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!

Too Precious

I took these pictures before church a couple weeks ago. I just think they're all SO incredibly cute. I can see little peeks at each girl's VERY individual personality in each picture. As crazy as my mind is during this stage of life...I love my girls.

"Fake an Injury Day" with my class during Spirit Week. 16 kids here, one absent, and Ruth, my co-teacher. Lots of fun, great participation, and WE WON the pizza party!

Okay, so this is Halloween for me and Daniel. Great, isn't it? We went to a murder mystery dinner. It was a 50's high school reunion. Dan was the "bad boy" and I was the boring intellectual nerd. In the middle is Sherene Horton (whose husband didn't run to get in the picture before our defective timer on the camera went off). Next is Jess and Jamie, our next door neighbors. Far left is Matt Elmore (other nerd in the story) whose wife, Kelly (the slutty cheerleader) also did not make it before our timer took the pic. Lots of fun.

October

Happy Halloween! from our two princesses and our pumpkin.

Abby performed in Kindergarten chapel last month on the topic of kindness. Her part in the skit was being mean to the kid who was different. Then she and Gabe recited their line "Kindness is giving your dog food and water every day". She did great and had a lot of fun.

Lots of friends at Sydney's 1st birthday party! Ann with Madelyn, Jess holding Syd, and Wendy! Very important people in our lives.

Dan and me with a happy, one-year-old Sydney.

Yum, yum, yum! Mickey Mouse cake with "brown" icing. Well, I tried.

First day of school with our great friend and best babysitter, Becca.

Kaylee has a letter or the day at Eaglets and they often make a craft. "N" is for "nest". She is always VERY proud of her work.

Gabe and Abby on the elementary playground on the first day of school. They are so excited!

Don't really have a lot to say, but am going to post pictures. We've been through 1st day of school for me and Abby, Eaglets and staying with Pam'ma for Kaylee, and half-time with Mama Margaret and half-time with Pam'ma for Sydney. Syd is walking all over the place. She LOVES to play in the buckets of water in the bathroom (we're in water conservation mode), including the bucket of water commonly called the toilet! Things are getting busy, but we are all happy and so blessed.

SuperBowl

We had a fun time this past Saturday bowling at Village Market with Pam and Gary. The girls got to bowl for the first time a few weeks ago with my dad while he was here. They LOVED it, especially Kaylee. We had gutter guards when we went with dad and they helped ALL of us. =) Kaylee would trot up to the line and spread her feet and be ready to send that ball down the lane. It was super cute. This Saturday with Pam'ma and Grandpa was a little different. There were quite a few people there and the lane we were in did not have gutter guards. So, we had fun, but...our scores were a lot lower. =) I got a few pictures of the girls and of the crazy contraption that the place gave us in lieu of gutter guards!