Road Trip

I finally got out of the house. Yesterday we had a very fun road trip! After finding out Sean didn't have to fly, we ended up taking a drive along several roads that aren't normally traveled. We were driving over streams and past waterfalls in the jungle and then we were high up in the Andes opposite an active volcano. It was great. The girls were very cooperative during the drive. We were able to have lunch at our favorite little place in Banos as well, which is always a treat. Maddie was whisked away by the staff who loved on her while we ate. While sometimes I don't like the Ecuadorian tendency for strangers to take your children out of your hands before you even know their names, it was nice to have the time to eat without trying to keep Maddie content (she was in good hands or I wouldn't have allowed it). She's getting quite active and loves to be up in the middle of things...but she can't quite sit up on her own yet. Another month and Brooklyn will be kicked out of the highchair (not that she needs it any more anyway) and Madison will be sitting at the table with us. I can't wait. Oh, we'll still let Brooklyn sit with us...I meant she'll sit in a big chair...that was worded kind of funny, wasn't it!!

On the way home we picked up some new plants and flowers for our yard and a couple of houseplants as well. I spent a couple of hours this morning planting flowers, re-potting house plants, and just making a huge muddy mess! I've really enjoyed learning how to be a gardener here. Plants and flowers are dirt cheap (pun intended) and just about anything will grow here. It all looks great - I even planted a little garden in front of Brooklyn's play house. I worry that the dog will tear it all up before long, though. At least plants are cheap here and we can just keep re-planting until she is through this little stage...and I can keep having fun green-thumbing.

(On a side note: I heard that Cayenne pepper was supposed to help repel dogs from plants. I tried that...and it worked great. Instead of tearing up the plants, Maya licked the pepper off of the planters. Something tells me that idea isn't going to work...)

Here's my favorite picture from our day yesterday (other than the one of Brooklyn with her Daddy, which he already posted on the other blog):