Snow

Kayley got to experience snow! She wasn’t really sure what to do while sitting in it, but she did have fun kicking her feet in it a bit. Although her snow suit made it so she couldn’t really move that well. She was more a big pink marshmallow. I’m hoping she’s have the opportunity to experience snow again this winter. If not near home, then maybe on a family weekend vacation. We’ll see what happens. 

Ready to go out in the snow

Maimie holding the Pink Marshmallow

"Kayley, this is snow"

Walking in snow

Tad-da! Playing in snow together

The Pink Marshmallow in snow

Through Sun, Rain, Snow and Ice

I didn’t have to drive alone! And I am so thankful for that! My mom joined Kayley and I on our trek back to WA so I wouldn’t have to drive alone with a baby. The northwest was hit with a pretty big snow storm the night before we planned to leave.  Not wanting to drive in snow and ice the whole way, especially with Kayley in the car, we put off our journey home. I had one more day to say goodbye to the house I grew up in.

Goodbye house. I will miss you. You were a good home.

When Tim moved into a different room and our room became my own, I sponge painted it with my Gram Belle.

To avoid the extremely snowy mountain passes, we took the coastal route. We had sun and rain the first day of our drive and drove past my college (sorry HSU peeps, we didn’t have time to stop and say hi). I really enjoy that drive, so I drove all the first day. 

The ocean was really churning

Kayley loved the closet mirror in our hotel room

She slept really well. So cute!

Day two we cut over from 101 to 5 at Grants Pass. We had more rain and we passed by many flooded areas. It was sad to see farm lands, home, and roads flooded. We even saw a farm that was flooded and their cows were standing on the little bit of soggy ground that was out of the flooded water trying to stay dry under a leafless tree. Thankfully there wasn’t too much water on the OR roads. 

Driving through the redwoods

Flooded farmland

That night we were able to stop in Portland to visit from family friends and meet Heather’s new daughter, Emery. Such a little cutie-pie! Although, Kayley wasn’t so sure about me or her Maimie holding little Emery. She was getting a little jealous, but she did really well and was very interested in Emery. 

Kayley: Maimie,who's that you're holding? Why aren't you holding me?

Sweet little Emery.

Childhood friends and our babies

 That night we only drove a bit further. We could have finished the drive that night, but parts of WA we had to drive through had ¾ an inch of ice on everything by 9pm, and the roads were reported to be extremely slick. They were actually asking people not to drive on them unless completely necessary. So we stayed a night in Longview and took it easy the next morning to give the ice time to melt. 

Playing with the camera settings.

On the third day we drove in more rain and falling snow (aka. snow that was falling off the cars in front of us). There was still a bit of flooding in some of the areas we passed, but as we drove further north we saw more and more snow on the side of the road. And a lot of fallen trees that fell due to the weight of the snow and ice on them. We also passed a car that had been completely on fire too and was still smoking really bad. It looked like they had gotten the person out alright, at least I hope they did. 

Snow!

Poor car

Coming up to Seattle I was disappointed in the amount of snow left. I was hoping there would still be a decent amount of snow for Kayley to play in and experience, but it had mostly melted away or was becoming extremely slushy. I took my mom to my sister’s house where should would be staying that night, and they had fluffy snow there still. I’ll tell you more about the snow later. 

Seattle

The temperature was dropping, so I went home before the roads became ice. Kayley and I waited for Andrew to get home from work. Hoshi was happy to see both of us again and was meowing for attention right after we walked through the door. Kayley was very excited to see her jumper. She didn’t have one to play with in CA and you could tell she missed it. She crawled right over to the jumper and pulled herself up, and I thus put her in it. She jumped and jumped happily for a long time (she still has a bit of the tadpole/frog in her). 

I missed my kitty

Happy in her jumper

Oh my was Kayley excited to see her daddy! When I heard Andrew at the door I did our little routine of saying “who’s that at the door? Is that Dada? Dada is home from work.” She got a smile on her face and started bouncing excitedly before he walked through the door (I’m convinced she knew what I was talking about), and once she saw him her smile expanded and she was leaning out of my arms trying to get her daddy to hold her. Andrew dropped his work things off as quickly and gently as he could and scooped Kayley up in his arms and smothered her with kisses and a big hug. You can tell they missed each other terribly. And don’t worry, I got attention too, but it was just so precious and cute to see Andrew and Kayley reunited once again. 

