So, we kept Gabe, Caleb and Madeline during Spring Break for the week while Jeremy and Ann celebrated their 10th anniversary in South Africa. We had a great time all together. The kids get along so well...like brothers and sisters. Yes, fighting and fussing included! =) Anyway, here are a couple highlights we got pics of.

The kids decided to play cowboy safari. The bikes were the horses and they were roping the animals they "saw". This game lasted about 4 hours!!!! It was awesome!

Some of you may recognize what's going on here...this is Daniel's REMIX 2010!!!! woo woo!!!! (done in a very loud voice with the woo woo cut short at the end of the word and in a high voice). So, he had the dance mix going and the kids were loving all the noise and jumping around. They are just too cute!!!!!!!

I DID IT!!!

Got my bathroom painted over Spring Break. I did it myself and am very proud of it! =) So, I had already started painting before I thought of taking pictures, but you get the idea...cream walls, white tile...blah!

LOVE the blue! The photos are bath pics of the girls.

Yes, that's me taking a pic of myself. Oh well, never claimed to be a photographer. =)

There's a blue grey dot in the shower curtain that works great with the walls.

Easter

We had a great Easter. Church was wonderful with worshipful, celebratory songs, a meaningful message with an invitation, and we could feel God's presence. We came home and the girls went down for a nap before we went to some friends' house for a brunch lupper. Does that make sense? ha ha So, we tried to take family Easter pictures (FAILED MISERABLY) and then had lunch and an egg hunt. The girls loved hunting the eggs. Pam'ma made their Easter dresses and the girls looked so cute in their coordinating dresses. Their Easter baskets are from Masai market. I did not know what Syd's favorite color was yet....but I found out (through the throw down fit she threw trying to get Abby's) that PINK is her favorite color but she calls it purple! Next year I'll make sure she gets to choose her color basket. =)

Super Friends!!!! Gabe and Caleb were the ONLY boys at the party...almost the only boys on campus!!!!

Super Kaylee (otherwise known as KimPossible) fighting off the evil Dr. Dan-gerous with her super loud horn!!!

The blows were flying between Super Girl and Dr. Dan-gerous!

Super Kaylee's cake...chocolate, of course...pink, of course (only because I told her I couldn't make a pretty purple). =)

Kaylee and all her superhero friends at her 4th birthday party!

Pancakes for breakfast on birthday morning.

Goofing around and having fun at Brackenhurst...a conference center with GREAT mozzarella sticks, chicken fingers, marinara, and honey mustard. woohoo!!!! (of course, this picture is so cheesy, who needs mozzarella sticks?)

Random "statue" of a former president on the side of the road. We drive by it every time we go to the grocery store. Jamie and Daniel finally HAD to get their picture taken beside it. It's pretty bad. =)

Picture update

So, it's been another little while and I have more pictures to show what's been going on. We went to Egypt for Christmas and spent 3 weeks with Mom and Dad, Dema and Steve. We all LOVED it! Abby turned 6 in December, Kaylee just turned 4 on the 11th of this month, and we've had lots of "stuff" in between. Here are some pictures so you can see...
We went to the beach house while we were all there. The girls played in the waves. It was so beautiful and refreshing!

Who wouldn't be excited by a pile of presents twice as tall as yourself??? =)

Syd enjoyed getting to know Pop and Tayta again, and Aunt Dee got the "privilege" of being Syd's bud. We're still working on Uncle Steve... =)

Pop and Tayta took the girls out for a birthday treat. They got to ride rides and get their faces painted. They felt so pretty! Tried to get Syd's done too, but she would NOT have it.

We had fun being tourists and sightseeing with Dema and Steve. Here we are at the pyramids and, yes, we rode camels...again. =)

Getting ready for Christmas

I must say that it really is hard to get into the Christmas spirit here. It's hot, sunny, tropical...beautiful, but not Christmas. Even thought the shopping areas here have put up Santa Clauses that play music (last year it was The Yellow Rose of Texas) and there are lights and trees everywhere...it somehow makes it a little silly. We did get our tree up and have wrapped a few gifts to put under it. We're listening to Christmas music and trying to watch lots of movies, too. It's fun. We're really looking forward to our trip to Egypt to see family and to be in "cold" weather.

Thanksgiving in Watamu

Jess and I trying to stay afloat and not EAT our too-big life vests!!!


Exploring for hermit crabs and sea slugs at low tide.


Daniel and Jamie took the girls out to what we called Crab Rock at low tide. Although slightly freaked out, the girls were in awe.

Enjoying some pool time together!

We had a GREAT time on our trip to Watamu, Kenya...the coast! We went with Pam and Gary and Jamie and Jessica Dunning. I have to admit, there was some apprehension about "the ocean" on the girls' part. Abby was nervous about a HUGE body of water you couldn't see the end of. Kaylee was actually pretty excited, but did continuously ask about "swimming with fish". I was a little nervous myself taking this trip with the 3 girls and other adults. All that worry was for naught! Abby LOVED the ocean (after a true screaming and hysterics fit walking through the 3 feet of seaweed to get to the clear water) and had a great time making a sand castle. Kaylee enjoyed the ocean, the fish, and the sand but, in the end, decided she liked the pool better because "it is cleaner". Sydney is a true water baby! Unfortunately, she is fearless in the water so we had to have someone keeping a constant hand or eye on her. She loves the ocean (drank half of it) and had a blast walking off the ledge of the pool into the deeper water. Daniel and I enjoyed the snorkeling (after an hour and a half on VERY rough water looking for dolphins we never did find) and the girls even got in to "snorkel" too. I was so proud of them for getting in and trying! Syd slept on the snorkel boat, so that was also wonderful. We got tons of lounging time on the beach, which was also by the pool! Jamie and Jessica, Pam and Gary all helped us out entertaining the kids and keeping an eye on them, so Daniel and I got to kayak together and enjoy our own lounging and down time. It was wonderful...we WILL go back!
The girls and I getting a glimpse of the Masai warrior show while Daniel went to get our afternoon ice cream and crepe snack!

Sand 'n Sun....what the beach is all about!

Kaylee having fun getting wet sand from the surf.

Daniel enjoyed showing the girls how to make amazing sand towers. And Pam'ma brought flags for the turrets!!!

On the snorkel boat...No, I did not mess up with the picture...the water was SO rough it was hard to keep the camera steady!

Pam'ma and Grandpa taking care of Syd. What can we say? She LOVES her grandparents!