socialization in isolation

Freemont's mahonia in bloom. Smells delish and is all over the place here. Reminds me of the forsythia in NC in the spring.

our little rock climbers at pothole point.

Liesel and Owen playing/ Leslie and Sam on the rocks. 

Check this out-- owen's on a two-wheeler!! Both of his feet are off the ground here. This is called a Strider Bike and they are all the craze right now. Kids learn to balance and glide without training wheels and at a super young age. I think it's pretty incredible and would love to get L one, but I'm afraid to shell out $100 bucks if it something she won't like/do. I may cave though. . . we ride her tricycle every morning, so maybe she would learn it eventually. I might have to get it just for the helmet:

Last week Brian was gone teaching the NPS Search and Rescue training in California. Leslie's husband was also gone and so I invited her down to the Needles to do nothing. Turns out it was really exhausting, but I was so happy to have the company each day.

Because sometimes I get really stir crazy. And lonely. And believe it or not, so does my two-year-old. Even at this age she craves socialization and will wake up some mornings and ask to play with friends or go to Moab. Last night we went to a party/potluck here and this morning the first thing she said to me was, "we went to a party huh? That was fun. You popped a balloon and that was funny." She laughs at jokes and it kinda breaks my heart because she has no idea what's funny-- but she wants to be included. She runs around and makes people laugh. 

Liesel is still talking about Owen's visit. "Owen likes Pout Pout fish, huh?" "Owen rode his bike to the basketball hoop sort of, huh?" (she loves adding sort of, actually and soon to sentences these days).  She loves her little buddy. I wish they could hang out more often because watching him accomplish things made her want to try and master them also. After they left, potty training was basically over. We don't do stickers or treats (except maybe a 1/2 skittle every now and then) unless it's #2 because she's got it (no accidents in 4 days)! But while they were here we were both cleaning up potty messes and running the washer all day. It was awesome to have someone to chat with while cleaning up those potty messes, roaming the rocks and sitting in the sand. Not to mention we ate a pan of brownies and chatted on the sofa after the kiddos went to sleep. It was almost like living in a real town for 36hrs.