Weekend in the Mountains with Max and Amy

We wanted to have one last hurrah with Max and Amy before heading to Texas.  When we met these two shortly after moving to Seattle in 2011 we had no idea that they would become life long friends.  I mean they were our backup for Elin’s birth and we did after all witness their marriage!  Anyway we had sent all our stuff to Dallas and Max had a ultra marathon up in the Cascade Mountains so we were in for a weekend in the mountains with them.

We met up their on Friday night and had a few apps before heading to bed.  Max was up early to head to his race and we missed out on meeting up with him.  He had a great race through the mountains, finished to a blue grass band and had a beer or two before heading back to our group!

Mike, Amy, the kids and myself got up and had some breakfast before letting the kids run around in the backyard.  We then headed into Roslyn to check out the city.  Roslyn was the city that Northern Exposure was filmed and based in.  It was also an old coal mining town and had some pretty cool things to see and check out.  We went to an old theater and had lunch at the Brick Theater.  Fun fact, this is the oldest bar in the State of Washington and it also had a still working running water spittoon, you can read more about that here.After lunch we wandered through town and saw the miners memorial and an old museum before driving through the cemetery that is listed as a historic place.  This cemetery is divided into different plots based on ethnic origin.  As the kiddos slept I wandered through this cemetery in the mountain side and was truly amazed as I was reading the names and the ages of these people, mostly young children who had died.  I went back to the car with a whole new appreciation for modern water, sanitation, food and medicine, it was very humbling.  Anyway, back to the fun weekend.  As Elin slept the boys went swimming and then Amy and I snuck away to the grocery store for a few more supplies.  Then it was back to the house to cook dinner, hot tub, enjoy a fire and a game of Mexican Train dominos before bed.  Sunday came too soon and it was time to have breakfast and pack up.  I started to feel the reality of the impending “good byes” and move in the shower.  I stayed in there for some time not wanting to start the flow of tears for everyone so early.  After the cars were loaded up and the kids had some fun with Max and Amy we said our goodbyes, it was a wonderful weekend, with amazing friends.  Mike and I drove down the mountain back to Seattle for one last night, hands clenched, tears rolling down our faces and nervousness in our hearts.