FAMILY UPDATES - SEPTEMBER!

Dallas and I were saying this morning that it feels like this is the first week since June that we have had a "regular" routine! 

So many good things have happened since June, and they're also just simply things that make life busy.

The kids got out of school at the end of June and were home till mid-August. 

In July our new missionary co-workers moved to Guadalajara and we spent quite a bit of time with them in the summer, which was so great! 

On July 23, Salomón moved in with us (our 4 year old!) and as good as he did in adjusting, it still means adjusting for all of us. We took a family holiday together shortly after he moved in, which was such a great bonding time

In August all 4 boys started school and my parents came to visit for 10 days! Salo and Sofi bonded so quickly with my parents, as they had seen them on Skype and we talked a lot about them before they came, so it was so neat to see.

My mom and dad

And last week we had representatives from our Board of Missions in Canada here for a week, which meant meetings and people in our home all week, also good and also busy.

So, life continues to be busy but we are settling into a routine now of ministry, regular meetings, school, homework times, kid's activities, etc....at least for the next few weeks ;)

Here's just a quick update on each of us these days!

Carter (aka Chaí) - age 11, grade 6

This summer, Carter got into camping quite a bit. He went to Bible camp for a week, he spent a night camping with Scout friends, and he did a two day hike and camp-out on the mountain together with Dallas, Logan, and our friend, Juanca. 

He also loves spending time with his friends and once every week or two he is invited to someone's house after school or has a friend over here to the house. 

He just finished swimming lessons this week and was asked to be on a competitive swim team. He chose not to though, as it means swim practice every day of the week. Instead, he is going to join the Scouts program on Saturday afternoons and is also taking piano lessons during the week.

He also instigated starting a YouTube channel together with Logan and Brady :) We'll see where that goes. It's private for now but they like to do mostly food challenges at this point.

He also loves to draw, cook, play with the neighbor kids, and read books.

Logan (aka Logey, Logancito, Gancito) - age 9, grade 4

Logan also really enjoyed the hiking trip this summer and spent his time there hunting for mushrooms and taking pictures of them (he found about 10 different kinds). He also went to Bible camp for a week.

He just finished swimming lessons as well, and is going to start the Scouts program and is also taking piano lessons. As you can see we generally have our kids in the same activities ;) so far they like the same things more or less and it makes it easier with multiple kids and taking them to their activities.

He is a curious kid and likes to see how things work and what he could do with different things.

He also likes to draw and make up stories and comics, he loves Calvin & Hobbes, he likes to play with the neighbor kids, swim, ride bike, and bug people.

Logan is also a very sweet kid and loves to play with Sofi and Salo. He often asks to help put Sofi to bed and will sing and pray with her.

Brady (aka Tobey, Tom) - age 8, grade 2

Brady turned 8 on August 14 and asked us to do a friends party and then to surprise him for his family party. He invited several friends over to the house to make pizzas and play, and then we took them all to see a movie. For his family party we went and played mini-golf and went for lunch.

Brady is a people person and loves to talk to people. He is not afraid of very many things and likes to see what he is capable of doing. He prides himself on being everyone's friend at school and got an award from his teacher in June for being the funniest in the class :)

He likes to roller blade, bike, play with legos, swim, and play with his friends. He also just finished swimming lessons, is taking piano lessons, and will be joining Scouts.

He wants to be a teacher when he grows up and he already has such a great way with younger kids, explaining how things are done. Salo is in preschool here and has homework and Brady has a much better way of explaining things to him than I do! Maybe it's a patience thing :)

Salomón (aka Salo, Salomoncito, Salemono) - age 4, Pre-school

Salo has been doing so amazing since he moved in. He has adapted way more quickly than anyone expected and it's so good to see him flourishing. He shares a room with the "big" boys and loves to copy anything they do. 

He speaks 100% Spanish but is starting to learn some English. We speak to him mostly in Spanish, but he hears English all day both at school (it's bi-lingual) and at home when we talk among each other and he's starting to understand quite a bit. 

Having a 4 year old again is interesting as we get used to hearing "por qué" (why?) all day long! But he is learning so much about the way our family does things and how the world works in general right now. 

Salo likes to play with lego, play with with cars, he likes to ride his bike, go to the park, swim, and play dress-up. He likes the color red, loves Superman, lions, and monkeys.

Sofía (aka Sofi, Chofis) - age 2

Sofi has got the personality to run a household of 4 older brother! haha She is a girl full of life and fun and determination. She is a big people person and loves to be with anyone, but at the same time, rarely lets mama out of her sight. 

She loves to play with play dough, with cars, ride her little bike, be with people, wrestle with daddy and the boys, and she likes pigs at the moment.

She also likes to pick out her own clothes, change her shoes about 10 times per day, and always have a "moño" (bow) in her hair.

