EdCom...Showcase Of Learning

Yesterday, Leytan had EdCom. His class worked together and also individually on some computer projects to present at EdCom. Leytan loves the computer and really enjoyed his time at EdCom. He did a great job answering the appraiser's questions. I am very proud of him.

Leytan showing his video presentation...

Leytan answering the appraiser's questions...

Here is a video clip of the mimio video that he created. It is a video animation of flowers growing. Friendship Blossoms is the name of a website his class shares with other children in the US and also Taiwan. Very COOL stuff!!!

D.A.R.E Graduation!

Landan and his classmates...

What is D.A.R.E? It stands for Drug Abuse Resistance Education. It is the highly acclaimed program that gives kids the skills they need to avoid involvement in drugs, gangs, and violence.

Landan receiving his certificate from Officer Light...

Landan and his 6th grade class at Harrison Elementary went through this program this year. It was such a GREAT experience for Landan and all of his peers. On Thursday, they had a special graduation ceremony. Each of the kids had to write a report about what they had learned from D.A.R.E and some of them were chosen to be read at graduation. It was so touching to hear some of these reports and to see these, soon to be middle school kids, so serious about the decisions they had made to be drug free. I am SO proud of Landan and all of his friends. I will continue to pray that they stick to their promise.

We had cake and punch after the ceremony...

Define~Assess~Respond~Evaluate

20 years...really?!

I think it has been 20 years since I attended my last track meet! It would have been my own...my senior year in high school:) I was happy that Leytan decided to give track a try this year. I won't say he is totally enjoying it but he is sticking with it. Tonight was his first meet and he did great. He got 2nd in his heat for both sprints...the 50 and 100. He was a little nervous and they had some starting gun issues during the 100 which didn't help. It was fun to watch him:)

Leytan in the 50...

Getting ready for the 100...

GO Leytan! He could have won this one but he kept looking to the side to check out his competition:(

Another beautiful night here in northern, Indiana!!!

Trampoline FUN!!!

About a month ago, Lance put up a new trampoline for the kids. We had one at our last house but gave it to the neighbor when we moved into the rental house last Spring. The kids were thrilled and spend a ton of time on it everyday. It is so worth the time and headache it took my poor husband to put together:) Here are some pictures of the girls playing on it today. It was a sunny, beautiful afternoon!

Princess Lilyan...

Lorelle, Lily and the neighbor girls...

I highly recommend a trampoline, with net (of coarse:) for ALL kids. It is such good exercise and SO much fun. I got on for just a couple minutes today and it wore me out, plus it hurt my ankles...I am getting old:( LOL!

Spring Soccer!

The Spring soccer season started this week. Landan and Lorelle both had their first practices on Tuesday evening. Then they both had their first games yesterday. Landan's game was bright and early at 9AM. I just loaded the gang up in the van with a couple boxes of Krispy Kreme Donuts and they were happy:) Landan is on the U16 team this year which means he is one of the youngest in his group. They are a group of 25 boys ages 12-16 yrs. They are doing pool-play with his age group which means they split the 25 boys into 2 teams each game (not the same boys play together but it switches each time they meet). He is really enjoying it! It is great for him to be playing up with the older boys and he is doing a great job keeping up with them. Lorelle's game was a 12:30PM and it was still FREEZING and windy. What happened to our warm weather:( This is Lorelle's first year playing soccer and she is on U6/U8 group (girls 5-7yrs...so she will move up a level next year). She did great at her first game and is pretty aggressive. I am really proud of her. This week we also add track meets to our schedule...GO LEYTAN!

Landan...

Lorelle...

Playing Goalie...

Motorcycle fun!!!

We took the kids to ride motorcycles today. Liam was SO excited since this is the first time we were allowing him to try. He was nervous at first but he did great. He stayed close but he learned quickly and I am sure next time he will be even more comfortable. Lorelle really took off today. She had it floored and was ready to shift but I didn't teach her about shifting until we were ready to go. I was just not ready for her to go that fast yet...makes me nervous:) Landan and Leytan also had a good time and they even did some small jumps.

Lorelle ready to go...

Landan...

Liam watching, concentrating and waiting his turn...

Leytan...

Here is a video of Liam's FIRST ride!!!

Happy Birthday!!!

