Presidents Day Weekend 2007 - Day ½
All week I had only been half thinking about our trip this weekend. It was so bad that I even forgot to print my packing list (I do this every trip to make sure I don't forget or leave anything). Even on as the day progressed I didn't think much about it. I did end up packing late on Thursday though. -_-
I made sure to leave work at a reasonable time (or rather on time since I have been typically going home 10 minutes more late these days). When I got home we packed up the car and were out the door within 45 minutes (a new record I think).
We filled up the car with gas and then stopped by grandma's to drop off the cat food for Karen to feed Sam before heading out. I was impressed at how fast we managed to get going. There were no snags either. ^_^
Bo drove and I slept all the way to Tacoma. It wasn't a completely peaceful ride, we hit traffic near Fort Lewis which for some reason made my kids become overly loudly vocal. -_- My daughter said something to my son in anger and Bo pointed out almost instantly that she had made a Haiku. It defused the problem amusingly. I don't know when Bo became so proficient at spotting Haiku. ^_^
We stopped at Eriks for a brief visit. Erik had watched his Shawn of the Dead movie and we were all quoting from it. Bo was signaling that he wanted to go after only a short while so I pushed the kids to gather downstairs so we could get dinner. I invited Erik but he said he had plans already.
Dinner was decidedly Red Robin. I can't get enough of this place, mostly because I only really ever get to go while we are up in Tacoma (despite the large number of them in the Beaverton/Tigard area). We were worried that it would be busy but I wanted to go anyway.
As expected it was busy. Undeterred we parked and headed inside to see what the wait would be like for 4 people. The host said it would be 10 minutes, which is not too bad so I had them, put down my last name. They spelled it wrong but I let it be hoping they would be able to understand it when they called for out seats.
I decided to take a quick restroom break and when I returned to the lobby I mistook a kid from another family as my son (only briefly). Strangely enough my son and daughter were soon talking with this same kid and his brother over their DS games. My son and the kid in the green shirt (the one I mistook for my son had a grey shirt on) started battling in Mario Cart on their DS'.
We were called to be seated in no time (the host to seat us was the one who wrote down the name and she still couldn't remember how to pronounce it). The waiter came up to take our drink order and I noticed my son was still playing his DS instead of deciding what he wanted. As it turned out he was still battling the other kid in the green shirt. We were ready to order so I ordered for him and got everything coming on its way to our table. I had to order for my son because he refused to stop playing. Part of this was because he kept loosing. ^_^
I decided to try their Hawaiian smoothie because it looked good and my throat was hurting a bit. It was as good as I had expected. I also got to fish and I don't think I have ever seen such large pieces of fish. There were 4 of them and they were all huge. I ended up giving 2 of them to my daughter. -_- The food was good all around. I had contemplated desert but there would just be no time.
My son finished his food really fast and didn't get seconds on anything. He was so focused on trying to win that he didn't think of much else. -_- My daughter wanted in on the act too and so we got her DS from the car. It didn't work out so well for her though because she didn't actually have the game. They tried to play with her anyway but we figure that the guy in the green shirt selected multiple cartridges thinking my daughter had the game too. Perhaps she will be picking it up now. ^_^
My son walked over to talk with the other two boys sometime not long after finishing his food. He spent the rest of the time talking with them before we headed out. They apparently are on Runescape as well so he got their online names so he could look them up. ^_^ Their dad didn't look too thrilled that his sons were taking so much time talking but generally seemed to be ok with my kids talking to his. We all ended up leaving at the same time.
It was my turn to drive so we headed on our way. For some reason I forgot that the off ram to I-5 hear the Red Robin was not open northbound and ended up having to head back to 56th to get on freeway. Naturally about a mile or so up the freeway I suddenly remembered that I needed to update my Tracfone before the end of the day. -_- I could have bought a card at one of the Safeways in Tacoma but I had to wait to remember until we were already headed north. I decided that we would stop in North Bend to buy one in stead.
I was a little apprehensive worrying that I was already too late but for the most part the drive was uneventful. When I stopped in North Bend I didn't see the cards but it turns out that you buy them through the cashier and they give you a receipt that you use to input the information. I also stupidly found out that you have to use either the computer (which I normally use but wasn't plausible in the case) or a second phone to update the time. I was certain I had screwed it up and would have to buy another card. -_- Thankfully I tried it from the payphone outside the gas station we were at and was able to update the phone with no problems. I plan to buy a years worth of service but not until I get back at the least.
Since we stopped in North Bend there was no real reason to stop at Indian John Hill like we always do. The pass was uneventful but sometimes hard to see the lines thanks to all the sand on the roads. My new tires were working fine as well. So I decided to wait until Rygrass to take a break. Just past Ellensburg I got TIRED. I managed to keep it together until Rygrass but that was all I was able to do. Bo thankfully took over from there.
