Well, the weekend really started with the midnight showing of New Moon in the wee hours of November 20th, which was FAR better than Twilight!! I have not read the books, nor am I a huge fan, but my girls are, so I've got to keep in the loop. Samantha was with a friend in one theater and I was by my lonesome in another, but that is OK. The movie didn't start on time as there was trouble (again), so we didn't get home until close to 3am, and Samantha had to be at the school to leave for her band clinic in Seattle at 7:15am!
I wouldn't mind seeing New Moon again. What did you think of it?
(p.s. my grocery store clerk at Albertsons looks like "Jacob")
Since Samantha was going to be performing at WIBC in Seattle, the family decided to make a little vacation around it. However, the rest of us didn't leave town until 5pm and rolled into Seattle around 12:30am.
That left a full day the next day to see some sights so we headed to the Aquarium.
Here the diver has a rock fish of some sort on her that is like a pet.
He comes out to claim her as his territory everytime she comes in the tank. Isn't that funny?
Huge tank!
After the auarium was Pike Place Market.It was super cool! Brad and I loved it. It was a cool mix of Montreal and Boston.
I wish we could have gone into each little eclectic shop, bought all the neat imports and sampled all the yummy looking food! (except all the fush- YUCK!)
We ate dinner at Lowell's at the market and had a nice view of the sound
We ate dinner at Lowell's at the market and had a nice view of the sound 
This picture is too funny not to share. This is Ethan leaving the bathroom once the girls went in after him and informed him that he had walked into the girls bathroom! :o)
Brad was SO thrilled to be pumping his own gas again!
The next day we went to the "Experience Music Project/ Science Fiction Museum"
They also had a room where you could perform and create your own music video of sorts. You picked from their selection of tracks and then went in the room and basically played rock band on a real stage with a simulated audience while they taped you and took a picture.
Brad was SO thrilled to be pumping his own gas again!
The next day we went to the "Experience Music Project/ Science Fiction Museum"Even the building was "artsy"
Inside was one very cool music museum. We ended up spending 4.5 hours here.
Inside was one very cool music museum. We ended up spending 4.5 hours here.It was definitely heavy into the electric guitar and by the time we were done I did not want to hear another electric guitar solo for a very long time.
Music sculpture
All that aside it was a really neat hands on place. The kids could practice on real instruments in real soundproof studio rooms. VERY COOL!
They also had a room where you could perform and create your own music video of sorts. You picked from their selection of tracks and then went in the room and basically played rock band on a real stage with a simulated audience while they taped you and took a picture. Here's our picture of our band-we didn't buy the dvd.
After our "music experience" we headed across the street to the Space Needle. It was the most expensive elevator ride I have ever taken! It was fun though, and cool to see the city all lit up. Seattle is a very pretty city.
We went home and got up the next morning to go see what Samantha had been up to all weekend while we were touring around Seattle.
Here is some video of the band performing. Unfortunately it is very hard to see Samantha, but you can still enjoy the music :D
After our "music experience" we headed across the street to the Space Needle. It was the most expensive elevator ride I have ever taken! It was fun though, and cool to see the city all lit up. Seattle is a very pretty city.
We went home and got up the next morning to go see what Samantha had been up to all weekend while we were touring around Seattle. Samantha was accepted by audition into the WIBC band. WIBC stands for Western International Band Clinic and basically involves, as far as the students are concerned 3 full days of rehearsals with different conductors and a final performance.
We are very proud of Samantha for having been accepted into this band clinic as a freshman. These are the best band kids in all of Oregon and Washington and a smattering from other nearby states. Only a handful of students from her school were selected, so we are very proud of her.
Here is some video of the band performing. Unfortunately it is very hard to see Samantha, but you can still enjoy the music :DCONGRATULATIONS SAMANTHA!
You did a great job!