Tara 

I don't think it's hard to guess that I've been a little busy with mothering 5 kids! It has made life quite a bit fuller with adding two kids, although I think it's mostly because of their ages and that they need more attention and care at those ages. So it's expected and fun but I do find that I am still figuring out a new routine and balance with 5 kids. I'm so thankful that they all get along well and are happy for the most part!

Besides taking care of the kids and alllll that this entails....

I am a wife! and all that this entails :)

I also am involved in our ministry through leading two weekly ladies Bible studies, meeting with women one-on-one for mentor-ship, meeting with women and families weekly, volunteering monthly at Sofia's orphanage, hosting two weekend Bible studies weekly, teaching Sunday School, being part of our missionary team planning meeting and prayer times weekly, etc.

It all adds up to too much to do in one week...and I'm currently evaluating and figuring out, you guessed it, a new routine!

As far as enjoyment, I enjoy times of reflection, reading for fun and for learning, being with closer friends, skyping with family, relaxing and hanging out as a family of 7, organizing things (ha! yes), watching a couple of shows, drinking coffee, biking in the park, baking cakes here and there, and being creative in different ways.

Logan thought he was sooo funnyy....

Dallas

Dallas is also busy being a dad to 5 kids now! Between everything else he does, he has been trying to be intentional about spending on-on-one time with each of the boys as they go through adapting to new siblings and a new family. I think this has helped them to not "get lost" in the mix and in the process.

His focus is also our ministry, and he has meetings and prayer times each week with our missionary team, spends time planning and brainstorming and researching and praying and prepping for upcoming ministry things, preps and studies for the weekend Bible studies and services, meets with men and youth in the evenings for one-on-one mentor-ship or counseling, and many other things. Ministry is hard to pinpoint as it changes throughout the week but he enjoys the spontaneity of it and also enjoys visioning for our church plant.

He also is busy with another course towards his Counseling Masters online, which means a lot of homework.

And he enjoys mountain biking, biking as a family, wrestling with the kids, playing some sports with the boys, bbqing, etc

SOOOO that is a quick update on life these days! There is much we are processing and learning and much we are thankful for at the same time. God is good.

TODAY'S NUMBERS...SO FAR

7 breakfasts made and eaten
2 cups of power inducing coffee in this mama
2 lunch kits bought
2 pencil cases bought
10 pencils bought
5 bags of groceries bought
2 boy's runners bought for school
2 boy's goggles for swimming lessons bought
(sensing a theme here today??)
1 boy currently having a nap
1 girl currently having a nap
1 boy being taken out for one-on-one lunch with dad today
1 load of laundry done
3 emails sent
1 budget updated
1 boy's birthday party supplies bought
4 shelves for boy's room hung

As you can see, it's a bit of a catch up day here today. We took some time away for our anniversary last week and then we had Bible study and ministry this weekend, so today we are stocking up on groceries and getting some things that the boys will need for school, that starts in just 2 weeks!

The Nappers

30 Days of Writing

One more year of school just about under our belt!! I say "our" as I am just as ready as the boys for a little summer break, from taking them to school, making lunches, going to after school sports activities, etc etc.

Logan's field trip at the zoo

Mom chaperones at the zoo

I see it on all of the moms from the school as well. People are weary, a little more irritable than usual, and ready to take off from some holiday time.

It doesn't help that we are coming out of our hottest time of year - May/June - and are waiting for the rainy season to cool things off a touch! This week has been just that and we've been thankful.

So they've got 3 more days to go.

I thought I'd like to document a bit of our summer each day.

This summer feels a little different that most years, as we will be staying here in Guadalajara! We have been taking our furloughs in Canada every other summer, but this year the boys asked to wait till winter as they reaaalllly want to see snow and we would love to be there for Christmas with our families. The other summers we have been visiting Chihuahua for 1-2 weeks, as we have connections there still with our Church Conference.

Logan and Brady's 1st Taekwondo exam - passed to the next level

So this summer we will start by hosting a youth group from Chihuahua together with our missionary team, get some things done around the house, have a lot of get togethers with all of our contacts and Bible study groups, do pre-marital counseling with a couple that is preparing to get married, prepare for fall ministry and our furlough away, the boys will go for a week of camp (ALL 3 BOYS!! Unbelievably, it doesn't even excite me to be on our own for a week....I will miss them! But it's good), and we will go on a little getaway as a family to celebrate our 15th wedding anniversary and Brady's 7th birthday!

