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Summertime
picnic on the
deck!
picnic on the
deck!
sisters reading together...
| This is how Eden lets Isaac have his turn on the computer. |
Hannah wins a gold medal for sparring!
Poor kitty missing Jordan.....
My garden! .... and a couple weeks later....
And here are the
sunflowers that the kids
planted in little cups at
Sunday School. Look
how they've grown!!
sunflowers that the kids
planted in little cups at
Sunday School. Look
how they've grown!!
There has been lots of fun in the pool so far this year. Eden is a little fish the
year! She loves swimming underwater, and can get things off the bottom of
the pool. Maggie and Eden can stay in the pool for hours. The boys? Not so
much. They are more timid and get cold, and prefer to not stay in very long
or not go in at all. Go figure. It is hard to capture the pool fun in a photo.
year! She loves swimming underwater, and can get things off the bottom of
the pool. Maggie and Eden can stay in the pool for hours. The boys? Not so
much. They are more timid and get cold, and prefer to not stay in very long
or not go in at all. Go figure. It is hard to capture the pool fun in a photo.
I made this "lifeguard chair"
by securing a plastic chair to
a pool ladder. Silas likes to
sit and watch up there, with
his goggles on, just in case
he gets splashed.
by securing a plastic chair to
a pool ladder. Silas likes to
sit and watch up there, with
his goggles on, just in case
he gets splashed.
We're back to bike riding when
we can, now that the weather is
good. We always take two kids
with us, and this is one of the
few things that makes Eden fall
asleep. It's so funny. Here she
is completely knocked out.
Even when we talked to her,
gathered around her, and
touched her, she still stayed
sound asleep.
we can, now that the weather is
good. We always take two kids
with us, and this is one of the
few things that makes Eden fall
asleep. It's so funny. Here she
is completely knocked out.
Even when we talked to her,
gathered around her, and
touched her, she still stayed
sound asleep.
This is some of Hannah's realm. She
has an artist's organization. She has a
huge eclectic mass of all sorts of
things from nature books, to art
supplies, to snowboard items, to Tae
kwon do manuals and her nunchuks.
She is a creative work in progress all
the time....
has an artist's organization. She has a
huge eclectic mass of all sorts of
things from nature books, to art
supplies, to snowboard items, to Tae
kwon do manuals and her nunchuks.
She is a creative work in progress all
the time....
... and I regularly find things like this
picture below, just laying casually on
her desk...
picture below, just laying casually on
her desk...
She used to always
say she couldn't draw
people; she would
draw almost anything
but -- animals, nature,
plants, dragons,
elaborate designs and
scenes, but all without
people. So, upon
seeing these recent
pictues she's been
sketching (on plain
xerox paper no less...)
I said, "You are a liar!
You can draw people!"
She said, "Yes, well, I
guess I just didn't find
it *interesting* to draw
people. Now I do."
say she couldn't draw
people; she would
draw almost anything
but -- animals, nature,
plants, dragons,
elaborate designs and
scenes, but all without
people. So, upon
seeing these recent
pictues she's been
sketching (on plain
xerox paper no less...)
I said, "You are a liar!
You can draw people!"
She said, "Yes, well, I
guess I just didn't find
it *interesting* to draw
people. Now I do."
This one didn't photograph very well. I
haven't yet figured out how to take
pictures of artwork effectively.
haven't yet figured out how to take
pictures of artwork effectively.
I guess "interesting" people are people
doing Taekwondo or flips....
doing Taekwondo or flips....
The artist herself! Hannah is also a bit
of a gourmet cook, and I often find her
in the kitchen making amazing smelling
concoctions. This time I walked in to
see her cooking and dancing to the
music on Eden's DJ Lance hat.
of a gourmet cook, and I often find her
in the kitchen making amazing smelling
concoctions. This time I walked in to
see her cooking and dancing to the
music on Eden's DJ Lance hat.
