brag blog...

i mentioned we're on the homeschooling adventure with abby...

there have been lots of adjustments...and some rough patches...but for the most part things are going well.

i am amazed at abby's ability to concentrate and pay attention to detail (WHEN something is of interest to her). but i'm most taken by her reading and drawing abilities. we are using a first-grade reading curriculum and she is 3-4 weeks ahead of schedule! She's brilliant with her artwork...sometimes it blows me away. check it out for yourselves...

reading time (this is the first time she's ever seen this story):




i seriously asked her if she really drew this bug...she's just turned five people!!! :

birthday boy...

i wish this weren't blurry :( ...

anticipation...

dinosaur cake...
(sadly resembling it's more amphibious decedents)

cj hung his head in embarrassment
throughout the "happy birthday" anthem...

then jumped to attention for the blowing of the candles...

friends.cake.ice cream. life is good...

cj tried to give some of his presents away...

why doesn't he share like that when it's appropriate?

little ballerina...

i found out there is a ballet school in town that has a once-a-week class on for young girls.

since abby is forever subjecting us to impromptu living-room recitals...i thought it would be a great way for her to get around some mongolian friends and keep up her progress in the language.

this weekend was her first lesson...she loved it...putting on the tutu...spinning and running around the room warming up. it's a little more disciplined than her free-for-all recitals at home, and she might eventually have to take her eyes off herself in that big mirror long enough to pay attention in class...but i think she's going to love it.

the teacher doesn't really like parents in the room during class, but i got special permission to takes a few pictures...of course the camera battery died on me...BUT...i think i got some fun shots all the same...

so....

it's been a really long time away from blogging...

i'm pretty sure the mounting pressure of having so many details to fill everyone in on gave me "blogger's block", so i'm letting myself off the hook, jumping back in, and just giving the highlights...

* we've started the homeschooling adventure with abby (that requires a bragging blog post of its own).

* chris preached for the first time in mongolian.

* we found out we had to get yet another student visa...meaning we've entered into yet another year of full-time language study. not that i'm not reminded daily that i still have so much to learn, but we're like the school's eternal students!

* abby started ballet lessons (again...a post of it's own)

* cj turned three this weekend, and in true boy form concludes most knock knock jokes with "my BOTTOM!!!!!" as the punchline...i'm finding it really hard to parent when laughing so hard i'm crying! :)

* this weekend also gave us the first snow storm of the season...it's gonna' be a looooong winter...

so that's the overview...and me...getting back into the blogging saddle...