Home again, home again, jiggity jig

So a week ago I went home for the first time in 3 months! It was Cynthia's birthday on the 13th, and the whole family gathered to celebrate this last weekend. The driving weather was HORRIBLE but it was worth it. I totally SUPRISED her--she thought I wasn't coming till Thanksgiving, but I tricked her and it was so neat to see her so happy to have the whole family togther (she said that was her birthday wish!). We went to her school play on Friday and then on Saturday the family and a gang of boyfriends [2 official ones and 1 almost one, none of them mine though :) ] took an afternoon outing to downtown to Pike Place Market and had dinner at Ye Old Spaghetti Factory. We made quite the family rounds too--saw both sets of grandparents, which was really nice too. So I'm including some pictures from the trip home--it was hilarious how many people were milling about this weekend, and it was crazy as expected when the four of us girls get together. Mom and Dad kept saying how nice it was to have everybody home--I think they are feeling the effects of a nearly-empty nest. Soon we'll be home for Thanksgiving and Christmas though, so that will be fun. I also got to visit my home church in Seattle and saw people which was great. But even that was different--they're building an elevator so there's construction and kids are growing! Life is never stationary or static around here.

Mom and Dad ready to eat pasta & Apples at Pike Place--yum!

In other news, I've also been practicing with the trombone trio--we're hoping to play some Christmas songs for our class before Christmas. It's been nice to have an outlet to play in that's pretty low key (harhar!).

Well, now it really is really past my bedtime and I will likely pay for it tomorrow. So off to sleep I go!