Pacific Northwest Trip 2026- part 2

It is tradition when we are in Washington to visit Nisqually Wildlife Refuge. Sometimes it's just a few of us. Sometimes it's the whole family.

This year, Grandma, Grandpa, all my kids, and I headed there. We enjoyed the wooded area.

Nichole got some awesome pictures. We left the birding camera with Jeremy so he could get some pictures in California.

I got some juggling pictures and videos.

My in-laws let us continue on to the looooong boardwalk without them. We saw some snakes along the way.

When we got to the boardwalk, Lucky wasn't feeling the best so he and I headed back to the parking lot while Nichole, Jr., Jr. Jr., and Jet continued on to the end and back.

Nichole was happy to inform me that the bald eagle from last time we made the trip was hanging out at its usual spot. 

When Lucky and I got back to the van and explained the situation to my in-laws, we got him some food and he took a nap while I started a book I needed to read for another online book club.

Lucky felt better after his nap.

Nichole took so many good pictures of so many things. I really had to limit what to put on this post. 

When she and the other boys got back, we ate lunch, chilled for a while, then headed out. Jet fell asleep on the short drive.

After Nisqually, we went to visit more in-laws: Jeremy's brother, sister-in-law, with their kids. Jeremy's sister came with one of her kids that day as well. More family time!

Jeremy's brother's family has ducks and a couple of geese. Jet had fun feeding the ducks last time we visited. This time, he did so again (and helped collect eggs) and this time he got to feed the geese. 

One of the geese is very protective of the other goose and will chase away ducks. It, however, got so comfortable with Jet that at one point, Jet was sitting on a blanket and the goose waddled up to him while making contented noises then sat right next to Jet so Jet could pet him.

So cute.

I had a good time chatting with family.   

Nature and family. I love them.

Walks

I have been enjoying getting out for walks in the mornings when I can. I've done a lot along the lake. It's been fun to see the changes in the lake from Winter to Spring, from frozen to unfrozen.

Here are some of my morning pictures from my walks or brief stops by the lake to get a look.

 

January

 

February

March 

Sometimes I take walks along the river or the Provo River Delta.

This wildlife viewing tower is where I was in the last picture. I took the picture of the tower from over by that tree way behind me.

Sometimes I walk at local parks. I love living in a place where there are mountains all around.

 

While we're talking about the lake (or let's go back to talking about the lake), Jeremy and I went out to Utah Lake State Park one day and got to see some cool ice stacks. Here are some pictures of them.

I already mentioned ice stacks I saw on Valentine's Day.

 

And while I'm going back to talking about things, somehow I missed mentioning on my blog (probably because I was falling asleep while trying to catch up) that on March 3, besides being National Cold Cuts Day and Soup It Forward Day, it was also World Wildlife Day and I went to the Provo River Delta for a walk but also got to see a long-tailed duck, a duck I don't see that often. Yippee! 

Another day, Jeremy and a couple of the kids were able to go see it. Also yippee!

 

Our Vacation, Thy Creations, and Our Relations- Part 12

Road Trip!

Jeremy's parents and we met up with Jeremy's brother and his family at Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium. Jet really enjoyed it.

"Fish in the water. Look at the cool baby fish."

"Roar!"

"Look at the crab."

Touch pools are always fun. Jet learned to be gentle with the starfish.

The animal show was fun, too. It's hard to get an in-focus shot of a vulture when it's flying right at you, though. 

We didn't get to see any puffins in the wild during our coast trips but we were able to watch them at the zoo.

We got closer looks at common murres, too, which we did see out in the wild.

We always get a picture with the gorilla statue at Hogle Zoo so it's fun when we can get a picture with Ivan. If you've read (or watched) The One and Only Ivan, the statue at Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium is of that gorilla.

Uncles and cousins are so fun. 

1,2,3, Whee!

Jet really took to his cousins. He did not want to be separated from them. So much so that when it was time for them to go home to get things ready for us to visit their house after the zoo, he was in tears, hand outstretched, crying for his cousins. Ahhhh.

After the zoo we did indeed visit them at their house and Jet loved meeting their ducks and helping feed them.

He also helped collect eggs.

Jr. Jr. helped, too, including cleaning. Thanks, boys.

 

Back at Jeremy's parents' house, we celebrated Eat Your Jello Day on July 12 and were tuckered out after another full fun day.

I'll share more of our wonderful vacation later.