December Pictures

For the grandparents, finally some pictures.

12-2009

Easter Eggs

We colored eggs tonight. The kids all really enjoyed coloring their eggs. We told Kaden that the longer he kept his in the color the more of that color it would be. He kept saying things like "mine is getting more green!"        

Emirgan Park

We went to Emirgan park and it was filled with flowers, mostly tulips. They were getting ready for the tulip festival starting tomorrow. It was so beautiful, the day was gorgeous! They had many playground areas and the kids played at almost all of them. It was a fun day.

Emirgan Park - April 09

Justin's Program

Justin's class performed a program for their assembly. Justin was in the music machine box. He would rattle it when it was making something and people would put things in it and he would make music from what they put in. He did a great job and was glad to have such an important part of the program, where people didn't actually have to see him or hear him.      

Justin's 8th birthday

Justin had a family birthday party on this birthday and this weekend he had some friends over to celebrate with him. This album has pictures from both.

Justin's 8th Birthday

Mornings

Since the day Ashton was born we have rarely used an alarm clock, she has always been an early riser, most of the time earlier than we would like. Her brother, Kaden, has followed in her footsteps. Even on the weekends now, we tell them it is OK to sleep in, so they sleep for about 1/2 hour more than normal! Since school has started we get up at 6:30 to get ready (and usually just Chad and I get up then to start breakfast and get them up later), and Ashton has been complaining about "why do we have to get up so early?" I have no sympathy for her, since I have been saying that for 9 years now!

These days, when Kaden gets up in the morning and we have the lights on he goes and gets his sunglasses to wear at breakfast, because it is "too sunny" in the kitchen!

Today, as usual we were making sure they did everything before we sent them out the door, and Justin, as usual, was checking out his snack in his lunch bag. He wanted to know what he got for snack, when we told him grapes, he was not happy. We sent him to brush his teeth and found him crying in the bathroom because he had grapes for snack!!!! Sometimes I just can't believe the things they cry about.

Hair Cutting Day

 

Visiting Van

For the school break we went to Van (sounds like Vaughn), to visit some friends and see the city. Chad has visited several places out East, but the rest of us have never been so far East before. We had a good time visiting our friends there and seeing some of the sights of Van. We went to a castle that was built in the 9th century BC. There wasn't much left.

Van Trip 08

Thrive08

Here is a link to some pictures from our Thrive conference this year. We all had a great time! I will have video up, as soon as I go through it all and condense it.

Friend

Today Justin's friend John came over to play, they only played video games about 1/2 the time.    

Water Park

We went to the water park with friends and the kids had a blast. Kaden was so tired at the end of the long day. The day wasn't over when we left though, it took us almost 2 hours to get home, where as, it took us less than an hour to get there. Our friends who left just a couple minutes behind us were stuck in traffic for over 3 hours! But the water park part was fun.
       

Free Fun

After we went to the dentist we went out for lunch at the Meydan mall. This summer they have water spouts the run all the time and they are letting children run through them. I think they actually ahve rules, like you can't bring your swimsuit. I did not plan for them to run through the water, but it was so much fun and all for free. Other parents had come prepared and brough extra clothes for their kids. At first I told them to be careful not to get too wet, that was before we went to eat. After we ate they just ran free. Kaden got the most soaked, you can see, but he was the easiest to clean off, I just put a new pull up on him and that is what he wore home.
       

Wii Fit

We got a Wii-Fit to go with the Wii and we have all enjoyed it. Even Kaden who likes to run and do stepping. He is really good at running, inside or out.

End of year program

The last day of school, each of the kids classes did a little program. They both sang songs and got awards. Ashton got an award for reading over 100 books in the school year (she read 120+) and Justin got a perfect attendance awards. He did this despite almost everyone else in his class being ill frequently and Ashton and Kaden both getting chicken pox. He was healthy all year round.
   

Justin's Field Trip

Justin's class went on a field trip to the Koc Museum, it has lots of old cars and machines, as well as new ones, and they show you how they work. It seemed like it would have been fun, but our group (pictured below) ran through the museum so they could look at the jelly fish in the Bosphorus.
     

Playing by the creek

The kids were outside playing tonight and it was such a nice evening I took the camera out for some pictures.

May08 playing outside

Hero Day

Kaden and I went up to the school for Hero day and took lots of pictures, he had a lot of fun. He is very popular, many kids know Kaden and they all call out his name when they see him. Even people who don't know him ohh and ahh over how cute he is, especially this day, he was wearing his Fenerbahce outfit (thanks to Uncle Birkan) and they had just won a big game the night before.

Hero Day / Floorball Tournament

This week at school they had a Hero day. You could come as any kind of hero. Justin didn't have to think twice, he was going to be Spiderman. It took Ashton longer to decide. We offered suggestions of "real" heros and she decided to go with Violet from the Incredibles. It was also Floorball Tournament day. Ashton's team made it to the championship game and then lost. It was a fun day!

Chocolate Face/Hands

This is what happened when they got to eat their chocolate Easter eggs.