What is wrong with me? No pictures?

I was lucky enough to be able to come home last week for a quick trip to see family and friends. There was no real reason for the trip, except for the fact that Conor was going to Florida for a week, and the thought of sitting on the couch by myself for a week was not high on my list of things to do... The best part is that I bought my ticket when I was still unemployed, but when I got the job, they were totally cool with the trip home.

I'm super lame though. I was having WAY too much fun, and I barely took any pictures! In fact, the only pictures I took were of the pumpkin patch and our finished product - but I'm saving those for another post.

I honestly can't believe everything I was able to cram into a week. I would have loved to have spent more quality time with everyone, but a quick visit was just what I needed.

Day One - Wednesday:
I arrived at 11:30 in the morning after a long day of flying... From start to finish, I was at airports or in the air for about 10 hours. But, it's always worth it! My mom picked me up, we ate a quick lunch, and went to the grocery store since they had just came back after a few weeks in Utah. I was still in NC mode, so mom and I took it easy - we played some cribbage, hand and foot, watched some Glee, ANTM, and SYTYCD. Sounds like a perfect night to me!

Day Two - Thursday:
I couldn't come home and NOT go see my students from last year! I headed up to McAuliffe to see my old teammates and my students from the last two years. It was SO good to see them, I really miss that place! I'm enjoying my job a lot, but there is nothing in the world like having your own group of kiddos to work with. It was also great to see my principal and my teammates from last year!

For dinner, I went out to restaurant in Woodinville with Bill & Ann. I love that when we walked back to our seats, there was a waiter there on his day off, and he totally knew who they were - oh Bilfy. You definitely don't ever forget him - hence the possibility for The Bilfy Show! I honestly think it's my ticket to fame. I can't imagine anyone in the world that wouldn't watch a show based around the life of Bill Glassey. He's comedy gold.

After dinner, I went over to Horia's house to hang, watch the Thursday night line-up, and to generally just catch up. We had a great time, although we did miss Caroline! I'm not sure it helped that we were taking pictures and sending them to her... Jon Feit even stopped by so I could give him a 2 month late b-day present - brass knuckles coffee mug. I don't normally buy Jon presents, but you can't pass up something like that!

Day Three - Friday:
Friday started out with a McDonald's lunch date with Susan. Sue is teaching first grade at Helen Keller Elementary in Kirkland this year (along with Bea Feit!) so I went out there to see her classroom, and catch up. Susie is an awesome teacher, it was fun to check in on her kids. She's got some really hilarious kids, so it's always good to have a face to go along with the stories she has.



After heading home and hanging with mom for a bit, I headed to El Toreador in Redmond (next to Palmers, what what!!!) to have dinner with Sonia, Martin, Peder & Macy! Sonia is hilarious. There's no specific story to share, but I love her and her crazy ways. (Although, Sonia, if you're reading this - I'm still mad that you didn't eat at dinner...) Peder & Macy are so ridiculously cute. And Martin was in town for his birthday and the bachelor party. Did you know that Peder and Martin share the same birthday? What a coincidence.

After dinner I headed home because my brother loves me and drove up the family from Wilsonville, OR to hang for the weekend (he actually had ulterior motives - the UW football game, but he still loves me.) We hung around and chatted for a bit, before we headed to bed.

Day Four - Saturday:
Remember when I said my brother loved me? Well, so does Jen, Madi, Livi, Gabi, Denise, Ali & Pax because they all got up really early to go over to my Dad's house for breakfast. We were all excited to see Dad & Kathy, but that was the best time for all of us, so we got up early and headed over there for eggs, pancakes, bacon, and fruit - yum! Thanks for breakfast Dad!

Jon and Dad headed to the Husky football game, while the rest of the clan met up with Mom & Jean and headed to the pumpkin patch! Did I mention everyone loves me? This was my idea, and boy do I wish we had just gone to QFC to pick out our pumpkins. Here are the pumpkin patch "highlights": Jen getting the minivan stuck in the mud, the mud being so deep Ali lost her shoe in it, Paxton melting down during pictures, Jean almost running down a man in the parking lot, paying an arm and a leg for pumpkins that were probably a third of the price at a grocery store, wheeling around that wheelbarrow through stinky mud, me sitting in the back of the car with the pumpkins because of the car fiasco. I feel like Jen is going to enjoy this part of the post most. Jen - I had great intentions!!!

