speed round catch up

We are home from eagle crest (post dedicated to that later) and feeling rested, reconnected and blessed! It was so great to have no agenda, but time as a family.

Benny learned a new trick while we were gone, how to pull himself up to a standing position! He was so pleased with himself.

Matt is still done with school through the end of this month. yahoo.

I have been running more and more. It seems to keep me grounded, which is a good thing for everyone involved in my life.

Brooklyn is a human sponge. There are no boundaries to what she can say now. Her moods are much more even keeled these days and I think that has a lot to do with the ability to express herself both emotionally and verbally. If there is a problem we sit down and discuss it. This doesn't mean tantrums are non existent, but they are few and far between compared to this time last year. One afternoon we were laying around while benny napped and brooklyn went and grabbed a pad of paper and a pen and walked over to matt holding it out like she was taking his order at a restaurant. We both had to giggle a little. This went on for several minutes, her muttering to herself about the "on-greed-E-uuunts" she needed. Soup and eggs, and soup and more eggs. She's BIG into make believe these days.

She loooooves her daddy. Yesterday (his first day back to work in almost two weeks) she realized he was going to be gone all day and she started weeping. I say weep rather than cry because that's exactly what it was. She was so sad to not see his face. Broke my heart, but made me smile all at the same time. I love to watch the love affair those two have with each other.

One night while we were driving back to eagle crest from bend everyone was in the best mood. Benny was cracking up at brooklyn, we were flying down the back roads with nothing but the sunset and horses for a view, warm breeze flowing through the car and squeals of laughter from the back seat, the love of my life rubbing my leg. I had this overwhelming feeling of satisfaction and joy. It was such a simple thing, but so awesome. That's life I guess, the simple pleasures are always the one's that bring the greatest joy. If the saying "you're a product of your environment" is true, then I want my children's environment to be that...lot's of simple joy, and in turn have them pour that out on others. Central Oregon captures that, simple joy found all over. The mountain views, the warm breezes in the afternoon, hiking around a gorgeous lake, taking a walk down at the old mill.

I better wrap this up, brooklyn just woke up from her nap (which by the way she insists wearing pj's for these days...that is when she takes a nap) and she's snuggling on my lap when she says "mom, what's that smell?" I smelled it too, she tooted, so I said "I think you tooted" to which she replies "yup, I smell my bottom too, and it smells disgusting". Hahaha