Wow! There are so many things to do in Seattle and the surrounding areas. We feel like we have experienced a good chunk of them, but there are always more.
This weekend we made it to the Seattle Children's Museum. On exhibit was "Moneyville" which Natalie loved. Oliver enjoyed preparing sushi at Japanese cultural exhibit.
Today was a clear sunny day. Very rare at this time of year. The views of the mountains were impressive. After church, we decided to spend another day at the Woodland Park Zoo. We weren't the only ones who had that idea, but we had an enjoyable enough time despite the crowds.
Recently we also made it to the Experience Music Project/Sci-Fi Museum. The EMP was pretty cool with a lot of Northwest music history and interactive music exhibits. But, my favorite part of this dual museum was definitely the SFM. I was in nerd heaven!
These are our last two weeks in the Seattle area. We will definitely miss a lot of things about being here, but we are looking forward to sunnier weather and seeing our home again (at least for a little while).
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Sunday, January 6, 2008
Guide to "Space Needle" pictures
The pictures to the right labled "Space Needle/NYE" need a little explanation. On Sunday, December 30 we traveled to the Seattle Symphony to check out their Soundbridge music room and attend a "Musical Storytelling." So you'll see pictures of the kids trying out the instruments and enjoying the class. I really like the Aaron Copland quote on the side of the building.
Every winter, Seattle does a Nutcracker March exhibit where they place Nutcracker statues all over town and each one is painted differently. In the picture we are standing by the one entitled "Waltz of the Snowflakes."
Then we got on the monorail and rode to Seattle Center where we enjoyed a train display, a giant checkerboard, the International Fountain, and of course the needle itself. It was fun to read the details of how it was built. My hat goes off to all of the workers who built it and worked for less than $4 an hour!
The next night, New Year's Eve, we traveled to St. Mark's Cathedral. I walked their labyrinth while CD hung out with the kids in the parking lot. Then at midnight we watched the fireworks shooting off the needle right from the great vantage point of the church's parking lot.
Thursday, January 3, 2008
Snowboarding
It has been two days since my first snowboarding experience at the Summit at Snoqualmie and I am still wincing with almost every movement. I still liked it very much and look forward to trying it again some day.
We arrived in Snoqualmie Pass on January 1. This apparently turned out to be one of the busiest days in years, according to the locals. I couldn't have been much better weather. Plus, the views alone were worth the trip to the Cascades. I planned on buying a package deal - lesson, rental, and lift ticket. The lesson was taught by a young "snowboarding yogi" who taught us the essentials of snowboard yoga. I felt like the Karate Kid, because he didn't even let us wear the snowboard until we had become proficient in the yoga. At the end of the lesson, I graduated with his praise of being "quality."
After that, I spent the next 5 hours beating my body to a pulp. I didn't remember falling on the snow being this painful when I was 14. Eventually I mastered the bunny slope. I would have liked to go again the next day on the newly fallen snow, but it was physically impossible. Snowboarding looks a lot easier than it is to start. I assume, like most things, the mechanics get more natural with practice. I was pretty amazed seeing people weaving down the slopes, having a conversation, or talking on the cell phone. One of the frustrating things about this sport was having mess with the bindings repeatedly. It involved twisting my body, already in cumbersome clothing, into very uncomfortable positions.
In the meantime, as my body heals, I'll continue doing my snowboard yoga and look forward to my next time on a snowboard.
We arrived in Snoqualmie Pass on January 1. This apparently turned out to be one of the busiest days in years, according to the locals. I couldn't have been much better weather. Plus, the views alone were worth the trip to the Cascades. I planned on buying a package deal - lesson, rental, and lift ticket. The lesson was taught by a young "snowboarding yogi" who taught us the essentials of snowboard yoga. I felt like the Karate Kid, because he didn't even let us wear the snowboard until we had become proficient in the yoga. At the end of the lesson, I graduated with his praise of being "quality."
After that, I spent the next 5 hours beating my body to a pulp. I didn't remember falling on the snow being this painful when I was 14. Eventually I mastered the bunny slope. I would have liked to go again the next day on the newly fallen snow, but it was physically impossible. Snowboarding looks a lot easier than it is to start. I assume, like most things, the mechanics get more natural with practice. I was pretty amazed seeing people weaving down the slopes, having a conversation, or talking on the cell phone. One of the frustrating things about this sport was having mess with the bindings repeatedly. It involved twisting my body, already in cumbersome clothing, into very uncomfortable positions.
In the meantime, as my body heals, I'll continue doing my snowboard yoga and look forward to my next time on a snowboard.
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
Merry Christmas!
Warm Christmas wishes from the Dhyanchands in the Pacific Northwest to all of our family and friends! Sorry for the lag since our last post and photo update. I'm posting some new photo albums today, including shots of our kids digging into their stockings this morning. Oliver got the Giant Squid he has been wishing for ever since seeing the Giant Squid exhibit at the Burke Museum, and Natalie got an Island Princess Barbie which is singing in the background as I type. Also it just started snowing!
It has been an eventful and fun Christmas season for us. We have really enjoyed celebrating Christ's birth at St. Mark's Episcopal Cathedral this year. We have gotten together new friends at my office Christmas party, and at the home of Rosa and Greg Waller in Kirkland. Rosa works at my office and they have a son, Ian, who is 4. Ian came over to our place yesterday to play, while Natalie and Karen were at the Pacific Northwest Ballet's performance of the Nutcracker. This Nutcracker featured set design of Maurice Sendak of "Where the Wild Things Are." We braved Seattle traffic last week to enjoy some of the downtown light and festivities, including an amazing gingerbread house display at the Sheraton.
