At home with the Nelsons.

Here I am again, at just about midnight, sipping some lemon ginger tea, which supposedly helps ease occasional indigestion, but I just drink it because it tastes good. I keep thinking about all the things I want to write, but it got to the point where I had too many recipes and too many silly little photos I wanted to post...so I didn't. C'est la vie.

I've had a blast these past ten days, hanging out with my family, playing "mom" and homemaker in a beautiful home, on a beautiful lot, in a beautiful city. The kitchen has been fully loaded, and I've cooked and baked to my heart's content. It's been magical. I roasted a chicken, made gingerbread and topped it with ice cream, whipped out a borscht with buttermilk biscuits, German pancakes and brown sugar glazed bacon, tons of pancakes, creamy oatmeals, tomato bisques full of cream, baked French toast, and about a hundred other things that have tasted a little like heaven. Maybe I'll put up a couple of those recipes in the future, because they're really wonderful. I've gained a few pounds, but I think it's been worth it. I meant to go running every other day, but my IT band has been giving me grief, so I've really just sat back to enjoy my "vacation" time.

Last weekend was one of those gorgeous, warm, weekends that make you want to live in the Pacific Northwest the rest of your life. We lounged around in shorts and tank tops, enjoying the sun and each other, but Tuesday through now has been cold and rainy, and I find myself longing for a bit of those spring mornings that are starting to be pretty sunny in Utah. I swear though, if Gig Harbor was just a little warmer during these spring and summer months, I would never leave it again. I'm on the lookout for the perfect spot to live, with four seasons and mountains or water nearby, and lots of good markets. But during the rainy days Keri came to visit, which made everything okay. We ate way too much German chocolate Ryan brought home from the country, and watched some darn good films together. Ryan included. That is one heck of a fun time, if I may say so. But she's gone now, and we all miss her already.

Next Wednesday is supposedly the day I'm returning to Utah, but I have yet to receive any type of itinerary from my mom who so graciously brought me out here to watch the kiddos. I'm kind of hoping that she accidentally didn't get me a ticket back so that I can go on long hikes, visit beaches, and spend more time with my brother before we part ways for a long while. I'm going back to Provo, and he'll be heading to eastern WA to attend WSU. It will be the first time we're not living in the same city in two years, and I'm kind of going to miss it. So here's hoping for a lack of plane ticket! But really, it would be nice, don't you think?

Monday I'm free of my duties, and then I'm going to Portland for a grand tour of the place with a friend who's been begging me to come out for the past year. That's also the day I get to open my email and find out if I made the BYU Ballroom Touring Team. Stay tuned.

Here are some little pictures I've taken during the week(s). I'm a little in love with the people here, and for lots of good reasons. I wish I could capture all the moments we've laughed until we cried, the smells of the food wafting through the house, the way the air smells after a few hours of heavy rain, and just how green everything looks here. It's beautiful.

There will be more at some point from this trip, but here it is for now.

Goodnight, Seattle!

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