Back to School

Yeah, I know that the boys went back to school over a month ago.  I know that I am more that a little behind at putting up pictures on here.  Sorry!  But he boys are back in school!!!  We didnt know how Elliot would do going to school for the first time but he has adjusted and now loves it!  The first couple of days were a little rough and he sobbed uncontrollably at nap time.  So much so that the school called us to try to talk to him to calm him down.  He made it through the days though and when he finally realized that we do in fact come back to get him after he wakes up, he decided that school was awesome and he loved playing with friends.  Now I only get a glance over the shoulder "Bye!" as he literally sprints or jumps into his classroom beaming and searching for someone to play with.  His teacher is so sweet with him and he runs over to her each morning and tells her excitedly about his morning, what socks he is wearing, his new shirt, the snack he has, whatever comes to his mind.  The only thing is his teacher only speaks French.  Elliot has no filter for that.  Either that or he just doesn't care.  He has something to say!  He just keeps right on going with that sweet huge smile on his face and she just giggles, hugs him, and kisses the top of his head welcoming him.  I love watching the interactions!!  Keenan Boy is too big now and is in serious school.  Wow.  He has homework every single night.  It takes him at least 45 minutes to get it done, sometimes longer, but he is so dedicated as he writes and rewrites his letters, numbers, and does his adding math.  It takes him longer if he is sitting at the table by himself, but he will buckle down and get it all done with or without help.  I still cant believe that he is big enough to have actual homework.  But he still loves school and the friends he gets to play with.  He is so proud of the fact that he is no longer in preschool and will tell anyone who asks about school what level he is in.  We always have concerns that he is missing things since Frech is not his first language but Craig asked a couple weeks into school how he was really doing and his teacher said that he is doing great.  To clarify Craig said, "Even though he doesnt speak French, he still seems to be understanding well and keeping up a little bit?"  His teacher looked at Craig with a confused look and said, "What are you talking about?!  He speaks French all day!"  He has fooled us.  He will not speak French at home or with people he knows speak English.  Stinker.  But it was really good to hear that he is actually learning and grasping the things being taught and not just playing and making friends.  So, there's the boys.  Learning and thriving in school.  And at home I am soaking up time with our little princess knowing that she will grow up too fast as well and before I know it we will be sending her off to school in her little uniform dress as well!  

 Eating first day of school breakfast.  Keenan had asked for the "triangle things" for his special treat to kick off the year.  Scones with chocolate chips!

 Our car was in the shop so we had to walk down to the busy road to catch a taxi to get to school.

At the front gate

Keenan's class

Elliot's classroom

Elliot's class

Every day after school this is Elliot's face when he sees Craig.  Pure joy!!

He ran over, gave us hugs, then went back into line to walk to the gate with his class :)

Our big guy packing up for the day and getting his homework organized

So big!!

Ready to go home!

Gone Fishin'

   Our summer time is officially winding down and Im trying to soak up as much time with these two rascals before they are in school all day, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday.  While there have been (many) times where I have been very very eager for school to start to have some time back to myself, I am realizing that I am really going to miss these big guys running around all day and giggling together.  So, we keep making things together, building things together, playing games together, and sitting on the floor together a lot and I am loving it.  Our most recent project was making a fun felt fishing set and coming up with games to go along with it.  I sewed 20 little fishies out of felt and put a metal brad for an eye on each.  Then sewed two hooks and put a strong magnet in the bottom of each, so as we go fishing together, the magnet grabs the eye of the fish and there you have it!  Fishing in the backyard. :)  We also made up our own little board game where the fish are the pieces and they have to flop from the land back to the sea and the boys love it.  At dinner tonight, Keenan was talking about it and said, "I have new ideas for rules for our game.  You have to get to the ocean, and if you are Mama, you win!"  "OK!" I said, "I like those rules!"  "Aaand if Mama wins, she makes us apple pie!"  Elliot chimed in, "No, I win!"  "If Elliot wins, he makes us a tree, and then it will grow and grow and make apples.  Then we will climb up the tree and get them so Mama can make us some apple pie!"  This kid!!!  Just for fun I dressed the boys up and took some silly pictures of them playing their new game together.  Confession: My secret dream is to be a professional photographer and want to be as good as my BFF's Shauna and Sabrina.  So just bare with me on every silly photo shoot that comes on here! :)

the giggles were a plenty

tongues out in concentration

hey!

Chocolate milk break!  They did this at the exact same time, no prompting and Keenan still in full concentration mode :)

We got some!!!

They just look so peaceful

Lucy Mae needed in on the action

The best I could do with all the kiddos looking and smiling

Now he's just showing off

This little guy flew in our porch and hung out for a while

Isn't he just beautiful?!

This is just from Lucy Mae's 6 month pictures.  Sweet little girl!!

Happy Kids Day!!

