Praying FOR someone is not the same as praying TO someone.
In John 14:6 Jesus said he was the way and no one came to the Father except through him. And in vs. 14 that what we ask in his name he would do, not the saints.
Asking the Saints for the prayers is NOT praying TO them. It is no different that asking any of your loved ones to pray for you except you are affirming that they are alive in Christ when you call upon the Saints to pray FOR you.
This definition from Webster's shows what Catholics mean when they "pray to" someone for something, we're doing exactly what you say, we are "praying" or "asking something for somebody":
(1)PRAY : to ask (someone) to do something usually humbly or as an inferior to a superior : CRAVE (prayed the king to give them land) — often used as a function word in introducing a question, request, or plea (pray tell me the time) (pray let us hurry) — compare PLEASE (2) : to ask earnestly for (something) : supplicate for : BEG (I know not how to pray your patience— Shakespeare) c : to ask (someone) for or on behalf of another (we pray you ... be ye reconciled to God— 2 Cor 5:20 (Authorized Version)...
Webster's Third New International Unabridged Dictionary
If pray is to ask and I ask someone to pray for someone else, then, both can occur at the same event.
The key is whom we believe is God. It is asking for intercessory prayer. Or asking for asking in other terms.
It's really simple if you understand the Church's beliefs since Christ:
1) We are alive in Christ. 2) The Communion of Saints includes the Saints in Heaven. 3) We, the body of Christ, are to pray together and for each other. 4) It matters that we do.
Then if I pray (ask) Mary to "pray for us sinners," you understand why.
You may not agree, but as I've said before, this is your loss, the loss of protestantism, relatively recently.