After 9 days of no computer, I'm back online.  It feels good.  I won't go into the story of how I tripped on the laptop cord, jacked up the connection, Nate had to get it into the repair shop far away with no car, they kept changing their minds about how long it was going to take and how much it was going to cost, and we finally came away with a new power box and new connector pin.  Oh, what do you know?  I just went into it.  Anyway, it's been a strange and stressful couple of weeks, so it's probably just as well that I was incommunicado.  We're still waiting to hear about when the car will be ready.  The Gorniks kindly switched vacation weeks with us and left on Friday so that we could have two more weeks to hopefully get the car back.  We'll see.  In the mean time, the G's and E's cars have died, too, so our whole team is carless.  Challenging.  I don't think Ellie is going to school this week because there's no way to get her there that doesn't cost a fortune.  Not that she's complaining.  

So much for the general life update.  On to the pictures of the kids that grandparents have been waiting for.



Ellie found out that last Saturday was Halloween.  They don't really celebrate Halloween here, but she couldn't hear of there being a holiday that we didn't acknowledge.  Hence the pumpkin pancakes.  That girl loves her holidays.  Just one more thing I love about her.


Trip to the zoo.


Dress up.

I'm not really sure what he was supposed to be.  Or how he was planning to see out of the inside out Spider Man mask. 

The other night, Lucy was sitting on my lap while the kids ate dinner.  Out of nowhere, she started laughing hysterically at Scott eating.  He wasn't even doing anything silly, but anytime he moved his arm or smiled at her, she would crack up.

This is her newest sound.  Just to be clear, the first thing you hear is me.  But she growls all the time now, especially when I'm rocking her to sleep.  It's hilarious.


Other important tidbits:
 -I think maybe the boy is potty trained.  We still have some accidents, but he has finally begun to poop in the potty.  I'm holding my breath and dispensing candy like it was...well, candy.

-It's strawberry season.  SO happy.  That must mean that summer is around the bend

-Lucy seems to have a tummy ache.  I need to go.

Because, you know, we're a hobo family.



The truth is that the light burned out in the bathroom, the light socket is a danger to humanity, the new bulb broke off in the socket as I tried to screw it in, I nearly electrocuted myself trying to get it out, it's eery and dark in the bathroon, the kids bathe in those tubs anyway, so hey, bath night outside!  See what I mean?  Hobo family.  I wish you could hear them laughing, though.

My darling oldest children are, like their father and almost every other family member I can think of, quite emotional.  This means that they are spirited, enthusiastic, dramatic, and entertaining, but not so strong on the rationality.  And when they are sick...whoo boy.  We are so far down crazy lane we can't even see sane from here.  This is a very mild sickness.  Just a couple of days of fever for the boy and one morning of vomiting for the girl.  But I've still been treated to some hilarious and disturbing ranting.  The kind in which my son repeats over and over that he just wants something ELSE, but NOT for me to sit by him, NOT for me to touch him, NOT for me to stand next to him, NOT for me to leave the room, NOT...  I would offer to transform myself into a fountain of jelly beans, but I'm pretty sure that would make him yell.  Poor guy, I knew all he really wanted was to feel better, but I am still overwhelmed by the dueling desires to laugh and strangle him. 

Instead of either option, let's look at some pictures from the last two weeks while he watches Star Wars. 

The kids of the team got to hang out together a lot while the GO team was here. This is the night we made balloon birds.  BEST craft ever.  They came in packages with the tissue paper pieces all ready to stick on the balloon.  Great for their age group.  And pretty dang adorable.  Thanks for the craft stuff, Gaga.  It just keeps coming in handy.

Yes, some day I will start correcting red eye before posting pictures.  Probably on the same day that I finally organize my desk and hang those pictures in the kitchen and housebreak the dog and lose all those pounds I gained this last year.

The three amigos.  ALMOST all smiling and looking at the camera.

This one would be in a frame already if it weren't for the random jumble of blankets and school uniform in the background...and the stamp on Ellie's forehead.  Ah, well...

Latest family picture taken by the GO team.

Nate and Lucy are not exactly looking at the camera, but this was the only picture where we all have a relatively natural look on our faces.

Okay, see the trend here?  First I introduce the picture, then I show you the picture, then I criticize the picture.  Let's see if I can break out of that.

Ellie during the lunch stop of our road trip.  The first part of the road trip.  The successful part that took place in the car.  For some reason, this picture makes me feel like I can see what she's going to look like at 15.

Minus the paper crown, of course.

This is Mauro and Mirian and their son, Mateo.  They are the wonderful people who took us in for two days when our car broke down in a strange town.

I learned some serious things about hospitality during those two days.  You see Mirian's cute pregnant belly?  She's due in less than a month.  But she still let us overrun her house, skipped work to keep us company, skipped her nap to let Lucy sleep on her bed, cooked us meals, went to the store to buy more food to cook us more meals, baked, and wouldn't take no for an answer on any of those things.  She had to be exhausted by the time we left.  But they turned what could have been an awful experience into a tiring couple of days that gave us a chance to catch up with friends we haven't barely talked to in years. 

And the kids had so much fun with Mateo and all his toys. 


And finally, the boy on a happier day.  I think he was singing.  He's usually singing.