly, does someone live here?"  Kelly: "I don't know.  They never have cars parked in their driveway.  That driveway is blocked.  Sometimes they have cars parked on their grass.  The blinds are always pulled closed."  drool again.  Wipe drool with a million burp cloths packed.  A million thoughts run through my mind.  Tell Kelly that probably block driveway to maintain original concrete and probably pull blinds because Wright often built furniture to go with house and may be protecting it.

side view

side front

historical marker plaque

driveway to left of front house

view to left of driveway, visitors park on the grass

Another house in the neighborhood:

Anywho, of course I google "Frank Lloyd Wright Wichita" that night and I found out that it is the 1915 Allen-Lambe Frank Lloyd Wright and now it's a museum.  But (bring out the violin) you have to make a private tour reservation 10 days in advance.  Next time I visit Wichita I am so going on a tour. 

here are some pix from the link above:

And us on our way home after a long vacation....Ben was a dream on the first flight and during our layover, the second flight (where we were in the last row by the window with the lady in front of us reclining her seat) was a different story-let's just say I ordered a beer half way through.  :)  but we made it and it was a great vacation but we're so glad to be home!