Spring Semester

We are now in the thick of our final semester here and summer is quickly approaching! This semester has been a lighter academic load than what Traever has carried in the past so like any non-demanding wife/kids we've taken full advantage and have done our best to grab hold of any extra time that he may have.



Adalai had a few field trips that he was able to join us on. It definitely made my job easier and it was pretty sweet to see the sights with him by our side.



Field trip to Point Loma



Taking a quick break to watch the sail boats in the San Diego bay.



Adalai trying to find little critters in the tide pools with some of her classmates and a bit of blockage by Thatch's head :)



The whole crew.



Field Trip to Sea World.



No trip to Sea World is complete without seeing "Shamu".






Family trip to the San Diego Zoo. It's pretty ironic that we were at one of the world's most diverse and populous zoos and I managed only to get pictures of my kids on fake animals... oh well!

The Daily Grind

Visiting Sea World and San Diego aren't exactly part of our daily routine but life is still plenty full just keeping up with our little crew.

Traever has convinced the kids that working out is fun... we'll see how many years that will last :)

Perhaps the most consistent step of their work out is "show mom the muscles" and of course it's my duty to squeeze each little arm and act as if they have grown each time. Raising healthy kids one pull-up and muscle-squeeze at a time.

The nightly routine...

The kids finally confessed that they actually DO enjoy tickles so... they've been getting a few extra.

Thatcher has a way of persuading his Dad to read one more story.

Updates on the Littles
Baby Baye

She has a doting dad and she knows it.

Hanging out with Dad on campus.

And doting siblings too. She rarely gets a break from these guys. For better or for worse they are by her side.

This picture pretty much sums up being a baby girl with 2 older sisters.

She doesn't seem to mind them though.



There have been a lot of fun little advancements with this little girl since Christmas. Eating, rolling, sitting up, saying "dada", but we are still working on sleeping through the night. That advancement will be very well received. The below picture was taken at 2am.

Baye's first taste of solid food.

It went well.

Her first swim wasn't as well received.

She's such a sweet delightful baby.

With the sweetest, softest, squishiest cheeks that have ever been squished.

Thatcher

Thatcher, our rootin' tootin' cowboy

In January Thatchman turned 3.

Just in case I hadn't posted enough pics of Baye. Baby Baye celebrating Thatch's B-day in appropriate fashion.

Thatcher still loves cars, trucks, and basically anything with wheels. He also loves hoarding and trying to carry as many toys as he can at once. Hence the tower of trucks, which of course came tumbling down just as soon as he tried to transport the pile across the room.

Waving to the garbage man is a weekly event of utmost importance. One of the many little things that delight this little boy's heart.

He still loves that blankie.

And loves food... there's usually a trail of half-eaten apples wherever he goes.

He also loves his older sisters and is pretty lost with out them.

Thatcher also finally got himself a real haircut from Traever after he begrudgingly admitted he was starting to look like a girl. Gone is the California surfer hair and long curls of bygone years. Dad haircuts are the best haircuts- you get a sucker for holding still.

Remy

She's such a lovely and lively little girl. She twirls and skips through grocery aisles, says hello to everyone she passes, she has a great belly laugh, twinkling eyes, and a constant bounce in her step.

She's so very ready to be in school. She sits down and practices handwriting on her own nearly every day.

Loves art.

Loves little critters, bugs, slugs, and snails.

Loves the ocean.

And loves her sisters.

Adalai

In March our sweet Adalai turned 7.



She has grown into such a bright, caring, and gracious girl.

She writes me sweet notes nearly every day. I find little surprises, like this, on my grocery lists and to do lists all the time. Statements that obviously aren't true, haha, but they still give me the warm fuzzies.

She loves trying out new hobbies. She is a true autodidact. She wants to learn how to fly kites, play the piano, tap dance, irish dance, ballet, learn spanish, etc. etc. etc. For a 7 year old she is quite capable.

She loves grabbing a book, and having sleep-overs with her little sis.

She's also started venturing out and playing with the neighborhood kids. We're thankful to have a great little group of neighbor kids!

Me

There are very few quiet moments in this season. I end every day feeling very used, all of my energy has been spent, and that's not a bad thing at all.





Feeling exhaustion just reminds me of my human frailness and that it's God who sustains me. He is good and I know He is faithful to sustain us til the end. So thankful for the past 2 1/2 years of seminary and thankful we have just 2 months to go :).