Happy Birthday Gavin!

Hooray for this child of ours! He is already 8 years old!??? how does this happen? this picture here is a new Gavin...he no longer has to wear his ear plugs and swim cap while he swims...he can now dive in with abandon because his ears have been healed and he no longer suffers from the chronic ear infections...he still has some bigger allergy issues but we can keep them under control now. here in the picture he is where he loves being the most...the beach and the pool...all in one. he can spend hours...days...weeks...just being in this type of surrounding...adventure seeking. i wonder what job he will have in the far far future...being in the 2nd grade, he is learning so much and taking it all in at great speed now. as i write my emails, texts, or blog updates, he is over my shoulder reading what i am writing. keeps me on my toes :D he still loves sports of all kinds and will choose that over anything else to do. the other day we were playing in the gym at the school and there were a bunch of boys playing soccer and i noticed that mine were not the only ones who take off their shoes and socks to play the sport! ;) and if he was not playing sports, he would choose PS2 to play, and if he was not playing PS2, he would want to play spelling games on the computer, and he if he wasn't getting smarter on the computer...he would choose his MP3 player. and if he wasn't doing that he would say "mom, i'm bored. what can i do now?" ha! we are raising a different generation than even i know. kids who can work the computer with ease and understand electronics like the back of their hands. gavin is no exception. amazing! and with uncles and an aunt who like to give all this...we try to stay up with them and keep them moving in this world as we navigate together. Gavin is still very much our kind-hearted, smart, perseptive, introvert. we are so proud of him and the way he treats his friends with care and is sensitive to others...others being those friends outside the family. ha ha ha... he is definately the 'big' brother and knows how to push buttons and irritate the core of the family under the radar. he wouldn't be doing his job if he didn't. and in all seriousness...he really does care for his siblings just as much...we just see another side of him in that role as well. the easy going little man doesn't really care about fashion yet...unlike his younger siblings. so that keeps drama on the low side with gavin...he brings a stable, calmness to our family...we need that oh so much! he doesn't talk just to be talking...so when he talks...we listen. and when he gets excited, he talks so fast we can hardly keep up! and we love that gavin laugh...the laugh that comes from deep down. what a kid! thanks for being in our family...we love you to pieces!

everyday kids and SOME of their pets

turtle

fish

hamster...just missing the dog's pic

BFF

boy picnic in the driveway on a saturday morning
(yes...we have to sun dry our rugs in the rainy season cuz they get moldy)

Jepara

loving coconut :D

posers

After not having been out of town for quite awhile, we left for spring break to the north coast. Jepara. This is where we found wood carving. you know...like the tables and chairs from crate and barrel...so much cool stuff to look at and put on our wish lists :D it was a very nice get away...not near long enough but we will go again when YOU come visit!

Jepara...more pics of our spring break trip

we stayed at a hotel on the beach...this is a view of the beach from the pool...aahhhhh

the goodness of the beach and spring break!

gavin and friend making the most of the boat we rented

greg giving his advise to the canoers...

the ocean here is much more calm.
this is the northern part of java, in a bit of a cove.
it seemed more like a lake but it still tasted salty.
the kids could just sit out and talk about...what would they be talking about???

more pics of pauls birthday...random order

pinata lineup

this is josh...both gavin and paul's friend but he and paul have almost the same birthday...so he shared his with paul...its pretty good when you can get kids to work together to see something cool and they really liked the parachute deal when they worked together...balls flying in the air...like popcorn...and they were controlling it...amazing! then they would count and throw the chute above them and pull it down so they were all sitting on the inside edge making a big tent...giggle giggle giggle...all around :D i love the sound of kids laughing! it releases something in my soul!

Paul's birthday party pics

Paul had a combined birthday with his friend Josh. Josh is in 2nd grade. so that meant the invitations list was kindergarden plus 2nd grade :D that equals about 30 kids :D the time was good and great. we had cake (made by josh's mom and frosting by paul's mom :D), ice cream, little fish crackers that tasted like durian (gag), koolaid from america!... face painting, balloon animals, pinata full of candy....a full on circus of sorts! the rain didn't even attempt to show...it was actually quite hot but i believe everyone had a great sugar high as they went home that night.

mud

with it being rainy season...it's just so tempting to want to do this everyday...but we don't...