Ni Hao and other adventures

We have been having a language explosion over here...both Sydney and Talmage are improving their reading skills by leaps and bounds and Sydney's Chinese is amazing. Every day, for half of her school day she speaks and is spoken to only in Mandarin Chinese. She even learns math in Chinese. It is so incredible to witness and I am a huge fan of the dual immersion program that she is in and that Talmage will also begin in the Fall. I am just more and more amazed at how well she seems to be doing...I have no idea what she is saying, but she voluntarily speaks Mandarin around the house and her wonderful teacher is very happy with her progress. In these first two pictures Sydney is working away at her Chinese homework while we wait for Talmage's gymnastics class to finish. Sydney's class is first so it's the perfect opportunity to pound out some homework while we wait for Talmage. And wow! I can't seem to keep her caught up on all her homework with English and Chinese homework, but we try our best.

Sydney and her fabulous Chinese teacher. 

Talmage balancing...remember, this is the kid who had a curvy spine. Look at that balance, way to go buddy!

We are sorely missing our neighbor buddies who moved away a few weeks ago. They played with Syd and T almost every day.

The sandbox pic and the tree pic were taken a few weeks ago when the weather was pretending that Spring was here...but then it tricked us. Come back Spring!!!

You want to know what a great workout is? Playing tag with your kids on trampolines...wowser...it's a workout I tell ya!

Talmage LOVES school. He got to be in the "Cookie Club" after mastering some skills and is now a very enthusiastic reader. When I went to the kindergarten program to my surprise, there on the stage in front of the entire school, plus parents, was Talmage opening it up with his darling little classmate who is in my Primary class. I was so impressed that he was just so cool, calm and collected as he welcomed everyone to the kindergarten program. It was definitely a proud mama moment.

Since the kiddos were with Tyler on Easter we celebrated Easter the following Sunday. Holidays are so fun and magical with children this age. It is so fun to see their delight in everything.

(P.S. Ne Hao, pronounced "Knee How" means hello in Chinese)