The China Connection: Trying to play catch up

Ray Wilcox photo taken in May

Hi everyone, sorry for not being more attentive to updating you on the girls progress. It's been a really busy year and we stay on the move constantly with Lyndsay being in Kindergarten/1st grade and Charis being in Pre-K this year. We spend much of our time running back and forth to town to drop off or pick up from school. Fortunately Charis only goes three days a week and Lyndsay only goes physically to school twice a week and is homeschooled the other three. It makes life interesting getting everything done that needs to be done, but with the Lord's help we get it all accomplished. Lyndsay loves both her Kindergarten and First grade (for all her language arts) teacher. She is in both grades since she was already reading at about a second grade level at the beginning of the school year. It was a good choice of schools for her and for us, as it eased us into home schooling, as they tell us what we need to do rather then us guessing. Charis, the socialite, still loves everyone and everything. She is at the wonderful age of testing all her boundaries though....a fun time as parents. Normally she is quite agreeable though and her favorite pasttime is still making others laugh....quite the clown. Both girls are taking Preballet and gymnastics on Thursdays, conveinently at the same location, one class right after the other with the local homeschoolers group. They just performed in a ballet, Immanuel, The Promise. They were both "sheep", very cute! They both did well, but Lyndsay decided to position herself strategically in the back of everyone else so she could not be seen (I was just very proud that she even went up on stage,as she would not go on it during the practice)....on the other hand there is Charis, right up front where everyone could see her!! On Saturday afternoons, we have gone to Chinese Mandarin classes for this past semester. They both did well and got certificates yesterday at our last class. Lyndsay had her first sleep over, quite a feat of bravery for her.

We've been staying very busy with the girls as well as the business and are believing the a quick sale for our acreage in Western MD http://www.forsalebyowner.com/listing/5E103. I've attached a link if you know of anyone looking for a beautiful large property to build on, hunt on or for recreation of any type in that area not far from Deep Creek Lake. We have tried to diversify our photography business and are now offering products to our clients, in addition to trying to add new clients. We got our first wholesale account for products featuring our work on them. Coffee mugs, magnets, keychains and Christmas cards. Since products are a Christmas business, we have been busy trying to keep up. We welcome the new avenues though, as our industry has taken some major blows in the past few years. Good thing we know WHO our provider is and that we don't have to trust in a man. We pray that everyone has a blessed, very safe and prosperous New Year. I'll let the photos fill you in on the remainder of our 2010.

Tweetsie Railroad was a frequent stop this summer

The homeschoolers had a trip to Old Salem in Winston-Salem, NC

They learned how to make paper from cotton fibers

They learned how they used to make brooms by tying the stalks with twine, Charis has her sprigs of hay in her hand ready to give it a try herself.

How would like to have to get water the old fashion way?

Charis snuggling with PopPop at the party for his 70th birthday.

Portraits from October

Ol' spider legs as daddy calls her. As you can see she can do a complete split.

Lyndsay with Olivia trying to blow up ballons for the party.

Dora cake

Charis holding her pumpkin from our trip to Coffey's apple farm

Mt. Vernon's fall festival. Lyndsay is wearing her brand new fairy dress, that had no size on it, that she got for her birthday. As soon as she held it up, I knew it was about two sizes too small, but she loved it and I didn't have the heart to tell her that we should take it back. So she was as proud as a peacock with her fairy "mini dress". I hoped no one would notice.....not sure that happened!

Playing games at the fall festival

Lyndsay's classmate Skylar joined us at the bowling alley for her 6th birthday. Who do you think is in control in this picture!! LOL Poor Skylar!

What classic form!!

An armful of tiny beanie babies from Mom Mom and Pop Pop. She also got a bike for her birthday.

Gotcha day for Lyndsay Nov 22, we also celebrated Charis' at the same time. They are holding gifts from China that they get each Gotcha day.