This marks one year of living in Seattle.  As I type this outside on our back deck basking in warm sunshibe, I am reminded of how blessed we have been with a sunny and hot summer.  This weather is, of course, not “normal” for here, so I am enjoying it to the fullest.  I am also feeling blessed that we are happy in our house, and that we have a wonderful huge deck to enjoy the sun.  We are fortunate.  My sister and Zack came up on Tuesday to enjoy one last summer visit before school starts.  These last-minute-hop-in-the-car visits wouldn’t be possible if we hadn’t moved to Seattle.  And speaking of hop in the car visits, Ben promises to come up in a couple of weeks also, but first he has a 2 week consulting job in Sourthern Oregon.  That is a  big blessing!
Really, when it comes down to it, the only real downer about living out here is that we are short on grandparents.  Four of them, to be exact.  It is a major undertaking to fly all the way across the US to visit.  I wish they could be in the kids’ lives more regularly.  Coming back to Seattle after seeing both sets of grandparents in Dayton was a downer.  We have made new friends but no one can stand in for the grandparents.  They are just away.  This is what weighs heavily upon me.
We, as a family of 5, are thriving though.  The big draw to this job was that Chris would not have to travel, and having him home every night at dinner and every weekend for the whole weekend is so valuable.  Harry LOVES his Daddy and of course the girls do too, but I always feel like it’s especially important for a boy to have his Dad around.  I know lots of families get along ok while the dad travels, but it’s tough. 

So, Chris’ sister-in-law, Maggie, has a family blog and had the good idea to have her blog made into a book.  I am going to copy her idea, have my first year made into a book (psedu scrapbook) and I will write about our second year in Seattle at this web address 

http://seattlebrowders.wordpress.com

We returned from Ohio a week ago.  I would be lying if I said we had a great trip.  But, there were great memories from the trip.  I’ll start with those.  My nephew Zack was obsessed with bugs.  He taught Harry the real word for bugs:  ”zzzst”.  Whenever you want to look for bugs or if you spot a bug, you make that noise and everyone understands.  While “zzzsts” can refer to bees, or other typical buzzing bugs, it can also mean ant, or pill bug.  No matter.  It’s all good.

One night my mom and dad took the girls to Chucky (or is it Chuck E) Cheese with my mom’s co-worker Casey and his wife, Teresa.  Casey and the girls have a special relationship.  He is like an adoring uncle and they would spend all week with him if they could.  He showers them with attention and they turn on the charm.  I didn’t go to Chucky Cheese, but listening to my mom talk about their night out sure was fun.  I’m so glad they got that special time together, without me to spoil the fun.  Let’s face it, sometimes parents are a real drag.

The weather in Dayton allowed us to take full advantage of my parents’ newly rennovated pool.  We spent hours and hours in the back yard, with the boys padding around looking for zzzsts and the girls swimming happily.  We had raft races, swimming races, even an hour of  leisurely floating and reading.  The backyard pool is always a highlight in the summer.  To be able to wake up, walk out the back door and into the pool is really something else.

We got to see lots of people while we were home.  My aunt was able to come for a few days at the beginning of our trip, and Chris parents, his sister in law and his 2 nephews were also in town.  I saw 3 high school friends one evening–we met for dessert at Cheesecake Factory for a few hours.  

Then there was my trip to Cleveland.  Not long ago I read a book called The Lonely American:  Drifting Apart in the 21st Century.  Before reading this book, I had been waffling about whether or not I really wanted to make the trek up to Cleveland with the 3 kids by myself.   I knew it would be fun to see everyone, but I wasn’t totally sold on the idea for several reasons.  After I finished the book, I was reminded of how important those face -to- face connections are.  No matter how often you email, or even talk on the phone, nothing can replace actually seeing and spending time with someone.  So,  I decided that if my Cleveland friends were really important to me, I needed to go.  SO, we went.  And that’s when the disaster hit.

We arrived Tues night and added chaos to craziness at my friend Elizabeth’s house.  She was hosting a “hair” party where everyone was getting haircuts and color while the  kids ran around getting into things.  We did eat really good food though.  Wed. we woke up to a gorgeous morning and went to the park so the kids  could play.  We had a late lunch, we hung out in the back yard, we visited.  It was good.  Thurs. morning I went to my old gym and got to attend my friend Tonya’s spin class.  I had been looking forward to seeing her and taking her spin class since last year, no joke.  She is an amazing motivator, and an inspiration.  Her son Hunter was born not long after Harry, and she looks strong and lean after just 6 months post baby.