Hannah buys a trampoline!! Hannah has been wanting a quality trampoline for quite a while. She
first wanted one to practice snowboarding flips. Now she wants to practice extreme martial arts
flips. She has saved her money and doesn't spend much at all, so when she wanted to purchase a
trampoline herself, we said why not?
first wanted one to practice snowboarding flips. Now she wants to practice extreme martial arts
flips. She has saved her money and doesn't spend much at all, so when she wanted to purchase a
trampoline herself, we said why not?
The kids LOVE it!! And it's a lot more
exercise than you would think....
exercise than you would think....
I love this picture...
Here is Canaan doing some flips. It is pretty hard to capture on
camera. He's amazing.
camera. He's amazing.
And interestingly, this is how that same amazing boy opens up a box of
cream of wheat. No, he's not retarded....
cream of wheat. No, he's not retarded....
More cute cat pictures for Jordan to
see while she is away...
see while she is away...
a "cat-sserole dish"
Me, 35 pounds later....
An afternoon in the sprinkler:
I took lots of photos of the kids playing
in the sprinkler one day. Maggie and
Eden had been swimming in the pool,
but Isaac and Silas didn't want to go in,
even though it was really hot out.
That's why they have clothes on and
the girls have suits on. Isaac was a lot
more willing to get wet in the sprinkler
than in the pool.
in the sprinkler one day. Maggie and
Eden had been swimming in the pool,
but Isaac and Silas didn't want to go in,
even though it was really hot out.
That's why they have clothes on and
the girls have suits on. Isaac was a lot
more willing to get wet in the sprinkler
than in the pool.
Beautiful girls!
Silas watching the
fun from the deck,
and thinking
about joining in.
fun from the deck,
and thinking
about joining in.
Cautiously
venturing
over...
venturing
over...
The girls with
water in their
eyes...
water in their
eyes...
...and their solution: "Let's put
our goggles on!
our goggles on!
... well.... yes.
And Silas is soaking wet and having fun!
| Happy kids. Sum-sum-summertime fun! I love it. |
06-20-09 Update
Summer time is upon us!! I was surprised how long it has been since I have updated. The kids are thoroughly enjoying the
warm weather, swimming and running in the sprinkler and playing outside. Eden is a little fish this year, swimming under water
and the last one out of the pool. She is fearless in the water. Swimming lessons at the Y will start soon for all of them. Next
week is Vacation Bible School at our church and we will all be going. I am priviliged to be able to help out in the third grade
class while they are in their classes. Hannah and Art and I have been busily working on decorations for the room. I haven't
painted in a while, and it was fun to get back to it. I also makeshifted a life size sheep. I will post some photos in the next
update as it isn't all done yet.
Another exciting thing for us is that Hannah bought a trampoline! She has been wanting one for years. Initially she wanted to
practice snowboarding flips, but now she also wants to practice her martial arts flips and moves. She has saved her money
and hardly ever spends on anything, and she researched exactly what she wanted. So, incidentally, we all benefit as it is a lot of
fun, and surprisingly a lot of exercise too! I posted some pictures of the kids jumping, and also some of Canaan doing some
flips, but it is pretty difficult to capture the action.
Hannah received some great news this week. She has been working as an assistant instructor at her Taekwondo school and
absolutely loves it. This week the head dude of all the schools came in to talk to her. He wants to train Hannah and another
instructor there to co-manage the school once the current manager leaves this fall. She got a very good raise, and once she is
trained and has full time hours, she will also get benefits. This is what she really wants to do, and she is so pleased.
A couple of weeks ago Hannah went to a regional tournament and won a gold medal in both her forms and her sparring. She is
planning to go to an international competition in Atlanta in August.
Our garden is doing great and we have been eating fresh lettuce from our garden, and summer squash. I canned four jars of
dill pickles this week! They look beautiful and I hope they will taste good. Our tomato plants are loaded with tomatoes, but they
are not ripe yet. We have also had some green peppers and jalapeno peppers, cilantro, and our first cucumber today. It was
delicious, fresh and warm from the garden, eaten moments after it was picked.
