01-28FEB23 - Sultan, WA (🚑the visit of 7 cajuns & 2 ER trips👨‍🏭)

Saturday AM, 04FEB, off to watch grandson Jaxson’s soccer game.  Tuesday, 07FEB, rain most of the day; Dan finishes taxes:)

Wednesday late AM Dan heads to Stevens Pass for skiing in sunny day; what should have been great ski day was once again ruined by lousy Vail management – starting with parking lot not being plowed at night so hundreds of cars parked on highway shoulder waiting (plowing not done until 1100), porta-potties in parking lots surrounded by snow so you can’t get into them,  seven inches of new snow last night but almost no grooming done, then no employees to monitor parking after lots full resulting in vehicles blocking exit lanes & other skiers forced to drive wrong way down lanes☹

Friday, 10FEB, nice weather; outdoor property maintenance, Dan works on straightening trees that have been “laid overed” by recent winds; start preparing truck for trip to Pitre’s tomorrow.  Saturday early AM, 11FEB, catch Edmonds ferry to the Pitres house in Silverdale, WA; for Mason’s indoor soccer game and daughter Rebecca's b-day.

Then early birthday dinner at The Loft at Latitude 47 for Rebecca (real b-day is 13FEB) in Poulsbo during “Frosty Fest”.  Which is described on the town website as:  Fun and Games, Thrill and Chills for this weekend include a Scavenger Hunt, Poker Run, Viking Games, Viking Bonfire, Glogg Competition, Crafting Parties, Lodging Discounts, Beer Music, a Literary Event and more! This is a fundraiser for the Sea Discovery Center to repair the floating lab and the Poulsbo Sons of Norway Vikings Scholarship Fund.

While waiting for dinner in the restaurant Dan looked out the window and saw a parade of torch carrying Vikings marching down the waterfront (did we mention Poulsbo takes pride in its Scandinavian/Viking heritage?).  So Dan jumped up from dinner to follow what turns out was - Vikings Vailsblot (Valentine) Bonfire. - "Join our Vikings with their sweethearts in their Nordic Valentine’s celebration as they take over Front Street, and end at a bonfire on the waterfront. They’ll light the fire and give a proclamation of love to their sweeties."

The Loft at Latitude Forty Seven Seven (theloftpoulsbo.com)

Frosty Fest 2023 | VISIT Poulsbo

Special Events | HDPA (historicdowntownpoulsbo.com)

After dinner it was back to their house and cribbage.  Sunday early AM we pack up the truck & head home to unload the truck and not much else done the rest of the day.  Corrie cooks batch of her delicious wings for TV dinner while watching superbowl.

Valentine’s day (first dry V-day in Seattle since 2009); we continue our prep’ing for Saturday’s visitors.  Wednesday, 15FEB, Dan heads to Stevens Pass ski area to enjoy bluebird morning of skiing before running errands in afternoon.  Before dinner we move RV out of garage & set it up for our guests arriving on Saturday.

Friday most of day spent getting house, shop, bonus room and RV ready for tomorrow’s visitors (our son Joe & wife Bethany, granddaughter Coraline, step grandchildren Lily & Noah, mother-in-law June Chiasson, brother-in-law Zack Chiasson (last here in FEB2020)).  And rumor has it that daughter Rebecca and the grandboys (Jaxson & Mason)will be here on Sunday🙃

The Ryan RV Express: 01-29FEB20 - Sultan, WA (skiing🎿 & snowboarding🏂)

Saturday AM, 18FEB, off to SeaTac airport.  Joe, Bethany, June, Noah, Lily & Coraline on one plane from NOLA; Zach on another plane from Nashville.  After collecting all the people and all their luggage, six of us head to Pancake Chef for breakfast/lunch; while Joe, Bethany, & Coraline head to car rental.  Car rental problems occur & Joe, Bethany & Coraline don’t get to restaurant, and we all meet up at our house later.

The Pancake Chef

Chaos ensues trying to figure out sleeping arrangements & whose luggage is whose.

After the dust settles, hilarity prevails with new card game called ?????.

Sunday late AM, 19FEB, all four Pitres show up to visit with Joe & his “cajun family”.  Around noon we “all” jump in three cars and head to Stevens Pass Nordic Ski Area.  First stop is at mile 39 on US2 to view the scenic Skykomish River rapids area.

Then on to Stevens Pass Nordic Ski area for sledding (first snow seen & played in by most of the Chiasson family).

Then Pitre’s head home and the rest of us head to Leavenworth, WA.  To visit the area of town modeled on a German Alpine village.  Leavenworth is world famous for their xmas light display that goes up about turkey day and remain up until the end of February.  Of course santa’s daily visit to the town square, the oompah band, corallers, venders, etc, stopped in early January.  But we could find parking and there weren’t 40 thousand tourists in the streets.!  Early dinner at Andreas Keller Restaurant (excellent german food).  After dinner was walkabout to check out the shops & view the lights as the sun set.

Andreas Keller Restaurant

Then long slow drive in the dark back to house in Sultan.  First half of drive is in rain which turns to heavy snow by the top of Stevens Pass and back to heavy rain for last 1/3 of drive (definitely slow going).

Monday early AM Joe, Zach Chiasson & Noah Chiasson head to Stevens Pass Ski Area for day of snowboarding (leaving Dan with all the ladies).  Unfortunately Zack injuries left shoulder/clavicle significantly and requires a trip to the Monroe ER☹

Tuesday, 21FEB, everyone in two cars heads to Stevens Pass Ski (except for injured Zach); Lily and Bethany scheduled for lessons in morning, but we arrive late and they are rescheduled for afternoon.  Moderate snow throughout day.

Wednesday early, early, AM Dan takes Zach to SeaTac airport to fly home and get treatment on his injured left shoulder/clavicle.  Interesting drive starting with rain, then slushy rain; heavy snow/blizzard and ending with rain.  Back at home everyone (but Corrie) heads out to sight-see at Snoqualmie Falls.

Next stop is the town of Snoqualmie where we meet Rebecca, Jaxson & Mason for a walk about (town is pretty much ”dead” waiting for the tourist season to start).

Then off to Rattlesnake Lake for a walk-about in freezing weather.  Then back home for excellent fajita dinner prepared by Corrie.

Thursday, 23FEB, wake up to below freezing temps & wind☹ Joe & Noah take off for skiing, leaving Dan and ladies at house.  Around lunch time ladies take off first to visit Reptile Zoo outside Monroe, WA; then onto Snohomish, WA, for sightseeing and shopping.

Friday AM Dan, Joe, Bethany & Noah head up skiing to Stevens Pass Sk.  Beautiful day but Noah breaks left wrist and once again off to ER in Monroe, WA☹

Dan goes home and Rebecca, Jaxson & Mason are there to visit with Joe.  Grandboys keep Coraline very entertained outside.

Both large bones in Noah’s left wrist broken and may need surgery after returning home to Houma, LA.  After an all too short visit from Rebecca & the boys, they head home to Silverdale.  Rest of the evening spent getting ready for tomorrow’s early AM drive to SeaTac airport.

Saturday AM, 25FEB, early start with everyone and their luggage to get to SeaTac airport for the 10AM flight back to New Orleans.  No problems with drive and return of rental car.

Then we head back home to recuperate from seven days of constant activity (and noise:)!  While putting RV back in garage we couldn’t bring slide in because of one inch of solid ice on top of the slide awning.

Sunday not much done just putting house, RV, & bonus room back together from recent cajun visitors.  Tuesday (last day of FEB) wake up to one inch of snow on ground and already turning to slush and gone in two hours; followed by different snow/rain/sleet until early afternoon.