Anyway, I’m glad I got to enjoy that morning, because what waited for me afterwards was 2 long weeks of sickness.  Camille got sick that morning and we had to cancel the 2nd half of our Cleveland visit.  All of our playgroup (7 moms and their 19 kids) had planned to get together at a park, and all of the moms had planned a special night out, kid free.  BUT, we had to drive immediately back to my parents’ because no one wanted a barfing Camille (cute as she is).   No one, except my sweet parents, that is.  

God bless my poor parents.  Camille got sick unexpectedly on (or I should say “all over:) their couch, and their rug.  And then again in the bedroom, and near the toilet in the bathroom, etc.   The loads of laundry  associated with having company without sick guests is a lot, but my mom must have done 25 loads before she even started on everyone else’s bed sheets and towels.  They were concerned, nurturing, great thermometer readers, and I wouldn’t have wanted sick kids at anyone else’s house but theirs.  If you have to be sick away from home, Gigi and Pop Pop’s is the place.  It helps that they are a nurse and doctor by trade:)  

Elyse got sick the morning after Camille.  Camille’s fever got up to 104 1/2.  She was a fireball.  Elyse slept a lot.  It was sad to see them lying around when there was so much fun to be had.  But they were up for nothing  Friday, Saturday, Sunday all wasted.  By Monday they were fever free, but we wanted them to have a day of laying low.  Tues night was Chucky Cheese and they were feelin’ alright.  Wed. Camille’s fever returned.  So did the upchucks. 

We finally broke down and took her to urgent care Thurs morning before I was to fly home solo with the kids.  That kind Dr. said she’d be fine to fly home.  Probably just a lingering bug. 
YEAH, except it just kept coming back!!  And she molted.  As in, HER SKIN IS FALLING OFF!!  She made the weary trip on the airplane (God bless her little warn out body) and rested a lot over the weekend (as did I) and the fever returned again Monday.  That’s it, I decided.  I took her to our pediatrician here and lo and behold she had scarlet fever (which is strep with a rash).  I also had been feeling not so hot.  I wasn’t sure if I was having ”sympathy flu” or if I was a hypochondriac or not, but as it turns out, my 24 hour strep test was positive as well.  Long story short ( or long in this case), my parents got sick, Andy (Zzzst’s Dad) got sick, Bitsy got a touch of it, and we have been to the doctors and the pharmacists 7 times in 8 days.  Chris went to bed early tonight complaining of a sore throat and heachache (hello—the whole family will be on antibiotics soon) and my mom is getting a thoat culture tomorrow too.  And remember my dear friend Elizabeth, who was TOO important to me not to visit…she has strep, her kids got the throw ups, and so did her mom who was visiting at the time.  SSSSOOOOOOOOO, next time I offer to visit you, you might want to think twice.  We just may be a little too generous in our “sharing”.

We have arrived

Wow.  We made it safe and sound around midnight on Thurs night and all bags arrived as well.  We were only about 20 min. late.  Luckily the kids were amazingly good.  Couldn’t have asked for a better 2 flights with them.  The only thing that really bothered me on the flight was the fact that there were tv screens on the back of every seat flashing images at you constantly trying to lure you in to paying the $6 to get access to unlimited tv and 24 different channels.  OR, for a mere $8 you could also get movies.  Call me old fashioned, but do we REALLY have to have access to tv ALL the time?  Can’t we be up in the air for 2 hours and 20 minutes and survive with just a book, or some markers and crayons.  I was a bit offended that my 15 month old baby had to have tv images right in front of his face.  Grr.  Can’t I turn this thing off?  Apparently not.  I pride myself on the fact that Harry hasn’t watched tv, nor is he interested in it.  But geez, I’d like to have just thrown a blanket over the screen because the images are very distracting.
Anyway, we are here in Dayton, had a good day of sunny weather yesterday, and today promised the same (well, at least it’s sunny right now).  We are looking forward to seeing everyone and enjoying Ohio:)