Maya's Birthday

Yes. Yesterday was Maya's birthday. As per the usual routine, we skipped school and work to head out on a great day of adventure.

It is well understood that I am just along for the ride - the day is planned, within reason, by the birthday girl.

So....I give you "Maya's Birthday 2007" (10 years old - OMG!)

It is 5:00 am and we are opening presents. 5:00 AM!!

"The 1506 to King Street Station will be arriving in 6 minutes."

We were lucky enough to ride the train half-way with my friend and co-worker John. He, by the way, tried to get the conductor to wish Maya a happy birthday over the loudspeaker, but it didn't happen. It was a valiant effort and John gets huge kudos for it in my book.

We are off the train and headed into the International District to cause trouble. You don't mess with a gang of girls with Spongebob umbrellas, no-siree-bob. (Or is that no-siree-spongebob?)

Finally, to what I consider the most important stop of the morning - Seattle's Best. (Starbucks is terrible and highly overrated and is bitter and doesn't add the delicious white chocolate shavings on the whip cream. Just in case you needed to know.) Check out Maya's Strawberry Steamer Moustache!

Of course, the inevitable picture at Pike's Place Market.

And ferries. Can't forget about the ferries.

Sophie's face in this picture is the funniest thing I have seen in a long time. I just had to include it.

We walked through Seattle' s new Sculpture Park down along the water. Yes, I know, it's grey - but I love, love, love this area anyway. Our sunshine seems to mean it more when it decides to come out.

The Seattle aquarium down at the waterfront was our next destination. It's always been one of my favorite stops. These are the same kind of anemones that we saw on our Kalaloch trip.

The INSANELY cool fish dome thing. I could sit in here all day.

Who knew that ferns came in orange? These were my favorite things at the aquarium this year.

The aquarium is undergoing a renovation and has now finished it's new "Touch" exhibit. It is humongous and is actually two separate areas. This one was great - hermit crabs, starfish, anemones, sea cucumbers, etc. The other one has rising tides and crashing surf and is a bit more "involved" than we really wanted to deal with.


This cool ramp was worth almost an hour of Heely (those irritating roller skate shoes - you know the ones) entertainment.

We always stop at "Ye Olde Curiosity Shop" to look at the mummies, the shrunken heads, the two headed calf and the pickled pig with two heads, three eyes, eight legs and , strangely enough, two ears. This gentleman wishing Maya a happy birthday is "Sylvester". He is famous.

And this is Sylvia who might look, in her mummified state, to be screaming - but I am actually almost sure she is yawning. No need to be scared.

And now, I present three of my most favorite pictures of the day. Look at them in larger form because they are totally worth it......

The Viking and the Pimp

Hours of fun in this hat section. Literally hours.

Ha! This makes me laugh like an idiot every time I see it.

I hope you all had a fantastic March 7th.

Sophie's adventure will be April 4th for anyone keeping track.