Jordan is doing great in Italy. She has been there three weeks, and has completed her first week of teaching this week. It was a
rough start, but she didn't let it beat her. She has kept her attitude up and has met every challenge so far. Her class of unruly
children from last Monday are now children who are learning English by Friday and who she has come to truly care for. We are
proud of her. There have been some disappointments along the way, but she has also seen some amazing sights and
experienced things that she will remember for the rest of her life. She is in Milan now, and will be there for another week before
she gets her next assignment. Your prayers are appreciated. If you would like to view some of her pictures, here are the links:
Jordan's first web album
Jordan's second web album
We all miss Jordan a lot. We are glad she has this opportunity, but she is definitely missed. I hope you're reading this Jordan!!
Can't wait to hug you again, and have you sit in the white rocker in the kitchen eating and talking on and on and on and on.... :-)
Nobody can take your place!
Summer time is upon us!! I was surprised how long it has been since I have updated. The kids are thoroughly enjoying the
warm weather, swimming and running in the sprinkler and playing outside. Eden is a little fish this year, swimming under water
and the last one out of the pool. She is fearless in the water. Swimming lessons at the Y will start soon for all of them. Next
week is Vacation Bible School at our church and we will all be going. I am priviliged to be able to help out in the third grade
class while they are in their classes. Hannah and Art and I have been busily working on decorations for the room. I haven't
painted in a while, and it was fun to get back to it. I also makeshifted a life size sheep. I will post some photos in the next
update as it isn't all done yet.
Another exciting thing for us is that Hannah bought a trampoline! She has been wanting one for years. Initially she wanted to
practice snowboarding flips, but now she also wants to practice her martial arts flips and moves. She has saved her money
and hardly ever spends on anything, and she researched exactly what she wanted. So, incidentally, we all benefit as it is a lot of
fun, and surprisingly a lot of exercise too! I posted some pictures of the kids jumping, and also some of Canaan doing some
flips, but it is pretty difficult to capture the action.
Hannah received some great news this week. She has been working as an assistant instructor at her Taekwondo school and
absolutely loves it. This week the head dude of all the schools came in to talk to her. He wants to train Hannah and another
instructor there to co-manage the school once the current manager leaves this fall. She got a very good raise, and once she is
trained and has full time hours, she will also get benefits. This is what she really wants to do, and she is so pleased.
A couple of weeks ago Hannah went to a regional tournament and won a gold medal in both her forms and her sparring. She is
planning to go to an international competition in Atlanta in August.
Our garden is doing great and we have been eating fresh lettuce from our garden, and summer squash. I canned four jars of
dill pickles this week! They look beautiful and I hope they will taste good. Our tomato plants are loaded with tomatoes, but they
are not ripe yet. We have also had some green peppers and jalapeno peppers, cilantro, and our first cucumber today. It was
delicious, fresh and warm from the garden, eaten moments after it was picked.
Jordan is doing great in Italy. She has been there three weeks, and has completed her first week of teaching this week. It was a
rough start, but she didn't let it beat her. She has kept her attitude up and has met every challenge so far. Her class of unruly
children from last Monday are now children who are learning English by Friday and who she has come to truly care for. We are
proud of her. There have been some disappointments along the way, but she has also seen some amazing sights and
experienced things that she will remember for the rest of her life. She is in Milan now, and will be there for another week before
she gets her next assignment. Your prayers are appreciated. If you would like to view some of her pictures, here are the links:
Jordan's first web album
Jordan's second web album
We all miss Jordan a lot. We are glad she has this opportunity, but she is definitely missed. I hope you're reading this Jordan!!
Can't wait to hug you again, and have you sit in the white rocker in the kitchen eating and talking on and on and on and on.... :-)
Nobody can take your place!