Jonathan's last day of flag football. Each day was very interesting, but for that matter everyday right now is a bit of a rollercoaster with Jonathan. But he finished the season and learned to go after that ball no matter who else was after it and had many great times.We saw a competitive spirit in him that we've never seen before so we'll see if he'll like to play tackle football next season.
Jonathan and Caroline got to have Halloween parades in costume.
Caroline finally decided on one costume after thinking of being an alien, cat, magician, and many other interesting things. Cinderella was the winner and she held her princess head high and mighty for her preschool to see how a lady can walk elegantly in blue heeled plastic slippers!
Jonathan enjoyed this year at the school "Fall Party". Being a mummy was much easier than coming up with how to be a refrigerator with an opening door with food inside!

Alivia was expressing her maturity by deciding to not go trick or treating this year and hosting a "How To Host A Mystery" dinner party - BBQ With The Vampire. They had a great time, and no, she didn't do it!

Caroline was excited to see the snow in October and wanted to go play in it. So she started to get her gear on and had to take a rest, she ended up taking a 2 hour nap right in the middle of the kitchen! When she woke up she said she didn't feel like going outside anymore. I suppose it was too much work! I'm sure there will be more chances soon.

So, Alivia wanted candy after all and thought it would be great if her and her friends could be the ugly step sisters and the fairygod mother! It worked quite well!

Our little tricksters

Caroline looking forward to saying those magical words..."Trick or Treat!"

Jonathan is ready!
Taylor is the "One-Eyed, One-Horned Flying Purple People Eater". Sure looks good to me!
The great loot and important Daddy check. Greg and I particularly enjoyed this Halloween as Alivia and her friends took the children around the neighborhood. Greg set up our firepit at the end of our driveway and enjoyed visiting with the crowds. It was 34 degrees and full moon. The children were wearing many layers under their costumes, but Taylor and Caroline were cold and came home early. Jonathan, Alivia and friends stuck it out, for candy sake!

Progress in the Fairchild Home!

Before



During the last year the living room has been the workshop! Ugh, the before looked better!Now everyone can see why we haven't had company. We've been busy with scraping the ceilings, painting them, then sand, prime, paint the window frames, added new wood blinds. Greg removed the 9 inch deep layers of the entry tile and had hardwood oak floors installed. Finished off with new baseboards and wall color.


Welcome to after! (I've hung paintings since and made the entry transition better by adding a half round entry table with a mirror over it)





Before!

One of the railings were missing because the previous owners used it as a chew toy for there dog!

During
It took alot of effort for Greg to figure out how to make the newel post and railing all line up and be sturdy as it continues up around to the top of the stairs. It turned out wonderful! I stained and painted everything including the baseboards.

After! We can breath better now.

Okinawa Friendship Quilt - memory art

Our family room is now enhanced with the Okinawa Friendship Quilt!
20 ladies quilted 20 squares of their favorite icon of Okinawa then we traded to have all the different squares. I finally got my quilt finished with the great charity of another friend I made here in Minnesota, Jill Price an accomplished quilter. It was the highlight of my birthday this year!

Dragonflies come out before the typhoons.
Geta shoes
American and Japanese flags are flown together in friendship!
Tori Gate Even the bus stop benches have covers with this design.
Goya (bitter fruit)and ube or yam. These are the preferred vegetables there. I prefer them as a flavor of icecream.

Hibiscus are found everywhere.
I made the map and in Kanji is "Okinawa" which was made with the help of a friend.
ShiShi Dog, made of clay and comes in a pair a male, being the protector and a female, keeper of good luck. A set is given for each home or building in Okinawa.
Kimono. We had the privilege to buy a few antique ones.
Pineapple, still a sign of welcome! The pineapple factory was one of our favorite tourist spots. Have you ever tried pineapple chocolate?...that was the only place we could get Shikawasa a drink made of green oranges and pineapple mixed. Yummo!

