west seattle

west seattle is one of my favorite places in the world. especially alki and lincoln park. these are places my mom always went to when she was a kid, growing up there, and she took me there all the time as far back as I can remember. so many birthdays and family reunions and fun gatherings happened at those two places. now, I try to take my kids there when I can, which usually winds up only being about once a year, and always in the summer.

this year, we really cut it close, and I insisted we go on sunday, after church, before school started and/or we lost the good weather.

it was a totally great day, and we realized later that we should have brought swimsuits.

we started off with lunch at spud.

the alki spud is not the original, but it’s my favorite. it’s upstairs dining room, looking out over the beach is my favorite place to sit, but layla was having a major fit about the fact that it smelled like fish, and was not getting over it, so we decided to grab a table outside.

there is nothing even remotely nutritionally redeeming about this lunch. but it is deep-fried bliss in a cardboard tray, soggy with garlic malt vinegar. oh my. seriously, best. food. ever.

after we finished our gluttony, we wandered across the street to hang on the beach for awhile.

the boys practiced their rock-skipping skills.

layla built a sand cave out of a paper cup.

and then we headed to lincoln park. the playground there has this awesome zipline swing. shane helped the littles get on it and launched them.

you seriously go flying when it hits the tire-stopper at the end. it’s nerve-wracking for a mom to watch, helplessly hoping your kid is holding on tight enough. but it is SO awesome.

and then it was time to head down to the beach and begin the traditional trek down the beach, attempting to walk only on the drift wood.

not that micah cared about that challenge… he was happy to continue throwing as many rocks as far into the water as he could manage.

seriously, gorgeous view.

it’s always fun to watch the ferries come and go from the dock.

and then… they got wet. layla wanted to “wade”. there is no such thing as just putting her feet in for that child. within 5 minutes, she was soaked to the chest. yes, swimsuits (and/or towels, and/or a change of clothes) would have been a good idea.

we headed back before dinner, mostly because of our two very wet children, who rode home in their wet underwear, and nothing else.