10 on 10 for the 10th Month of 2010

JUST ANOTHER DAY IN THE LIFE!
10 Photos taken on the 10th day of each month. Join the fun! Go to Blogs I follow to the right and click on 10 on 10.

8 am Church service, then God and Government Sunday School Class at 9:30. It was my turn to provide treats......homemade cookies.

Daily ritual of seeing who will win the days match! Nice break, Dave.

Bath time for Frodo. Lathered....

Rinsed.....

Soft and fluffy. Smells good! Needs a haircut. :(

This is the hat I knit for Baby. Too big. Baby has a small head!

Uh oh....Baby is NOT HAPPY!! "Get this hat off my head!"

Hailey is happy to pose for a photo.
BUT SHE DIDN'T WANT TO TRY ON THE HAT EITHER!!

I better get busy with my Bible Study Fellowship homework!

Finished with the ear flaps for Hailey's hat. Hope she likes it!

Knit Baby Afghan

I finally finished knitting the white afghan for Baby Myron Girl #2!! Or Katelyn....the paperwork is not finalized yet on her name, so she is just Baby for now. This only took me about 2 months and although it is a relatively simple pattern, the Bobble row took me much more time to knit so it seemed to go on and on. I did watch quite a bit of TV while knitting! There are so many wonderful patterns to knit or crochet, but I decided on this one called "Mint For Friends" from the Leisure Arts book "Our Best Knit Baby Afghans" but I wanted it done in white. I am pleased to say that Shauna loved it!! It is always VERY rewarding when the people I make things for actually LIKE what I made!

I'm working on a sweet pink hat for Baby and will post that when I finish it. I did think ahead and asked Shauna what hat pattern she liked for Hailey from the book I have called "Baby Beanies." Now the trick is to see if Hailey likes it when I finish it! When Shauna was 2 she was VERY opinionated about what clothes she liked and didn't like. I spent some time at the Osh Kosh Store at Factoria today with Shauna and the girls and Hailey knew exactly what she liked and was quick to shake her head "NO" when she didn't like what I pointed out. Shauna is doing a really good job of asking her opinion before buying her clothes.

You can expect to see some other things that I make here on my blog. I love to do all sorts of crafty things and have enjoyed being creative since I was a kid. I learned to sew when I was in junior high school and bought my first NEW Singer sewing machine right after I graduated from high school. I don't know what I would do with myself if I didn't have these outlets to keep me going!

Here is the afghan for Baby:

Katelyn Marie

Here are some new photos of Shauna & Pete's newest addition to their family. Ssshhhhh, I took these from Shauna's Each Day site. Is that all she does is sleep????

Baby Shower for Martha

I thought I would share my part in helping with the baby shower for Martha yesterday. I made a diaper cake using hydrangeas (held in place by a water-filled baby bottle and a bag of moss that I got from Michaels. This was my 2nd diaper cake to make. The first one was monkey themed. They are a little pricey (it takes about 60 diapers) but they look so neat! I also made from scratch cupcakes.

I used the recipes from Pamela Clark's CUPCAKES book on pages 44 (Baby Blue) and 100 (Pineapple Hibiscus Cakes) except I used blue sprinkles on the top instead of hibiscus.



I had some boxed Wilton fondant in my pantry but it was pretty hard, so I decided to make my own for the baby blue cakes. Have you ever done that?? I don't know exactly what I did wrong but maybe I had a bit too much glucose in it or something. I used Wilton's recipe in one of my cake decorating books, but IF there is a next time, I will search the internet and use a different recipe. I was able to roll it out just fine and cut it to size but it was just not the right firmness. The cupcakes were good but I really don't know what all the fuss is about with all these new cupcake shops! These cupcakes were tasty but not like a light and tender cupcake from a boxed cake mix. I'd rather have a Hostess Cupcake!! Or devil's food cake with cream cheese frosting. I'm sure the younger generation just doesn't get it!

I'm kind of waiting for my Kitchenaid mixer to bite the dust as it has had quite a bit of use over the past 30+ years. It growls but still works. I'd love one of those beautifully colored ones. Maybe turquoise....or red....or yellow. I guess I will be content, since I would have a hard time deciding what color to get!

