Gratuitous vacation lingering

 Because real life problems just don't compare to vacation ones.

 Even though I'll take our real life problems any day; they are not so terrible.

 But we had dinner Friday night with new friends we met at Mar de Jade and they sent us these.

 Leeor is usually our photographer so I especially like getting pictures of him.

 Lilit seems like a different girl now; chatty and social everywhere we go, speaking in clear, full sentences and demonstrating a new confidence and even insight.  I absolutely treasure the last vestiges of her babyhood.  It's possible she does, too, as she likes to refer to herself as a baby.  Or a baby princess.

In response to questions such as "What is your name?" or "how old are you?" She answers with her own battery of stock responses in the order she prefers.  "Pink.  It's my favorite color."  "Wee-weet." "Two and a half."

She keeps asking to go back to "the new deep."  I wish we could.  Next time we'll have to go for two weeks.

But for now, there's a new week to relish.  And chicken soup in the slow cooker; a two and a half year old asleep in her bed and my almost 5 year old by my side on the couch.  We are planning for his birthday party.  And his entrance into elementary school.  Big stuff.  And just ordinary enough to feel special to us.