Things I've Been Up To...

1.  Switching us to German time.  It took me about two days to slide back into the hard-but-rewarding routine that is my stay-at-home-life as a hippie mom with two small children.  In Germany.  The time change is always a bit difficult... picture it this way: when we should be getting up (8am Germany) it's the middle of the night on the east coast.  So our body clocks are telling us it's totally normal to sleep till... 11am.  Not conducive to getting anything done.  But I think we're almost back to normal as far as our sleep cycles go.

2.  Cooking and doing dishes.  It's so nice to be back in my kitchen.  Seriously... so nice!  I thought I would miss having other people cook for me, but no.  I'm a cook.  I like being in the kitchen!  (Even if it means I have to menu plan and grocery shop!)

3.  Looking at pictures from my trip.  I took a few more of Harper on my last day in the States... here's her updated album on facebook.  That sweet little face changed so much in the two weeks between times I saw her.  I'm trying not to think about all the changes between now and the next time we're in the same country.  Sniff...

4.  Saying goodbye to Jen.  Having a bestie PCS never really comes at a great time, but it certainly didn't come at a great time in this case... she left two days after we got home.  But it was still great to see her and I wish her the best as she settles back into Texas. (photo credit to Jen)

5.  Getting used to flying solo.  Jesse is in the middle of working like a seven-shift stretch.  Six of them are12 hour shifts.  Working midnight to noon isn't the best for someone's sleep cycle, but he's doing okay.  Hopefully next month's schedule won't be so insane.  We do have an overnight date 24-hours coming up this weekend (thank you thank you thank you Kirsten and Dana!) where it looks like we'll be able to attend our village's mini version of Oktoberfest!

6.  Enjoying the last fruits of the garden.  Two huge bowls of tomatoes (and more on the vine), quite a few summer squash, and a boatload of bell peppers and jalapenos.  I'm so glad that there was some harvest left for us me to enjoy!  Looks like it's about over, though... I think we got our first frost this morning cause I heard the neighbor scraping her car for work!  Ick.

7.  Teaching Sam to drink out of a cup.  As soon as we got back I let Lily go back to drinking out of a big girl cup and of course little sis wanted to "DINK" too.  So it was a wet couple of days as she learned how to do it, but now I have two monkeys drinking out of cups.


What I hope to be up to soon...

1.  Getting into a regular workout routine.  I think I'm about ready to admit that I'm at the season of my life where it's just plain impossible to exercise regularly (especially in colder weather) unless I am willing to do it most days during the girls' naptime.  I HATE giving up that free time to get other stuff done.  You know, important things like dishes or pinterest ;o)  But I really do feel more energized and motivated when I work out.  And if naptime is the only time I can squeeze it in then by george naptime it is!

2.  Potty training Sam.  She's super ready to start.  I'm almost ready to let her.  Don't get me wrong, I'm glad to see the light at the end of this whole diaper-tunnel.  But I'm not so excited to have to lock ourselves in the house for about a week.  Or to have said house smell like pee.  Who knows... maybe she'll be easier than Lily was!

3.  Blogging every day.  I'm almost there.  Mostly, I have to start taking pictures again.  And pick "my time" during the day that I can devote to writing.  Soon, friends.  Soon.