Back to School...

I was fully expecting the summer to fly by...and it did! I was kicking and screaming on the inside as I watched 3 of my kids get off to school now. But we love our school and I'm so thankful for their teachers who are more amazing than I could have asked for. That makes it a little easier for me to send them :)

It also helps that AJ is now working at the school too!

Selah has been counting down the days since last year so I know she was more than ready to go. So far her enthusiasm hasn't slowed yet after being a few weeks in to it.

Evangeline seemed excited at first but has shown some hesitancy lately

Ari seemed very excited to start as well so he could see all his friends. He also loves learning, especially about science and art, so if all his homework could be science and art instead of spelling and math, I think we will have a happy camper all year :)

Lincoln was so wrapped up in the excitement that he seemed very disappointed that he wasn't going to school and have his own teacher and desk space. He definitely loves having someone to play with and with all the others at school I guess that leaves me :) I joke that I was more productive with four kids at home than just one! 

End of School

The end of a school year is always a blur, with the last minute projects and concerts and field trips. Kids did great at their last concert. 

Ari presented on Billy Graham and he did great! Seemed like a never-ending project but all the hard work paid off.

Evangeline's last field trip was to Columbus. She insisted on funny faces. I love how she wants me to be there with her, and sit with her, and be goofy. She may be growing up fast but the free spirited little girl is still there.

I stopped in at field day this year and observed lots of water fun.

End of the year awards are always special for me because I love to see how proud my kids are of their hard work in school, but I have to note that Ari received the Fruit of the Spirit Award. Apparently, it's a hard earned award for 3rd and 4th graders. I believe Ari has such a great class, there could have been several who deserved this award as well. But to say that I was overwhelmed for him to be picked is an understatement! Evangeline also received several awards but I was unable to get a picture. Way to go, kiddos!

And the day we thought would never come, finally came! Goodbye school, hello summer! Now is when I start singing the Christmas song "It's the most wonderful time of the year..." I think it's pretty fitting for summer break. :)

7 years old {Evangeline}

Here we are again, another baby has turned a year older. The other day someone asked me to describe each of my children, and the two words that came to mind for Evangeline were loving and joyful. She just exudes joy where ever she goes...something that I am learning from daily. And her tender, loving heart for others just melts mine. The number of cards and pictures she made for various people this year were countless. Her prayers at night are so thoughtful, and filled with classmates who might have had a hard day, or her teacher who was out sick, or the little chick who was born with a crooked beak.

She also has a love for animals. *sigh* One that I can relate with since I was her age once. But seeing and experiencing the responsibilities that come with pets are what's keeping us from getting one yet. She spent almost our whole time at the park the other day feeding a goat. Forty minutes feeding and petting a goat. She was having the best time and didn't have a care in the world that she was forfeiting the swing and slide. During President's Day, her class had to say what they would do if they were president...and low and behold she said she would get a dog and a cat. Apparently she thinks that's what it is going to take to have one! 

Her soccer skills have improved since last year and was thrilled to be playing again.

And we can't forget her love for dance. This year it's been tap and jazz. Any time music is on she just can't help herself. :)

I love our kids school and how they pray over each child on their birthday. She got to enjoy lots of birthday treats her whole birthday week.

She picked donuts for her birthday treat with us, and cake pops for her class party.

And lemon cake for her family party. 

Her expressions were making me laugh. She was this excited over every present 

she received. 

Even the dresses and jewelry. I hear that most kids this age really just want toys...but she was just as thrilled to get something she can wear and use for a long time. She still loves to wear dresses. Every. Day. 

I love how she is so excited for me to come on field trips with her, and come in to school for lunch, or help out in the classroom. She isn't embarrassed to hold my hand and is always so proud of her family.

We are so proud of who she is and the choices she makes. Her snuggles, and hugs, and wanting to be held, and dancing, and goofiness will never get old. It will be a sad day though when Lincoln stops calling her "Angeween". What a sweet sister she is to all of 

her siblings. 

3! {Lincoln}

It's really strange to be saying that my baby is now 3! These last three years have been a bit of a blur, due to a certain child not sleeping for at least 2/3rds of his lifetime :) And now that I'm getting decent sleep, it's like I woke up and all of a sudden he is no longer a baby but an independent toddler. Yikes!

There is no denying his love for making people laugh. While sorting through pictures, it seemed that most of them were of him hamming it up.

I love this age for many reasons. One of the reasons is that he can communicate all of his thoughts and feelings.  He was very much in to his birthday this year and turning "free".  If you ask him his name, it might vary depending on his mood. For a long while he would answer "Um, Linky".  It always the the "um" attached to it. Then it was "Linky Alan", then "Lincoln", then "Lincoln Alan". I'm thankful that he truly doesn't think his real name is Linky! *phew* Some how none of our other kids managed to have nicknames...bur for some reason that one must have stuck out to him.

This age also allows him to speak up for himself and let us know exactly what he wants. Like this donut and cake pop. 

And apparently he was in the mood to wear a napkin on his head at dinner one night. Got to love it when they haven't become aware of what other people might think.

He likes to ask me to take pictures of him "doin' dis".

"and dis"

This was his first time bowling and he loved it! He was so proud even if his ball managed to miss all the pins (even with bumpers). I guess at three years old, getting to roll a heavy ball down the lane is exciting in and of itself, no matter what the outcome.

