Hablas Español?

Do you speak Spanish?  I don't, but with the encouragement of their father, the girls are learning Spanish and planning to teach the entire family what they learn!  Ryan remembers a little from taking one semester of the language in high school.  I on the other hand only know hi, bye, please and thank you from waiting tables with coworkers whom only spoke Spanish.

A couple days ago Ryan joked, "you're gonna have to learn Spanish if you want to order your taco the way you want it."  And of course I pushed back, "no I don't, my taco comes just perfect just the way it is."  The girls took him seriously as you can see for yourself below.  I was in the kitchen when I heard chirping voices coming from around the corner.  As I walked into the living room, I realized that it was the girls both learning Spanish on their Nintendo DS Gaming Systems.  I just had to capture this cute scene on film!

Rowan came up with a catchy way to make it easy for the entire family to learn Spanish; by labeling items around the house!  So Rowan and Kierce got busy using their "learn Spanish" program and little post it notes to label chairs (pictured below), tables and even our globe! 

I am so excited that even the idea of our journey to San Diego is already finding a way to enrich our children's lives.  All because of their teasing Dad!  Rowan and Kierce are doing so well, its looking like they will be able to order their Dad's taco the way he wants it, and that will surly make their Dad happy ;)  Yummo!

Kierce's First Tooth Pops!

Well, a little late but not a dollar short.  Kierce lost her first tooth this week!  After lots of pulling, pushing, prying and one final pop, Kierce's first tooth came out!  And yes, it did make a popping noise when it came out!

Earlier this week when she strolled into the dining room to show me how loose her tooth was, I grabbed a hold of her tooth and just gave it a yank, and out it popped!  Yes, I know it might sound a little cruel, but after days of her wishing and hoping for a tooth in hand (at this point extremely desperate for the tooth fairy to finally visit her) I felt I had no choice but to take matters into my own hands or fingers, literally!  Oh to see the joy consume her, to finally have that tooth out of her mouth!  She placed it in a baggie, and under her pillow almost immediately.  Kierce felt lucky that instead of four quarters to make a dollar, she received five quarters from the glorious tooth fairy!

Now we'll just sit back and wait for Merrick to loose his first tooth!  I know the time will be here before we know it!  Of course Rowan is best buds with the tooth fairy, and had much fun coaching Kierce through this process ;)

  

The Sign goes Up

Wow, it may have been a shocker to some family and friends to learn of our new adventure, but not to everyone!  For as long as my husband Ryan has worked for my brother Dana we have known this moment was coming.  Ryan works for the company Web Design Solutions, a massively growing and extremely successful web development company, which is located in San Diego.  We have delayed the move for as long as possible, and it is a necessity that Ryan be in office, and that office just so happens to be across the country!  Wooo hooo.  Its fun, its scary, its exciting, its sad, but ultimately its exactly what God wants for our life.  I don't know that I have ever felt a stronger feeling about something which is to come! 

With fingers crossed, and praying for Gods timing we are hoping the move takes place over the summer!  Our oldest daughter Rowan was apprehensive at first, but now is embracing the idea.  Kierce, our daughter who is placed in the middle of her siblings was ready to move the instant we told her!  She can't wait till the time comes.  Merrick our only son and youngest of the crew randomly asks me if today is the day we are moving.  He is also excited for our new quest.  It brings me joy to see the thrill in their eyes, and I feel its my job to keep that thrill there amongst all of the unknowns.

As we are very sad to leave our dearest family and friends here, we are also excited to live near other family.  As you can imagine, my brother and his family live in San Diego.  Dana and Brooke have just given birth to their new baby girl (my niece) Eva.  The kids are excited to meet her for the first time, and create bonds with their Aunt Brooke and Uncle Dana.  I also have two cousins, Lori and Steph who live in San Diego and are ready to welcome us with open arms.  It is also ironic that Ryan's cousin Jessie just moved for a great job opportunity to Los Angeles.  We are looking forward to the opportunity to strengthen these relationships!  

With all of the emotional ups and downs we are experiencing as well as our family and friends, its important for me to look at this new experience with wonder and curiosity of the freshness which lies ahead!  How many lives do we get???  Some may say 9, but I say 1!  We are going to live this life to the utmost, I can assure you of that!