The edge of town

Cort looks really cute when he's in Mostar

Family trip to Mostar

Then we went to Mostar, which has a really lovely bridge and Bill broke up a fight between a German tourist and a crazy old man. Then we went to lunch at a cafe overlooking the river.

Big Fortress

There's a big fortress in Dubrovnik and it's got a romantic history.

lola's mom

Sloane is really cute and most willing to pose for photos. Lola and Sloane mostly like to wear the same outfit every day, which is good when you don't do any laundry for 2 weeks. Lola wimped out on the rock climbing.

Croatia Camping

We chased pigeons in the park, which is very Bosnian, went geocaching and camping. When camping this is how we have breakfast. If someone wakes up cranky after sharing a tent with 5 other people and is rude at the breakfast table (old towel) then we have to send them to their room- it's oatmeal in the van for you!

Sareajvo

One day we drove to Bosnia-Herz....

the big 1-0

Billie is in double digits now. Which has been shocking me for months...how can that little ball of patient, thoughtful baby be turning 10? She has a retainer, she is creative, inventive, happy all the time...unless she's stomping off with a snotty remark. She returns 4 minutes later eager and giddy with a new idea that she just has to share...can't remember to stay angry or cranky because as soon as she's alone with her thoughts...she comes up with a plan, a project, a game, an idea and she's happy again.

weekend at the park

This weekend we went to the park. The sun and shedding our heavy coats feels wonderful after winter in Bulgaria.

little Sloane

Sloane used to look like this, now she can read (a little) and write (a lot) and make her bed, get her own breakfast, help Cort, remind us to pray before we eat and lead a game for all her friends. Five is a REALLY old kid.

Traditional OZ

These costumes will always be my favorite, I'm in a blog-frenzy and came across them- too darling to pass up.

I'm Otay

One day Cort may have broken his nose. We didn't have any official x-rays or anything, but I'm pretty sure it was broken, but then he was fine.

these are the days

Once a really detailed and thoughtful building, just left to rot away...it looks sad, but a little lovely, and like it's full of stories...maybe ghost stories.  I love the way the bare trees look on the foggy days too.
A day walking in Sofia.

This is walking around Bulgaria. Bulgaria is weird. There's lots of lovely things if you look for them, but you have to look for them. It's ugly/beauty. That's my favorite kind of beauty, at the moment. There's graffiti on EVERYTHING, I'm going to start taking more pictures. Now that I can use un-mittened hands outdoors again.