"Watch mom!"

He is our messiest child to date. He doesn't hold back much when it comes to food. Of course he went through a picky phase but as of late I've been surprised at his love for raw carrots, peppers, and grape tomatoes. All this time I've been fighting with him to eat cooked veggies at dinner and I think offering him some fresh ones might just be his preference.

He is also to the age where he is aware of what his siblings get to do (and he doesn't). I'm sure he is ready to outgrow this particular part of being three.

He has really been in to costumes lately. Except that he only likes to wear them for about 10 minutes then is ready to change in to another one, then another one, then another one...

Just enough time in between that I can't quite finish any task. :) 

He is crazy about his big sisters and brother. Since he spends all day with Selah , he is very sentimental towards his time with the other two. He asks for hugs and kisses in carpool line before school, then when they hop out and head in to school I can hear him muttering "goodbye Evangeline..." Then when they get home he is ready to wrestle and run and fight his big brother. He is definitely the "rough and tumble" boy of the family. Even though he likes to play rough, he is still so sweet and caring to others. I especially enjoy his bedtime routine which requires me to snuggle him and sing songs. I'm not ready for him to outgrow that special time I have with him!

5 years old {Selah}

This girl had been counting down to her birthday for about six months. And it finally came. I like to say she is five going on 15. (What 4 year old would ask for fancy dresses and pink lip gloss?) Her eagerness to grow up is unmatched. Nearly every day she will ask if she is a little taller. Now that her fifth birthday is over, she is already planning for her sixth! 

She is very particular about her clothes, and has her own unique style. She loves to wear dresses and necklaces, headbands, the works. But then there is the occasional walk-out-on-a-limb day when she wants to wear a shirt and pants. *gasp*

She has an obsession with checking the tag of every item of clothing to see if she can hand it down to her cousin. She will go through Evangeline's clothes often and check her tags to see if any of them say 5T...which automatically just makes them hers. Score!

She loves to be silly. But at the same time she is very practical in her thinking. She keeps her silly for when she's at home, but is very practical when we are in public. She is very quiet when "outsiders" are around but is chatty-Kathy when she is comfortable with you.

I'm not very productive during nap time because she has our schedule all planned out. She loves playing games like UNO, memory match, Guess Who?, Go Fish, and Candy Land. And I can honestly say she usually beats me. If luck is a thing, she has it. 

She still loves to play with baby dolls and Barbies. She has told me several times that she wants to be a mom when she grows up...among other things like a dancer, singer, and gymnast. She is going to be a very busy lady!

She always knows exactly what she wants. She loves being one of the "big" kids. She is very aware of things like: who wasn't in her Bible study class today (and if they've ever missed before), and which kid has NEVER been the line leader, and how many kids have lost a tooth. She loves drawing pictures for people, and remembers every single paper she has given to me...and wants to know where it's at if it's been moved. She drew one for her Bible study teacher and has diligently kept good care of this drawing for three weeks until we see her again. Gotta love the heart of a giver.

Speaking of lost teeth, she has already lost both of her bottom front teeth!! First one came loose on accident by biting into food wrong and fell out a month later. And to my surprise her permanent tooth was following right behind. Then her other bottom tooth came out over Spring Break. That adult tooth was coming in behind her baby one (making a second row of teeth)...hoping that straightens out on its own. Yikes.

She has been counting down the days to Kindergarten. This girl is motivated to learn how to read: she will grab a book and patiently sound out every word from beginning to end. She would come sit next to Ajia and blurt out answers to her homework. She is also determined that she will have Mrs. Plowman for her teacher. Every day in carpool line, she knocks on the window and waves hi and says "That's going to be my teacher!" I guess we will find out.

As much as I want my kids to stay young and never grow up, it's also fun to see them grow and mature. I love each stage and Selah has really embraced the BIG 5 year old role. We are so proud of who she is. This little girl is going to do mighty things.

9 years old {Ari}

Ari might have turned 9 back in October, but I'm determined to exercise my right as his mother to create a little glimpse of him at this age...before he turns 10.

But where do I even start?! He seems so simple on the outside, but I see another side of him that is so complex. Most people would imagine a typical 9 year old boy as rowdy and rough, but he is quite the opposite.

Yes he loves to wrestle his dad but deep down he is very conscientious of others. He is sweet and gentle with his siblings.

He is polite and if anything that is a minor shortcoming of his when it comes to sports. He is great at soccer and basketball, doesn't get all worked up about the score, but truly focuses on people having fun and playing the best he can. I've seen it over and over, him letting the ball go past so he can stop to help another player up (even someone not on his team).

He loves adventures, and learning, and reading, and reading, and reading...did I mention he loves to read? 

He has a big heart for his siblings. He isn't too cool or too old to play with them. He has the biggest admirer-Lincoln.

He also has a big heart for friends, and even people he has only met once. 

He is passionate about China. I'm still trying to figure out what started this but he is obsessed with anything China. For a while he was learning some mandarin from an app on my phone. He has self taught himself so many things about that culture, perhaps it will come in handy some day.

He takes initiative to come and ask me what chores he can do for me. *say what?!* He truly doesn't mind helping out and he takes the role of big brother very well.

 I could go on and on about his tender, loving heart. :) We love our special time with him after the other kids go to bed- playing games, reading, or just talking about the day. He is such a special person.