Anna's Fancy Nancy Soiree

Anna wanted a Fancy Nancy birthday party to celebrate turning 5. I am never one to back down from planning a birthday hoopla, and we were all excited for the big day to finally arrive!

Even the boys got fancy for the occasion. Anna wanted only girls at her party but loved that her brothers dressed up for her. Asher was even super helpful playing the "butler". He answered the door, put presents were they belonged, and served food to all the girls. He was great!

Fancy Anna

Once all the fancy guests arrived, we read a Fancy Nancy book, had make overs, and they each received a goody bag with items to dress up for a fashion show. The moms loved this part and all cheered for the girls as they took their walk down the red carpet.

All lined up for the fashion show.

Anna's walk down the red carpet.

Then we had a fancy table spread complete with pink punch, heart shaped sandwiches and chocolate covered strawberries. The girls were hilarious trying to drink with their pinkies in the air and saying "ooh-la-la"! Jesse just sucked the chocolate off the strawberries.

"Happy birthday dear Anna!"

A group photo. Anna was one happy little girl. I spent the rest of the day with my feet up-I was exhausted! But wish she could stay 5 and be playing Fancy Nancy forever.
Happy Birthday sweet Anna!

VT Weekend

Joel and I were able to have this past weekend away to Blacksburg, VA without kids! My parents graciously took them and everyone had a good time. This is how we found the kids at midnight when we arrived back at my parent's house. Joel and I were just as tired! But were super refreshed after such an amazing weekend.

We left my parent's house at 4:40 am so that we could arrive in Blacksburg bright and early. I may have been a little crabby but then we stopped at this beautiful rest stop. Some of you may know the story but this is the place where Joel proposed to me...long story but we get a chuckle out of it. As I was getting my coffee inside at Starbucks at 6:30 am, I wanted to say to the server "Right there is where my husband got down on one knee and proposed (yes, after I came out of the restroom being sent on a scavenger hunt for my ring, which was on a toilet!)" but held back. Then on we drove to Virginia Tech where we watched the fog coming off the New River as we drove alongside it at dawn-it was gorgeous!

We hit gold by scalping tickets from some little boys on the corner. Two tickets for $50-FRONT ROW tickets on the 30 yard line!! They were the best seats ever! It was a perfect football day and we were able to see the Highty Tighties (the regimental band that Joel and I were both in) perform-on the field in this picture. The Hokies won (WOO HOO!), and then we walked around our old Alma mater reminiscing. Then someone asked us where a building was and we felt like big dorks because we couldn't remember!

We spent the rest of Saturday with our dear friends Caryn and Scott Davis. Caryn was one of my roommates my senior year when I got my first apartment. It was great seeing them after so many years and meeting their son Josiah for the first time. We ate dinner at one of our old haunts and the bar in the restaurant broke out in a round of "Lets Go Hokies!". I am not sure I even heard that happen when we were in college!

The real reason we were there for the weekend was to attend Joel's cousin's wedding (Colin Fox). It was super nice for them to plan it in the area on the same weekend as a home football game! The wedding was outside on a beautiful 80 degree day, with the fall leaves and Claytor Lake as a back drop. The ceremony and reception were great and we loved seeing so many of Joel's family. This photo is the "Fox" side of the family (Joel's mom) that made it to the weddding.

All the Fox cousins who were there. Colin and Zheng Zheng were so happy-it was such a blessing to be a part of their day.

And here is my baby bump at 25 weeks. I thought it was a good time to take a picture since I actually looked nice. Still so far to go!

Fall Fun

Well, you can't have this kind of fun in Hawaii!! We love our backyard and the kids have been having a great time playing in the leaves. Jesse seems to have resigned to the fact that he has to wear shoes and all are still getting use to jackets. I caught my 1st cold of the season...maybe I am allergic to cold weather??? Anna and I made pumpkin bread yesterday. Pumpkin spice lattes at Starbucks. And This weekend we are heading to Virginia Tech (kid free!) for the weekend. Joel's cousin is getting married there and we are looking forward to seeing the old stomping grounds, going to a football game, seeing some old friends, and enjoying the beautiful fall leaves along the way. The kids aren't the only ones enjoying it! Seriously, this is my favorite time of year and am grateful that we get to experience it again!

Life as We Know It

Well I guess our life just isn't near as exciting in Ohio as it was in Hawaii. As the days pass and I find I haven't blogged in awhile, I say to myself "What do I blog about!". I want to say that it isn't Ohio but just the fact that we moved. It is more than the change of house, new schools, church hunting, finding friends. It is almost like life comes screeching to a halt. We get so involved in things: friends, commitments, activities. Then you move and BAM!, there is nothing occupying your evenings or weekends and I sit and wonder what to do with myself! It is just a season of quietness and I am sure our lives will be booming with activities here again soon. In the meantime you will just have to be satisfied with stories and pictures of my cuties.

