Merry Christmas!

Sending you love from Japan!

While we've enjoyed our time here, this will be our last Christmas in Yokosuka.  Bob has taken a new job down in Sasebo, Japan and we will be moving in just a couple of weeks.  We are excited, sad, and stressed about it all at the same time.  The new job will extend or total time in Japan to seven years, meaning we will go back to the states Sept. 2024.

Now for the yearly update:

Bob finished his tour in Yokosuka as a project engineer.  This year he worked mostly on the USS Blue Ridge and he is excited to start his new job.  Since I've been working Bob got to spend many more fun nights with the kids.

I've been busier then ever this year working as a server at Chili's.  While I loved it there were growing pains for me and the family.  Everyone had to get used to me being gone more often, and I had to get used to lack of sleep.

Tucker started high school and early morning seminary.  He spent much of his time riding his bike back and forth to base (often twice a day 7 miles each time).  

Penelope started playing the violin and is doing a great job, she also took on much more babysitting at our home. 

Scarlett tries to play with neighborhood friends all day everyday if we let her.

Leon is excelling in the third grade and likes to play with legos.

Calista wants to be a hairdresser and gave herself a few haircuts.  She also keeps us busy by sneaking fistfuls of sugar and any other sweets she can get her hands on.

Beatrix's vocabulary has grown a ton this year.  She also stopped wearing diapers during the day, which makes my life easier.

Return Flight

The airport was so exciting for the kids I think the return flight deserved it's own post.

Going home seemed to go much more smoothly.  First off the airport was pretty empty, there were no crowds and we got through security pretty quickly.

We kind of got into a groove of how to walk through the airport with four kids all carrying their own suitcases.  At first it was a jumble or us taking up the entire walkway and the kids cutting people off and then dropping their suitcases so stopping traffic completely.  We definitely had escalator issues.  Some of our kids were scared to go on while some already went down alone one child even fell on the escalator.  It was a mess our first few times.

For our return trip through the airport we walked mostly single file with one parent taking the lead and one in the rear watching all the kids.  It went pretty well.

Here the kids are at the gate with our huge mound of stuff.  I can't remember what Scarlett was upset about.

How could I not go to Graeters one last time when our gate was right next to it?

Selfie while waiting.

Neither flight was delayed and they was even less turbulence.

One of the best parts was that we got home right around dinner time.  We had enough time to unpack a little and eat before going to bed.  It was probably one of the best flying with kids experiences we've had.

Get Air

One day during the reunion we went to the indoor trampoline park called Get Air.  I've never been to one of these places before and it was sooo fun.  There was a play place similar to a giant McDonalds playland next door so we split up.  Most of the older kids went to the trampoline place and the younger kids went next door.  I hung out with Penelope and Bob most of the time in the trampoline park.

I did up getting pictures on the trampolines but they are all really blurry so I won't share:)  They had a few other things to do at the trampoline place.

It was great!  Tucker ran around with his cousins most of the time and looked like he was having a blast.  I heard that Leon and Scarlett had tons of fun next door.  I kept needing to take breaks to blow my nose and go to the bathroom.  Jumping on a trampoline while pregnant with your fifth baby is hard.

We also had a cookie day where each family was in charge of making a treat.  Bob and I made a yummy popcorn cake.

Lastly I wanted to share about Penn Station.  It's the last restaurant that we try to go to while in Cincinnati.  I think their sandwiches are pretty good.

Madcap Puppets

I remember putting on the occasional show or play as a child and now as a parent I always want my kids to make up little plays for me.  They don't do it very often but when we had the chance to make puppets I was thrilled.  We went to the Madcap Puppet headquarters and toured it.  Everything was so interesting.  After the tour the kids got to make their own sock puppets.

They all turned out so cute.  Scarlett was grumpy for some reason and was being a little difficult with her puppet.  She really wanted it to be a peacock and she insisted that popsicle sticks were used instead of feathers or pipe cleaners.

They had some pretty amazing puppets.

Once all the children finished they practiced talking with their puppets.  Scarlett refused to participate in this.

She didn't mind trying out the big flower puppet though.

I thought the whole thing was pretty cool.  I'll have to get a video of the kids putting on a puppet show one of these days.

Gingerbread Houses

One day during the reunion we met with some family friends at church to play and build ginger bread houses.  Penelope and Bob worked on a Repunzel's tower.

Tucker built his all by himself.

Scarlett, Leon, and I all worked on this one together.  Although there were times when they lost interest and it was just me.

We chose to wear our reunion shirts that day.  I like how they turned out.

All the grandkids together.

Being silly.

All the Woestmans together wearing our shirts.

Being silly.

It seemed like most of the time everyone was playing basketball or eating lunch or running around the gym but I somehow only got one picture of Bob and Leon in the gym.