New Routine

The biggest change for our family with this move to California (aside from being able to leave for Tahoe after breakfast and be picnicking on the beach by lunch!) is that Corey leaves for work early every morning instead of just commuting to the third bedroom down the hall to work from a home office.  This has been a big adjustment for girls used to having Daddy join them for lunch every day. 

Natalie, of course, doesn't remember the days when Corey would often leave before she woke up and come home after she had been tucked back in. So, seeing Daddy off each morning and welcoming him home with screams and squeals every night is a new part of our daily routine...one that's bittersweet. Natalie gets emotional a lot of mornings as Corey drives off. Those two did a lot of spontaneous "hanging out" during the day in Phoenix when Corey took breaks. And now that time together is limited to evenings and weekends, as it's always been for most families we know. I'm not sure Corey misses working from home as much as the girls miss having him here (trying to have a conference call while a toddler temper tantrum erupted was no picnic) but I know it's difficult for him to leave every day, too. But what a send off he gets...Natalie (with pjs and bedhead) usually carries his lunch to the truck for him. And the welcome he gets each evening is a loud and enthusiastic one, to say the least. I think they scared away the mole that was living under the front yard when we moved in.

 After the Daddy send off...waiting for the garbage truck driver.

The welcome home meeting at the truck.

Audrey has spent half the summer with only a diaper on or completely naked in the backyard.

The two containers Natalie has with her in this picture are filled with bugs.  Some dead, some alive.

It's always eventful around here.