Natalie has lost her first three teeth (so far) since we have been here, including one of top incisors two nights ago. So last night we had dual visitations from St. Nick and the Tooth Fairy. Natalie said that wouldn't be awkward because they probably know each other...
Merry Christmas!
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
And the Next Assignment Will Be...
We just learned today that our next assignment will be in Albuquerque, New Mexico. I am already practicing spelling it! I will be working at the Veterans Administration Medical Center. At the end of January we will be returning to Knoxville for two weeks, and then it's off to Albuquerque! We will be there from February 10 until the end of March. Looking forward to the change in the weather.
Sunday, December 9, 2007
Volunteer Park and Natalie's Birthday
We've enjoyed Natalie Week here in Washington! I just posted the most recent pictures.
It started as a very wet week for us, even by Seattle standards. Unfortunately, many people south of Seattle have suffered greatly from the flooding. There were some traffic delays, but no major damage where we live.
On Thursday, Karen took the kids to Seattle to Volunteeer Park and the Asian Art Museum. I met them later with the bus at the Museum of History and Industry (MOHAI). The kids really enjoyed the interactive "salmon gutting and canning" exhibit, and I loved learning about the Great Seattle Fire of 1889.
Karen and Natalie enjoyed a birthday tea at "Taste the Moment," a Victorian tea room in Redmond on Friday. Saturday was gorgeous - still cold, but the mountains and sun were out in true splendor. At the Kirkland Art Center, we got to make holiday crafts, cards, and wrapping paper. After some time at the lakeside to watch the sunset, we had a special birthday dinner at Outback Steakhouse.
Today (Natalie's actual birthday) we awoke to snow. But by the time we got out of St. Mark's Episcopal Cathedral, it was all gone. A special memory today - as we took the bridge across Lake Washington to Seattle, a bald eagle soared next to us.
We are still working out plans for our next location and will let you know more when we do.
It started as a very wet week for us, even by Seattle standards. Unfortunately, many people south of Seattle have suffered greatly from the flooding. There were some traffic delays, but no major damage where we live.
On Thursday, Karen took the kids to Seattle to Volunteeer Park and the Asian Art Museum. I met them later with the bus at the Museum of History and Industry (MOHAI). The kids really enjoyed the interactive "salmon gutting and canning" exhibit, and I loved learning about the Great Seattle Fire of 1889.
Karen and Natalie enjoyed a birthday tea at "Taste the Moment," a Victorian tea room in Redmond on Friday. Saturday was gorgeous - still cold, but the mountains and sun were out in true splendor. At the Kirkland Art Center, we got to make holiday crafts, cards, and wrapping paper. After some time at the lakeside to watch the sunset, we had a special birthday dinner at Outback Steakhouse.
Today (Natalie's actual birthday) we awoke to snow. But by the time we got out of St. Mark's Episcopal Cathedral, it was all gone. A special memory today - as we took the bridge across Lake Washington to Seattle, a bald eagle soared next to us.
We are still working out plans for our next location and will let you know more when we do.
Monday, December 3, 2007
Advent begins - Thankful for safety
We had a nice mellow Thanksgiving at home - watching the Macy's parade in NYC, cooking our meal, playing our homemade Thanksgiving Bingo game, etc. We enjoyed a date night out the next night, thanks to Emily, the wonderful 15 year old daughter of our landlords. Then we met up with some old college friends - Mike and Julie Straight and their daughters Maria and Eleanor & Mike and Donna Eisses and their children Seth, Olivia, and Meredith. There are some cute dress up pictures to the right under "First Snow and More." It was fun to reconnect with old friends and watch our kids play together. I (Karen) continue with Hot Yoga classes twice a week!
Last week we visited the Chittenden locks. It was amazing to see the largest lock completely empty for its annual cleaning and maintenance. We got to see a small yacht go through the small lock when we arrived. We especially enjoyed the fish ladders where we saw a few straggling salmon making the exhausting journey home to their spawning grounds. It was raining a lot so I didn't take my camera, but you can check out the link for great pictures.
I found a relexology path at Marymoor Park in Redmond last week. It was really amazing. Check it out.
We also visited the "Fremont Troll" under the Aurora Bridge. It is a giant sculpture holding a real VW Bug in it's grip. Check it out under the "First Snow" album.
Last night we enjoyed attending St. Marks for their annual "O" Antiphon service. It's a service of lessons and carols based on the verses of the hymn "O Come, O Come Emmanuel." It was a wonderful way to start the seasons of Advent.
As you may have heard in the news, western Washington received a large snowfall (see great pictures at right) this weekend followed by a huge rain. We are safe, warm, and dry despite scattered destruction around us - flooded streets, downed trees, mudslides. Here's a link to a newspaper article with details: link
Last week we visited the Chittenden locks. It was amazing to see the largest lock completely empty for its annual cleaning and maintenance. We got to see a small yacht go through the small lock when we arrived. We especially enjoyed the fish ladders where we saw a few straggling salmon making the exhausting journey home to their spawning grounds. It was raining a lot so I didn't take my camera, but you can check out the link for great pictures.
I found a relexology path at Marymoor Park in Redmond last week. It was really amazing. Check it out.
We also visited the "Fremont Troll" under the Aurora Bridge. It is a giant sculpture holding a real VW Bug in it's grip. Check it out under the "First Snow" album.
Last night we enjoyed attending St. Marks for their annual "O" Antiphon service. It's a service of lessons and carols based on the verses of the hymn "O Come, O Come Emmanuel." It was a wonderful way to start the seasons of Advent.
As you may have heard in the news, western Washington received a large snowfall (see great pictures at right) this weekend followed by a huge rain. We are safe, warm, and dry despite scattered destruction around us - flooded streets, downed trees, mudslides. Here's a link to a newspaper article with details: link
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