Americ-anna

We went back to the states unexpectedly soon, but it was a special trip in many aspects. One month before our trip, our friends at the Pasta shop asked if their 13 year old daughter Marianna could join us as a way to celebrate her final year of middle school. Of course she could come and my parents were equally enthused. It made showing off the Northwest even more exciting. We ventured to Seattle a few times to visit the Villanuevas & Ellingsons, toured around the emerald city by Monorail, drank several starbucks concoctions, and went up the Needle herself. We watched fireworks burst on the 4th of July on the Oregon Coast, and jumped on water trampolines, and cruised the Puget Sound. The passing of Little B brought the whole Ellingson clan together for a cruise to celebrate her life and the 3 most important places to her. We finished off the month flying at the end of a 1,000 foot rope and staring Mt. Rainier in the face. In the end it was lovely, but great to come home to Daddy and ripe red pomodori.