I have been enjoying my mornings with just Jesse and feel like I have read the whole library in all this quietness. The kids LOVE school and are adjusting well. Our neighborhood isn't swamped with kids so surprisingly Asher and Anna have become better friends than I thought possible - such a blessing to see. Anna has started ballet and gymnastics and keeps telling Asher to look for her on TV. Asher is thriving in piano lessons and just started a swim team where he is learning the techniques of swimming while being part of team (no competition until he is ready). Both activities are perfect for Asher and his personality. Joel completes his review classes this week, believes he has settled on a research topic, and starts "real" classes next week: linear algebra, probability and statistics, and digital signal processing. Sounds fun, right?! He gets sent off with a packed lunch everyday just like the kiddos. As for me, my heart aches for sailing! I am freezing and still can't keep shoes on Jesse (even in 50 degree weather). But the fall is taking my breath away and the Lord is truly blessing me with a few quick friends, a babysitting swap, and a MOPS group.

Weekly trips to the library have been one of our newest adventures. Jesse ALWAYS picks out a train book and hangs on to them for dear life. Seriously, he even sleeps with them. I have to sneak them away when he isn't looking when it is time to return them.

This was the sight in our house this past Saturday morning. Meet Anna, the fairy princess, and Asher, aka. "Clone Superman". Yes, that is what he called himself. Check out the socks! Completely cracked me up.

A Day Out

Grammie and Poppy treated the kids to a "Day Out with Thomas" which included photos with Thomas, a train ride, and some other fun activities.

The kids loved the train ride but Jesse was by far the most excited to see Thomas. Jesse is super obsessed with trains - he was in heaven.

The boys on the train ride.

Then we spent the afternoon at the Beavercreek Popcorn Festival. I LOVE popcorn and enjoyed trying all the different treats. Even though popcorn was the feature there seems to be this new obsession with deep fried food. This is the first time I have tried deep fried anything...pickles seemed to be the #1 thing on the menu but I couldn't do it. Joel tried a deep fried snickers. I tried a deep fried banana (GROSS!). However I have to say that the deep fried apples tasted like warm apple pie - very good! Nothing was better than the chocolate dipped cheesecake on a stick
(NOT deep fried!).

The kids favorite treat = cotton candy!

Blessing #4

For some of you, this is a surprise...so SURPRISE! Yes, we are expecting Thorson baby #4. I am currently 19 weeks with a due date of Jan. 26. I was VERY sick early on (much different than my other pregnancies) but am doing much better now. When we first told the kids, we got quite different responses than what we thought we would receive. Asher said "I have to take care of 3 kids!" and Anna stated that if it wasn't a girl than she didn't want it. Today we had the joy of seeing the little bugger moving around in an ultrasound and then the joy as Anna danced and screamed with excitement when we told her that it was a indeed a GIRL! "I knew it!" She squealed over and over and over again. She has so many plans for the 2 of them already. Asher already loves the baby and showers my growing belly with hugs and kisses. Joel is glowing (even though he was POSITIVE it was a boy). Needless to say we are all very excited to welcome a baby girl into our family.

Home Sweet Home

Home sweet home is now Beavercreek, OH! Yes, we made it! The trip cross country went way better than I expected. We made such wonderful memories and had a great time seeing family and friends. However, I don't plan on getting in that car for another long drive for awhile!

The kids camping out on our 1st night in our new house. We actually had to sleep like this for 2 weeks (minus the few days we ran away to my parents) before our household goods arrived. Wow, did our bed feel good after 2 months in hotels and visiting others. It is like Christmas for the kids unpacking toy boxes. I realized that in 9 years of marriage, we have moved 6 times! You think I would be good at this by now but unpacking is still super exhausting and frustrating...a much slower process than I would like it to be.

This past Monday, Anna had her 1st day of pre-kindergarten. And you will get a mouth full if you accidentally call it preschool. She goes 5 days a week, half-day. She was very nervous and shy at first-the kids are really missing their Hawaii friends and the freedom of our Hawaii backyard. They pray for new friends every night. Despite her nervousness, she had a great 1st day and gabs about it nonstop.

Today (Tuesday), Asher had his 1st day of 1st grade (sniff sniff). Here he is with his teacher Mrs. Latta who he says is the best because she says "Cool, Dude". His school is literally about 5 houses down the street. He has been insisting on walking to and from school by himself but I told him he had to walk with me the 1st week at least. He had to walk about a foot in front of me the whole time and then balked in embarrassment when I insisted on walking him to his classroom once at the school. This starts already in the 1st grade?!?! He told me he wasn't shy at all, but it only took 1 day for him to already forget his lunchbox at school.

A photo of our house...we LOVE it (and our new minivan)! It is 2400 sq foot, 4 bedroom, with a HUGE fenced in backyard to keep roaming Jesse locked in. I have no photos of the inside yet since we are lost in boxes. The neighborhood is extremely beautiful and quiet ( a ghost town compared to our community on base). I know there are kids around but why don't I hear them? We did meet 1 neighbor, a home with 7 kids with matches for Jesse and Asher, and babysitters! The weekend after our stuff arrived, my parents came to help watch kids and unpack-such a blessing to be close to family again! Watch out Leslie, I will have plenty of work for you ;).

Joel has orientation this week and starts school after labor day...like the kids, he is also nervous. Please continue to pray for adjustment for us all. The church hunt starts this weekend, and we hope to find a small group to be a part of for encouragement and companionship. My heart aches to go for a sail and have some unwinding time! Enjoy that blue water for the Thorson Family Hawaii friends! We miss you!