Here we are.
Maya has started kindergarten.  She loves it.  I was depressed for about 2 weeks.  I am still hoping that someday she will want to homeschool so I can be apart of all the cool stuff that is out there to do..... way more fun and educational than normal 9-5 school, but she is really having fun and is loving the social aspect of it all.  That is really good for her because she has been wanting to explore this and make some girl friends.
Ben is a real kick in the pants.  He is constantly asking why.  Why? Why? Why? and Why?  It is funny. He makes cho-cho lips and it is so cute.  Maya runs after him saying "cha-cha lips get tickled!"  They both scream with laugher.  I love hearing them play and talk and do things together.  Sometimes Ben doesn't want to share, or he wants to do it different than Maya, and she can't process how to handle this or wants it to be her way and there is screaming and fighting but it is short lived and I am hopeful that I am teaching them how to work with each other and like each other in the process.
We are FINALLY getting the baseboard trim and top pieces on.  We are having someone do it for us.  We just can't get it together. So, I stained everything and we are having a great woman put it in.  She is doing a great job.  Scott and I just keep on saying how great it looks.  We also painted the main level.  It was very bittersweet for me.  I know that the paint needed a refresher and was ready (sort of) for a change, but covering up all of our beautiful colors was so sad for me.  I cried.  So did Maya.  I love that girl.
We were in Cleveland for most of August.  We are going to Pendleton this weekend, probably a weekend in November, and Scott will likely go to LA in December.  I think we will go back to Cleveland in January and then to Hawaii in early April.  Most days I am good with the fact that our lives are on each coast.  We have lots of great family.