Home.

I feel as though I have finally caught up on sleep from my trip. I like to have a day off after vacation to recover, clean up the house, do laundry. Nothing stresses me out like a messy house. But after getting home on Sunday - completely exhausted - I went right back to work Monday. I feel like I went through the week in a bit of a daze, but today, and after a mad cleaning on Thursday, today I feel like myself again.

This trip home was one of the best I had in a long, long time. It was unhurried, unstressful, and Sophie was a peach. After a difficult Christmas, this trip was what we needed. The only thing that would've made it better was if Roy came with us, but the cost of flights was just too prohibitive.

We've been video chatting on Skype with my family for about a month now and as soon as we got off the plane and mom did the freaky thing she does with her mouth EVERY TIME we video chat, Sophie smiled and knew exactly who she was.

I swear, I was filled with warm fuzzies all weekend long.

There was lots of piano playing.


and I got this outfit for $2.25 at the Etc. Shoppe. Man, I miss that place!


Mom, Ella, and Sophie played and played and played. And Sophie and Ella shared very well except for the singing monkey and the basketball. Those were highly popular toys!


Leftovers from Easter. Sophie loved wearing these ears.


and I love the expressions on the girls faces here. So representative of their personalities. Ella is happy and giddy, Sophie questioning and curious.


The window on the landing of stairs was a popular, popular place.


I don't know when we'll head up north again, and that makes me sad, but the warmth of this weekend (despite the, "that wind is in a hurry!" wind) will last quite a while.

(as an aside, I can't recommend Skype highly enough. This free video service is the perfect way to stay in touch with the people you love when they are far away.)