Various goings on

This has been a very eventful month.  One that the boys especially like is that they got a big kids bed instead of the toddler bunk bed that Grandpa Robertson made.  I loved their bed, but Sam is almost 8 and I can't deny that he was running out of room.  I hate trying to get Seth out of the top bunk when he's asleep!  I have to make one of the kids climb up there to wake him up if he's in the back corner.  Short people problems.  He LOVES it though.  Sam feels all grown up and Seth very willingly gets into bed when it's time.

This kid is all tractors and trains.  I gave him some rice to keep him busy.  Heaven.  He kept saying, "Sethie digging."  He didn't really make a mess.... then the other three kids came in and fixed that.

This girl did her own hair for acrobatics.  Had to take a picture for posterity.

Jer was making dinner and found Seth making faces in the oven door!

This cat still loves her boy.  Whenever he's out, she's right there with him.

He wanted a backpack... so he carried around one of our many ALL DAY.  Any time we go volunteer at the school, he has to take his backpack.

We were taking Ggma's couch to our refugee family.  The girls made it into a dollhouse while they could.

We had one really nice Saturday and Ada decided to do a lemonade stand.  She made brownies, which were excellent, koolaid (which was not.... she didn't know you were supposed to put in sugar), and went to town.  She had so much fun and all these little girls loved hanging out with her while she did it.

We were joking that baby Seth had a mustache like Uncle Seth.

Zone out mode.

Evelyn, Sam and Ada got student of the week awards this month.  They were all so proud of themselves.  They were given free meals to Brick Oven.... so we went.... and they would only accept two of the three meal certificates at a time.  Yeah.

My sister Janelle was cleaning out her closet and her shirt makes an awesome dress for Ada.  She's in heaven.

Miso soup.  After a traumatic hair cut, (I held him down with both arms and the lady held his head while he screamed....) I gave up and took this kid on a soup date.  He LOVES soup.  He plays in it, but he mostly eats it. 

Irina's photos

Irina and Josh's family took Cung sledding and biking.  She loved it, but she was so sore the next day!

Cung and Pau

Things are going well with our Myanmar friends.  We were able to get a full host family network together.  Between the four families and our 2 mentors we've been able to get Cung to and from English classes, find and move them into a 2 bedroom apartment, found her a job, a bike, a bed and I've found a friend.  I enjoy talking to her a lot.

We got together with my Aunt Beth and Uncle Son to learn how to make wontons.  My Uncle Son was a refugee too.  He was one of the last people to make it out of Saigon before the communist army from North Vietnam invaded the city. 

This is my cousin's cute baby Theo.

Cristina's baby shower

We finally were able to throw Cristina a baby shower.  I'm so glad to not have that hanging over my head anymore.  It wasn't as big as it was going to be before the baby was born, but we celebrated.  Hna Lopez was the only other sister missionary that was able to make it.  I'm glad she did.

Lia, Cristian, Cristina and Frederico

March fencing competition

Xander, Finn, Ada, Evelyn and Isla were great fencers this time.  The little Ada got 1st place, and Evelyn got 4th.  I was so proud of Evelyn for facing one of her fears.  She was terrified that Ada would hurt/beat her.... but she got in there and did her absolute best.  She lost the bout by 1 point.

Baby Cristian Frederico

This is Cristina and her baby Cristian... She loves him so much and while her world has been turned upside down, she knows how to connect with her baby. 

Lia loves her Nini, as she calls him.

Being a parent

When you get your marriage license out to apply for a passport and your 7 year old draws stars on the back of it...

Solar panels and other goings on

Well, our solar panels are now officially on. It's exciting and a little nerve-wracking to decide something big on a house. I know Jer has one of solar panels for a very long time.

We've had a lot of other fun things going on as well. Evelyn earned a student of the week award. Seth decided that you wanted to start potty training a little bit. We were actually at the school helping in Evelyn's classroom and Seth decided that he wanted to use kindergarten bathroom. He did it and he knew exactly what to do now it's just learning how to do it consistently. And I had the flu on Saturday and I had it yesterday and Evelyn has it today. Sam and Seth got graduated to a larger bed. Our neighbor was getting rid of it bunk bed and they're really excited about it.

Some funny things that have been happening lately are mostly with Sam. Sam really likes this girl in our Ward. When they moved in he told us that he was going to marry her. He always shares books with her and sits next to her during choir and tries to sit next to her when we sit by their family in sacrament meeting. Jer and I were telling them the story about when we first kissed and Aunt Becca was watching through the window. Sam says well that would be embarrassing if Ada was watching me and Sarah kiss.