After out stop I got settled in the passenger's seat and the last thing I remember was leaving the rest area. I then remember arriving at my parent's driveway. I apparently was that tired. I decided to get ready and go straight to bed as well. I was still tired!
I made sure to leave work at a reasonable time (or rather on time since I have been typically going home 10 minutes more late these days). When I got home we packed up the car and were out the door within 45 minutes (a new record I think).
We filled up the car with gas and then stopped by grandma's to drop off the cat food for Karen to feed Sam before heading out. I was impressed at how fast we managed to get going. There were no snags either. ^_^
Bo drove and I slept all the way to Tacoma. It wasn't a completely peaceful ride, we hit traffic near Fort Lewis which for some reason made my kids become overly loudly vocal. -_- My daughter said something to my son in anger and Bo pointed out almost instantly that she had made a Haiku. It defused the problem amusingly. I don't know when Bo became so proficient at spotting Haiku. ^_^
We stopped at Eriks for a brief visit. Erik had watched his Shawn of the Dead movie and we were all quoting from it. Bo was signaling that he wanted to go after only a short while so I pushed the kids to gather downstairs so we could get dinner. I invited Erik but he said he had plans already.
Dinner was decidedly Red Robin. I can't get enough of this place, mostly because I only really ever get to go while we are up in Tacoma (despite the large number of them in the Beaverton/Tigard area). We were worried that it would be busy but I wanted to go anyway.
As expected it was busy. Undeterred we parked and headed inside to see what the wait would be like for 4 people. The host said it would be 10 minutes, which is not too bad so I had them, put down my last name. They spelled it wrong but I let it be hoping they would be able to understand it when they called for out seats.
I decided to take a quick restroom break and when I returned to the lobby I mistook a kid from another family as my son (only briefly). Strangely enough my son and daughter were soon talking with this same kid and his brother over their DS games. My son and the kid in the green shirt (the one I mistook for my son had a grey shirt on) started battling in Mario Cart on their DS'.
We were called to be seated in no time (the host to seat us was the one who wrote down the name and she still couldn't remember how to pronounce it). The waiter came up to take our drink order and I noticed my son was still playing his DS instead of deciding what he wanted. As it turned out he was still battling the other kid in the green shirt. We were ready to order so I ordered for him and got everything coming on its way to our table. I had to order for my son because he refused to stop playing. Part of this was because he kept loosing. ^_^
I decided to try their Hawaiian smoothie because it looked good and my throat was hurting a bit. It was as good as I had expected. I also got to fish and I don't think I have ever seen such large pieces of fish. There were 4 of them and they were all huge. I ended up giving 2 of them to my daughter. -_- The food was good all around. I had contemplated desert but there would just be no time.
My son finished his food really fast and didn't get seconds on anything. He was so focused on trying to win that he didn't think of much else. -_- My daughter wanted in on the act too and so we got her DS from the car. It didn't work out so well for her though because she didn't actually have the game. They tried to play with her anyway but we figure that the guy in the green shirt selected multiple cartridges thinking my daughter had the game too. Perhaps she will be picking it up now. ^_^
My son walked over to talk with the other two boys sometime not long after finishing his food. He spent the rest of the time talking with them before we headed out. They apparently are on Runescape as well so he got their online names so he could look them up. ^_^ Their dad didn't look too thrilled that his sons were taking so much time talking but generally seemed to be ok with my kids talking to his. We all ended up leaving at the same time.
It was my turn to drive so we headed on our way. For some reason I forgot that the off ram to I-5 hear the Red Robin was not open northbound and ended up having to head back to 56th to get on freeway. Naturally about a mile or so up the freeway I suddenly remembered that I needed to update my Tracfone before the end of the day. -_- I could have bought a card at one of the Safeways in Tacoma but I had to wait to remember until we were already headed north. I decided that we would stop in North Bend to buy one in stead.
I was a little apprehensive worrying that I was already too late but for the most part the drive was uneventful. When I stopped in North Bend I didn't see the cards but it turns out that you buy them through the cashier and they give you a receipt that you use to input the information. I also stupidly found out that you have to use either the computer (which I normally use but wasn't plausible in the case) or a second phone to update the time. I was certain I had screwed it up and would have to buy another card. -_- Thankfully I tried it from the payphone outside the gas station we were at and was able to update the phone with no problems. I plan to buy a years worth of service but not until I get back at the least.
Since we stopped in North Bend there was no real reason to stop at Indian John Hill like we always do. The pass was uneventful but sometimes hard to see the lines thanks to all the sand on the roads. My new tires were working fine as well. So I decided to wait until Rygrass to take a break. Just past Ellensburg I got TIRED. I managed to keep it together until Rygrass but that was all I was able to do. Bo thankfully took over from there.
After out stop I got settled in the passenger's seat and the last thing I remember was leaving the rest area. I then remember arriving at my parent's driveway. I apparently was that tired. I decided to get ready and go straight to bed as well. I was still tired!