The Box Game

I wanted to take pictures of the girls, but I needed them to stay in one place. So I created the box game. I bought a bunch of boxes and a few small token gifts and candy. I put a gift for each in one box, then handed them the whole pile. They had to find which box the gift was in. It kept them amused for more than long enough to get pictures.

Second Half of Weekly Activities

I just realized that I never posted the second half of the pictures from the week the girls stayed with us.

Jasmine and I took them to the zoo Friday. None of the colleges around here have school on Friday, which means Jasmine and I get to hang out.

River caught her own bird while we were focusing on helping Winter get one!

So grown up getting the bird by herself!

 We did several craft projects

 And we had some pumpkin fun

Easter Birthday

I haven't gotten much posted. Mostly it's because I dropped my computer and Tyler dropped it once (he didn't know the backpack was zipped all the way up and the weight of the computer pulled it open) and the slot for the photo card is smashed. So I had to get an adapter. 

And I hadn't replied to comments because I'm no longer receiving an e-mail when I have a comment like I used to. 

Winter's second birthday fell on Easter this year. So in the morning we had an egg hunt for River and Winter at the beach as we have since River's first Easter (I think).

Winter came over in her sleeper and got dressed here.

Flying kites on Easter is a Haitian tradition we have followed since the twins came home.

Jessica

 

Tyler

Winter

Rick and River

Me

Jasmine

In the evening we had Winter's party at a nearby park. She was pretty tired out from the day.

I need to get a new computer. I, of course, let my crash and dent expire a month before the computer was dropped or they'd have to fix it. I currently have an ASUS. What computer does everyone have and do you like it?

Two Christmases

Since we were going to Adam's for Christmas, we celebrated our own Christmas here at home on the 22nd. It didn't feel like Christmas, and we didn't have any decorations up. 

I put a wreath I made on the door and we set the gifts on a table near it. That was it. But the kids were good with it. It has been hard on them too coming home to huge debris piles all down our street since it's a small street and the city didn't bother to clear the debris like they did on the bigger streets. The condition of the house has been discouraging too. But Christmas is about hope, and we all need hope.

Although Kaleb knew the plan was to get everything done we needed to so we could celebrate, he decided to make life miserable for Rick. That's his usual Saturday behavior. Ty and I have been traveling to a flea market 90 minutes away on Saturdays, and the others have been working on the house. Kaleb likes to do the opposite of everything he's told, then act innocent.

After coming home and hearing about his consistently poor behavior, I told him that he had to write what he should have done instead. He decided not to do it thinking he'd ruin our celebration by his stubbornness.  

Instead, I removed him until he decided he could do what he was told. Then he'd be allowed to join us. Any other day that would not have been an option. He would have given up the activity.

 I miss the years of having everyone here for Christmas, but times change and children grow up and go out on their own. Normally everyone who can joins us here on Christmas eve, but the condition of our house didn't allow for that this year. We didn't want the babies where there is black mold, and most of our shop contents is still in the house.

This Christmas will always be the Christmas with the cats/kittens.

 We all spent Christmas Eve and Christmas day at Adam's house 3 hours away.

 Front: Jasmine, 17 Middle: Kayla 13, Jessica 27, Kaleb, 13 Back: Adam 23, Hunter, 30, Tyler, 28

Everyone spent most of the day playing, hanging out and playing board games.