Here is a photo of the beautiful mom and sweet baby Ian.


Martha received lots of neat gifts and it was pretty funny watching us "elder" women trying to figure out how the Babybjorn is worn! All the guests were friends of Martha's mother-in-law, Dorene, as we are all so happy that Dorene has this new little grandson to love. Ian is 6 weeks old and very good natured. He got passed around from one of us to another and never complained! Grandchildren are the best!!

Myron Baby Girl #2

Here are a few photos of Shauna's newest daughter. Her parents are still in the process of making sure they have selected the correct name for her, so for now she is baby girl #2! Aside from not having an official name, she is a delight and perfect in every way. Official Stats:

Born: Wednesday, Sept. 22nd at 7:57 am
Weight: 7 lbs. 12 oz.
Length: 20"

Here are some photos of her at 2 hours old! Dave, Hailey and I came to the birth center in Kirkland and brought some breakfast for them. We only stayed a few minutes and about 2 hours after we left, Pete and Shauna and baby girl #2 were packed up and driving home. Right now, all is pretty quiet in the Myron household. Shauna is resting and Pete has been doing a super job of caring for the needs of his family. I'm on call and ready, willing and able to lend a hand when needed without allowing myself to be a nuisance!! I did stop by for a bit this afternoon so I could spend some time holding my new granddaughter and then I played with Hailey for awhile. I came home when it was time for Pete to put Hailey down for a nap.

Time to change my blog

I guess it is time that I change this blog from real estate based to my personal blog. Keep an eye open for changes!

Yelp.com

Have you been frustrated when you want to find a good restaurant, hair salon, or hotel? Need recommendations but don't have time to quiz all your friends? Go to www.yelp.com

You can type in the city you live in or the city you will be visiting and then look up what you need. Most places will have some customer reviews and they can help you decide where to go.

Try it! It just might become an indispensable aid!

10 on 10

TuTu for Annika.....sssshhhhh don't tell her!

Super Low Interest Rates

I can't believe how low home interest rates have gotten. Check this out!

Rates at a Glance:

30 Year Conforming
4.375% 1.0 point

5/1 Conforming
3.375% 1.0 point

30 Yr Conforming Jumbo
4.625% 1.0 point

30 Year Jumbo
5.375% 1.0 point

5/1 Jumbo ARM
3.875% 0.5 point

30 Year FHA
4.375% 1.0 point

30 Year Jumbo FHA
4.500% 1.0 point

Tax Credit Extension?

Check out this article. You might still have time to purchase a home and take advantage of the tax credit!

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100616/ap_on_bi_ge/us_home_tax_credit

Relatives Moving to Retirement Living?

Do you have parents or other relatives (or yourselves) who need to make a change in their living accommodations? Perhaps their health is failing or it is simply time to downsize to a smaller home or a move to an over 55 retirement community. I would love to help! I have had much experience in "elder" issues, from health problems to financial concerns and would be pleased to help you or your loved ones to find just the right new home. Give me a call and let's put our heads together to come up with just the right move! (425)890-0124

10 on 10 from Grandma's view

Just this one time, here is my entry!

Thinking About Refinancing??? Now is the time!

Interest rates can't get much lower, can they?? Rates are down to about 4.75% for a 30 year fixed rate. Why not call me if you need to find a good lender. I have several lenders that I work with and I would be more than happy to put you in touch with one or two of them. It is always good to compare the programs that lenders offer! When considering refinancing your home, you must factor in how long you plan on staying in your home and balance the cost of refinancing with how long you need to live there to make this worth your while! Don't wait. Who knows how long rates will stay low!

Real Estate Sales Improving!!

Here is a quote from the Northwest Multiple Listing Service that you might be interested in:

"Home sales around Washington state surged last month, with brokers reporting activity at levels "live we haven't seen in a while," according to the owner of a Seattle brokerage. Northwest Multiple Listing Service members reported 8,605 pending sales during March for a 51% increase over the same month a year ago."

