On the road again

We went up to Massachusettes to visit Nanna from Kentucky (that is her full name), Aunt Elizabeth and Uncle Tom. We had a lovely time, catching up, sleeping over and having homemade doughnuts for breakfast! Jackson hates having his picture taken...have you noticed? Usually I don't force him...but we came all that way to visit Nanna from Kentucky and it would be so nice for her to have a picture with all the kids. You can see how thrilled he was about it. He doesn't know the 'f' word yet but his friend told him that the finger means "I hate you." I think it's directed at me and Nanna from Kentucky didn't even notice...so, that makes it a nice picture.

snowmageddon

We've had some snow here recently...you may have heard. So, it's lots of fun for the first 3 days...kind of a pain after that.

See Seaworld

We even got to touch the dolphins at Seaworld. Thanks for all the fun Nanna Carrie!

Disney, the ugly

Our hotel was supported by gigantic maracas.












Sometimes we all felt like this.













Some days we got soaked.

This photo might be sad if it weren't so hilarious.

Disney, the bad

Dadddy could only come for the weekend and then he didn't get to stay for the remaining seven days of Disney adventures.

Things started to go downhill when Cort picked out a knife from Pirates of the Caribbean and then threatened both characters and tourists alike.

He completed his look with the pirate mickey mouse hat and worried those around him.

Then all the kids joined the green guys army...Cort took it very seriously.

Disney, the good

Then we went to Disneyland with Nanna Carrie and Grampa Les. It was really fun and everyone had so much fun on Space Mountain...even Jackson cracked a smile.

sweetly napping

One day Cort was so tired he fell asleep on Sloane. She gently patted his head while he slept. Another day I found him asleep standing up. He was leaning his head on the couch but had passed out while on his feet- I have a video of it.

Christmas, out of order

So, when we left Turkey we went to Mom and Bobs in Minonk. We played in the snow and went to Walmart and made preprations for Santa.
Cort made cookies...his stirring face looks the same as his angry face.


Then we opened a million presents and apparently didn't get one good picture. It was very fun for everyone but Bob. This is what the house looked like. And this is only a FEW of my Mom's Christmas decorations. You think I'm kidding now...but I'm really not.

one thing at a time

So, we moved into our new apartment which is some sort of vortex of static electricity, best illustrated in Sloane's hair. And I tied one binkey to the doorhandle so that Cort, who is TWO AND A HALF, could now cut down to binkies only for naps and bedtime. This one he can have whenever he wants, only he can't have any fun...just stand next to the door with his binky. Our new home is pretty nice, but not as cool as the last ones because the kids can not go outside without me and we don't have many neighbor friends.
Luckily, we can (and frequently do) walk to our old favorite Stacy's coffeehouse.

The way things are in transition

So, a few things of interest happened since I last posted a blog. Like, we moved to the United States and stuff.
Too much to recount it all but at least I can mention a few highlights:
Sloane turned 4 and got a big red inflatable ball that you can climb inside and roll around an empty apartment after the movers have come.
I have worn the same outfit for 5.7 weeks straight, the grey boots with buckles, skinny jeans and a sweater in cardigan form or other.
We played legos.
We have played LOTS of board games. Bill has worked out every day and bikes, walks or runs to work every day since we moved here.
We got a new van even crappier than the one we had before.
Excellent time hanging out with cousins.
Invaded Mom and Bob's house for a 3 week stay and expressed our critical opinions of everything they did during that 3 week period.
Decorated 4 Christmas trees at Mom's house.
We sat on Santa's lap.
We made snow forts and snow people and snow angels and had painful and totally disappointing sugar on snow party.
Cort has not changed is simplified/shouting speech style since I last wrote: "This. Mine. Yogurt. This. Not. Loane's. Yogurt. This. Spoon. Mine. Weapon. Shoot. You. Mine weapon! I not mean guy. I nice mean guy!"
Most all of his statements include the words mine and weapon.
For now we're having fun in our little, nice place in Virginia (little is so much easier than big!).
We are catching up with friends, doing a homeschool drama class, yoga class with Ankara friends, and piano lessons. We are waiting to hear where our next location will be and wondering if Bill will get language training for that location...thinking it's most likely that he will.
We are happy and busy and astounded at the awful traffic and cost of groceries. We are obsessed with the library and all our new books and neglecting our blog/email and other computer related functions.
In a few days we're headed to Disneyland for a week's vacation. I think I'll blog again before we move again. That's all our news.

the way things are in Turkey

Today was beautiful, Bill and the kids climbed to the top of a cliff.












I chatted with the ladies in the sheep killing area.

Cort climbed into an antique bucket in the antique display section because the kid-loving Turks don't care if kids climb all over pieces of art at the museum or start swordfighting with relics...kids are allowed to do anything they want.









(which includes smoking.)

Ebru painting

Either we were painting on cows fat oil or something was lost in the translation.