Yes, it has been a while....

So, at the end of January Hannah had a friend sleep over. The next day they wanted to "go do something" So I suggested we go look at model homes. I drove us to Issaquah, Washington where I had wanted to look for a long time. We looked at several places that were having open houses. Then I saw another sign and said let's look at that one. Well we all loved it. When we went home we were all three talking about this great townhome we had found. On Monday we met at the office of the town home and before we even looked at it Jim said, yes this would work (20 minutes to work instead of 60, was a big point of interest!) Then we looked at it. By Friday we had made an offer on a 3 bedroom 4 story Town home in Issaquah West Highlands. We started getting our house ready to sell. Tallia, Kasia and her kids, and my Mom all came for a visit at about the same time. I started painting and packing stuff up to put into storage. We put the house on the market Mid February and after a grueling 9 days we sold the house! WOW!! We were rather surprised as the market is not that good. So we moved to Issaquah. Hannah and Abby decided that moving was not an option and that they were very sad to leave their friends and that their schools were not so bad, but as the truck filled they realized it was actually happening. We moved in on April 30. It was a hard move; lots of stairs. But we had lots of help and our ward was happy that we were adding to the ranks of the small young women's program. It has now been 5 months. I miss my friends in Kent terribly. In fact I had to go back to church there yesterday just for some hugs. But I am sure in time I will have friends here to. I have never lived anywhere as long as I lived in Kent (in my whole life!!!!)

So I am sure you would like to see some pictures. I have been very busy all summer painting. We now live in a house of many colors. But I really like it and it makes me happy.

So here goes. We will start at the top of the world, I mean the house! Hannah resides on the 4th floor. She chose this room when we were looking at the model homes. After two days of moving in and climbing three flights of stairs a hundred and one times, I think she would have been happy to sleep in the garage! We painted it bright orange and grey to go with her beloved U2 poster. She has a full bathroom on her level. That makes her happy too.

The third floor has the master bedroom. I painted one wall a reddish orange and am trying to decide if I want to do any more or just paint the rest of the walls the same color they are but not yucky flat paint! Jim and the girls bought the bedspread for me for Mother's day. It just matches the color on the wall. we had to put up dark brown curtains because it becomes full bright day at about 5 am! we have a huge bathroom and a large walk-in closet.

On the same floor as the master we have Abby's room. She couldn't decide what exact shade of teal she wanted so Hannah and I painted it and got it all decorated while she was on vacation with her friend Malea. It turned out lovely. The other day we got a small but very nice electronic piano. It is in her room. she loves it. But I miss being able to hear her practicing. I hope we decided on a color she can live with.

On the second floor we have the kitchen, dining room and living room. You can see three out of the five colors that I have painted this space. There is dark brown inside the book shelf to the left and a dark grey/brownish color over the orange to the left of the picture. when I had the green mixed a man was waiting his turn and commented that it was a very happy color. Yes, indeed it is! I had the builder put in a large pantry cupboard befor we moved in. I am so glad I did as I would not have enough room without it.

I don't have a picture of the front yet. But if you are interested I will put a picture on soon. Or you can come by and visit. You will have to get directions because the area is so new it is not map-able. I will try to be a bit more faithful in my blogging. Tallia puts us all to shame!

Maya Audrey Hampton

After heading to Utah for the two week early birth of my granddaughter, Alice, I was awakened early on November 2, 2009 by my sister who happened to be in labor a month early! Her husband and son had swine flu and were not allowed in the hospital. So I packed my bag and drove to Portland. When I got there at about 1:30 p.m. Kasis was looking great.

By 5:01 p.m. Maya Audrey Hampton was born. I thought Alice was tiny but Maya weighed only 4 lbs. 8 oz.!!!

After taking a few deep breaths she wasn't this deep shade of greyish purple and was nice and pink!!

As you can see she was tiny and looks just like her big brother, Miles.

The nurse was amazed at how well Maya did. She didn't have to go to the NICU because she weighed 50 grams over the cut off.

Kasia was glad it was so fast and over with so quickly!

This is a good photo to see how tiny she is!

She was just 11 inches around her chest.

This is a photo with my hand on her. I couldn't believe she was so tiny!!!

Look at her little hand!

This was Maya's first bath. She didn't like it much!

Tiny footprints

Kasia and Maya.

Auntie Colleen holding a blanket that weighed more than the baby wrapped in it!

We all loved the blanket Grandma Cherye brought from Montana.

