And now, an update.

It's been awhile, so I grudgingly trudged back to the blog site. It's just that updates after a long dearth seem like such a chore. Mainly, I've been really really ridiculously sick. I'm not gonna lie, I don't think I've been that sick, well, ever! It was miserable and I have the dirty house to prove it.

Anyway, here's another smorgasbord (what? My spell-check actually knew that word? It really IS a word? I thought it ended in g. Huh.) of what we've been doing. Sorry, but this one's kind of all about the kids (like most of them are). You just have to understand this is all I've been doing.
Oh yeah, but first, about the mission call... ------------>
My brother STILL hasn't gotten it yet, as he's gone home to Hong Kong with my parents and they have to wait for pouch mail to bring it to him, but I will definitely update when it comes! If you are interested. Thanks for voting!!!

For our last night before Travis came home, I wanted to have mini pizzas made on biscuit dough (a favorite from sleepovers when I was growing up). Kate did not. And I learned a valuable lesson: anytime you want Kate to do something or agree with you, simply insert the word "princess." It's gold.

Kate's "princess pizza"

I can't even tell you how happy we are to have Travis back! I really wouldn't have lasted another 10 minutes. He does so much I am constantly taking for granted. Especially being sick, I have appreciated him this past week more than ever. Kate is a "daddy's girl" through-and-through and missed him maybe almost as much as I did! She is SO glad to have him home!

I'm assuming Kate took this picture. Priceless.

He also brought home some much-needed hugs.

Okay, I love this one. When I got out of the shower the other morning, this is the scene I was met with.
This child has no attention span for PBS, even. She asked for "oga" (as she calls it), so I turned it on. She needs her morning meditation, I guess.

For some reason she's really good at "child's pose."

Kate loves lots of things I can't account for. Yoga is one. Other things she loves: opera music, jalapenos (any hot food really), any kind of nuts, steep slides, olives, cleaning, folding laundry, diapering her dolls, and chocolate. Okay, I can kind of see where she gets the chocolate one.
Where did this girl come from??? It's crazy how kids each have their own little personalities. Um I don't really know why that surprised me.

Kate & Brooklyn both love this little rocking zebra that was a gift from one of the families to whom I teach piano lessons. They've even learned to share.
Brooklyn loves it because it's one of the new "independent" things she can do. The other day, I discovered she could climb on by herself (I already knew she could climb off)... but she didn't stop there. Then she threw this one at me...
Apparently we have a little horse vaulter in training! Apart from nearly having a heart attack, I felt a strange sense of pride swelling up. Kate was never a climber - not even a very little bit - so I guess I was beginning to feel our children might lack any hint of athleticism, physical capability whatsoever, or even a sense of adventure! Well not anymore! Anyway, this is her favorite way to ride.

Here is the bug that Travis the Insect Hunter bagged on his hunt yesterday. He put it on an envelope so you can have some idea of the scale. YIKES!

Kate was the one who discovered it.
"We need a BIIIIIIG tissue!"

And finally, I swear I am not addicted to YouTube (okay maybe just a little bit) but I can't get over this one. It's just plain great. Just watch it.