Kayley: Dada! I missed you!

Andrew: I missed you too! I love you!

I miss the California sun, but oh it’s good to be home.

Picnic

Like I mentioned, Andrew’s folks came to visit Kayley and I one last time before we headed back home. I took them to a park I grew up going to and we had a lovely picnic in the sun. They were able to push Kayley on a swing and see how much she loves them, and play with her on other parts of the playground and grass area. 

Trying to steal Grandpa V's hat

Swing time

Enjoying the playground

Riding the whale

Never have any of us seen so many birds in one area though! There’s a pond at the park, and for some reason a ton of birds were there compared to usual. Kayley was very captivated by them so we went to check them out, but kept our distance. We didn’t want her to get bit by a duck or goose. It totally reminded me of the movie Birds. 

Attack of the birds!

So many birds

Anyway, we all had a lovely time at the park, and Kayley loved seeing her Grandpa and Grandma V one more time before going home.

Task Master with Fun

Kayley and I had to say bye-bye to Andrew on the 3^rd. He had to fly back to work, and I stayed in Cali longer with Kayley to help my mom go through some things and pack in preparation for her move to WA. It was sad having to say goodbye to Andrew. It was Kayley’s first time away from her daddy, and my first time away from my husband. But we planned to video chat basically every night and talk on the phone at least once during the day so Kayley could hear and see her daddy (and of course I wanted to see and hear Andrew too!). 

Sad to leave each other =(

But before we dropped Andrew off at the airport, we had to say goodbye to his folks too. We had a nice last day with them, and even got to eat at this salad bar restaurant I like. I think we were all sad to have to say goodbye, but we had planned that Kayley and I would see them once more before we headed back north.

After we dropped Andrew off at the airport we went straight to my mom’s. Since that day my mom has labeled me “Task Master.” I made sure our time was being put to good use. I was staying longer to help my mom out, and that’s what I planned to do. While I was there she took two van loads of things to Goodwill, and one to City Team. And then there were more boxes ready to go to specialty stores, antique stores, the Goodwill, City Team, and our church’s lot sale before I came back to WA. We went through a ton of boxes and discovered things we didn’t even know we had any more. We even came across some of my dad’s old college and work books that we didn’t even know existed!

I also helped her clear out my old bedroom as best we could for the time being so my uncle TJ can paint it, and we went through everything in the attic again and this time put things back into it that are ready to be put into a moving truck. I could always find something for us to do. Lots of time I’d say something like “how about we pack up the guest room’s closet?” and my mom would say it didn’t need to be packed yet because we didn’t have a place to put packed boxes yet. So I would say something like “well, let’s go through the closest and decide what needs to be packed and what we can give away and get rid of.”

Kayley liked to try and help pack too

Yes, I was a Task Master, but let’s face it, my mom is the one who raised me to stay on top of things. =P I love you mom! Though I am more motivated when I’m helping other as opposed to doing something for myself… Anyway!

We took lots of breaks from all our work too. We took Kayley to the park, had a picnic (on a very windy day) at Alum Rock Park, went out for lunch at Olive Garden, played with Kayley, gave the animals lots of love and attention, had friend’s visit, went to visit friends, visited my brother and his wife, and Kayley even had a couple play-dates with one of her cousins.

Play time with Auzzie

Her first time eating a cracker

At the park with Maimie

At Alum Rock after our windy picnic

Yes, Kayley even got to experience the smell of the mineral springs

Boxes aren't just for packing things in. She was laughing after she got used to what was going on.

Meeting and playing with Kathy

Hanging out with the guys

Play-date with Soliel

Fun times!

Meeting Sue

Hanging out with Eddie

Helping her Uncle Jay in the kitchen

Playing with mommy's kitchen

Another play-date with Soliel

I built many towers for Kayley

And she made them all fall down in seconds.

It was a good, fun and productive two weeks! And there’s still more to blog about!