Deck the Halls '15

We decorated the house the weekend after Thanksgiving.  Jodie brought us some supplies from the states to make sausage balls and peanut butter blossoms.  That was wonderful!  We all assumed our traditional roles.  Bruce pulled out all the decorations, set up and fluffed the tree, and put the lights on.  I handed out the ornaments and the kids put them all on the tree.  Then I evened out all the ornaments since the kids can't reach the top ;)  Lastly Bruce placed the star (I'm not sure what that thing is but we will call it a star.)  Fun times with family at the most wonderful time of the year.

Thanksgiving and Friends!

My best friend since church nursery, Jodie, came to visit for Thanksgiving this year.  We had so much fun and she made hosting Thanksgiving dinner a possibility.  I would have been a little crazy without her!
After Thanksgiving friends from New Orleans came to visit and we had fun catching up and exploring the 'bul together.

I ordered and it came!!!

giving thanks

Ladies Day Out

when the kids start climbin the walls...
take them to climb the walls!

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