Aye! It's APRIL 2018 and I'm trying to write about October 2017, so . . . I don't really remember anything. But this is us Trick or Treating with our friends, the Hoopers. Kristin and I had gotten very close, at this point, and were hanging out with the kids each week and developed a really great friendship. We trick or treated in their apartment complex. She organized a list of where all the expats lived and we went to their apartments to trick or treat. One apartment had what looked like a scary decoration of IT (from the recent movie). But it turns out it was really a PERSON that "came to life" when we got near it and it scared the crap out of everyone. I was the first to realize it was a person, but didn't warn anyone.
The fun part was just watching the kids. I was really excited for Marius to trick or treat- because he was kind of too young before and it hasn't been REAL trick or treating the two years before this. I'm SO EXCITED to get good costumes next year and trick or treat with our friends and cousins in a cute friendly neighborhood where everyone participates. The way it's supposed to be!!!
Scarlet took an old dress of mine and resewed it into a witch costume and the boys were ninjas.
I think I already wrote about this but the last week of October was when I decided to take Scarlet out of school and homeschool her. It initially was a really good thing- and I have no regrets. But I'm tired of it and want to return to public school as soon as we arrive in Idaho. September can't come soon enough for me. I'm tired of having all my kids home for so long. It's just been a lot of time together unpleasant things to deal with so much of the day, so many days of the week. Life will come together a lot better when we all have breaks away from the house, and alone with ourselves. I'm also looking forward to having some time with Marius, just him and me.
In November, I flew to Idaho Falls by myself to see the house! We bought a house right next to Amy and Danielle's and I went on a trip to furnish it, check on it, and just have a vacation for myself. It was amazing. Amazing to be in the states. Amazing to be in Idaho and remember that we DO love it there and CAN'T WAIT to move there. That it will be so WONDERFUL, peaceful and beautiful. It was awesome to have time to myself. I was having a really hard time before I went and was really needing some time away to just be. It was so great. I just stayed up late with Amy every night talking, and eating chocolate and we shopped and were lazy and just had the best time! If I remember right, I think I was a little sick while I was there but it was so great. It was so great getting to know my sister's kids better, because I've never had the chance to really get to know them.
Pat and Randy came out for Christmas again!!! We were SO GRATEFUL and SO EXCITED!!! Having visitors used to be so difficult for me, but now that I have my anxiety and depression under control- I LOVE having them come to visit. It is SO much better. A world of difference. We are so lucky they take the time and money to come spend time with us. And it means so much at Christmas time, when we miss our family so much.
We bought a lot more presents this year and Pat and Randy, as usual, but WAY TOO MANY gifts. But the kids had a great time!
I was really pumped this year to decorate the Christmas Tree because I had boughten so many decorations here! I liked it and didn't like it all at the same time. It doesn't look like a normal Christmas Tree and I'd see everyone else's shiny and matching trees and I felt sad, but I like that it's original and much more personal instead of buying a big box of ornaments without much meaning or thought to it. So many of our Christmas decorations are from the Philippines. I really like that we have the memories to see at Christmas each year in the future.
Here they come!
Looking in their stockings . . .
Amy, my sister, made these awesome wooden card holders for the kids. We have used them so much. I put them in the stockings.
I tried really hard to put useful things in their stockings and not too much candy. We put in card games and water color paints, bubbles.
Lorna, our helper, is so sweet and gets the kids a present each Christmas. I'm always surprised at what great gifts she gets the kids! Last year she gave them stuffed animals that they LOVED. This year she got the boys remote control cars and they play with them SO MUCH.
It was fun to use my cloth bags again. I'm glad we have them.
Pat and Marius.
Randy and Marius
Brighton
Scarlet and Randy
Such a great picture of Pat and Randy.
I really wanted to be in the picture too, but someone needed to take it. I think they all look great.
Pat and Randy went to Intramuros and took Scarlet with them! I was worried she'd be bored and tired but she had a great time with them. This is them at a restaurant.
We all went to Borocay and had an amazing time together. But somehow I lost all the stinkin' pictures!!! This is the only one- from my phone. Pat playing cards with the kids in the hotel.
The kids went snorkeling and Brighton LOVED IT!!!! He would hold on to Greg's back and dive down with him to look at things up close. We all saw a black and white striped sea snake- that was pretty intense and made us pretty afraid to snorkel again- because it was poisoness and people saw them everywhere. We went to the same hotel as last time and it was great. We saw a really fun Fire Show on the beach, with mostly poi but a little bow staff and other instruments- it was really fun. At the end of the show they asked for volunteers and I went up and did a little spinning of the fire poi my self. I was pretty rusty, but it was fun. Brighton hated how loud it was and Marius was really tired, so the kids went home with Greg early in the show and Pat and Randy stayed with me. It was really great. So much easier than last time. Traveling with the kids has gotten so much better. Everything used to be so hard and every time we go out now, it just seems easy. It's great.
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