Pool fun and free trampoline

We've been enjoying our membership to the JAARS pool very much. It worked out to be about a dollar a day to have unlimited access to the pool for the whole family, so we got one. And we've been using it pretty much every single day so far. Right before dinner time is perfect because the kiddos get worn out and really hungry:) Less fighting at dinner time is good for me!

The girls have gotten a lot braver in the water, especially Marianna. She is going under the water on purpose all the time now. I wish I could get her some swim lessons!

We found a discarded trampoline by the "bread shop" and toted it home. It has provided hours of fun for the girls, not always jumping. They wash it, look under it, put stuff on it...and occasionally jump on it.

Okra, cheap bread and good times don't need toys

Okra, a rather new to us vegetable that was free this week. I roasted it in the oven with a little oil and salt/pepper. Not a favorite, but edible.

Yay for almost-free day old bread! We've been going through a half a loaf or more some days.

Cute sisters play pretend using stuff around the house for hours. They are playing kitchen/cooking with paper plates and silverware.

Mommy and Louis. Louis is now in 12 month clothes. He's so long.

Playing and more playing--night night time.

Laundry Helpers and Peek A Boo with Louis

Our apartment here at JAARS is relatively small (good practice for France!) so it takes a short amount of time to clean (and even less time to mess up:) The girls get bored of the toys we brought sometimes (and mommy doesn't want them pulling out another fort or using the utensils in the kitchen to place kitchen again) so I try to involve them in chores. Here is a recent game of put the laundry away.

Good job--you're finished!

And afterward-a rousing game of peek-a-boo (mommy and Louis vs. Daddy and the girls):

That's Louis' mohawk in the picture (yes it is natural:)

Snow White and the little dwarf

We were able to borrow this little play center for Louis from our church here in N. Carolina. Louis seems to really like it:)

And so does Livvie, aka Snow white:)

Grandpa G & Auntie K Pics

Auntie Karolyn with Louis

Auntie Karolyn again with her "mini me" Marianna

Grandpa George and his look-alike, Louis

Zonked out in the car

The following pictures were NOT the norm on our road trip. Most of the time one would be falling asleep when the other was waking up (or they were just staying awake all day long). Louis took cat-naps when I held his paci in. I can't really complain, they all did a better-than-expected job on the trip (we were on the road for almost an entire week)!

I have to say that a big suburban is the WAY to travel comfortably with a baby and toddlers. I was able to man the "command center" and hand out snacks, toys, all while putting a paci in Louis' mouth or nursing (yes I was able to nurse while he stayed in the carseat hooked up! A lifesaver! Not super comfortable for the mommy though.


Olivia was never without her "blankin" and thumb during nap time. We used the Michael Card CD sleep sound in Jesus for naps (and bedtime) when we pulled the all night drive.

The cutest traveler was the every talking Louis. He was a trooper for all that time in the car (he hates the car for short trips!).

Menu plan for August 30th, 2011

For some reason I can't access the blog during the workday, I assume its because we live on campus here at JAARS. So I have to wait until after 5pm to post and sometimes I forget! So here (a little late) is our menu for this week.

Sunday: Beans and Black Rice with all the goodies on top
Monday: Chicken Veggie Stir Fry over garden rotini
Tuesday: Breakfast for dinner: eggs, pancakes or muffins, fruit, carrots
Wednesday: Potato Corn Chowder in the crockpot, rolls
Thursday: Chicken Tetrazinni
Friday: Homemade Pizza, salad
Saturday: Hot Dogs, Fries

Lunches: leftovers or pb&j

Breakfasts will be toast or oatmeal, amish baked oatmeal with peaches, peach and cream muffins

Splish Splash...and I'm back to posting!

After practically two weeks on the road, we're settled into JAARS in Waxhaw,NC! We'll be here for 3 months before flying to France! I'll post more about our past two weeks later, but I don't have any pics loaded from then yet. Here are some swimming pics from 3 weeks ago @ the Cashmere City Pool.

In the wild yard

Menu Plan for our last week in WA (for a very long time)

Yum...last week we had Thai noodles (with chicken) and it was SO good! A very cheap and easy version of Pad Thai that we all loved (at least all the adults...the girls hardly love any meal called "dinner" these days! This is our last week in WA before our big road trip to Indianapolis then to North Carolina....the FRANCE!! I can hardly believe it and am excited, but am crying all the time at the thought of leaving too. What a mess of emotions!

Breakfasts: cold cereal, oatmeal, toast, eggs, fruit (egg sandwich for me...whole wheat slice of bread with two "fried" eggs or scrambled eggs with veggies and a little meat.

Lunch/snacks: leftovers, salad (for me), green smoothies

Dinners:

Monday: Taco Salad

Tuesday: Homemade Macaroni and Cheese, Hot dogs, green beans

Wednesday: Roast, rice, salad

Thursday: Clean out the freezer (maybe frozen pizza...we'll be madly packing by this timie)

Friday: Steak on the grill, corn on the cob, salad, sourdough bread (grandpa and grandma are in charge of this meal)

Saturday: our first day on the road

Sunday: in Spokane

What's on your menu this week (and any low points ideas are always welcome!)?

We love our small group

Both our sending church in Bremerton as well as the WVBC here have really great small groups (FCBC calls them fellowship groups) that have been a blessing to us.

These are a few pictures from our recent activity while in the book of Daniel to help us to know who/what/when where regarding the kingdoms etc.

Randy hamming it up as an Egyptian and Maggie trying not to laugh:
Our small group leader's wife, Mary pushing the kiddos on the swing

Grandma Kathy with Louis
Judy holding her kingdom's sign proudly
Daniel had the "Media" stick
Liv ran between kingdoms, she was not very loyal

Our fearless leader, Doug
I was in exile, so I was always trying to figure out exactly what that meant:)
Our small group held our garage sale for us (we had a bunch of stuff to get rid of) and pretty much did all the work for us. The church donated a ton of stuff (a lot nicer stuff than we had in most cases!). They raised over $1500 for us during the sale. No joke...fifteen hundred dollars!! It was so crazy and a huge blessing.