some new and some old videos

While waiting for Frances to arrive in David, we use to go to this dusty park by our rental and skateboard, swing, climb trees, and occasionally do a work out.  

Oh my goodness! All three of the kids look so young and sweet and perfect.  You forget! You really do! 

Tropical Front Porch

The kids and I were sending a video to our friend, Taylor, and her two perfect little twin baby girls.  The video sums up pretty perfectly our life right now with three young kids.  Each personality trying to have their time to talk and the adorable chaos that ensues.  It makes us all laugh when we watch this video and we even quote Tohi trying to get her line out to Taylor of "I WUV YOUR BABIES!"

My cousin, Sarah, came to visit and took this next video.  We did our standard weekend plans with her.  Wizards Beach one day and build a fire and swim in front of our house the other day.  She fit right into our schedule! She took a snippet of Woody using the machete to cut some wood for the fire. 

Frances is talking a lot more lately and our two favorite things she says is "One More" and "I love you."

This was the first morning Frances said "I love you" back to me.  It made my heart burst with joy to hear her sweet little voice communicate what she has been saying with her hugs and kisses and arm rubbing.  Since then, the "I love you's" have only gotten clearer and more frequent and we all love to hear it.   

Woody loves his jiu-jitsu class. When he comes home from class, he gives us all the details of the sparring, the new moves he is learning, who tries hard and who is a good listener. The last two being two of the most important traits in jiu-jitsu and in our home.  I am also on a whats app group chat of all the parents who's kids go to the class. The teacher sends updates and pictures and occasionally videos of what is happening in class. Conor does the pick up for jiu-jitsu and he gets to watch the sparring at the end of class but I only hear the recaps over dinner.  So I was delighted to see Woody in a few of the videos the teacher sent a few weeks ago!  

palm tree warriors

"Boom"

Frances is very much an independent third child.  She is tough and bossy and thinks she is an equal to all members of this family.  However, she is the youngest and I just love when she looks to her older sister and brother on what to do.  "Ok, we are putting our hands up now. Got it. This is what we are doing? I can totally do this and I am totally having a great time."

I got up to use the bathroom in the middle of the night and just had to take a picture.  Poor Conor  pushed to the very edge. haha

 

Frances has been watching Tohi's swim lessons the past few weeks.  She thinks she should be a part of them now. haha! 

every age enjoys a cold beverage

Our front yard hawk greeting the sun

Caribbean Pumpkins and Halloween

Everyone all smiles except Frances who is saying "noooooooo." No to pictures? no to pumpkins? It's hard to be one. 

sketching out some pumpkin faces

Princess Leia getting a little make up on

those little lips!

Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia
ready to party! 

I had to bribe R2D2 with a bottle to get
 her in the picture.  

Some day, while Woody still thinks we are cool, we want to do Halloween in the USA.  Don't you think this adorable Star Wars group needed a Dad Chewbacca and a Mom C3PO??? 

this adorable, and well behaved, Yoda wanted to have a photo with his Star Wars buddies.  R2D2 needed another bottle bribe to get in the photo. 

"I said ONE photo."
-R2D2

I swear, Frances does not get this many bottles normally. . . 

Halloween can work up a thirst!
We ended the night with one more treat while we waited for our take away to be ready.  

Full of Milk