First Day of First Grade!

First Day of Kindergarten!

Out and About...

 Just some pics of the kiddos out around where we live...above, Jo and EJ playing in the dirt on torn up road near our home

 EJ enjoying the bricks! 

 EJ my little helper pushing her brother

 tried to get our house in the background...we are way up there on floor 28!

Jo out front of our apt complex

our bunch bundled up shopping at night
these pictures are not great, but wanted to post as a memory of us all bundled up with our bikes and buggy, you should see us get on and off the elevator! ha!  

EJ and Judah helping Mommy shop at the market, my little Panda and little bear!

Josiah's Sweet Prayers!

I wanted to save some of Josiah's sweet prayers during the month of December.  I recorded them on facebook so i just copied them over here for keepsake for my JO. I do love his heart and how he is becoming more and more sincere in his prayers! 

December 21, 2013

Josiah wanted to pray before our meal out with visitors, he says "forgive us for our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. Amen" I've tried teaching him "God is good, God is great. Now we thank you for our food!" But I suppose that's not deep enough for him!

December 22, 2013

 josiah woke up singing I can't wait to be in 1st grade and his meal prayer was "God, I pray we can believe your commandments and not follow the devil's schemes!"

December 29, 2013

Josiah's meal prayer today "God, I pray the devil does not trick us with his schemes but we trick the devil. And thank you for the Holy Spirit!"

I love you Josiah and I am so grateful I am chosen to be your Mommy!  

More Judah!

I found a few more photos of Judah 5-6 months old :)

Here, he loves sleeping in the buggy!  Many trips he will fall asleep so we just park it inside the apartment and he will take a good long nap even after we are back home!

Of course he's cute and expressive Johnny Jump Up-ing!

Evie Joy and Judah helping me shop

This last one is of Judah after he got himself out of the Bumbo seat and was playing on the floor with Josiah! ha! 

Evie Joy

Beautiful Evie Joy watching Judah while she colors 

Beautiful Evie Joy playing outside in the construction dirt!

Beautiful Evie Joy feeding her baby brother!  

I just think all these are so sweet of my Sweetie Princess!  

Love my Girl! 

Evie Joy is like looking into a mirror back in time

Tomorrow I am allowing Evie Joy to officially start a Kindergarten curriculum.  She is 4 1/2.  She is at least 6 months beyond where I began teaching Josiah K and she is very motivated so I am not sure how long I can keep her in Kindergarten.  She is one smart little girl.  I hear back in the day I began reading at age 4, before I officially began school and I do remember I could not wait to officially go to Kindergarten, just like my Evie Joy.  So, here we go.  I've been trying to hold off until she is officially completed all of her Pre-K workbooks and she is ready to read.  She is beyond ready, has began reading and just keeps going at a much more rapid pace than her older Brother.  I am a bit concerned of her attitude.  How I longed for her attitude to also mature enough to handle "real school" with Mommy.  This past year I have always given her minimal Pre-K requirements and then required her to sit in on some school with Josiah and I, but then she had the option to leave, but now, she will not have such option and oh, she is a beast when she resists what she is told and it is exhausting taming that beast.  ugh, but I must allow her to officially begin school, she is way beyond academically ready and this past week she has tried and proven she can sit with Josiah and I the entire time and attend school...so here we go, my little girl is growing.

I do love that she is reflecting some part of me.  It is a sweet and special gift especially this past year in losing my Dad.  I read notes he wrote me of how he loved watching Evie Joy and how she reminded him so much of me at her age.  Last year while visiting my Dad, she kept saying "Excuse me Mommy" and I can still hear him laughing, getting so tickled of her saying that to me, just like I'd do that to him.  And then there was one day we were on the bus and she put her hand in my hand and it was just like i'd put my hand in my Dad's, he loved holding my hand and my little hand fit perfect in his just like hers in mine.  I am blessed to look down at her and see myself more through the lens of how my Dad saw me, always chattering about something, busy about many things, trying to take care of this and that, but a bundle of energy and joy and imagination, always learning, loving to help and figure everything out...

