Trip to Washington

After two weeks away in Washington, I arrived back home last night. The trip was a wonderful chance to spend some quality time with my family and get away from the heat and smoke that has been plaguing Montana this summer. We enjoyed the overcast and cool Washington weather as well as the green trees and gardens of the Skagit Valley. Claire got to meet a whole new round of cousins, aunts, and uncles; there was never a shortage of arms wanting to hold her! During our time there we had several great meals with the family, took Claire to her first Red Sox game (at the Mariner's stadium--Safeco), shopped with grandma, took a few walks, Nate fished for salmon and worked on my parents' addition, and, thanks to grandma's babysitting we were able to ride our mountain bikes. (It felt great to get back to a pre-baby hobby!) Claire is at a stage where she seeks out social contact and loves being talked to, played with and held, so this made it fun for everyone wanting to hold the newest addition to the family.

We enjoying taking the scenic route home through northern Idaho and Montana, trying to avoid the Interstate a little and check out some new places. However as we got farther south into Montana the smoke got thicker and the temperature rose...it made us immediately miss the fresh sea air we left behind. Yet fall is coming; I am back to school in a week and a half...so it's time to change gears a little and start thinking about work again and leaving Claire behind for a few hours each day. (I'm only teaching from 8-11 this year.) I'm going to do a few trial runs next week at daycare to get used to it.