Round-up

We have been having a lot of fun exploring our new house and new neighborhood with the kids.  Yesterday, we checked out a big library that's part of the county library system in our new county.  It is huge and beautiful and is home to tons and tons of books.  Luckily, we thought to bring a piece of mail with us, so we were able to get a library card right then and check out lots of books.  We also got lots of helpful library advice, more than we needed, really, from a friendly must-be-gay librarian, who seemed to recognize us as a family. 

Back at the ranch, we have been having fun making cookies...

...snuggling with Mommy...

and spearing olives on our fingers, because, really, what is childhood for if not for putting olives on your fingers?

We have also been getting used to our new preschool routine, which is much longer than it was before.  The kids' preschool is back in our old neighborhood and was, at most, a five minute drive from our old house.  It was also about a 10 minute bike ride, which was nice in the summer.  In moving to the new house, we have added a half an hour onto the drive time, which usually clocks in right around 35 minutes.  Luckily, the kids have been great in the car and haven't whined once, for which I am very grateful. 

Today, we lengthened our stay in north/northeast Portland to visit some nearby friends.  The kids had a truly spectacular playdate, with both Mateo and Natalia playing with their friend while Rosa played with her younger brother.  It was a big first for Tali, to actually play with another kid at a playdate.  She's so shy that she usually just hangs onto me for dear life, even with people we know well.  It was amazing to see her leave me and go play in the other room with the big kids.  I was very proud of her!  And, it was a first for Rosa, to have any kind of exchange with another kid.  Our friends' little boy would say "aahhhh!" to her and she would say "aahhh!" right back.  It was adorable. 

In other news, my butt is still giving me trouble.  It is getting better, but very slowly, and I'm constantly aggravating it with my day job.  I'm looking forward to the day when I'm able to exercise again, but that may be a ways off.  I actually still have quite a bruise from the fall, which was two weeks ago, so I guess my body is really still dealing with the aftermath of that. 

Finally, in exciting news, we're going to Europe!  This summer, in July!  My parents are taking us!  Thank you, Mom and Dad!  We may be a little crazy, but we're way excited.  We'll be mostly in Barcelona and Paris, with a stop at a hotel in the middle that my family visited when I was a kid.  Let's hope that our five-year-old, then-four-year-old, and then-one-year-old, along with their parents, are ready to experience a really big trip!