harmony once again.....well some of the time...

I am here to tell you that 're-entry' after weeks apart is worse than mere jet-lag....yes, you heard me....well jet-lag maybe made it so horrific. Lili had gotten quite used to practically being the only child and Mia was well into the groove of being the honored cousin and Nykolas was jiving the time with more boys and not so many girls....ahhh, all good things must come to an end....so the last week has been filled with WAY too many emotions....Lili and Mia constantly wailing with hurt feelings, Nykolas 'hating'girls, etc..... This is the first time ever that Chad left for a trip saying "I am outta here!". Indeed there were moments that it was that bad!

Thankfully things have settled down. Early morning soiree's have come to an end, routine has been restored, forgotten dinasour families have been rediscovered.....brothers and sisters dwelling in unity is indeed sweet.

We have also started school, which is going really well. I freaked out a bit on our first day but we have found our groove. Lili starts at 8am while Nykolas and Mia play upstairs with Noa. Noa is down for her morning nap at 9am then we all do science and history together....then Lili is off to play upstairs while I do reading and math with the big ones....Noa wakes about 11 or 12 and we have lunch....then after lunch is handwriting for all (well except for Noa)......then errands, playing etc.... nice!

The family unit....Nykolas is the 'honey' (as Lili calls him) and sheriff as well, Lili is the mother, Mia is the child (a concert pianist apparently) and Noa....well Noa is best used as the dog as she is good at panting and crawling on all fours.....and I was the grandmother (yes my age is catching up to me). They were playing so well together....OVER AN HOUR! Remember to threaten bed to all if any one upsets the other...seems to work......

Note to my brother in law: I notice in some of my recent pictures little Noa seems to run around often just in a diaper, I do know how this disturbs you and I want you to know I don't normally allow my littles to run around in their skivies.....these pics have been shot after a meal of one sort of another and Noa has taken to demanding to feed herself and the results are...well you can imagine. So part of my cleaning up the dishes routine is stripping my youngest and wiping her down along with the dishes.....which she enjoys immensely....and runs shouting 'no, no' when I try and catch her to clothe her once again.

together again!!

waiting waiting waiting.... with friends for those big kids to show up!!

creative little sprite.....

Exhausted Samba Queen....

We were hanging with out with our Brazilian neighbors the other day and Lili was dressed in her most sparkly outfit......and the impromtu samba lessons began.....after the fun we went home for dinner then she went up stairs on her own before 7:00 and crashed into bed fully clothed....I am thinking samba EVERYDAY!!!

corn baby.....

So we have not been staying at home and pineing away for the big kids....we have been having adventures whilst pineing away......Sumi-san has a new boat and they invited us for dinner by the water and a short trip out in the boat to watch the fireworks. So so fun!

Glorious day in Shiga......with our dearest friends we took the cable cars up the mountain above Lake Biwa (you can see it on a map of Japan-the biggest lake here!) to have lunch, shaved ice, enjoy the amazing views and play and play and play.....looooong slides, chair lifts, climbing walls,...and cooler air.....ah sweet delight!