Brady has been part of the Escolta this year - the Flag Guard

Parents at a 4th grade park day

I'm going to use some writing prompts for this next month as it gets my writing juices going a little better ;) Tomorrow will be the first word: DREAM

Carter in a soccer game

Attending a 1st communion party with neighbors

30 Days of Writing:
DREAM, SENSES, LIGHT, INSPIRING, WHAT-SPEAKS-TO-YOU, ANIMAL, HAPPY, FLY, MUSIC, TASTY, SUPPORT, SPECIAL, PLACE, BREAK, TOMORROW, DESTINATION, BRAND, EVENT, NO, LAUGH, FEED, MIND-BLOWING, FABULOUS, COMPARE, EXCLUSIVE, FUZZY, FRIEND, BATTLE, SIGN, GRATITUDE, SMILE
*#an_snapaword

*Pictures are all from the last month or so

A Day in the Life: Logan

So Logan's day was supposed to be last Friday. However, I took all of 3 pictures as it wasn't his best day. He pretty much spent the whole day disciplined and not happy about it, which then resulted in him having a nap in the afternoon as well as going to bed during Bible study at our house Friday night. That is not at all common, but that does mean there wasn't much to report! ;) 

I tried again Monday but took one picture and then forgot about it for the rest of the day. 

Therefore, yesterday was the day! 

A Day in the Life of Logan: a typical Tuesday 

7:00 am - wake up and get dressed. They wear uniforms every day, but this particular day was "Civilian's Day" meaning they can wear whatever they want. This happens about once a month and they have to pay a bit of money towards a fundraiser for the "privalege" of wearing their own clothes.*by the way, I do like that they wear uniforms! 

(Logan wishes me to inform you that he is a little crazy boy)

7:15 am - eat breakfast, brush teeth, comb hair

7:30 am - leave for school

7:50 am - start school! There he went about his day...

2:00 pm - Dallas went to pick the boys up from school....

2:30 pm - lunch time! Today it was fettucine alfredo with Italian sausage and spinach. And leftover watermelon. 

After lunch it was Logan's turn to clear the table and then clean out Jack the cat's liter.

Just a short hour later it was off to Taekwondo practice....

As Carter's soccer class starts an hour before Logan and Brady's class, we hung out and watched...

5:00 pm - went to Taekwondo class....they now have their uniforms (which are white...mixed with little boys on grass...meaning they need to be washed after every class. It's only twice a week though)

Walking from the soccer field to where their class is. All of the classes are on a University campus. 

(and I love the Jacaranda trees this time of year!)

6:30 pm - we got home and after a quick shower, it was homework time

Logan then did one of his favorite activities - put on some Piano Guys music and sit close to the speaker and sing and jam

 And then it was 8:30 pm and bedtime!

A Day in the Life: Brady

It's time for our yearly A Day in the Life posts! Today we decided to begin with Brady, as it was a bit of a special day for him at school.

7:00 am - wake-up and get dressed
7:10 am - eat breakfast, brush teeth, comb hair
(forgot to get a picture of any of this)

7:30 am - leave for school (Dallas or I drive them in the van, a 15 minute drive)

Now, before you can understand the following pictures, I will need to give you a bit of background.

All Mexican schools have the Escolta (the Color Guard or the Flag Guard). Six students are chosen to be in the Escolta, based on grades and behavior. They serve on this Escolta for one year and are expected to show honor and pride and respect to the Mexican flag (in other words, to the country of Mexico).

They take their jobs seriously and practice every Thursday in order to know all of the marches, steps, turns, and commands. At our kids school the grade that Brady is in has one to represent the younger kids and then there is another group made up of Grade 6 students that represents the older grades.

As the Escolta marches with the Mexican Flag, following the routine they've learned with the National Anthem playing, the rest of the school are lined up facing them in a u-shape, like a square all around them. There are specific times during the routine for the Escolta to salute the flag and specific times for the onlookers to salute.

They also wear this uniform! Everything needs to be crisp and clean and on special holidays they also wear white gloves.

7:30 am - As I said, we leave for school and arrive there at 7:45 or so

Today both Dallas and I went as I went to attend Brady's program and Dallas had a meeting at the school (he's a Board member there). This being Brady's day, of course his brothers tried to block him out.

Classic posed smile.

Right after the Flag Salute they had a Spring Parade so Brady quickly changed into his favorite lion costume (it'll be an awful day in this house when that thing is too small for him).

Brady has such good kids in his class! I love the friendship they have even at such a young age. 

10:00 am - the program is over and I head home and leave Brady at school to finish off the day....he has a snack/lunch time at 11:30, and has all of his regular classes

2:00 pm - the boys all get picked up from school and come home...

2:30 pm - lunch time! Yes, Mexican lunch is between 2-4 pm typically and yes, you do get used to this schedule! And I totally forgot again to take a picture at lunch so he posed for me afterwards ;) We did have broccoli, along with sopes (a thicker corn tortilla with several yummy toppings)

And following meals, Brady's job this particular week is to clear the table after we eat and wipe up the table. 

