finishing the week

Our first week back in country is over.  Even after just a short three week trip it's still an adjustment any time we cross international borders!

This particular adjustment was certainly on the trickier side, since we were without Matt!  {He, on other hand, only spent about 14 hours in country before he left again.  Apparently this is a man who likes passport stamps, huh?  And he had a solidly successful week, and even saw some pretty great stuff, before returning to our welcoming arms on Friday.}

On Thursday afternoon the kids and I met friends for dinner.  This bus makes Luke ridiculously happy.

worth every penny.

And it is, now that I think about it, mere pennies to ride.  All three boys are still short enough that they ride for free, and with only three paying passengers the six of us ride for about a dollar.

The best news of the week (apart from Matt's return) is that spring showed up!  Yay for warmer temps and sunny days!  We have spent hours and hours of the weekend outdoors.

We finished the weekend with Matt's birthday!  Actually, we celebrated most of the weekend.  First with a Saturday bike ride down to the river.  [It's a great riverside greenway but there are two road crossings on the way to/from.  The nice thing about a long line of colorful bike riding kids is that they tend to stop traffic - plenty of gawkers! - and we cross in safety! ha!]

and we came home to dessert #1.  Julianna (and Lydia.... but Julianna led the charge) made this gorgeous cookie cake for Matt while I went for a run Saturday afternoon.  This girl is becoming quite the kitchen helper!

We partied more today and finished with dessert #2 but I'll have to save that for another post.  Sunday night and I know I need some rest before this next week comes rolling down the pipe.