Summer Fun

Here are a bunch of photos of what we've been up to this summer.  School ended in June, I went on a girls' weekend to Hong Kong, and each day since then has been full of family and ministry.  We're blessed.

Hannah

Zoe and Abby Grace hiking with friends

Lucy and Abby Grace

Love Olives

Our family--see my heart-shaped rock? 

Zoe and Rebekah

With BFFs Kristie Coia and Jen Rathmell

Victoria Harbor in Hong Kong

Science Fair at the end of the School Year

Zoe did Space

Rebekah did Electricity

Abby Grace did Bugs

Zoe won First Place in her Age Group

Abby Grace requires us to house a bug zoo in our home.  She is a bug fanatic!

This butterfly came from a caterpillar Abby Grace caught. 

Mark took all the girls to a Father-Daughter Ball--they were super spoiled and so enchanted with their Dad! 

In front of a traditional Okinawan home. 

Date night at home--take out sushi--our favorite. 

On a camping trip on nearby Izena Island.  Not a bad place for a farm, huh?  What a view!

Hannah is hilarious--and she knows it!

Beautiful  Izena sky. 

These signs are a new sight since the horrible tsunami in March. 

Walking through a huge underground cave with friends Kelly and Jossy. 

Piper is getting big!

Zoe turned 8!  We had her party at a pool. 

Rebekah turned 14!  Her friends came over for a slumber party.  Here they are picking mulberries in our tree in our front yard. 

Abby Grace was baptized on July 4th by Mark. 

Our family on July 4th. 

Rebekah gets Yellow Belt!

Rebekah began taking Karate lessons about two months ago.  In Karate all students must start on the same level, no matter their age.  So she has been dutifully learning this new sport and art along with children her own age, as well as children much younger than she is.  She goes to the Dojo twice a week (now she rides her bike there on her own from home) and her SenSeis are a wonderful couple who run their own place.  The husband is a 9th Degree Black Belt (he would be a 10th, but is not allowed because he is an American and that honor may only be bestowed on Japanese) and the wife is a Japanese Black Belt herself.  They are a great team and Rebekah really enjoys going--not only that but she is very skilled and has garnered the attention of many onlookers, as she seems to be a "natural."  The pictures below are from the day she tested in front of her whole class to move up from a white belt to a yellow belt.

Abby Grace learns to ride two wheels!

Abby Grace is a natural athlete.  When she was two years old she could race on a Razor scooter past any adult who tried to keep up with her.  We would watch and cringe and look away unable to bear the possibility that she might run into nearby people, walls, cars, etc.  She never did.  And tonight it took her one try and less than one minute to master a two-wheel bike.  The only reason she didn't learn sooner is because her slacker parents didn't take the training wheels off sooner!  Here are her first moments on two wheels in our backyard on the basketball court.