Grandma Cherye got to the hospital about an hour after Maya was born. She was mad that she missed it all! But now she can help Kasia even more since she still can't take baby Maya home as everyone is still sick! I didn't even get to see Miles. Sad! Get well soon so everone can be together.

Baby Alice has arrived

On September 28th at about 6:10 a.m. Tallia txtd to tell me her water broke. I was just at that moment watching the hot water running over my first batch of laundry. At 7:50 a.m. w was on my way to the airport. Tallia told me not to come if I was going to be crazy but she really had no idea how much I was able to get done in that hour and a half! I got to Utah and Jon's sainted grandmother picked me up at the airport and I was at the hospital at about 3 p.m. This is how I found my darling little Tallia when I walked in. Not too much going on, yet.
In a few hours Jon was cutting the umbilical cord of his little daughter, Alice Sage Bryner. She weighed in at 7 lbs. 7 oz. She was really cute and suddenly I was a grandma!!!Tada!!! Welcome to the world little Alice. Tallia is now super woman as she had a completly natural birth. Alice was awake and alert right from the start. She seemed so tiny!

I found this pumpkin hat at Target and had to buy it. It was just so cute. It was a bit large for a week. But she sure looks darling!

Tallia hates this picture but she looks so happy and relived that it was all over and she could hold that little baby girl in her arms. Jon is a bit happy too!

I am a grandma now! Aren't we cute together!!!

Alice has had more photos taken of her, so far, than there have been of me in my entire life

Gertie was a bit perplexed at the little squeeling thing her mommy and daddy brought home one day. But since they seem to love it so much Gertie decided she would too.

Jim loves Gertie, so she didin't feel left out! Jim and Hannah and Abby came to Utah when Alice was a week old for her blessing. I was so happy they could come and see Alice.

Hannah thought she was boring but when she held her Hannah goo'ed as much as the rest of us! Abby would have held Alice all day and night if she could have!

This is a dress I bought for Tallia when she was a few days old. Jon requested that it never be put back on Alice again!!! It was cute but very fluffy and the collar gets in the way all the time! But it was her mother's!!!

Alice took to Rap music quickly. She requested a rapper head band as soon as possible.

She is a sweet little thing.

These are photos of Alice in her blessing dress. It was her Mommy's also. But Jon liked this one. She was so sweet. Jon gave her a very nice blessing.


There were some relatives that came for the blessing. Jim was so excited to see "his" cousins. Jimmy and Joseph Peterson came. They are actually my cousins but Jim lived with them for a summer in Mesa, Arizona. They all got to know each other very well.
Virginia Feltis, Jim Feltis, Jon Bryner, Keith Heber, Jimmy Peterson, Joseph Peterson holding Ella (?) Peterson, Tallia Bryner, Abby Feltis holding Alice Bryner, Colleen Feltis, Jimmy's two boys, Hannah Feltis, Aunt Kay, Teresa Peterson holding her youngest son.

I like this little family portrait. It is so nice.
Here are Grandma Colleen and Papi Jim. Or whatever Alice decides to call us!
Before I left I took about twenty photos while Alice slept. She is such a sweet thing!

For Halloween Alice wore her Mom's first Halloween costume. It is a tomato. We were poor. What can I say. I had the fabric and came up with a tomato. All my kids have been a tomato. So Alice gets to be one too!

I have a list of 50 or so things that I want to do before I die. One of those things was to see the famous Lipizzaner horses. I read a book about them when I was little and I have wanted to see them ever since. Well, I got to see them. Front row even. It was great. Hannah gets to see U2 and I am great with big white horses seen in downtown Kent!

"Look Mom! While out hiking in the woods one day...I discovered a Yurt!"
"Okay, we will stay for a night to see how it is. "
Jim found us great way to camp. The Yurt had electricity and even a heater. Beds for 4-5 and a table to play games on. It was a fun mini vacation.

Hannah caught a butterfly on her finger. She was rather hungry and wanted to eat it. But Abby gave her the evil eye so they just watched it for about 5 minutes before it had had enough and flew off.

This snail stayed around a little longer. But no one tried to eat it!

Jim loves cooking on his propane stove.

And reflecting while sitting on a reflecting bench along the trail.

Hannah is pretty as a picture!

Abby! Don't fall in the river!

I took a million photos of the beautiful things around us. Some even turned out interesting.

This is a hunk of moss growing off a tree. It is just moss! The girls poked it and it just swung around!!!

Singing on the reflecting bench in the forest!The end of the trail!