After the pumpkin patch, we hung around the house, ate some delicious spaghetti and meatballs my mom made, and carved our pumpkins. It was so fun watching Ali, Pax and Gabi really do their pumpkins all by themselves this year - and their pumpkins were adorable (this is my ploy to get you to come back and read my next post later...)

Day Five - Sunday:
Sunday started with a trip to the Bothell Stake Center for a special church session that included a great talk from Elder Dallin H. Oaks, but I've got to say the highlight was Gabi. She sat on my lap for part of the service and I was bopping her a bit on my knee to bug her while she was writing in a Highlights book. She stood up for a second and noticed that the flower print at the bottom of my skirt was now completely imprinted onto my thigh. Her mission for the rest of church was to dance as much as she could on my knee to make the flower print imprint even more on my leg. The best part about it though, was that no one else knew what she was doing, so all you saw was Gabi bouncing around and dancing like a mad woman. It was hilarious. There would have been a video, but come on - how inappropriate to do that in church. Yeah. Yeah, that's why I don't have a video...

After church we headed home to have some lunch, make some caramel apples (so yummy), play a few rounds of Ticket To Ride, and then we had to say goodbye to the Wilsonville Beans. Denise hung around a little longer and we played some cribbage and hand and foot, then she took the twindividuals home and I pretty much went to bed. This is when I caught what I like to call "The Death." It hit me like a ton of bricks, holy cow. It was almost instantaneous - my throat started to get tighter, my lungs burned like I had just run a mile, and I was having crazy gross coughing. Awesome. Just what I wanted for my trip.

Day Six - Monday:
Monday is kind of a sick blur to me. But, I do remember playing some games with mom in the morning, napping, and sleeping. I did want to squeeze in a few more people, so I sucked it up and headed to Claim Jumper for a happy hour dinner with Corene, Mandy, Kacie, Jiggles, and a quick stop in from Peder. Mmm... pretzels with cheese dip...

I quickly headed out to Snoheteroish to see Gwen before bedtime, and to hang with my cousins. Rick & Anna Marie just recently had their baby Fiona, and she is too cute. I also got to hang with my cousin Andy and his awesome wife Jessica - we're trying to get her to love Washington as much as we do so we can suck her in and make her live here FOREVER!!! Their baby Charlie is also adorable, and I can't help but quote Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer every time I see him. "I'm a Charlie in a box. Nobody wants a Charlie in the Box." He's way too cute to be a misfit toy.

I think Gwen may grow up to be a comedian. If you've never checked out Anna Marie's awesome blog, you have to just so you can read all the funny quote from Gwen on the side. When I was there, I gave her a present out of my closet. Just one of those things that I saw that I thought Gwen would like (plus, it was her birthday a while back, and I missed it!) When I showed up, I told Gwen "I have a present for you - it's a hand-me-down, do you care?" She thought about it for a second, then responded "I only care if it's a booger." Do you think she's Rick's daughter, holy cow.

After Gwen went to bed, we played two quick games, which I won both of, and then Andy & Jessica left. I hung for a little longer, then went home to crash. Stupid sickness.

Day Seven - Tuesday:
I had such great intentions for this day. But then the Death showed up and decided to ruin that all for me. What a jerk.

My mom and I ran to Seattle for her foot appointment, then we stopped by Northgate Mall. We were going to do some shopping, but we both weren't feeling well, and we decided we'd rather meet Denise in Redmond for lunch. We ate at Frankie's Pizza and I got the meatball sandwich. It was super good.

We headed home, did some napping, then I went to Ali & Pax's kindergarten class so they could show me around! They are so cute! I can't believe how quickly they're growing up. I think when I go home at Christmas, they'll both be taller than me and will be graduating from college. We took them back to Mom's, and just spent the night hanging out. Remember that Death I was telling you about? Well, it made me a little tired, and I didn't much feel like doing anything. Poor kids - I'm sure I was a lot of fun to hang out with. On the way out the door, Pax gave me a hug, but I had to chase Ali around the driveway for my hug from her. She was laughing the whole time, but apparently I hugged her too hard, so she wasn't very happy with me when she left.

I had such a great time at home, and it was sad to say goodbye to my Mom and everyone else. The flight home was atrocious. Poor Conor picked me up from the airport, and that damn Death followed me from WA to NC... Never fly when you're clogged up. My ears didn't pop for 2 days. 2 DAYS! It was all worth it though, I had a great time, and I can't wait to come home at Christmas!!! Get ready everyone, I've left Death behind me and I've got over 2 weeks to cram in as much as I can!