Senegal

One more stop before heading back to Lusaka! We spent the rest of the week in Senegal visiting with friends and seeing a bit of Dakar. Above is a photo taken from the Phare des Mamelles (Cap Vert) -- one of the 9 or so lighthouses around Dakar -- of the city and the yet unfinished "African Renaissance" statue which is just a bit taller than Lady Liberty. Sure we saw the sights, went out to Isle de Madeleine for the afternoon, had drinks poolside at the super-luxe Radisson Blu, snorkelled and swam, stuffed ourselves with ice cream and croissants, dined at the most fabulous rooftop ethiopian restaurant (wink, wink)...but this little guy was the real reason for the extended layover. What a treat to finally meet the cutest kid on the continent.

I need to download photos from Owen's camera yet--I'll post a mess of photos from this trip next week! Stay tuned!

Paris

I'm sure noooo oooonnneee has ever taken THIS photo of the Eiffel Tower. I think I have the exact photo from a trip there in 1988

On the way back to Lusaka we had a looooonnnnngggg layover in Paris. We rallied, despite the fact that when we landed it was 10pm in Seattle and we were FRIED and it was really quite toasty warm that day. We had it on good authority that there would be multiple ice cream stops to lure the kids along if we did indeed decide to leave the airport and venture into the city and so...we took the train straight to La Tour Eiffel. Photo evidence below.

Voila les Jennings a la 2eme etage! We took the nearly 700 steps up (TJ carried Finn most of the way, ooh la la and oof-da) to the second stage...the kids walked down on their own, thank goodness....with the promise of lunch and ice cream at the bottom of course.

The kids somehow had energy to chase pigeons

enfin, la glace!

the kids could only last so long....This is how they spent the rest of the afternoon in the city of lights. REM sleep on the go--at least it was french REM sleep, oui?

summer kids

Summer vacation, part II

Above, Fleet Week! Below - a totally random collection of photos from the summer. What a great time we had. Never a dull moment.

The dog days of summer...Ruby and Bella enjoying a moment together/not together. This was the morning after the now-famous automatic sprinkler incident at Battle Point. oof
....always eager, ruby the retriever brings in a log
Rubbing GW's nose at the Capitol building for good luck.
Channeling the Beetles
Bocce Ball!
Working on the boat ... Todd of course did most EVERYTHING but he's not choosing the photos today, now is he? I'm so incredibly pleased with this gorgeous 'goldeneye'.

The blue Angles on their practice day - the first time we've all gone down to the lake for the show. Great Fun! (except for that poopy-diaper smell that we never did pin down...)

The music of the water drums at the Cedar River Watershed Education Center
Wine Tasting! Doesn't everyone take their 3, 6, and 10 year olds to wine tastings? They should.

What I did on my summer vacation, Part I

Battle Point, Bainbridge Island

White River, Goat Falls Hike

Sunrise Rim Trail, Mount Rainier (above and below)

Ruby, the 9 year old puppy

Hi-Yu Festival and Seafair, 60 year anniversary

Favorite friends

square meals

Marymoor Park...640 acres, 40 just for dogs