School Begins

On our last day of summer vacation, we went to Carolina Park for the kids to ride their bikes and play.  This picture looks like the perfect celebration of the first day of summer vacation but it is the last day.  I am never ready for school to start, but I am thankful that Luke, Jordan and Molly love school and were ready to go back.

First Day of School

Jordan - 4th grade

Luke - 6th grade

Molly - kindergarten

my last year to have all 3 in elementary

Molly was so excited to pick out her Rosita Fresita (Strawberry Shortcake) lunchbox because she will be going to all day school just like her brothers.  Even though I am not a fan of all day kindergarten, Molly was so ready and she is loving school.

Here we go starting our 4th year at Alliance Academy International.  So thankful for this wonderful school and great friends that our kids were eager to see on the first day back. 

Dropping Molly off in her new kindergarten class.  I did not cry because our kids were just so excited to start school and after Casey and I dropped all 3 kids off, I met up with a group of girl friends for coffee at Juan Valdez. 

Even after spending two and a half hours with great friends, that first day of school was the L.O.N.G.E.S.T  day ever!  I must have looked at my watch at least 20 times waiting for it to be 3:30.  3:30 finally came and what fun it was to see the biggest smiles on Luke, Jordan and Molly's faces when they came running to the car.  Awesome first day of school!

Super Six

On the morning of Molly's 6th birthday, Casey makes his yummy chocolate chip pancakes.

She picked McDonalds for lunch and then we went to watch Los Pitufos (The Smurfs).

Looking chevere (cool) in those 3D glasses

Love the "action" shot!

After the movie, there were some fun little carts to ride in the middle of Plaza de las Americas!

Birthday Girl

Sharing our new discovery this summer with the Brown's - Big Bars!  While Rich and Elisa were in the States getting their oldest daughter, Olivia settled into her first year of college, we got to spend a lot of time with Michaela, Josiah, and Alexa.  Amazing kids - we love them so much!  Molly and Michaela have a special bond. 

Michaela's nickname is Mimi and Molly's nickname is Momo.  So...Mimi + Momo = Mimo's

Singing Happy Birthday again.  We are waiting to have her birthday party when Mamaw and Pepaw come to Quito in a couple of weeks.  She will have one more time to blow out 6 candles.

Molly loves legos and building things.  Apparently so does everyone else...

When Gran was here to visit in June, she left Molly's birthday present wrapped and put up in Molly's closet.  We got the web cam going so Gran could watch Molly open her birthday present.  I love this picture - Molly with her new Fancy Nancy doll from Gran talking to Gran on the computer.  Obviously it is not the same as being together, but we are so thankful for technology - for Vonage and Skype.

Feliz Cumpleaños Molly! 

Copa la Carolina

This summer we went to a few of Michaela and Josiah's soccer games.  They were participating in a soccer tournament at Carolina Park.

Josiah was the captain of his team.

He is a great player who plays hard.

Here is Michaela playing - another great soccer player!

Michaela's team, Crackers, became a bit of a celebrity.  Here they are being interviewed by a TV station at Carolina Park.  On a different occasion they got to go to the TV station and be interviewed.  Las Crackers are super stars, and they came in second place in their age division of Copa la Carolina.  Way to go girls!

Despedidas

One thing you have to get used to living in this community is saying goodbye.  We had a despedida (going away party) for the Franklin family and Inca Link interns.  The Franklin family came to Ecuador to serve for one year to help start Casa Elizabeth.  In August they moved back to Canada.

Awesome group of kids - The Browns, The Franklins, and The Bryans

We are so thankful for our Inca Link family!

my sweet friend, Liz

During our time of encouraging and thanking the Inca Link interns, Jordan went and sat in Mandi's lap and just hugged her.  I remember writing how thankful we were for making new friends this summer - the hard part is saying goodbye.

Canoa

We went to Canoa last Christmas with some friends and had the best time.  Canoa is a small beach town with great waves.  In August we went back to Canoa with another family.  Even though there was not much sun, we had a blast.  Our two families got to stay in this newly built beach home.  Beautiful home right on the beach for 50 dollars a night per family.  Ecuador is the place to vacation!!

Lots of fun with the Luginbill family!

Boogie Boarding

Surfing

Floating

Burying

Building

Another fun trip to the beach with great friends!  Ecuador is such a beautiful country, and I love that we can live in the mountains, can have a day trip to the rain forest, or take a 6 hour drive to the beach. 

Vamos Liga!

Luke and Jordan were so excited to go to their first Liga game.  Liga is Quito's soccer team and they were playing Emilec, Guayaquil's team.  Jordan can tell you all of the soccer teams players and stats.  He loves soccer and is living in the right country for that.  Almost everyday he puts on his goalie shirt, gloves, shin guards and cleats and heads to our park to play soccer.  Soccer season is about to start for Luke and Jordan at their school and they are so excited.

We had such a fun night and Liga won!  A couple of years ago we went to a World Cup qualifying game, Ecuador vs. Argentina.  It was crazy crowded, Casey got his cell phone stolen, it rained and was cold,and my kids learned all the bad words in Spanish.  Our kids did not like it at all even though Casey and I thought it was fun.  We have not gone to another soccer game since that one. 

This Liga game was a perfect game to go to.  Sure, it was still crowded but not crazy crowded and sure, we heard some of those same words again.  But, we did not get anything stolen from pick-pocketers and our kids loved EVERY minute of being there and can't wait to go to another game.  Vamos Liga!

Christmas in July

One of my favorite days this summer was our Christmas in July celebration with Ganas.  Here is the Christmas story being acted out as it is read from Luke in the Bible.  The two men are the stable where Mary and Joseph present Baby Jesus to the three wise men.  The shepherds are standing nearby. 

We sang Christmas songs together and talked about why we celebrate Christmas.

We decorated Christmas cookies.

played games together

and one thing we learned from the Casa Gabriel guys, it is not a party unless there is dancing!!

My Jordans

The short term team brought down presents for the kids.  Jordan said that his buddy was so excited because he has only had 2 toys.  He got two Hot Wheel cars and he told Jordan, "Look now I have 4 toys". 

The girls with their Hello Kitty lip gloss ring and a Hot Wheels car.

This little girl hit the jackpot and found the cookie crumbs in the box. 

What a special group of kids!  We had a joyful Christmas celebration that day.  My greatest prayer is for each child to know Jesus as his/her Savior and for them to know they are a child of God and are special and deeply loved.