HOME!!!

After many appointments where we were told the baby's blood counts weren't high enough, Tuesday was the big day. The counts got high enough for us to visit home for a couple days!!

So, Tuesday night we arrived here.

Within 30 minutes, we were eating dinner and the baby almost had a high enough temperature to go straight back to Seattle. But, it didn't go so high and we were able to stick around for a while...phew.

Thursday morning, I had the children bring me books from downstairs. We don't read them anymore, and so they collect a LOT of dust and spiders.

The above pile was at least a foot tall in the middle, and didn't even include half the books that were downstairs. It was so nice to clear some out.
It was so nice to eat off our own plates and real silverware (that isn't so thin it bends when you take a bite). We're bringing some dishes and silverware back with us tomorrow, for Seattle use. I figure if we have to rinse dishes so well at the house we're in over there, it won't be much more hassle to use our own dishes and just keep them in our own cupboard.

The children loved playing outside in the backyard. I loved not having to go out with them or worry about them being outside without an adult.

They created a secret "kid's club," which was basically a made-up living space behind a tree. They even hung a tarp to keep it secret. ;)

Lilly and Maggie also were "sweeping and cleaning" a small corner of the backyard.

Our apple blossoms. It's Apple Blossom time in the Wenatchee Valley.

My pretty salmon flowers.

Today, we went to the Apple Blossom Youth Parade.

Next week is the big parade, but Kelly was in this one, so we went.

Great traditions.

The pictuer above is this year's apple blossom queen.

The Grand Marshal this year was Walt, the mascot for the Wenatchee Wild hockey team.

The two (actually 4) wheeled Batmobile.

The tooth fairy's assistant

Our firefighting friends

The cage many parents wished they had for their children

Kelly

She went to her friend's house this morning at 7:00AM to get ready.

Alyssa's mom, Cami, did their hair.

Kelly had fun because Cami used so much hairspray.

My little-looking house.

The Seattle house I'm staying in is only 8 years old.

My house was built in 1921.

So, each of the last 3 times we've been able to visit home, I've been busy cleaning up and updating more than what we did a few years ago when we bought the house.

This time was paint.

Here's our new fireplace wall. I loved the color. It's Glidden "homemade butterscotch."

Everytime I told the children that, they thought the paint was homemade by me somehow.

I bought new curtains that aren't see-through. The previous ones were, but I loved them.

These new ones are plain, but elegant, in my opinion.

They're actually a darker goldish color.

My piano that I miss so much. The wall behind it and the rest of the dining and front rooms, plus the hallway, I painted in the antique white color.

This picture doesn't show it well, but the color is like a light yellow. Gorgeous!!

It was so nice to see so many friends at the parade today, at the grocery store, at our home, at the school, at church, and everywhere else!! I love my not-too-small small town!