A quick summary of the trip:
Thursday - felt like an eternity waiting for them to arrive! When they did, we relaxed and had lunch in my apartment. Then we walked through Ballard to the government locks. The weather was gorgeous, and the fish ladder was full of salmon swimming for all they were worth. Everyone was pretty wiped out when we got back to my place, so we headed to the hotel (about a 10 minute drive away) and had Dick's burgers for dinner.
Here we are on my rooftop deck, ready to conquer Ballard. Friday - my dad generously offered to come pick me up in the morning, and then we met everyone else back at the hotel for downtown Seattle fun. We walked to Pike Place Market (or what my brother Jon refers to as 'hell'), and enjoyed the vendors and food and tourists. My mom supported some local street artists (who were admittedly, very good), and we all enjoyed some delicious fresh fruit. Because we had a lunch reservation at the Space Needle restaurant to get to, we took the monorail from the shopping district to the city center. I'd heard mixed reviews of the restaurant, but was pleasantly surprised at the quality of everything. Also, it's kind of worth it for the view alone...as long as the weather's nice...and it was another perfect day :)
After lunch, the boys went back to the hotel to rest, and the girls did some more shopping. We all headed back to my place for dinner, stopping on the way to pick up thai food from my favorite restaurant. No one really liked their dinner as much as I did, but I appreciated that they tried. We watched the sunset from my rooftop deck, then the fam went back to the hotel.
Xavi at breakfast. After only one day of hanging out with Auntie Rachel, he was already smiling upon seeing my face :) Okay, it's a hesitant smile, but it still counts!
Jeff and I waiting in line at Piroshki, Piroshki for a delicious pastry pouch full of meat and cheese. Yum. 
My mom and I waiting for the monorail. Who wouldn't be excited for a ride on a monorail?
Jeff, Amie, and I on the observation deck of the Space Needle. It was cooler than I thought. I saw some moutaintops that I've never seen before (Mount Baker and Mount Hood).
Amie and Xavi on a giant slug. I've decided that if I'm ever filthy rich, my estate will be littered with life-size and/or giant animal statues like this one (and the hippo and gorilla at the STL zoo, for those who have been there).
Once Xavi awoke from his coma-like nap, he was very excited to eat some bread at the SkyCity restaurant. 
Lounging on the deck. Xavi was using Jeff as his personal jungle gym...cute.Saturday - we loaded up the minivan nice and early and headed north. Took a ferry to Whidbey Island, and spent several lovely hours exploring the town of Langley. Ate a delicious lunch, and stuck our toes in the frigid water of Puget Sound. Another day with blue skies and sunshine :)
After Whidbey Island, we headed even further north to Tulalip (the #1 place on earth!) for some shopping at the Premium Outlet mall. Fun but exhausting day.
Xavi's first ride on a ferry!
Cute little family :)
Didu and Gigi at whatever lovely winebar/cafe we had lunch at (can't remember the name...something Bistro maybe?).
Me and Amie...enjoying the sunshine and ambience.
Waiting to get on the ferry to go back to the mainland.
Captain Carlos...supported the local economy by purchasing this hat from a very grateful shop owner. Langley (like everything else) has been hit by the recession, and several places I remembered from last year have since gone out of business.
First mate Xavs.
Sunday - we headed to my church, then to the Fremont Farmer's Market afterward. More lovely weather, more walking, more delicious food. I did have to express to my dear loved ones that I am not used to being with people day-in and day-out for many days in a row, and that I was feeling a little grumpy and to please let me be grumpy until I got over it. And I did get over it. We had a relaxing evening at my apartment, and ordered pizza for dinner.
Monday - the one day of less-than-perfect weather. I met my family downtown under the drizzly gray sky. We did more shopping, and went back to Pike Place Market, and made our way to the Ipanema Grill for lunch. It's a Brazilian restaurant that I've been wanting to try for a while now, with rodizio style dining (a.k.a. all you can eat meat smorgasbord). My friends Amy, Kara, and Jon met us there for lunch...and a great time was had by all. I was spoiled (as usual) with many awesome (and unexpected) birthday presents.
After lunch we took a 2 1/2 hour cruise on the harbor, through the locks, and into Lake Union. It's the same cruise I took with my roommate earlier this year. It was fun to be out on the water and learn fun facts about Seattle, and by the end of the cruise, the sun had come out.
That night we hung out at the hotel, and my dad's childhood friend from Brazil stopped by to visit. It was so much fun to talk to him, and hear their stories.
Tuesday morning I met my family at the hotel, and we went to Pike Place Market one last time for breakfast (at a delicious French bakery). At the market, just before bidding farewell to my loved ones, I started to see flashing lights in one eye, and worried that I might be having a stroke or something...but then a half-hour later the debilitating light-sensitive headache hit and I realized that the flashing lights were an aura (some people get them right before they get a migraine). So I spent the rest of the day in bed in the dark.
It was a great visit, and I'm really thankful that they all made the trip, and that the weather was so nice. I look forward to many more visits in the future...but hopefully I will have a bigger place someday so that people can stay with me instead of in a hotel.
