While We Were Gone....

....Megan did not starve, forget to go to bed, or work, or church. She wasn't murdered, robbed, or found wandering with amnesia. She didn't make the Billings Gazette with reported incidents involving police. She didn't even burn the house down, although she came close on that one.

After Megan got dressed for work today, Makayla said "You look beautiful, Megan!" You've gotta love Makayla!

 In fact, while we were gone, Megan was named "Employee of the Month". This means her name is on the Del Taco wall of fame, she got this super cool water bottle, AND (most importantly) a $25 bonus. You go, Megan!!

While we were gone, the baby robins hatched, grew up, and left the nest. Except for this last one. It appears her parents abandoned her, leaving her home alone while they flew off to Europe or something. 

I've name this last baby bird "Megan". Seems appropriate somehow.

While we were gone, Makayla got her glasses. She's still learning to look through them, not over them.

While we were gone, I missed these two terribly, and they claim they missed me, too.

While we were gone, it snowed a couple of inches. My yard managed to survive and grow out of control anyway. Megan was kind enough to cut the grass after it got 15.4 inches high.

While we were gone, Hailey made this objet d' art for me. It's made of paper towels, ribbons, buttons, and a variety of unidentifiable decorations. I like it more than most of the famous art I saw in Europe. It is proudly hanging on my fridge.

Hailey also had a gift for Stan. She collects nuts, bolts, and other metal things she finds as "stuff for Grandpa". It cracks me up that Hailey has noticed Grandpa's propensity to have a pocketful of "fix it" material, and gathers more of it to give him.

Now That We're Home..

...Stan and I took the girls to go look at a few cars.  After all, nothing says *fun* quite like an afternoon in a hot parking lot with a couple of little girls.

But I made up for all that fun by going to the local park

where we found the wading pools up and running.

Did I mention that I missed these two?

 Since we've been home, I've started sorting through the pictures from our trip. All 3422 of them. Nope, I'm not kidding: 3422.

I took extensive and careful notes, but the coming travel log is going to be full of pictures

of places I remember, but can't remember where, what, or when. I figure I've got around 16 travel log posts. Kids, fasten your seat belts! It's going to be a long and bumpy ride!!