like a boomerang...: The Adventures of Jill

Hello Everyone!

I have missed sharing my day to day life with you all! This past weekend I had the opportunity of a lifetime to go spend a weekend in Seattle with my cousin Lili to celebrate her birthday! Her fabulous boyfriend, Nick, put us up in a super fancy hotel and gave us cash to go do whatever we wanted in Seattle! It was a blast! On the way to Seattle I got to ride with Matt and Dusty. That's right! The girls stayed with Grandma and Grandpa! This is my first time EVER being away from Addi. We both handled it very well. I missed the girls like crazy, but had so much fun!

On our way to Washington, Matt and I decided to treat our mini vacation (road trip) as a honey moon! We stayed in a suite at a bed and breakfast, we stopped off to see my Grandpa, we ate at a fancy restaurant, we spent time doing whatever we wanted to do in Missoula, MT. It was a blast!

I took TONS of pictures so here they are with an explanation under each!

This is me and my Grandpa (my mom's dad) He currently lives in Billings, MT. He was doing really well and it was great to be able to visit with him for a bit as we were traveling through.

Dusty decided to buckle up in the back! haha...she looped herself in the seatbelt!

Matt with his beef stick cigar!

The bed and breakfast in Missoula had a house dog. Her name was Payton, she wasn't so sure about Dusty staying in "her house"!!

A grasshopper I saw by the river in Missoula.

We got to Missoula just in time to take a long walk along the river. We had never really spent much time in Missoula, but both of us really enjoyed out time there this trip! We really liked the river and the culture of the city.

Dusty decided to go for a swim at her VERY first dog park! She did really well off leash! She's such a great dog!

Here is the Gibson Mansion. This is where we stayed the night. We had the second floor master suite and the front deck all to ourselves! We even had a romantic fire place in the room!

Me on the deck before dinner.

Matt and Dusty on the deck over-looking the gardens.

At 6 AM we had scones and tea (coffee for Matt) delivered to our room. We ate outside on the deck. Then we enjoyed breakfast at 7 AM. French toast, bacon, juice, coffee, tea. YUM!

We arrived in Seattle just in time to surprise my cousin Lili at a restaurant called "the pink door". There is no sign or advertisements for it...you just look for a pink door. I was so nervous about finding it, but once we got there we sat and waited for over an hour. My nerves calmed a bit before they arrived. Nick and Lili were stuck in traffic. (sorry for the sideways pic)

Here are the flowers we bought for Lili at Pike's Market.

My favorite view of the market.

After dinner at the pink door. The surprise went over really well, Lili had no idea I was coming!

The next night we had dinner at a sushi place. I can't remember the name of it, but it was VERY good!

The view of downtown from our hotel room. We could see the space needle too!

The first starbucks, in Pike's Market!

My BEAUTIFUL lili. Our last night together we decided to go get our make-up done at Nordstrom. It was so much fun! We looked really great!

Me with my make-up done!

Lili and Nick at Wild Ginger in Seattle.

Matt and I at Wild Ginger.

Lili and I at Trinity Night Club in Seattle. I had never gone to a night club in Seattle so this was a brand new experience for me! It was so much fun! We had a great time dancing! We even saw some people from Matt's old boat there!

In the morning, Lili and I splurged on a Whole Foods Hotbar breakfast! Yum! Our hotel was right above a Whole Foods Grocery store. Which works for us because we are both health food nuts!

Our sad, sad good-bye by the hotel.

Matt and I by the hotel.

My good-bye time with Dusty in Pioneer Square (where Matt and I got engaged). Dusty has already flown to Los Angeles and leaves tonight to fly out to Australia. She will be Quarantined for 30 days upon arrival. Matt said she went right into her kennel at the airport and the lady who picked her up in LA said she is a "sweet dog". If you think of her, please send up a prayer that she will be calm in her flight tonight and that she will be able to handle the anxiety that comes with being away from all the people she knows and loves. I have had a heavy heart today and it is taking everything for me to not burst out in tears as I type.

Near the area Matt and I got engaged! Aren't the trees beautiful?

Matt and I said our good-byes. He headed toward the ferry (he stays in Washington until he flies out to Australia on Friday) and I headed toward the train station. It was a long 24 hour train ride back to Williston, but I was happy to see these smiling faces when I came home!