end of week

It was an overly full weekend, but lots of good stuff happened, so I can't complain. Highlights:

Sarah and Bill's annual Cinco de Mayo potluck, this year doubling as a housewarming party for their newly finished dream castle in Issaquah. We all went, including Gramps, bringing the makings for Sangria (with cinnamon sticks and lots of fruit). It was an insanely packed affair. How can they know that many people?

There was not one, but two pinatas. Starting with the youngest and working up from there, Bill spun the blindfolded kids before their turn. He even allowed interested adults to join in on the 2nd pinata. I was going to volunteer, but a big strong guy got to it ahead of me and that was that.

Once candy hit the ground, Rowan became a human vacuum cleaner (though when he noticed a little girl who hadn't gotten any candy, he gave her some...very smooth!).

In the picture of Rowan, you can see Bill on the far left, Maya holding hands with her fella on the bench, with Max up high to the right. In the picture of Larkin, you can see a creative teen on the right who turned the obliterated 1st pinata into a festive mask!

L and R stayed behind at their cousins' house for the night, while Tim, Da, and I headed back to Seattle. Once we hit downtown, we drove to the Seattle Art Museum. After a long and ambitious expansion, SAM reopened Saturday morning with a public party lasting 35 hours straight and free to all. Though they had to regulate the entrance line throughout the event, we magically arrived during a lull that allowed for us to walk right in.

Though photography is prohibited in many of the galleries, I managed a few shots. It was an exciting night and we didn't leave until I'd purchased a family membership. It's so good to have SAM back again, and to see so many people as excited about it as I am!

Sunday morning we all drove east again to my sister's Unitarian church in Bellevue, where Maya was going through a Coming of Age ceremony. It was really lovely and Maya just beamed. What a beauty!

Leaving there, we drove further east to visit Mary Kay and Niko, and see their new house for the first time. It's in Preston on the Raging River. Niko was at their old house, so we didn't get to see him, but MK gave us the full tour. They have a river in their back yard...it's so awesome!

See the rocks & trees on the left side of the river? That's not the opposite shore, that's their island! Their property line extends across the river...I believe they have arrived! -k8-