Lillian turns EIGHT!

Our baby girl is growing up.  She requested a tea party this year.  I was a little nervous to throw a tea party but we pulled it off with the help of some friends.  She wanted a pin the tail on the donkey type game so Bruce created a tea cup version and we decided to do makeup before the girls had their party.  Lillian and I went to the pazar (street market) the morning before the tea and hit the jackpot on makeup.  Bruce took Lillian to get her hair done before the party.  It was so fun to watch the girls discover make up.  Hind sight told me I should have given a little makeup 'how to' but they figured it out eventually.  I think they all did their own makeup about ten times.

The Model Student

Lillian was named Model Student this week.  We are so proud of her!

Kiddos on the slide

I took the kids to the park the other night and they came up with this game.  All but one line up at the end of the slide.  The other kid slides down and bump the one on the end falls off :)

and everyone at the park joined in...

one slid down and another fell off...

We got a pet!!!

We have contemplated this over and over and finally we did it!  In September we got a kitty.  Her name is Perde (Curtain) but honestly we never call her that.  She's Kitty and that's all there is to it.  Here are some of my favorite pics...

The day we brought her home

she will sleep anywhere

watching Mamma cook

School Starts 2015-2016

School started late this year.  The boys were supposed to start on Sept 7 and Lillian on Sept 14 but it was pushed until after the Sacrifice Holiday and they didn't start until September 28.  It was so late and everyone was really ready to go back.
Lillian jumped in quickly and adjusted well.  She has the same teacher and classmates as last year.  Most local schools keep the same teacher for first through fourth grade.
Eli and Isaac are still adjusting.  Isaac is going to a preschool 5 mornings a week.  After one month he is finally getting on the bus without tears.  Elisha started Kindergarten and is also settling in now that we have switched him from a 7 hour school day to five.
Going to school in a second language is exhausting and we see that from all three children but they are doing well.

Ready to go on the first day

Isaac in his class before everyone arrived.  There are 23 four year olds!!!

Excited!

Eli with his teacher at breakfast

Lillian with her class at the opening ceremony

Isaac getting off the bus

Pumpkin Day

The kids haven't really had the chance to dress up and get candy most of the years of their life but this year they were able to attend TWO events and they had so much fun.  They love to dress up and they love candy.  Win Win

Mountain Climbing

This week we went to an education conference.  It was a great time away from the big city.  It was also so helpful to learn how to better educate my children in a cross-cultural setting.  It was a huge encouragement.
While we were there Bruce really wanted to hike the mountain across the street from our hotel room.  He had been cooped up in the room all day with Isaac who was running a fever.  I told him I thought it was a great idea to take the older two on a hike.  Not really what he had in mind but away they went.  All three came back just in time for dinner and were so excited they made it to the mountain peak.

this is a view of the mountain from our hotel room

The olders enjoying the view.