Home Girls

The little ladies left behind at home have found a new love for each other...

 They've also found...

 a new love...

 for playing...

 under the sheets...

 in their own little white fluffy world.

 I've found a new love for the quiet, slow paced days at home with two happy sisters.

p.s I've also found that having only 2 kids around is like a superpower. I can do unimaginable feats of keeping the house clean for minutes at a time, and feats of grocery shopping.

First Days

Malan headed off to first grade earlier this week. Holy heck, hasn't she grown up over the summer?

On Jane's last precious day before heading off to
all-day kindergarten, we:

Oh I love that girl.

At the bus stop on Jane's big day, Malan was the perfect helpful big sister...

 ...while Jane ran up to a fellow kindergartner and said/shouted,"Hey, you want to be my friend?" I think she's going to be just fine. Have fun little sweetie, the world is yours for the taking.

 I am excited for my little scholars,

But man, it's a real kick in the gut sending them off all day.
Looking forward to the long weekend with them all to myself.

Come home soon, ladies. I'll be waiting for my hugs and kisses.

Quiet Mornings

I like it best when we don't have anywhere we have to go...
When the house is still and one by one I hear the girls waking up.

 Someone (probably Jane) maybe sleeps in a while...

We don't start chores or make breakfast.
We just talk some and play a little and wait for the day to get us going.

Malan told me how sometimes she wakes up thinking about all the best days she's had and all
her favorite memories and how it makes her feel happy and a little sad at the same time.
Quiet mornings make me feel that way, too.

Childhood Rite of Passage

I think there comes a time in every child's life where the little entrepreneur inside prompts a business venture of some sort. I remember my mother letting me set up a table at the end of our driveway to sell all my unwanted toys. Unfortunately, I had labeled the (exorbitant) prices across the front of each toy in permanent marker, so I didn't get many takers.

I think the girls' lemonade stand was slightly more elegant: a vintage table cloth, dainty chairs, hand made signs, and an umbrella to keep their small stand shaded.

Lemonade and a sugar cookie for just 25 cents. Quite a bargain!

Of course they lured in customers by openly sampling the product themselves.

 Waiting, waiting.

I may have bribed a neighbor or two, but once there was a crowd, others started to come by. 

They did pretty well for themselves! Nice to see a childhood dream realized every once in a while.

A diagnosis

Caleb's dear Dad and the girls' Grandpa Wilson has been diagnosed with an anaplastic astrocytoma, a malignant brain tumor. He begins radiation treatment next week.

We love you, Dad. All our thoughts and prayers are with you.

While we were away. . .

This little beauty turned 5.

Sweet Jane, you have grown up so much in just one year. We love your sensitive heart, your passion, and compassion.

 You are a shining, charming, lovely little soul and we love you forever.

The Road Home

Our view (out the widow of the car) during our 1,899 mile drive home:

Goodbye Utah, I love you-

Hello Wyoming, nice sky you have there-

Nice corn, Nebraska-

Lovely Iowa, you may have gotten yourself into my heart-

 Kicking up dust just south of Chicago-

 Kid friendly clouds in Indiana-

 Hi Ohio, you cute little farmers-

What's this? Rain and traffic? We must be close to home.

 And hello there, Pittsburgh. You're not quite as easy on the eyes as the rest of the

vast fertile nation we just crossed, but we like you anyway.

 I had really psyched myself up for a rough ride with four kids and a road trip like this, but I tell you what, we had a wonderful time. The girls were abnormally congenial, Emme pretty much just sucked on her toes for 30 hours, and Caleb and I got to chat each other up for four days.

Pretty flippin awesome.

And pretty good to be home.

Oh Utah. . .

. . .she was so good to us.

2 years was too long to be away. Utah, don't make yourself so scarce.