Kid Catch-Up

LOTS of pictures!! Wanted to catch you all up on the last week and give you some good visuals to tide you over. Why? Because we are going on VACATION!! We will be leaving tomorrow and returning Saturday. We are going to a place about 2 1/2 hours from here called Caldas Novas (you can Google it and see for yourselves even). It's basically like Hot Springs (Arkansas). They have some great resorts there and lots of natural hot springs...everyone says it's completely awesome. I never even went to Hot Springs (a pretty popular vacation spot where I'm from), so this will be a new experience for me. Too bad I will look like a beached whale, but I don't care. :-) I know I will enjoy my "beached" experience thoroughly. Ha ha. We plan to do as little as possible. We're super excited and will post pictures and updates galore when we get back. We won't be taking our laptop though...so, see you on Saturday.

Lots of times after the girls wake up from their naps, I'll put a video on while I fix supper. Eissa is so big these days.
She even gets her own bowl of popcorn and sits and watches the video like the other kids.
Grady had gotten the Lincoln Logs from Adam (my cousin) for Christmas. That was from drawing names in the Hough family. Well, the presents for Hadley and Eissa didn't come until later, which of course they loved...another day of opening presents. It was a complete Cinderella package...Hadley got the Cinderella dress (and a crown), Eissa got a Cinderella doll, and they both got the Cinderella movie. Thanks Jeffery, Amanda, Parker, and Eli!!
While we got ready for Grady's birthday party (last Saturday), the kids watched the Cinderella movie. Here is the princess, completely intent.
We had gotten a big box of hand-me-downs from the Graves (thanks so much John and Nicole...and also for the fabulous extras...peanut butter and fudge marble cake with frosting!!) and there just happened to be some ballet shoes in there...perfect for the princess.
Not quite sure what had her so perplexed on the bottom of her foot, but I was loving how flexible she was being...it was really funny to watch.

She just loves her frilly camo. Thanks Uncle Jared.
So, his birthday party was last Saturday...remember how we couldn't find the candle (until the next morning that is)? Well, a few days later I made another cake and we put the candle on top. I didn't know when else we'd be using that candle (Joel of course suggested that we have a Cars birthday party next year too...sheesh...he was kidding) :-), so we had to make use of it.
Finally...blowing out a candle for his birthday. :-)
Yesterday morning Eissa fed herself cereal. Joel always takes this step with the kids. I honestly never even think about it...I think I just get in the mode of feeding them and it just doesn't cross my mind. Of course, when they're younger I would just definitely rather take the time to feed them than take the time to clean up their messes. But, even when it does get to the time that they are capable, I just forget. She doesn't feed herself everything, but she does pretty good.

Hitting the target just fine. The problem, of course, is when she gets distracted and is tempted by that bowl full of mush that just so persuasively screams at her fingers to take a swim in it.
Hadley's farinha lactea (a cereal here) mouth.
More fun with the zipline. Contrary to what you may think by looking at our pictures, we really do have clothes for the children. They had just helped Daddy wash the car...and of course they always get at least partially naked while doing so.




So much fun to zipline in the nude. :-)
Sometimes you just have to stretch.

The sun was pretty bright. :-) We went to a birthday party yesterday...we just walked up to one of the buildings on the seminary campus here. So, of course, we utilized the handy wagon. This wagon is so great to play with AND so practical for us...thanks again Uncle Vernon! One of the best Christmas presents ever (gift to Grady in 2005).
The party was for 2 little girls...they, as far as I can tell, are best friends and both live on our little hill here. They both turned 6 this week. One of the little girls, Karina, and her family just returned from Germany where they have been on furlough for a year. The dad is Brazilian (although he spent a lot of time in Germany where he met and married his wife). They have 3 girls...Karina, Rebekka (3), and Talita (10 months).
They had rented a trampoline...of course all the kids loved that.
Our wagon is famous around here. They don't have wagons here. Isn't that peculiar? Funny the things you take for granted and just assume everyone in the world has access to. :-) When we walked up with all our kids in a row in the wagon, everyone (and I mean everyone) ran and got their cameras and took pictures. It was so funny...total paparazzi moment. The kids just looked blankly at them. And believe me, they aren't all overtaken by "the Americans." It was all about the wagon. :-)
They had a treasure hunt. The kids went around looking for pieces of paper hidden different places. Each paper had a prize (balloon, lollilop, etc.) written on it and they could cash them in after the game. It was really fun for them.
Karina's table...singing happy birthday and blowing out the candle.
Then we had to go to the other table for Fany's birthday song and candle-blowing time. :-) Cute.
They were pretty far ahead of us, so you can't really see it that well (again, just click on it to see a larger image), but they were walking home holding hands, each carrying their goodie bags (party favors), so excited. They got home and both got in one hammock and went through their stuff together.
Another one of Joel's projects...he made a couple of these (and will probably make more) to hold things like Grady's cars and blocks and such. Cute, huh?
This was today. Remember how each kid got 3 gifts at Christmas? Well, Eissa only got 2 (I don't think she noticed) and Joel had to make her 3rd. Here it is...a swing.
Joel set up the ladder, but then had to go get more stuff to hang it up...so, the kids played...on the ladder.



Grady growling at the camera while we wait for the swing action.
Hanging the swing.

Daddy trying it out to make sure it will hold...looks like it will. I think we are ready.
But, first Eissa has to get stuck (or so she thought) on the ladder.
...and we have a teaching opportunity. Grady got a lesson on how to put a bike chain back on.
And it's time!! Oops...Eissa's getting in backwards. :-)
You have GOT to enlarge this one and look at Joel's and Eissa's tongues...hilarious. The Ken Ebersole tongue. :-)

So fun!!
Hmm, I think she likes her late Christmas present.
She loved being pushed back and forth by her brother and sister...and they loved it too.


Hadley's turn, and you might have to enlarge the image to see it, but Eissa was not too happy about sharing her new swing.


Grady's turn...and Eissa still not too sure about the sharing-the-swing thing.

A tired little girl resting on Daddy's shoulder.
The camera did something funny and I made a noise...and Eissa gave me this sweet little grin.
After swinging we had lunch. This is Eissa at lunch. If ever there was any doubt of the need of a morning nap...
...which there never has been in my mind; all of our kids take a morning and afternoon nap until they are at least 18 months old (and we aren't going to stop). But yeah...she was totally and completely out, exhausted from a full, napless morning.

Alright, hope you enjoyed the pictures and we'll see you in a few days. Have a great week!!