Yesterday was Grandma Perry's Birthday! We had Lance's parents over for dinner. We had Chinese takeout and the triplets and I made her a cake. No candles...but we did sing "Happy Birthday!":-) The triplets also made Grandma cards, pictures, etc... and we gave her a recordable card. I think she enjoyed her night. We love you Eva/Mom/Grandma!!!

One year ago...

On April 9, 2009, my 37th Birthday, I started this blog:) I have really enjoyed it...even if I am the only one who reads it. LOL! I love looking back over the year, seeing all that we have done, how the kids have grown, all that God has pulled us through and blessed us with. I guess for me it is my on-line journal. This year on my actually Birthday we were traveling home from our Spring Break with the kids. Here are a few last photos from our trip. I took them the morning that we left. The kids wanted to get tattoos before our departure. It was a loooong day of travel but we finally arrived home at about 2:30AM on the 10th.

Lilyan got butterflies...her FAVORITE!!!

Lorelle got a sparkly heart...

And Liam a flaming skull...he's all boy.

Liam and Lorelle with Grover (maybe?)...it's been a while since I've watched Sesame Street.

My Birthday Celebration Day...April 8, 2010

This was our last full day in paradise. The next day, on my 38th Birthday, we would be traveling home. Lance hung with the kids by the pool and I treated myself to a West Indian full body massage:) It was WONDERFUL!!! That evening we celebrated at a Japanese steakhouse, where they prepare your food at a grill right in front of you. It was quite entertaining and the food was GREAT! We all had a good time.

Lorelle wanted to try flipping the shrimp into the chef hat but the hat was too big. It fell over her eyes:)

Leytan did a great job...

They sang "Happy Birthday" to me and even brought me a chocolate cake. YUM!!!

My gang making silly faces! LOL!!!

Me and my kiddos...oh how I LOVE this gang!!!

What a PERFECT day!!!

Day #5...April 7, 2010

Pool, beach, lunch, pool again...oh this is the LIFE:) They had a really good outdoor pizza kitchen by one of the pools. It was REALLY good!

Liam and Landan waiting for their pizzas...

Making a foot bath in the sand with Daddy...

My BEAUTIFUL Miss Lilyan enjoying the sand...

Liam and Cookie Monster...

Sisters enjoying a late night snack...cheese fries and a hot fudge sunday:) YUM!!!

Day #4...April 6, 2010

We saw lots of Sesame Street characters during our visit and got quite a few pictures. They also had a parade. It was a short one but cute:) Another lazy pool day and then a nice family dinner.

Lorelle and Bert...

Lilyan saying..."No more pictures Mom!"

Sisters lounging...

More after dinner pictures...

Live~Laugh~Love

Day #3...April 5, 2010

We did a little pool hopping today. I think the resort has at least 6 pools, maybe more and the kids (and Lance:) especially liked the ones with the swim up bars. The resort was all-inclusive and it was nice...but by the end of the week it began to feel a little gluttonous. I mean...my kids

(and I...LOL!) are detoxing today from a week full of all you can eat/drink pop, cotton candy, cookies, popsicles, pasties of all kinds, cheese fries, hot dogs, etc, etc.... It was CRAZY!!!

Gotta LOVE the swim up bar...the kids faves were Cherry Cokes, Shirley Temples and Daiquiris! My fave was called the Caribbean Breeze:)

Landan and Leytan at the Scratch DJ Academy...REALLY concentrating:)

Lorelle with one of her several, daily cotton candies...

Dinner at the Sesame Street themed restaurant. The lasagna was wonderful:)

Liam with Elmo...

Happy Easter!!! April 4, 2010...

It was a little weird to not be at church on Easter Sunday...but WOW were we surrounded by God's beauty! Not just in the scenery of this tropical island but our amazing children that God has given us. We are SO blessed! Thank you Lord for sending your one and only son so that our sins are forgiven. What an AMAZING love!!! I did pack a few small Easter goodies for the kids and they enjoyed them:)

Lilyan and Lorelle checking out their Easter stuff...

Waterpark fun!!!

Lorelle getting braids...

Before dinner picture...

We spent most of the day at the waterpark pool area and then went out for a nice dinner together. That is one of the best parts of vacations for me...3 meals a day sitting down as a family together. How AWESOME is that!?!