Isn't that great news? I have been hearing from some agents that they are in multiple offer situations. Reminds me of 2006! It is nice to see that we are now in a more balanced market, one which is no longer favoring the seller or buyer. Don't get me wrong! There are still some incredible buys out there and in some areas the buyers can make a great score! But I am seeing prices leveling out, builders back in the business of starting new homes and buyers scrambling to find a house before someone else purchases it.

Of course, there is only until April 30th to get your new house under contract if you want to be able to qualify for the government first time or move up buyer bonus. Give me a call if you would like more information or to begin your search for your new home! 425-890-0124

Tulips are almost in bloom! SKAGIT TULIP FESTIVAL

Current predictions are that the tulip fields will begin having tulips in bloom during the last few days of March. Tulip Town will open on March 26th. Here are some things to do and see at this years Skagit Valley Tulip Festival! April 1 through 30th www.tulipfestival.org

25th Annual Tulip Run
4/10, 9:30am
www.tuliprun.com

29th Annual Tulip Pedal
4/17, 7am‐4pm
www.skagitems.com

Art in the Pickle Barn
201 Cascade Mall Dr
www.skagitart.org | 360‐757‐2109

Azusa Farm & Gardens
14904 State Route 20 | 360‐424‐1580
www.azusafarm.com

Carpenter Creek Winery
20376 E Hickox Rd | 360‐848‐6673

Challenger Ridge
43095 Challenger Rd | 425‐422‐6988
www.challengerridge.com

Christianson’s Nursery
15806 Best Rd | 360‐466‐3821
www.christiansonsnursery.com

CountryTime Alpacas
5168 State Route 9 | 360‐854‐9498
www.countrytimealpacas.com

Eagle Haven Winery & Vineyard
8243 Sims Rd | 360‐856‐6248
www.eaglehavenwinery.com

Golden Glen Creamery
15098 Field Rd | 360‐766‐MILK
www.goldenglencreamery.com

Pasek Cellars Winery
18729 Fir Island Rd | 360‐336‐6877
www.pasekcellars.com

RoozenGaarde
15867 Beaver Marsh Rd
www.tulips.com | 360‐424‐8531

Skagit Valley Gardens
18923 Johnson Rd | 360‐424‐6760
www.skagitvalleygardens.com

Sauk Mountain Pottery
16769 McLean Rd | 360‐853‐8689

Taylor Shellfish Farms
2182 Chuckanut Dr | 360‐766‐6002
www.taylorshellfishfarms.com

Tulip Country Bike Tours
13391 Avon Allen Rd | 360‐424‐7461
www.countrycycling.com

Tulip Town
15002 Bradshaw Rd | 360‐424‐8152
www.tuliptown.com

Tulip Valley Vineyard & Orchard
16163 SR 536 | 360‐428‐6894
www.tulipvalley.net

New Listing

Here is a picture of my new RE/MAX for sale sign on a new listing. How do you like it? If you would like any information on the housing market in the greater Seattle area, just let me know. I would be happy to help you whether you are thinking about buying or selling. And if you know of someone who needs some real estate help, let me know!

Re/Max Integrity - My New Home!

I decided to begin the new year with a new real estate company. I am please to announce that I am now associated with Re/Max Integrity in Issaquah. You will still receive the same great service from me and the only thing that is changing is the name of my company. Did you know that nobody sells more real estate than Re/Max?? I didn't either until I looked into their corporate structure. Re/Max has offices in over 70 countries on 6 continents. WOW! I thought my old company (Coldwell Banker)was big, but they are only in 47 countries. Who care, you may say? Well, if you are relocating or know someone who needs a good real estate agent in another state (or country) I can find them the best agent to handle their transaction. I enjoy meeting agents from other areas and would welcome the opportunity to put you or your friends in touch with an agent that I have personally interviewed and am assured of their business practices and experience. So, when you see the Re/Max balloon, I hope you will immediately THINK OF ME!!

HAPPY 2010!

It's a new year. It's a new decade! Economic signs are pointing toward a real estate market recovery. I know you've been itching to buy that next home but you have wanted to see prices stabilize before you sell your current home and buy another. More houses will be coming on the market in the next few months and I am anticipating continued low interest rates. Give me a call and we can talk about what your needs are. Let's get a fresh start for this new decade!