Rock Park Fun with Alex

We did it! We left Judah behind with a sitter and ventured out with just the bigs :)  We went to the Rock Park with Evie Joy's classmate Alex and his Mom!  We ran into another man with his daughter that we know so we enjoyed playing with them too (pictured in first picture).  It was a beautiful day and we had (mostly) a great time (except when EJ and Jo were pushing one another fighting and almost fell off a ledge)

Serious Learners!

 We did indeed continue school in the month of December since we had taken 3 months off when we went to the states during the Summer and then another 2 weeks when Mommy had to take Judah to the hospital in Thailand...so no Christmas break for us, haha!

 The above picture is Josiah teaching Bible stories in his room to his student Kathy.  Evie Joy was joining in too.  

 Above, Josiah with Rain 

Below, with Beatrice 

both his Chinese tutors

 This is a group picture of all his students. 3 are HS girls that come each week, go directly back to his room, where he teaches them Bible stories and quizzes them.  He named them- Green, Silly and Smile. Kathy is a Senior this year at the college and is also one of his students recently!  

 Evie Joy playing dress up with other local kids in our home for Homeschool/Preschool

Evie Joy loves Projects!  So Mommy has to prepare special projects for her to keep her busy!

Evie Joy and Josiah have enjoyed doing a lot of puzzles with Daddy this month.  Here is one of the Nativity they did together!  

It's Cold and Wet Outside a lot so we come up with creative ways to get some energy out!  Here, we are playing HopScotch inside!  We began watching this Mathtacular video and the kids love all the fun learning ideas on it, HopScotch being one of them :)

Judah 6 month Highlights!

Yippie Yippie Yay!  Judah has made it to 6 months! 

He was up all night sleeping next to us so we happily kicked him out and he is now happily sleeping all night in the office/school room!  He loves his new space!  Here are some pictures from the past month, ha, there do seem to be a lot once i got to uploading them all, but I think he is just too cute in all of them!  He received his 4 month shots at 5 1/2 months, 2 weeks ago.  Then he weighed 16 1/2 pounds and was 30 inches I think that was correct...I'm not always the best at remembering when it's time to convert

This is at a friend's wedding

 Cutie in Johnny Jump Up, loves to jump!

Sweet Big Sister Feeding and holding Judah

 Josiah is reading Bible stories to Judah and Evie Joy

 People love getting a photo with Judah!

He loves his chew toy from MiMi haha

 this is funny, he fell asleep in his jumper, which he never randomly falls asleep anywhere, must have really worn himself out that day!

Another Judah is famous I want my picture with him shot!

 LOVE his sweet smile here!  A little messy from eating- speaking of which, he loves eating food!  His favorites are apples and carrots.  He also has eaten sweet potatoes, zucchini, peaches and bananas.

Playing War with Brother and Sister!

 Apartment Searching with Brother and Sister...

 Above, this is how Mommy got a bath one day :)  Josiah entertained Judah 

 Here, EJ was watching Judah while Mommy was cooking and she said Mommy He keeps grabbing my paper haha! 

check out my 2 teeth!

 And these 2 just because he is so cute!

He's rolling a lot more and on the move scooting all around, of course he's frustrated bc he actually cannot crawl yet, ha, all my kids were that way, so mad and not satisfied to be still!  Today I sat him in the room watching Josiah play.  He was sitting in the Bumbo, I went and made the kids lunch, came back and Judah was on the floor moving around.  Josiah said he got out and wanted to play?!  ha!  He didn't scream or fuss so I guess he didn't hurt himself doing it!  He still loves to watch and listen to the Gospel Praise Videos!  That is his favorite!

He is beginning to make noises that are almost short words, like "Bro" for Brother and "Da" for Daddy.  Of course Josiah has been coaching him regarding the "Bro"

He still doesn't like a paci, He is very social and becoming more playful, which is very fun!