Shushi...a new love!

Kokeshi dolls are made of wood and painted. They are a very popular gift and collectors item. A special one, Syonara Doll, is made with the body of a paper roll and can be tied up with obe material. Many friends write farewells and wishes on them as you move away...(sigh).

Shan shin is 3 string. A guitar that's uniquely eerie and enchanting to me, I love it! It's usually covered in habu snake skin.

Red clay tile roof tops make for beautiful villages.

Toguchichi beach is where a secluded nook was found and used over years and years to baptize believers in Christ. Taylor was baptized there. Everywhere you turn it's all breath takingly beautiful.


Highway"58" if you get lost you just drive until you find the ocean and get back on to 58. It's the only highway that runs the whole length of the island.You get to drive "fast" 50 KM. The other signs are "new driver" and "elderly driver". These signs are stickers to go on the backs of cars to inform you to watch out. If you had an accident they have the law of "no fault" which means it's everyones fault. However as Americans we were considered "professional drivers" and had to carry "Gomenasai" money,(Yen to say I'm sorry and to buy people off.)

This is a wooden pirate ship or at least it was to our children that played on it. We had Taylor's 9th birthday party there with treasure hunt. Ship Wreck Park is on the beach across the street from our house.
The cars were tiny and you would find babies crawling around the dashbboard! People drove so slow I could almost stomach it. You would never hear a horn honk. Most patient people I've ever met. The road signs were fun to learn as well as driving on the wrong/right side of the road!

DIVE! That was the weekend occupation, personally I was glad I went as far as snorkling! Beautiful oceans many stories.
Taiko drums are the heart beat of Okinawa. It calls to their ancestors and celebrates profoundly.
Me, Alivia and friend. The people were the most friendly people we've ever met. We had a blast living there for three years.

May 16th 2009 Jonathan's Baptism

It was neat when Jonathan shared how he felt to his dad that he was glad he could make his own decision with out just doing things because of any other reason except he knew it was right. He was sad for anyone that would get baptized because that's what everyone else does, Jonathan was sure and glad to make this choice.

When Jonathan was dressed in white and came out around the corner to see me before the baptism I was shocked. I immediately got tearful because my baby boy was not a baby anymore. He was making the first grown up decision he'd ever made and wasn't going back. I part of me was sad because I knew from now on he'd be able to "sin" and have responsiblility for himself. But what over shadowed those motherly feelings was the humility that overwhelmed me by his blessing and how clear it was that Jonathan was being prepared of the Lord to be one of His great servants and that He had big plans for him regardless of his parents.
Grammy and Papa were there at Jonathan's baptism!


Jonathan insisted on having pictures taken with his Grammy and Papa!
They got to go fishing!

Spring work and Easter

I had a great time learning with my CTR 7 class! Spunky little jumping beans in clothes! I just had to take them out for icecream before I was released from that calling. Good thing I get to see them staying in primary.


Alivia put well over 10 hours of work into getting her room painted and setting it up. She was able to plan it along with finishing her first Young Women's value project in Choice and Accountability. (A lot of choices and being accountable happened here!)
Goofy grape Alivia, wore these paints falling off her the whole day cracking me up.
We painted the old bed that Grammy and Papa gave us. It's awesome now!
Easter is a favorite Holiday! Jesus Christ is alive!
This painting was a gift to me from Greg for Christmas. I love how the expression is made of the apostles running! Will we be anxious when we hear the Lord's come back?!

Greg is awesome at hiding the eggs We had around 50 this year.


We had a great time with Alivia's friend Ronney being with us all day. It was her first experience with Easter. She didn't know about Chirst or tried strawberry shortcake before muchless hunted for eggs. It was particulary neat when at church we sang a hymn and after she said, "Wow! that was fun are we going to do that again?!"



They hunt and can smell the chocolate out.




These are the sweet and precious moments of childhood. Let the sun shine down!