Settling In

The kids were so excited to start summer class this week.  We let them choose what they wanted to take.  Regan chose dance and Benjamin chose kung fu.  It has been a great way for them to meet new friends and for us, too.  We have met many parents and it has also given the kids a chance to get some energy out :)

Benjamin is taking the class so seriously!  This was the first day.  Apparently on the 1st day no one wears the uniform, but in both the dance class and kung fu class they now wear them.  He loves coming home to show me his new moves. 

This is his instructor.  He is apparently a master of kung fu.  His picture is up all over the place and on the first day of class the room was filled with newspaper and tv reporters.  Benjamin got interviewed twice...haha!  It has also been good because he speaks a little bit of English and is GREAT with the boys!  I just wish I could stay and take pictures the entire time, but the parents have to leave.

This was Regan's first class.  She's the really tall one in the back :)  She has met several little girls in this class and is also having a great time.  I wish I had my camera this morning when I was dropping her off.  It was a see of little blue dance outfits!

The younger two are also getting to take a dance class at their school.  It has been perfect getting them used to a new building, new teachers, new friends, etc. all before the every day school starts in the fall.  The only thing they had to have for class was dance shoes, so we bought them at the youth center where Regan is taking dance. (Their feet are as big as all the big kids so it was very convenient for me to buy them there!)

I couldn't pass up one of his warm up sessions at the house.  I'm really not sure what he is doing in this shot, but you can see the back of his shirt.  He now has told me that he wants a weight set...not yet, not yet. 

Look who's super excited to go to class!!  They had their dresses picked out a week ahead of time.

Katherine really surprised me.  She is my shy one, but she was in her element here.  Even though this is a new school, she new the routines and looked so comfortable.

Lauren, on the other hand, was thinking what have I gotten myself into? She was sticking really close to big sister and Katherine filled the role well :)

Here is a picture of our new city at night.  This is from our bedroom window.  We are still getting used to the size of it.  We love it here, but it is significantly smaller than where we moved from.  We are starting to find our way around and having several cultural moments that we can jot down and look back at them in a few years and laugh :)

How could you pass up a picture of this?  The dress is actually starting to get a little small on her, but she just loves it so much and then she found these pink tights when we were unpacking and brought me the hair bow...it was adorable!

And then you have my mini me :)  She has discovered if she wears sunglasses and a hat, she feels like she is not noticed as much.  I would have to agree and disagree.  I disagree because I think she is adorable (But I think that about all my kids).  I agree because it keeps people from touching her hair and she feels like they can't see her behind those sunglasses.

We had to travel up to a larger city for an appointment.  We decided to make the trek as a family and see how to get there and what all we could see.  It was a fun little trip.  We ate pizza, had ice cream, and bought new umbrellas (because it started to rain and we didn't think about umbrellas before we left).  Lauren sang songs on the bus and was cracking me up.  She would sing the ABC's and then at the end she would sing "next time no one sing with me"  Too funny.

We also got a kick out of this guy on the streets playing his guitar.  Jonathan said I shouldn't take his picture if we weren't going to give him money, so each of the kids got to put money in his bag.  He was singing, playing , and even tapping his foot (in the air) to the beat of the music.  I think it is the first time I have seen this one.  I bet his head has to hurt though!

And finally, I cooked!  If you know us well, you know Jonathan is the cook.  Before we moved, I took "lessons" form Ayi on how to make some of her dishes.  Lauren has been having major culture shock moving here and not having her Ayi with her.  So, I decided it was time to try out my cooking lessons.  I walked to the market, bought all the different ingredients form about five different vendors, walked home, and started cooking.  About two hours later this is what I had.  It wasn't exactly the same as Ayi's food, but close.....close enough to have one VERY HAPPY little girl!!