Introducing: The Cabin!

We are delighted to have moved into the cabin. We are finding it really well-built and well-insulated so it is really cozy and warm.

 We spent the last month searching Craigslist for the furnishings and especially appreciate the beds given to us by James and Robin and also our neighbors, the Georges.

The galley kitchen is small but serviceable and has great hickory cupboards. Special thanks to Pete and Jennie for the perfect rug.

 We lucked out with a main floor bath and a master.

 

Come stay with us! This will be your room.... ah, so cozy!

 We are turning what used to be the art studio into a kid's bunkroom. Our plan is to make trundles for each of the beds and hopefully contain the craziness of kids to the north end of the cabin.

 The built ins and storage are wonderful - we can't even come close to filling them.

 

We love our master suite and the great views of the woods.

 This is our master bath.

 Eben has spent the last few weekends beginning to clear and burn the branches of all the fallen trees. There were literally about 30 trees that went down on the property in the snow/ice/windstorm of December this past year. We want to clean up the branches before they become a fire hazard.

 Thanks to Matt and Eben's friend, Paul for helping with the intensive work. The 1.3 acres include a small creek down the center with much of the property lying to the south in a wedge shape between two small roads. The west side of the property climbs up a hill from the creek.

 Can't wait for summertime on this porch!

Plain, Washington

The real reason March was such a blur: we closed on our cabin in Plain. We've spent the last few weekends cleaning it up and moving in. Matt and Lisa joined us last weekend for the kick-off.

Pete, Jennie, and Alton joined us this past weekend.

We went for a ramble around Plain.

Just across the street from us is the old bridge into town, which is now for pedestrians only. (You can see the new bridge in the background.)

 

The bridge crosses the beautiful Wenatchee River. In the large eddy next to the rock on river right is the local summer swimming hole.

 

After the bridge, it is an easy meander into town to visit one of three shops: the Old Mill Cafe, the hardware store (also the espresso counter), and the grocery store. What more could you need? Though some people may joke about its name, we think Plain was named for the amazing flat expanse of land in this otherwise mountainous foothill region of the eastern Cascade mountains.

 

After going to town, we circled back to the elementary school that is less than half a mile from our cabin. It has plenty to entertain the kids and a rabbit living in a cage there to boot.

MARCH - Busy Month

It is odd how some months can be so busy and yet relatively uneventful. At any rate, here is a synopsis: Eben & I dressed up and went to the Booster Auction at the high school. It was fun to have a date night!

 We took the kids up skiing a couple more times.

 It isn't exactly easy work to get them on skis - but most days have their rewards and the we are trying to make sure the kids have a positive attitude about skiing and the mountain in general.

 The kids got postcards from Nana and Charlotte got her first haircut - a "bob" by yours truly.

 Nana also sent a 100 piece puzzle of the USA - and the kids were very interested in it - Eben too.

 My cousin Karen (right) has moved to Mill Creek to work temporarily at a local clinic who is short-handed in doctors. Her sister, my cousin Kirstin, came out to visit with her son, Gus. What a fun night we had catching up!

 Eat your heart out, Michael Phelps!

Eben was nice enough to take care of the kids while I went to Yakima for a three-day conference of Activity Coordinators in our state. I even presented a session - on how to organize and structure the work of students in a leadership class. It sounded so boring in the program I didn't think anyone would come - but I ended up with a packed house and the session went really well!