Back to School!

So I say goodbye to this... Wild Monkeys!

And get this.... School Kids!

Claire's first day back to Theodore Herzl!

Boys first day back to St. Dominic's!

So my crew went to school today after being off for almost 2 months! As with every beginning of every school year, I am a little depressed! It makes me sad to say goodbye to our school holidays, only because it means they are one year older! I can not believe that I now have a 7th grader and a 4th grader! It seems like it was just yesterday that I cried when Taylor went off to kindergarten, and then first, second and third grade; and then I said goodbye to both a 4th grader and a kindergartner...wow it goes too fast!

As much as they need to be back in school, I could have them home forever! Claire was so ready to get back into school, and out of all three kids....she really needed to be back at school(let's just say she can be a little difficult)!

So once again my heart is so very heavy as we pack school bags, make lunches and label supplies! Unfortunately we begin that crazy school and sports schedule(Taylor has already chosen 3 sports for this term!); and this year will fly by... as they always do!

Halloween

My good friend and I threw a hell of a good Halloween party! The kids and adults all had a ball! We had the party at my house, but equally decorated and cooked! We had close to 60 people...We got a little scared as it started pouring as the guests arrived! Luckily the weather cleared some, and our 2 high school girls that we hired to entertain the kids pulled through and played all of the games that we had set up(ghost bowling, mummy wrapping, spoon race, apple bobbing)! While the kids played their games and jumped on the jumpy castle, the adults partied! We drank and danced until the last family stumbled home....late into the night! One requirement of the night was that everyone must come in costume; we had the Addams family, vampires, princesses, pirates, Minnie Mouse, fifties girl, priest, pregnant nun, doctor, bird,Zulu warrior and princess and lots, lots more!
I would say we succeeded in showing our South African friends what Halloween is all about!
Probably one of my all time favorite times of 2010!
Hunter, CSI Detective

Taylor, Harry Potter

The Lion

The Lion and Harry Potter

Mummy wrapping

Some of the girls...

Minnie Mouse, Zulu Princess and some very interested little ones...

Our very own Zulu warrior and Princess

Early in the evening, as children where still allowed on the dance floor...

Cutting a rug...

The music gets louder, the real fun begins...

Love this....

Dave, our buddy who brings the speakers and the music, what is a party without music?!

OK, my favorite of all things South African....this warrior dance that our friend Clayton does!

Catch Up!

Over the course of the next week I am hoping to post many posts, beginning with Claire' birthday from October! One of my New Year's resolutions is to keep up with this blog and begin photo albums! This blog serves as a journal for me, I have never kept journals but hope that this blog will help me remember our life! Have fun catching up with me!

Claire turns 5!

My baby turned 5! So many emotions come to play for a momma of three, when her third is no longer a baby..sadness, happiness, excitement! Claire is a very active, strong willed child that has stolen our hearts! She has scared us to death, with all of the unknowns; but has made us stronger for walking her down this road!
Claire continues to make lots of progress in all of her therapies, and has proven many therapist wrong in what she can achieve! Her biggest issue is her speech, but like everything else she has made remarkable progress this year! She finally is intelligible to most people, and my translation skills are not needed as often!!!
She loves to play outside, and loves to change clothes! She has really had a great year in school, and has made some friends! She recently had her first play date, and loved every bit of being with her friends!
Gosh, she is growing up and with every new word, long sentence; I am able to catch my breath and know that there is a great big future ahead of this little girl!!!!
Birthday breakfast

School Birthday Bash

Claire and friend, Emma

Birthday dinner at local restaurant with friends....

We went all out for her birthday this year, and had a "Wizard of Oz" theme. She loves the movie, and made quite a cute Dorothy!

I made all of the decorations, her dress, and even had the Wizard of Oz gang for display! The food was all labeled with Wizard of Oz names; such as "lion cookies", "red slipper juice", "tornadoes" and many more! My good friend made her cake..OMG! First, she made it a rainbow cake and then with fondant decorated it, so cute!

It was a beautiful day for an outdoor party...

The whole "gang" was represented...

The food table...

The cake...

Love this pic, everyone was quite surprised to see the rainbow cake!

Claire's friends...



The Wizard of Oz party was a hit, and everyone had a great time including "Dorothy"!

Goodbye 2010!

What a year it has been! We took the kids to dinner tonight for a quiet, as quiet as dinner can be with three children, evening! Before we got our food, I asked everyone what their favorite part of 2010 was...guess what we ALL said, our trip home! If you know me at all, you know that being so far away from home is hard, so hard that I choose not to talk about it! I really miss my mom and dad more than words can say, luckily we where with them for almost 2 months this summer! We spent good quality time together, maybe better quality time than what you get when you live only 15 minutes away!
I am thankful for all that we have been given, especially this assignment here in South Africa! Although it has taken me away from home it has blessed us with amazing friends, awesome memories and incredible, affordable therapy for Claire! I am happy to say that we have come out of 2010 without any cuts and bruises, we are healthy!
I hope for peace, happiness, and healthiness for myself, my family and my friends in the upcoming year! I dream that more people will visit, and we can show off our "home"! It will hopefully be a year to remember, bring on 2011!
Happy New Year!