Kid’s Day is something that the crazy Hauquitz kids came up with when they were young to weasel gifts and movies out of their parents another day out of the year and it has been passed on to our kids generation. :)  They argued that there was a Mother’s Day and a Father’s Day, but nothing to celebrate kids.  So, they decided that July 20^th each year would be dedicated to the celebration of kids.  Now that I have kids I could say that every other day of the year is centered on them, and what’s another one?  But in all honesty, we LOVE kid’s day and it ends up being more of Family Day as we give a toy or game or something that ends up bringing us all together to play with it all as a family.  And this year I wanted to write things about each of my kids to celebrate who they are and I have not done that enough so I am thankful for the Hauquitz kids and their collaborating to get new things.  Thank you for giving me a day to really celebrate my kiddos!!!  Happy Kid’s Day!!

Keenan James

Our big guy!!!  I cant believe that he is going to be 5 in just a couple of months.  Where in the world have all the days gone and why did they fly by so quickly?!  Keenan boy is thoughtful, tender hearted, laid back, loving, and incredibly smart.  He knows no stranger especially when it comes to kids and anyone in our house feels welcome because he goes and greets them with a flashing smile and handshake.  He has been an extreme blessing to us from day one with his go with the flow attitude and the way he can bring joy to every situation.  He has a million questions of why things work the way that they do and has an iron clad memory of events.  There are many times when he reminds me of something that I have to think really hard back to to remember the details that he is talking about.  He still hugs and snuggles his mama.  He remembers when people have been sick and asks if they are feeling better.  He always asks for a hug after being disciplined.  He is quick to say he’s sorry and ask for forgiveness.  His giggle is the best in the world and contagious.  He protects his little sister and talks to her in a ridiculous high-pitched voice all the time.  His heart for the Lord is developing and he is starting to understand that He is real and his prayers are getting more and more sweet as this realization deepens.  He LOVES super heroes and it makes his entire week just to have his mom or dad put on the masks with him, grab the weapons and fight the bad guys in the back yard. He loves sports and can throw a perfect spiral.  He can tie his own shoes.  He is starting to reason with me for why I should let him watch shows or do the things he wants and his reasons are pretty entertaining.  His entire face lights up when he figures something out.  He is growing up too fast and where my little baby was just a little while ago is a young boy with ideas, love, understanding, curiosity, and compassion.  Words could never even come close to touching the depths of awe and love I have for my Keenan James.  I am praying that his tender heart would never harden by sin’s deceitfulness.  That he would always seek truth and find the Lord in every situation and question.  I love you, big guy!!!!!

Favorite Keenan quotes:

  “I just bonked my head so hard, but I think a kiss will work.”

“If I’m wearing a nice button shirt today, Im going to need my spidey sense” (his cologne)

Mom, we need to chop down the coconut tree!”  “Why?” “Because a ball got stuck up in it!”

After kneeing Elliot on accident, “My knee was being selfish and thinking only of hisself.  He wasn’t being a blessing to Elliot.”

After school one day I asked him if he had rested during rest time or played and got into trouble and he told me “I got into a little trouble but I told myself to remember to do better tomorrow, so don’t worry.”

“Mom, Elliot just said punch you in the face!” “Im sorry Keenan, I cont do anything about it at this second, Im fixing dinner.”  “Well, I just wanted you to know.” I think you just wanted him to look bad.”  “No, I just wanted him to get into trouble.”

During the game of LIFE “Hey Keenan, you got married!”  He gives me a high five “Yea, I got a BEBE!!”

“God, I think it’s so cool how you can just say something and it’s there.  I think it’s so cool how you can just walk through walls and come in here.  You are everywhere!  You are so powerful.  You are so strong.  You are so fast.  I just praise you for that!”

 Throwing out back

 Brother time!!

 Goof ball

 

Working on his numbers and math

 Wish you could have audio to hear this guy's incredible laugh

 Loving on Lucy

 

Elliot Michael

Our spunky, clumsy, rough and tumble, ornery, charming little boy!  He makes me laugh until Im about to pee in my pants one minute, then makes me so frustrated I want to quit the next, followed by worry and anguish because he has fallen yet again and hurt himself, and then Im immobilized by the insane amounts of love I literally feel washing over me as I look into those sweet brown eyes.  He is maddening and life giving all at the same time and he reminds me of me and that’s what drives me crazy.  If he does not want to walk and I don’t want to carry him, he sits down.  In the middle of our road.  Because he knows the love of his mother would never let him stay there and eventually I will break.  He pushes his bottom lip out as far as possible when he is upset and literally tells you that he is going to pout.  He wakes up every morning ridiculously early and stands right in front of me, level with my face, and asks if he can “nuggle” me.  And I cherish each moment as I lift the sheet and he lets out a little giggle and curls up with his head on my arm and dozes once again. He gives his little sister endless kisses and asks if he can hold her anytime he is sitting still.  He never wants to be left out of ANYTHING and will wail if someone leaves without him.  Out of this fear of being left out he feels the need to tell everyone that he will be right back when leaving the room.  Especially Lucy.  Every time.  He adores his dad.  He tells me “I miss Daddy!” in an extremely sad voice as soon as we close the gate after letting Craig out and will scream at the top of his lungs in joy yelling “DADDY HOME!!!!!” when he hears the car horn for us to let him in.  He has in irrational fear of getting soap in his eyes and yells, “NOT MY EYES, NOT MY EYEBALLS!!!!” every single time he showers.  He asks for chocka milk 20 times each day.  He falls down about the same amount.  He hates having his hands dirty while he is eating and asks if he can go wash his hands between bites.  He keeps me on my toes for sure and I am overwhelmed at the love I have for this little one full of life.  Im praying that his life would be one poured out for the Lord, that his passion would be fixated on the One who designed and created him and that his giftings would be used to bring others into the divine love of our amazing Savior.  I love you more than you will ever know, little monkey!!

