The Past Week in (a lot of) iPhotos!

If you're wondering why I'm having a hard time loading photos and why they're all from my iPhone, well it's not just because I haven't found the USB cord for my Nikon!  Oops.  I think I'm just not a good candidate for a fancy camera.  It was hanging on the back of the stroller at our last co-op meeting, the stroller tipped, and the lens got stuck and wouldn't zoom out.  I was still able to use it for close-ups for a few days until I did the SAME THING and hung it on the back of my stroller at the museum (baby had gotten hurt, I'll use that excuse!) and it fell again and now doesn't work at all.  Boohoo.  Why did I not learn my lesson?  This is the 2nd lens I've broken.  Maybe one can be fixed easily.

I think I'll have to go back to the world of point-and-shoot cameras for awhile.  Anyway, we're doing pretty well here in our new home and I've made lots of progress with unpacking.  I'd love to have most of it done by the time we head back "home" for Thanksgiving, but we'll see!  Baby had a tummy bug the past day, so I'm praying it doesn't hit everyone else!  Can't wait to see the family and also get a bunch of things squared away with our house there so we can get it rented!

So here are my iPhotos from the past week or so....

Before the move:

Steven Joseph entertaining himself with parts to a breastpump and inhaler puffer, using his cars and a sponge hair roller!

The girls used their Easy Bake oven thing to make fondant and cookies.  It's actually not an Easy Bake "oven" per se, but rather a tray with a cover that goes in your own microwave!  Much easier than that little oven!

SJ insisted I photograph him in the neighbors' backyard.  We miss our neighbors!  He was playing today and looking out our mail slot (yes, we get mail delivered to our door here!) and claimed that the T's were outside bringing our beehive back ;-)

Poor Tommy had several big falls the last day we were in Houston.  We went to classes at the science museum and he fell into a corner and got this nasty cut.  Looked so painful but he was a champ!

After science classes we got to go to the Butterfly Pavilion.  Here are the kids in the learning area.  MC looks so big there next to Thomas!

Butterflies emerging from their chrysalids!

The Pavilion was a lot of fun but so hard to keep track of everyone, especially this little guy who hadn't napped yet...

and would stop for a split second to notice a butterfly, before...

stopping at EVERY single puddle to sit down and splash!  Such a mess!

We had to escape quickly to get on the road to our new town, but not before

getting a waterfall picture

and one by this butterfly projector wall

and one on the caterpillar

So at that point I was nearly in tears trying to say goodbye, but not wanting to say goodbye and really lose my composure!  The kids did great, but Mommy shed some tears while driving out of town, leaving behind so many good friends there at the museum.  It was very bittersweet.

But we had a busy time ahead, rushing to town to go look at the house, and then for a fun night with room service in a hotel!  I didn't get photos of the moving day.  It was long and tiring, but as soon as the movers left, we headed down...

TO THE BEACH!  Only 20 mins or so to get to the seashore.  Gonna love that part of living here!

Another thing we love is the backyard with big climbing trees

Mary Clare enjoys them most of all!

I can't remember where the girls were, but SJ wanted to sit down and write out his Christmas list.  So cute!

Friday afternoon was our first 4-H and Fun Friday meeting with our new homeschool group.

It'll be a lot different than what we're used to, but I'm sure it'll still be lots of fun!  This group was a bit boy-heavy...

and SJ fit right in with the boys playing in the field next to the church!

Saturday morning we tried out the Little Flowers girls group here, which was meeting at the Catholic church on the island.  While the girls were in their classroom, I slipped away for some prayer time in the church...

without walls!  Pretty unique!

Their class was nearly done, but I heard the sand and sea calling my name, so I drove across the street, walked down by this nice patch of sunflowers,

And took a quick little stroll on the beach!

Since we hadn't been busy enough yet, why not make a trip to the Aquarium?

We'd gone once before but this was Daddy's first visit.

This was right at Thomas' level!

The bird show was great!  Very similar to the one we saw at the San Diego Zoo.

Lots of wind there by the water!

Love the dolphin room!

and love this photo of my little guy looking at the big dolphin!

 While the girls went to mass and social time at the church with Daddy today, I stayed home with the boys since Thomas had been sick overnight (and got to go to mass alone tonight :-)

We had some fun in the backyard,

 drew a picture to send to his buddy,

 

and played with the Montessori matching wood blocks.  I have a great craft cabinet in the laundry room now, which will be a good spot for our arts and crafts supplies, Montessori boxes, and other things I like to keep a bit out of reach!

I'll have to get more house photos in the coming days, but here are the kids making some "houses" and "yards" for the boys in their new room.  This is the one paint color I really don't like.  It's kind of a rust color but has a slight orangey-pink hue.  Not sure if I have it in me to paint in a rental though.

 

Here is the girls' room, I love the big windows in their bedrooms!

  Once we get it organized, this sunroom will be a great playspace.  Yes, we moved the playhouse!  Well, the movers did it :-)

My biggest accomplishment was finishing the unpacking of the kitchen!  I'm still missing a few things, so maybe there's a box in the garage, but for the most part it's all put away.  Yay!  We even had a spaghetti dinner at the table tonight.

Whoa.  That was a lot of photos.  Hope you've enjoyed our week in pictures and hope to be back with some more house pics soon.  We've got three days to work on getting it all set up, so we can have a fun weekend away and come back to start schooling again as well as start the Advent season and all our preparations for Christmas.  I can't believe it starts next week!

Although I still have a lot of moments where I'm missing my family and friends and hometown I love, I still have a deep peace in knowing that this is where God wants us right now.  I'm very thankful we've made it through all the events of this year, and I hope that the coming weeks bring about more peace and comfort in our new surroundings, while having special times at "home" when we visit our family and friends.  Lots to be thankful for this Thanksgiving!