What's New?

So what’s new around here? Let’s see... Hayden has started playing soccer and is having a blast. He has decided that he wants to be goalie and is pretty good at it. He didn’t take to well to t-ball or karate so I was getting worried that he was just a perpetual quitter but soccer seams to be a real winner!
He’s thriving at school and is just flying with his reading skills. He spends every afternoon playing with his friends outside and exploring and creating all sorts of wild adventures. He still lets me give him a hug before he goes in the door to school but I can sense those days are getting fewer. I will just hang on as long as I can!


Danica is hiliarious these days, all done being shy and totally full of surprises. She loves to manipulate me by giving hugs and kisses to get out of being in trouble. She loves to laugh and do silly things while saying “Mom, look at me I”m soooo silly!” My calling as primary chorister is fun for her and she loves the songs. They listen to a primary CD before bed and she’s never tired so she listens to a lot of it and knows the songs well. She’s one of my best sunbeam singers, although she’s a little too loud a lot of the time- yes I just said Danica is too loud! Can you believe it!??? Last night Tom and I went out on a date and dropped the kids off at the on base daycare for free babysitting (offered the first Saturday of the month if you sign up early.) Anyway, she used to cry when I would leave her places but she marched right in and had a great time at “preschool.” She is best friends with our next door neighbor and I am currently trying to teach her that she can’t just leave and walk over there whenever she wants! I am also trying to convince her that she’s not Alyssa’s mom. I have found her changing her diaper (and yes, Alyssa was holding still for her which she never does for me!) she gets her out of the high chair (with out washing her hands or face) and insists that Alyssa sit on her lap all the time (which only makes Alyssa scream, especially during church.) It drives me crazy now but I can see how they are going to be great little playmates eventually. Danica LOVES gymnastics and is so coordinated and flexible she is quite good at it. Her Friday morning class is the highlight of her week!



Alyssa is a little mimic and wants to copy everything she sees. She will copy any word you ask her and loves to model the behavior of the other kids. Hayden thinks it’s hilarious to act silly and watch her copy him. She talks gibberish non-stop and loves to play with her babies or the doll house figures. She is very social and often wants my friends to hold her and she’ll snuggle right into their lap leaving me all alone despite my begging her to return to me! If she ever sneaks out the door she walks herself over to the neighbors house to play and to see their kitty. I’m working on making sure she is constantly supervised! But like I said, nothing is safe since Danica will get her out of the high chair and walk to the neighbors while I”m in the shower... it’s frightening and hopefully I instilled some fear in her the last time she tried it and got in trouble for it!
Her pacifier is now gone and she was only sad for one day! (That’s a whole year sooner than we got rid of it with the other kids.) We were hoping getting rid of it would clear up the rash on her face but doesn’t seem to be helping...






Alyssa is still in physical therapy for her walking skills, just 1-2 times a month to give me new ideas on what she needs to work on. At first she was favoring one leg so I worked on her stairs for a long time. Now she needs to work on center balance, she can’t stand on one leg, kick a ball, etc. Overall she is fine but it’s nice to have these ideas on how to help her be even better! She is the most smiley kid I’ve ever seen and will take any chance to catch your eye and flash you her big grin. She dazzles all the Japanese people with her smile and then says "bye" and waves just to make their hearts melt.

The holidays have been fun. We enjoyed St. Patrick’s Day and had a party here with lots of friends after school. April Fool’s Day was a ton of fun trying to trick each other. Hayden was planning for days and told me I should probably just wear my swimming suit all day because I’d never know when a bucket of water would fall on me. My jokes were all simple things like a plastic spider in his cereal, rubber snake on the way to school, fake ants in his sandwich, etc. The best was when he got home from school my dad was on the phone and pretended to be his principle saying he was in trouble. Hayden has a great sense of humor and there is nothing more gratifying than making a joke and having Hayden say "Good one mom!"


Tom is busy working and serving at church. He enjoys the dentristy but sadly couldn’t be our dentist so we recently went into the clinic here on base. I’m happy to report the kids all did really well and were cavity free! We are running our half marathon this coming Saturday and our training has been going well. We are ready and should do well. We’ve had fun taking the family bowling (Danica and Alyssa won, they were a team and it was so cute! Danica would help carry the ball to the rolling stand and then they would push the ball off and clap and cheer as they watched it!) We still enjoy the parks although it’s rained every Saturday for several weeks. I am busy and happy and lately have found myself spending a lot of time trying to help out neighbors, friends and strangers which leaves me feeling richly blessed. At the end of the day I look back and know that I have the time and energy to help someone only because my life is going so well right now. There is a part of me that thinks perhaps if I pay my dues and help enough people then my life will stay good and happy- I hope that’s true.

Well, the kids have succeeded in getting out every cardboard box in the house (of which we have a lot since most of our shopping is done online.) They are working to make rockets, houses and tents so I better go help!

Take care!