 3:00 pm - get changed into uniform for Taikwondo class (this happened by fluke - Carter is on a soccer team and we hoped to put Logan and Brady in at the same place in their age group but those classes were full...Taikwondo was the only sport available around the same times as Carter's..soo....)

....and then Brady did some drawing while he waited to go...

3:40 pm - leave for Taikwondo class (actually Carter's soccer is from 4-5:30, while Logan and Brady's class is from 5-6 pm, both on the same University campus. This is on Tuesdays and Thursdays) 

Since Logan and Brady just recently joined they are waiting for their white uniforms...

 It's hard to get good pictures as the parents can sit outside of the classroom and look through a small piece of glass, but below you see Brady fighting :) him and Logan both love it

 6:30 pm - arrive back at home

7:00 pm - have some supper

8:00 pm - shower....no worries he actually has his pj's on in this picture already! But he wanted to show you what he does when he gets out of the shower and he's cold.

Then he and Carter played a little in their room with some lego and played with the cat as they waited for Logan to finish his homework. Ah yes, typically Brady has about 20 minutes of homework each afternoon as well, but this week is no-homework b/c of special events. 

8:30 pm - bedtime! (aka coffee time for this mama)

Their room does not usually look like this. These are bunkbeds, and Brady's bed is a pull-out one underneath. However, recently no one has wanted to sleep on the top bunk. They much prefer to sleep all together. Sooo.....we gave in and said they could keep it like this for a while. One big King size bed for the 3 of them and they're happy as can be. It means less floor space to play but hey, they've got the rest of the house. 

They also don't sleep with "normal" blankets, they only sleep with their special blankets that they've chosen. Incidentally, they are all blankets made by either my mom or my sister-in-law Dwylla or given to them by Dallas' parents. And there is always a slew of animals joining them on the bed.

And that was Brady's day today.

The boys did rock-paper-scissors and have decided that tomorrow will be Logan's day.

Cell Dump (prepare for an onslaught!)

Yes, here comes an onslaught of pictures from the past month or so! Bits and pieces of some everyday life moments, mostly of the boys as that is what I tend to take pictures of!

Let's begin back in Feb.5, on my birthday. It was on a Sunday, so we were with our cell group for Bible study. Everyone stayed for a bbq afterwards as well. This cell group has people from all ages, from a 2 year old all the way to an almost 70 year old, but we all love each other and learn so much from each other.

They insisted on Dallas wearing a hat as he bbq'd ;)

February also brought numerous events for the boys at school.

Carter's class went to the Centre to a Wax Museum, and he then had to dress as a historical figure and his class put on a wax museum at the school where each student had to enact something their figure did. Carter chose Alexander Graham Bell.

Logan's class all had to write stories and then dress in formal wear for school one day to read their story in front of the class. 

Brady had to dress as Abraham Lincoln (for President's Day) and recite part of his speech. 

The boys and I also stopped by Red's burgers on the way home from sports class one day...love these burgers!

 Last Sunday was Juan's birthday, from our cell group, and since Dallas' was just this last Thursday, we celebrated the two of them together.

With all of our activity and Bible studies each week, the boys love the opportunity also to just hang out at home sometimes. They play all day, or ride their bikes around the neighborhood, or play a bit of wii.

We are the kings of family selfies......

A month or so ago all 3 boys also started a sport. Two of Carter's friends are on a soccer team close by so he wanted to join them. We were hoping to put Logan and Brady in soccer as well, as there is also a class for their age at the same time. But....their age groups were full so they're on a waiting list and in the meantime are doing Taekwondo! It was the only sport available for their age at this same location so that's what they'll do for now...they love it though! We do hope to switch them to soccer yet though as it's cheaper ;)

The bonus for me is that I have two friends there to hang out with for the 1.5 hours of practice, as their sons are the ones on the team. They are families we've gotten to know well over the past number of years.

 I don't often take pictures of my food but this was a pretty one ;) On the top is Chilaquiles, which is corn chips with a salsa and sour cream, onion, and cheese on top. On the side are refried beans and an egg in a chili ring. Chilaquiles with beans and egg is a typical Mexican breakfast.

 Mangos are coming out more now and we loooooooooove Mangos!

Well that's it for now! 

This weekend Dallas is away with some friends, biking over the mountains to Puerto Vallarta. Yesterday they biked about 6 hours and today it's another 7-8 hours or so. So the boys and I are enjoying our time together and this afternoon we get to hang out together at home and relax. It's not often we have the whole day to just "be" together so we're enjoying it.

Jack the cat gives a good example of what we'll all like to do on a Sunday afternoon...

Hope you're all enjoying your day today. My coffee and a piece of banana bread await.