Pike Place Market... and other sights

Hey guys! 

Time is passing really, really, really quickly here! I'm keeping busy! 

This week I spent about a half of each day in my classroom. The classroom is probably about half of the size of last year's classroom. And there is one cabinet for storage. You saw how many boxes of school stuff I brought with me, so that has been my challenge this week: how to find a place for everything and still make the room attractive? I think I have most of the organization done and I'm ready to start beautifying the room and working on boards. 

I've also spent some time being lost in Seattle (kind of sounds like the name of a book or movie, huh? "Lost in Seattle", lol). As I've run errands here an there I try to turn my GPS off on my way home and just let myself be a little lost. I head in the general direction of home and wander through the streets. Then when I've taken in as many sights as my little eyes can see, I turn on the GPS again and find my way home.

And of course, I've spent some time seeing the sights. It still takes me by surprise when I come up over a rise in the road and find a mountain or mountains on the horizon on the other side. I never, ever, ever thought I would live near the mountains. It makes my heart sing to see them all around me. 

I've been down to Puget Sound and really enjoyed the water. I'll have to take my camera down there and get some decent pictures. I'm not pleased with the way the ones on my phone turned out. Meanwhile, you can enjoy some pictures of Pike Place Market. I visited twice this week, once with my mom and then again with one of my roommates (C) and her mom.

Excuse the bugginess and blurriness of this picture. I wanted to show you my view as I drive to the school. Can you believe that I am still very much in the city at this point? I love how nature is so intermingled in and embraced by the city of Seattle! It hardly feels like a big city!

Hey, hey! I use this website ALL. THE. TIME!

Lots of people. Oh. And the original Starbucks. ;)
The line to go to this Starbucks reached all the way down to the end of the block (the end of the red brick building).

They have the original Starbucks logo here...

Seattle is all about fresh, organic, locally grown foods. This place looked really good, but I didn't try it. Maybe next time when I go and am hungry.

Locally grown, fresh herbs.

All natural!

Locally grown fresh produce!

Locally caught seafood!

More locally grown, organic, fresh produce... are we sensing a theme here? Haha!

There are so many fresh flowers all around Seattle, not just at Pike Place or the Farmer's Markets. They are everywhere! And they are so cheap! You can get many of these bouquets for just $5-$10!!!

There were lots of fun little things to see around Pike Place Market as well...

These were really yummy donuts.

We ate lunch at this place. Mom's blackened salmon salad was super good!

"Down Under" the main street market there were even more shops! And below that, there are even MORE shops! I'm not sure that I've even seen them all yet!

This pic is a giant piggy bank. Put your spare change in to help... someone. (I can't remember who exactly. oops!)

This is a "living statue". She would move around for a few seconds after someone put a tip in her jar. She did a really good job... didn't blink ever when she was in her frozen position!

Such an adorable little shop! I want to stop here sometime!

Tall buildings! They are so pretty.

This is the "Gum Wall". Ewwwwwwwwwwwwwww! And it had a nasty smell too. So much gum!

Creative. Spell your name with gum, haha!

A Seattle totem pole! The birds seem to appreciate it.

The ferris wheel downtown, and some cool-looking bridges.

This is a nice little park area to look out on the Sound. But it appears also to be a haven for lots of homeless people. There were so many homeless people with their packs sleeping all around the park.

I love the flowers growing on the roofline at Pike Place Market.

This is the view mom and I had as we ate lunch at Lowell's. 

Beautiful mountains! I can't believe I live here!!!

More mountains. :)

Mount Rainier... I pop over a rise on the freeway and bam! The mountain is there in all its glory. I get to look at it as I drive for a little bit as I head south on I-5. I think that it is a bit hazardous to have such beautiful scenery around when I'm driving! Haha! This is what I see as I get off on my exit. (And yes, I am stopped as I took this picture)

And my classroom. This is the mess I've been working on this week. The teacher before me was pretty organized, but then I brought all of my stuff and I had to reorganize everything. This is looking in from the door of my classroom.

And this is looking in the other direction, with the door leading to the outside right behind me. The classroom is green! It matches all of my decor from last year! Yay!!!! 

I'm glad that I go against the traffic both ways to school. I head north (leaving Seattle) in the morning, and south (heading into the city) in the evening. This picture was taken at about 4pm.