3.5 and 5.5

It seems I snap my fingers and 2 months pass!  Fall has been a very busy, but great season for us.  Zoe continues to love school and is already reading words and learning so much I can't believe it.  She is quite the studious (not surprising) little girl and double-checks me to make sure that we have done everything we are supposed to just like Ms. Young says.  She even double-checks me to make sure I send her library bag on the right day!  We absolutely adore her teacher.  She is a believer, young, sweet, fun, and appears to have won the hearts of all her students already.  Zoe draws her pictures and notes at least once a week with "Zoe loves you Ms. Young" on them. Usually it's her and Ms. Young in matching rainbow dresses - its SO sweet how much she loves her.  I pretty much think we have the best teacher ever.  She has been making new friend at school too and its so hard to get her off the playground after school each day.  We walk to school every morning and now that its cooling down, we walk up the hill home too.  Back in Aug/Sept. that hill is miserable! Im not sure who likes school pick up more, Zoe or Chase.  Chase sees many of his friends at drop off and pickup and always wants to play with his buddies - which - he actually has now!  He has become quite the social butterfly in Zoe's absence during the day and now always requests to play with certain friends.  Its pretty sweet actually.  He started playing soccer with a little soccer team with some kids that will be in his class at school and he LOVES it.  I mean, he gets so excited for practice and for games - which of course J and I both love.  He is very competitive but in a fun way and always says he is going to score 100 goals.  He is pretty good though.  We named him well - he chases that ball up and down the field and is definitely one of the more aggressive and agile kiddos.  And I think he just likes having friends of his own!  Along with soccer, Chase has also really enjoyed reading a lot lately.  I mean like huge stacks of books.  He will sit in my lap for an hour and read if I let him (which I do, until I get too sleepy from being so still!) His favorite right now - Pete the Cat.  He also is still very into Cars - the movie and cars the vehicles.  He will play up and down the hall way for a long time by him self just pushing his cars around.  Lightning McQueen is his favorite for sure.  He and Zoe like to play "parade" where they line up all their cars/characters up and down the hill and then drive/walk them around.  Its pretty cute.  In late September we took the kids to Oahu and had an absolutely amazing time.  Im not sure who had more fun, us or the kids.  We did the beach, pool, snowcones (still Zoe's fav part) and had breakfast on the patio every morning.  This was the first vacation where the kids slept in the same bed and they did great.  We did a jeep tour where we got to see some amazing practically deserted beaches and did a hike through the jungle.  This was the muddiest hike EVER and the funny thing was that Zoe did awesome (and stayed completely clean) while Chase kept getting mud in his crocks and screaming "yucky mud!"  It was kind of hilarious.  We also had breakfast with Mickey and friends, which of course was a hit.  Zoe met a friend that lives in Switzerland named Sophia and they became fast friends.  We (again) ate at the same place for dinner 4 nights of our trip. But how can you beat fish tacos with a view!  We also took a catamaran out for a snorkel trip.  Chase was not quite old enough to really get it and got a bit flustered, but Zoe loved looking at the fish and wanted to swim down to the fish like i was doing (in 50ft water).  She will be my scuba buddy when she is older.   It was hard to come back but we hit the ground running with lots of photo sessions for me and Halloween soon after.  Thank goodness Mom and Dad are retired now!  (and thank you to all the grandparents for watching the kids - which they think is awesome) Zoe was Elsa (no shocker) and Chase was the cutest spiderman ever for Halloween.  We trick or treated in the neighborhood and it was really the firs year the kids had a blast running up and down to all the houses.  I took Zoe on her first field trip the other day to the Arboretum (how appropriate).  As we were walking out Zoe and another little girl were walking in front of me talking.  Zoe asked her if she had Jesus in her heart.  The little girl said "No, but we used to do some of that Jesus stuff."  Zoe said "Oh, well you just have to ask him, its really easy - here, Ill pray with you.  Fold your hands like this and say Jesus, I want you to come live in my heart"  The little girl did it.  I got butterflies.  While I know that there is more to be done in her heart than that, but I was amazed and encouraged that my 5 year old really has been listening and God has been working in her own heart to share Christ with others.  She is just growing up way too fast.  I look at her and I wonder where my toddler went.  She is learning to read and is always asking me how to write or spell something.  Chase is sweet as ever and if he is cranky, he will tell me "mommy, I be betta tomorrow. "  Oh my sweet kiddos.