Random fun pictures

 Scott has to do current events presentations in his class-this was his second.  Greg told him that if he would read the book first, Greg would take him to see the movie of the Hobbit-I believe it comes out today-Dec 13th.  In looking online to help him with research, I managed to waste an entire afternoon reading about beautiful cool places (some related to the Hobbit and others not) that you can visit in New Zealand!

 He was proud of the poster that he had made!

Below are pictures of the kids playing with the toys sent back home from Australia with Greg when he got to see our friends, Brian and Gina and their kids.  The boys got Spiderman planes that you shoot with a rubber band and Ashley some littlest pet shop animals that she loved.  The airplanes were VERY popular!

 Popular with the big kid too!

 She calls herself my baking helper and doesn't want to do anything in the kitchen without her apron on!

 These are the wood carvings we bought in Malapascua-from the uncle of the guy we dived with-a thresher shark and a manta ray-very cool!

 Ashley draws A LOT these days!  The 2 girls are she and Abby Jane and the tall people are me and Greg's sister Emily!  I am so thrilled that she is old enough to remember and talks about family from home, but it makes me sad too when she says things like "Mommy I wish Abby Jane could come and ride the roller coaster at the mall with us"

 Doing tricks with Daddy!

 A cozy snuggle with Daddy-look how long her pigtails are getting-can't believe that she will be 5 on her birthday!

Christmas Party in November!

Cookie preparations-had to do these while all of my "helpers" were at school!

Getting set up and re-arranging the furniture. 

Everyone arrived early, so I didn't get pictures of the food on the table before everyone started eating it.  We had chocolate cake, cream cheese in wonton wrappers with sweet thai chili sauce to dip them in, rolls and ham for little sandwiches, lemon crinkle cookies-easiest cookie recipe in the world, will post it soon, I bought ensaymadas, chicken pies, and cheese puffs at my 2 favorite bakeries, made seasoned popcorn, sugar cookies, sausage balls, spinach & feta frittata, and Ms. Dali made lumpia-fried rolled up dough with pork and veggies inside and pancit-which is noodles that taste a lot like spaghetti ones with chicken and vegetables in it. 

Below is Cham, who is Greg's admin listening to Ashley!

We did some bowling on the wii

There goes Pat getting a strike-her husband Howard, works with Greg-they are from Perth, Australia and Ronsleigh (also from Australia) is watching.  She has spent some time with Fluor in Greenville so we have enjoyed talking about the downtown area and fun things to do there.

Cell phones are such a part of life here that below someone is bowling while on the phone.

Pat, Howard, and Steven

Belinda, Jean, and Jaime

We had a good turn out and lots of fun!

Decorating the tree

 2nd post for the day-You need to wear a Santa hat to decorate the tree!

 This is the annual foot comparing!  We have glass etched ornaments with each child's baby footprint on them and they all marvel at how teeny their feet used to be, especially Ryan!

 Ashley has lived in the Philippines too long-she wants to dance ALL the time!  Well, we were listening to MY FAVORITE Christmas music of all-Alvin and the Chipmunks!!!!!!  which sadly, Greg threatens to break the cd of!  We listened to them for a while and then switched to Manheim Steamroller-which my dad always called "manheim steamSHOVEL"

 Our tree is a great hodge podge of mine and Greg's from our childhood's, ones our kids have made, and ones that we have been given or bought as we have traveled places.  I have one that is a picture of me "framed" in a wooden curtain hook-I was in 4 year old Kindergarten at our church across the street.  I have a "jar lid" ornament with a picture of my dad in his 1st pair of overalls, some that I was given while teaching school,  the metal red bicycle was one of Greg's childhood favorites-he and his sisters had an aunt who gave them ornaments every year for Christmas.  We have a bear from Blue Ridge, Ga, the folded paper ones I bought in Manila, Ashley has a Hello Kitty ornament and a new pink ballerina that I bought her this year, all the kids have made ornaments at church or preschool that are on the tree.  Greg has a beautiful set of miniature onion dome ornaments that he bought on a business trip to Russia, we have a kangaroo and an adorable koala bear that our Perth, Australia friends gave Greg when he was last there, and lots of crocheted snowflakes that my Great Aunt Todd made, all 3 kids have beautiful Lenox silver diaper pin ornaments that my Uncle Benny and Aunt Anita (Moms' brother and his wife) gave to them on their 1st Christmas.  I LOVE collecting ornaments and sharing all the memories attached to them each year as we decorate the tree!

 Ryan's turn to put the star on this year!

 Getting out the Little People manger scene that GG bought for Scott when he was a baby

 Curled up to watch Rudolph after all the decorating! 

 The finished product!

After our trip to Malapascua

The kids got the idea after playing with the starfish in Malapascua they wanted me to make chocolate chip starfish pancakes.  Here are the results-

 All I did was get a squeeze bottle to pour the batter onto the griddle with-they were all a little tricky to flip though!  Then in addition to there starfish they wanted 1st letters of their names-then someone asked if I could make thresher sharks-I told them we would save that for another Saturday!

Christmas Song

All the kids will be in school Christmas programs again this year-Scott's is tomorrow, Ryan's next week, and Ashley the next week.  We LOVE that the boys programs each have a nativity play as part of the program and my Moms in Prayer group has been praying for that to be used to draw people to God-students, teachers and other school employees, as well as family and friends coming to watch.

One of Ashley's songs is in tagalog-can't wait to hear her class sing it!  Here is the title-

Kumukutikutitap

and you pronounce it just like it looks.  Her teacher told me that it is about Bright Shining Stars and while the class sings it they are all wearing stars on their backs-kind of like butterfly wings, straps over their arms.  I will try to post a movie of the song-I am sure it will be fun!

Just 20 more days until Christmas-since it is already the 5th here.  We need to get caught up tearing links off of our paper chain and hanging ornaments on our little Christmas Around the World banner! 

We enjoyed reading some scripture about prophecy of Jesus' birth and lighting the 1st candle of advent on Sunday.  Our advent candles go into a log candle holder from a tree cut down from my grandmother's yard next door to us while I was growing up.  We enjoyed singing some Christmas songs together too and talking about places where we can be reminded of Jesus in Christmas songs and decorations. 

When I was getting out our Advent candles, I asked Greg if there was a rule about using brand new candles every year and he said "well if Jesus had to grocery shop for cereal and other stuff here, I don't think he would mind if we re-use the advent candles!"  We are very fortunate to be able to get all that we can from stores here, but I really did have a hard time finding long skinny candles last year for Advent!

Hope your families are enjoying getting ready for Christmas!

Thankful for. . .

So Greg asked Ashley on Thanksgiving morning what she was thankful for and what she said made us laugh-

1. Grrrrrrr-pronounced like the noise a growling bear makes-He is her pink stuffed teddy bear that Greg bought her in the hospital gift shop on the day she was born.

2.  Her blanket-one of the 3 baby blankets made by my Great Aunt Todd that she crocheted around the edges of-each of the kids have one.

3.  This one was really funny-Greg thought she said that she was thankful for her school but she said "No Daddy for our pool!"  She is the one that always shouts "YES!"  when asked if anyone wants to go swimming!

more on our Thanksgiving soon!