Stephanie & Seattle

On August 11th Hilary, Brandi (a friend and co-worker), and I drove to Seattle. We bought tickets to the book signing and mini-concert Stephenie Meyer and Justin Furstenfeld from Blue October were putting on. It was so much fun.

On the drive up my navigator (Hilary) read the mileage wrong on one of the legs from mapquest so we didn't stop for gas when we really should have. I kept watching all the road signs praying for a gas station before we ran out of gas. It was in the middle of nowhere and we were going thru all kinds of canyons. Beautiful, but a little scary for 3 women on a road trip. We finally found a gas station (before we ran out of gas) and it was a little podunk town that just made us laugh even harder. When we went inside to use the restroom, there was a slide chain on the door. I don't know how you all use the restroom, but I don't usually need to peek out to make sure the coast is clear. It still makes me giggle to think of it.

When we got to our hotel in Kent I was a little worried. I had asked my step-brother Danny which areas to avoid so we wouldn't put ourselves in danger but was still a little leery. When we pulled up to our hotel there was an ambulance just leaving with their lights on, and 3 police cars in the parking lot. I asked the Kip like front desk clerk (think Napoleon Dynamite) if I needed to worry and he let me know it was only a traffic accident.

We got into our hotel room and Hilary and I got the giggles. This happens when we are away from home and a little tired. We were laughing so hard I didn't think Brandi could hear her husband during their phone call. It was just about perfect.

The next morning we decided to go to the Space Needle and do a little sight seeing. We asked the morning front desk clerk for directions into town. She quickly told us to take the I-5 in. Only problem was, we don't know where the I-5 is. I had to ask her for directions to her directions. She just looked at me like I was a complete idiot. Again I had to laugh. We drove directly to the Space Needle and had a great time looking around. Then we took the Monorail to the downtown shopping mall and walked 5 blocks to the Pike St. Market. This was one of the coolest things I have ever seen. Other than a disgusting, but brief, fish smell it was great. We found fresh fruit (which I bought for Hilary and Brandi to share), fresh flower bouquets and lots of odds and ends. Hilary kept wishing we could buy more fruit because it was the best she had ever eaten. We then walked back past the mall and had lunch at the Cheescake Factory. It was delicious. We all had to take our cheesecake home because we were too full. After this we made our way back to the Space Needle and our car and went back to the hotel to get ready for the concert and book signing.

Hilary and I had made shirts for the book signing this time. And we wore them with pride. It was so much fun, and we were 2 of many in Twilight t-shirts. We LOVED the singing and the question and answer period. I liked Blue October before, but now I will keep track of when they have a concert nearby so I can see the whole group. The music was amazing and I have a new respect for Justin and his music. After the concert and discussion were over we sat patiently in the auditorium reading our books, or talking to each other. I think security was surprised at how none of us were fighting and causing trouble. The only problems we had were with those working the venue. One person would tell us to spread out a little, then the next person would start yelling to tighten it up. One old lady kept following me with her arms out like she was blocking me from going the wrong way. We had to laugh because I was just following where she was directing the line. And she was about a head shorter than me!! One of the security guys even followed a little girl dressed in a cloak like all 80 pounds of her could do real damage!!

After only 1 wrong turn to get back to our hotel, we made it back and again all of us had the giggles. We had left the air conditioner on and the room was pleasently cold. Hilary and Brandi were both freezing and immediatly jumped under the covers. We watched some of the Olympics and went to bed.

We got up bright and early the next morning, got packed up, gased up, and on the road. We made it home in pretty good time and the mother's couldn't have been more excited to see their little ones. I had to laugh because Hilary kept trying to get me to run pink lights and had her car door open before I actually got the car stopped. She ran to the door of my sister's house just to see her kids again. You would have thought we were gone for months and not just 2 days.

By the time we made it back home, Hadley was asleep, Hallie couldn't believe she was actually home, and Hayden just wanted to be around his mom. I heard Hallie kept walking Hilary around the house to show her that her belongings were all still there. She is too cute.

A great trip that just reaffirmed I will drive just about anywhere for the opportunity to see my new favorite author. I have loved both of the book signings I have been to, and hope she continues to have them anywhere relatively close!!