Routine

Here we are going into our 5th month in Singapore and I think we are finally in a good rhythm and routine.  I say that with caution as who really knows what is around the corner...

Today also marks the beginning of October. In our Texas life that meant busting out all the fall decorations and more importantly Halloween. So last night I attempted to make our home more festive for the season. The kids woke up to some small changes to the main part of the house and were instantly excited about the prospects of Halloween on the horizon.

How happy does she look for Halloween?  Layne just got scolded for rearranging the decorations and removing a candle from the pumpkin.



Yay for Halloween!



Graham celebrated UN Day at school on Friday.  The kids in class had to create a paper doll that represented their home country. 

Can you guess what Graham picked? 

Football!  It was easy enough to make and then it made picking out a costume for the day even easier.  His former football coach sent him the newest jersey.  So it made picking out Graham's costume that much more simple.

Graham's teacher keeps a blog on the happenings of their class.  She keeps it pretty updated so if you are interested in his class it is a good place to go.

I have also blogged over here and Graham has blogged over here as well.  We are just the blogging family.

Love

B:  Do you love Jesus?
L:  Yes, I love Jesus.
B:  Good, me too.

Definitely not in Texas anymore

Flag football in Singapore, sigh...We were very excited that Singapore had a football team at SAS.  We were even more excited that they were going to let Graham play a get a feel of the pigskin here in Singapore. Flag football is for 2- 4th graders.  COMBINED.  I originally thought he would just be playing ball with 2nd graders but he is with all ages.  The coaches are high school football atheletes who donate thier time to such organizations.  Graham attends 2x a week from 3:15-4:15 on Tues and Thursday.   Tuesday is practice and Thursday is gameday.  There are 4 teams in the flag division so they all play each other every week.

Graham is # 16 and typically plays on the defense.

Graham seems to have a good time.  But it is definitely not like Texas football.

First Full Day of Pre K

This morning was the first official full day of Pre K in Singapore.  Of course, both girls decided to sleep in until 8:00 am.  I even had to wake up Layne.  They are just going to a local preschool that is in walking distance from the house that is if I ever feel the urge to walk to school.  It would probably take 15 minutes or so.  I, however, choose to drive.  I do not want to start my day dripping in perspiration!

Preschool is a little different here.  Once we arrive the girls take off their shoes and place them into cubbies outside of the school.  Next, they get their temperature taken and a sticker is placed on them revealing the temperature.  Then, they go to the HFM lady (hand, foot, mouth disease lady) and she checks all the kids for this apparently prevalent disease that runs rampant in Singapore that it requires a daily check.  Weird to me but oh, well!

Shoe cubby, lady taking temps and in the background HFM lady.

Here are the girls just stopping off for a quick picture.  The only reason they stopped was because the chairs were pink.  They really wanted to get up to their classroom.



This is the lead teacher Ms. Lilyanna.

So this morning as I drove home, I realized that no one cried, no one clung to me, no one asked when I would return.  They were happy to be there.  So I sit here on this rainy Singapore morning reflecting on what big girls I have now!  Before I know it they will be riding the SAS bus to Kindergarten...Graham has no idea how is school will change once his sisters are with him :)

Jumpstart on PreK

Well, the girls are finally starting Pre-K. Today was their introduction to the school to see how they handled it.  They only stayed a couple of hours and then I brought them home.  Since they had no separation issues, they will start full days starting on Wednesday.  So tomorrow I will have another round of pictures with their backpacks, classroom and teachers.  Bryce and Layne are very excited to start back at school.  Layne did not even want to leave this morning.  She wanted to stay at school.  Of course, as soon as Bryce saw me she was ready to go!  I hope tomorrow is as easy as it was today.

Yo yo yo!  Bring on Pre-K!

Hooray for school starting!

Sisterly love :)

The Long weekend

One of the benefits of living in Singapore is this country acknowledges religious holy days as Public Holidays.  They really celebrate diversity among the different religious beliefs.  So last Friday was Hari Raya so Graham and Brian had the day off from their respective commitments. 

So we started our weekend early on Friday and enjoyed some time at the mall and the zoo.

Kids watching a movie in a mall.  Look how they take their shoes off.  It's old hat for them now!

Then we went to the Singapore zoo.  Brian had not been and the kids really wanted to show him the animals.  It drizzled on and off the entire time we were there.

Saturday Graham had his football Jamboree in the morning.  They introduced all the teams and gave a little pep talk to all the players.  It was quite a nice celebration minus the heat. 

It was also 9-11 and they had a speaker remember that day and talk to the players about it.  It was very moving and respectful.  It was also nice to know that even though we live across the world in another country people still remember that day 9 years ago.

Graham is # 16.  Can you find him in these next few pictures?  It is kind of like Where's Waldo?

Are you ready for some football?

Flag football, that is. 

Graham has been out front refreshing his football skills the past few days anticipating the start of football season here in Singapore. 

Considering we are from Texas, football is like breathing. 

Everyone does it.  

In Singapore when you say football "they" automatically think soccer.  So you can imagine the football scene here is not quite the hoopla it is back in Texas.  We are just thankful we have it!

Football here starts at 2nd grade and is flag until middle school.  I LOVE that part.  I don't have to worry about tackle until we get back to Texas.  Sorry, Coach Kenny...you will have to get him ready for tackle!  Since Graham is only in first, they are letting him play up with the second graders.

Graham and Brian out practicing running the ball and how to hold the ball.

Graham has also improved quite a bit on his throwing skills.  He can throw a pretty good spiral.  I guess throwing the football in the pool this summer really helped.

Just a little randomness...for my birthday I received a new camera.

I absolutely love it!!!  I am still learning how to use it but I love these 2 pictures.