one of the most fun days of our trip was the day my aunt and uncle generously took us out on their boat around Lake Union and Lake Washington. they are both recently retired and making the most of it! we planned two excursions, a shorter trip around Lake Union with the toddlers, and a longer trip out to Lake Washington with the older kids and siblings. lucky me, I got to go on both trips ;) when my aunt initially reached out to offer this as an option during our visit, I immediately thought it would be a lot of fun. and it absolutely exceeded my expectations!
the first ride was about 45 minutes to an hour around Lake Union. Elizabeth was a little unsure about the whole situation, especially once the boat started going faster and there was a breeze in her face (and towards the end, when my uncle asked about revving the motor for the boat to go fast for a little bit, I said she'd be okay and she was not -- but quickly recovered). but she was very excited about riding on a boat, and I was very excited about numerous photo ops with the Space Needle in the background. Milo absolutely loved pointing out all the boats and planes, and we even got to see a few seaplanes land on the lake. it was the perfect first boating experience!
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| sweet little houseboats |
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| "it's a seaplane!!!" |
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| on a hunt for snacks. I had my own stash and Auntie Kim, ever prepared, had a box of fruit snacks for them too! |
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| see the Space Needle in the background? |
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| sweet cousins! (Elizabeth's mouth is full of cereal bar) |
after we came back to the dock, Mom drove Elizabeth back to the house for a nap while the afternoon crew (including Greta and Cece) met us at the boat launch. this time, we went around Lake Union again so they could have a chance to see the iconic houseboats (including the houseboat from Sleepless in Seattle) and then we zoomed out across Lake Washington. at this point I realized just how tame Uncle Scott had kept the boat ride for the younger crew ... this boat has a lot of power!
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| ready to go for round two! |
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| the Sleepless in Seattle house! |
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| I made Greta take my photo to document the basic white mom glory of it all (thanks for the Chardonnay, Auntie Kim!) |
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| living her best life |
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| showing Greta the navigation screen -- so much data about water currents and depth in addition to GPS! |
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| going fast! |
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| such good memories |
my uncle dropped anchor in Andrews Bay, where we ate a delicious lunch -- they had brought insanely good sandwiches from the QFC deli, and then Auntie Kim made white chocolate chip cinnamon cookies, which we devoured.
then, we swam in the lake! it was a little chilly but felt so refreshing once we were actually in the water. the older girls were so happy that I was swimming with them (usually in this type of situation, I'm keeping an eye on the babies at the shore or in shallow water). and of course, they had a blast perfecting their jumps and flips off the side of the boat with their fun aunties and uncles for inspiration. knowing that they had their lifejackets on also helped me relax.
in light of what I have been discussing with my therapist, the whole afternoon was a gift -- time spent with family, but without chasing after toddlers and babies. Auntie Kim and I had a good conversation while the kids were swimming. and there was just so much pure, good fun -- speeding across the lake with the wind in our faces, swimming around the boat, laughing, talking, enjoying the incredible beauty of the Pacific Northwest, eating good food and drinking good drinks. it was recreation in the best kind of way.
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| "so refreshing," she announced |
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| ultimate summer sister vibes |
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| the brave ones who got in first. Auntie Kim and I gradually submerged ourselves inch by inch |
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| many hands necessary to inflate the swan |
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| the double thumbs up has now become part of Geigerpalooza lore |
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| tragedy when the swan struck something sharp on the edge of the boat |
eventually it was time to get back on the boat, although I really wished we could have stayed out for another few hours! but we were going to be hitting rush hour traffic driving back across the bridge, and Genesis and John had dinner duty. (Genesis had the brilliant idea to order from the catering menu at Qdoba, so we just stopped there on our way back and picked up the food!) we bundled up in hoodies and towels and sped back across the lake, enjoying every minute of it.
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| million-dollar houses on the lake |
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| part of Bill and Melinda Gates' house (see how it extends behind the trees?) |
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| many of these houses had their own funiculars to reach the top of the hill. lifestyles of the rich and famous, for real |
finally, we arrived back at the dock. I was impressed yet again by the caliber of communication and teamwork between my aunt and uncle -- each time the boat docked or anchored, they worked so well together to express what needed to happen and adjust to what the other one was doing. it sounds like it should be simple, but it's certainly not common; they hit a perfect balance of clearly stating observations or suggestions without overstepping. in my experience, both in my own relationships and seeing other marriages, it's so easy for one person to be the "director" and the other to passively listen (or push back, as the case may be). it was truly beautiful to see ... and, wouldn't you know it, the boat docked each time without a scratch.
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| so grateful for their generosity and hospitality! |
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