return to work --- who said stress?

My week off with my parents is over and I am now back at work...
The procurement officer is on leave for 3 weeks and being his back-up I see myself dealing with 5 procurement files on top of my regular duties.
Did I mention that Yossi is finishing his contract in DC and will be on te bench at the headquarters till the next contract - nothing in sight yet.
My cleaning lady has not shown up for the last 2 weeks. I had asked her not to come for 2 weeks while my parents were at home and while I was on vacation.
The baby sitter/mother helped has not come for the last 2 weeks as she is rehearsing for her musical at school.
Weather temperatures are up and down and I got sick last week.
I bought strawberry plants this past Saturday and haven't been able to plant them because of the rain.

OK now I do feel better.
These are nothing really, the most important is that we are fine and the girls are doing well.

This morning I took Rachel for an early breakfast at her daycare. We had talked about it last evening and I told her I would wake her up this morning without waking up Natalie. She woke her by herself, got dressed, brushed her teeth and her hair and was ready in less than 10 min. She went to say bye to papa and we left hearing Natalie waking up (that's hard to hear her calling me and not being able to turn around and run to snuggle with her). Papa took care of that.

2012 Spring look for our house

Heidi monte la garde/peaceful evening

Hier soir Yossi lisait un livre a Rachel en bas tandis que nous etions en haut. Je lisais, Natalie jouait pres de moi, et Heidi montait la garde ou plutot somnolait.

Picture taken last eveninig while Yossi was reading a book to Rachel and Natalie was playing close to me, and Heidi our German Sheppard was garding us or rather snoozing..... .

garden/ le jardin

This year papy Vincent planted it and it has never looked so beautiful.

Cette annee c'est papy Vincent qui s'en est occupe et le jardin n'a jamais ete aussi beau

now/maintenant et 2 semaines avant

sortie au zoo/ outing to the zoo

au revoir mamy et papy

On a passe 2 semaines formidables avec mamy et papy Vincent. Des le matin, les filles allaient les retrouver pour un extra calin. Les filles ont passe leurs vacances de paques avec eux et en ont profite au maximum. J'ai pris une semaine de conges pour etre avec eux vers la fin de leur sejour. on a bien travaille dans le jardin (Vincent a plante et tout commence deja a pousse), la liste des choses qu'ils ont fixees est bcp trop longue a enumerer mais nous leur sommes tres reconnaissants pour leur aide.
Ils sont deja repartis et bien rentres et nous les reverrons dans quelques mois cet ete en Belgique.

Mom and grandpa Vincent are gone alreay. We all had a fantastic time together. The girls were on vacation at home and spent 4 whole days with them before I joined them for another few days. Mom and Vincent worked a lot in the backyard and it looks wonderful. Papy Vincent tilled my vegetal garden and planted tomatoes, cabbage and seeds we bought together (salad, beets, carrots and beans), I love looking at the sprouts coming out already. He fixed our old shed and it looks like new. They helped out so much, the list would be too long to write down...it was wonderful to have them with us for these last 2 weeks.
We celebrated Pessah and Easter (Rachel saw us putting the eggs in the backyard but kept the secret for her sister). We had great food and wine, had friends over, went out for brunch and dinners... wonderful life.
We will see them soon this summer and the girls are already counting the days.