Love in LaConner

I am not talking about a romantic weekend away kind of love. I am talking about my son's LOVE of tractors. 

We embarked this morning on an adventure, an early celebration of Earth Day (Coming up on April 22nd.).  I thought I'd do what I wanted which was to see the tulip fields, take some cute photos of the kids, and check out some of the places featured in the April issue of Sunset magazine.  So imagine Sawyer's excitement when I pointed out this sign (as we drove through Conway, after exiting I-5 at Exit 221) . . .

While I was busy explaining over and over again why we might need to share the road with tractors (and with bicycles, which were everywhere), we started to see them.  Some were parked in fields that had been recently plowed, but as I started pointing them out we started to see wheels rolling.  And for the rest of the day we saw tractors.  Everywhere.  Working alone.  Working together (one field had at least 6 all plowing at the same time). Plowing.  Planting. Aparantly tulip season is also tractor season. 

So I got my cute photos.

And Sawyer got to see evidence of tractors . . .

followed by an actual tractor planting and refilling with seed and fertilizer.

Then we headed to lunch in LaConner at the La Conner Fruit & Produce Market which I was worried would be overrun with people since I had just read about it in Sunset.  We miraculously found a parking space right in front of the restaurant and transfered the sleeping baby and tired toddler from the car to the restaurant.  Then the tough part, deciding what to order!  After much deliberating, I decided on a pulled pork sandwich and a peanut butter cookie covered with chocolate chips, Sawyer got the kids grilled cheese and a sugar cookie with m&m's, and my mom ordered the reuben.  All of us were VERY happy and VERY full!  I will be going back to try a chocolate peanut butter milkshake and a strawberry shortcake bar cookie. 

The food was awesome, but so was the view!  While my mom stood in line and ordered our food, I nabbed a table by the window where we could see the waterway with the iconic orange bridge and boats passing.   Sawyer was observing the seagulls that were perched on the porch when a friendly employee invited him to go outside with her to feed them.  She gave him some bread and together they placed it on the railing and returned inside to watch the birds feast.  Then as we were waiting for our food, watching boats coming and going, a float plane landed right in front of us with a huge splash and made it's way to the dock.   We took our time eating and before we left, the float plane loaded new passengers, pushed off the dock, and took off again.

I can't go anywhere without visiting a bookstore so our next stop was the Next Chapter Bookstore.  I spent most of my time upstairs in the loft of children's books where I found 



and as I was on my way out I noticed both 

 and  which are now on my "To Read" list.

We made our way back to the car, set off for home, and spotted tons more tractors on our way out of town.  Then to top it all off, just before we got back to I-5, the red lights started flashing and a freight train passed right in front of us.  Those of you who drive around noticing excavators, cranes, fire trucks, and all sorts of other things that your kids love know that it just doesn't get any better!