Favorite Elliot quotes:

“Elliot, where are you shoes?”  “Uuuhhh, (looking around frantically) not on my feet!”

He walked into the living room with a spoon and announces, “I got a spoon!”  “Why did you get a spoon?”  “I need ice cream!”

“OK, Elliot, bring your shoes and Ill take the dirty clothes, we’ll go to the same spot and be buddies.”  “No, you be Mama, I’ll be buddy!”

“I’m a naked boy!!!!”

We are working on apologizing better and this was a conversation one day: “Elliot, say Im sorry for hitting you with my hat, Keenan.” “I’m sorry for hitting you with my hat, Keenan.”  “I didn’t treat you with respect.” “I didn’t treat you with respect.”  “Will you please forgive me?” “OK, yes, ma’am, I forgive you, Mama.” “No, ask Keenan.” “I forgive you, Keenan!”

 He loves snuggling for his nap and one day asked to snuggle Lucy.  Even though she was moving around and talking, he went right to sleep with her in his arms.

 If you ask him, "How cute are you?"  This is what he does

 Fixing things around the house

 Reading "The monster at the end of this book" here he's saying, "Shhhhhhh, I have an idea, dont turn pages!"

 "YOU TURNED THE PAGE!!"

Lucy Mae

I don’t even know where to begin in describing the sweetness of this little girl!  Her giggles fill up a room and she is living up to her name which means bringer of light.  She is a delight and such an easy-going, joyful girl.  It has been so much fun watching her little personality develop and hearing more and more sounds come from her and seeing more and more expressions on that precious face of hers.  Her new ones include squealing at the top of her lungs and then doing a couple short giggles right after to show how funny she thinks she is and scrunching up her nose and snorting.  She saves her best and biggest smiles for her daddy but will laugh her head off at her brothers sneaking up on her.  She started sitting up and is getting too big too fast.  She learned that she has hands and now grabs for everything in sight but she loves my hair and ponytails the most.  She loves her cereal.  She eats her hairbows now.  She has a really fine fuzz around her head but has a bunch of hair around the back of her head and two extremely long hairs growing right out of the top of her head.  Her cry face is so intense that it makes my heart melt every time she locks her sad eyes with mine.  Every morning she giggles, kicks her little feet and flails her arms with excitement as soon as she sees our faces peering over at her.  She is an incredibly beautiful little girl and we are all so blessed to have her in our family.  I can’t wait to see how she develops and grows into a woman.  I’m praying for this sweet one’s heart to remain pure and that her wonder and delight would be centered on the Lord and never cease. 

 Sitting pretty

 First taste of cereal

 Trying to eat a handful of my hair

 Happy girl

 Here's her nose scrunch face

 For her Daddy :)

Friday night Family night

    I LOVE Friday nights.  We have Friday night family night at our house and I love getting to slow down a bit and hang out.  We make pizza and do something together as a fam whether it be watching a movie, playing games, or just a longer time of reading before tucking the kiddos into bed.  To me Friday evenings just have the feeling of comfort and being safe.  A time for me to recharge with just being with people I love with no expectations.  Just be together.  My favorite :)  Last Friday we pulled out the Wii and played some sports and laughed at each other.  A lot.  We really had a great time together and just wanted to share the fun.  Happy Friday!!

 

Here's Stephane, one of the students who has been living with us for the summer, skateboarding.  

 Craig skateboarding.  Look at that dedication!!

 Elliot trying to make it through the obstacle course.  He would be really intense for a while and then get amazed by watching TV and then just stand there and do nothing for the longest time!

 Here he is just standing and watching.  It was really funny to watch him

 Keenan flapping his wings and trying to balance

 Me trying to avoid the large boulders swinging at me

And Olivier cruising along with Lucy Mae.  So balanced even while holding a baby!  We have been so blessed having these two guys live with us and all of the kids are eating it up.  They are both great with all of the kids and play endless soccer, super heroes, and cars and to top it all off snuggle Lucy Mae whenever she even remotely looks like she might get upset in the near future.  We have all been spoiled.  They are incredible men and we have loved having them here with us!