This place looks familiar?

As many/most/all of you know from personal experience, I dragged my sorry ass back to Seattle for another 2 week Christmas blitz. The special treat this time was that I was bringing my good friend Secil along for her first trip to the good ol' U.S. of A. With so much to do and see, it was time to break out the handy checklist to make sure we got it all in:

1. Dress up and go to a 'real' football game.

2. Spend Christmas Eve with the family, showing off traditional American customs.

3. Hang out with Santa of course,

and spend more time with family (what, no spoons?).

4. Visit the lavender capital of the world (i.e. Sequim).

5. Pimp ourselves out for an evening on the town,

with the more of that family too.

6. Oh yeah, see those Seattle landmarks:

(yes we went up to the top)

(yes we saw the flying fish and the 1st Starbucks)

(yes we ate at Dicks)

7. Hang out with people we vaguely remember from Madrid, and check to see if any of them are pregnant (turns out one of them is).

8. Lots of other really cool American and Seattle stuff that I just don't have enough time to show.

It was great to see everyone and get to play tourist in Seattle (I have no idea the last time I went up in the Needle), but most of all I was glad I was able to spend some quality time with and ultimately say goodbye to my Grandma who passed away on our last full day in town. She was an amazing lady who led an amazing life.

I love you and I miss you Grandma.