Our neighbor Pat brought over some chocolate cake for dessert tonight...it was all downhill from there. :) 

Yesterday I was writing Ava's name on the growth chart in her room:
Jonah: A-V-A. That spells Ava!
Elisabeth: That's right, Joe. How did you know that?
Jonah: Cuz I'm so smart.

Seen "Napoleon Dynamite" yet? Perhaps only a couple people from our Life Group will understand this pose... (Ben and Sarah??)

Learning all about the fireman uniform! 

This is a firetruck bush! 

Sitting in the drivers seat. 

On the back of the firetruck. 

Today we visited the fire station for our neighbor Marcus' birthday party and Jonah got to spray the water hose! 

Last night right before dinner...
Jonah: "I can't eat dinner cuz my tummy hurts really bad."
Elisabeth: "Why does your tummy hurt?"
Jonah: "My tummy hurts cuz Jesus lives in there."
Jon (after we stopping trying not to laugh): "So you don't want to eat this roast Momma made?"
Jonah: "No."
Jon: "Do you think you could eat some chocolate?"
Jonah: "My tummy doesn't hurt anymore!! I can eat Chocolate!"

A windy and cold day in San Sebastian, with a couple of our teammates and some locals who went through the program a few years ago. (L to R: Megan Walker, Chris Probasco, Jon, another Jon, and Hizaiah) 

In San Sebastian with some students. Mikel, the one dressed like a chef, was playing in the Tamborradah festival (imagine hearing beating drums, all night long).

Here are some pictures of our trip! (courtesy of Chris Probasco) This is at the Sideria with all the students who came to the states last summer. Itziar is right across from Jon and her father and mother are on either side of her.

Jonah attempting a: double-hand-free-head-stand-flip-from-the-edge-of-Ava's-bed.  

Avie bein' silly. 

Playing doll house this morning... 

Just now I put Ava down for a nap. On the way up the stairs Jonah yelled out, "Goodnight Potato Head!"

Jonah pretending to be Captain Cookie. Aarrgghh... 

Jon bein' silly. I guess Chevron finally drove him over the edge.

Jonah likes to dress himself.  

More nicknames for our girl: Avie-bean, Aviator, Avie, Weazie, Avie-baby, Rella or Rellie (she loves Cinderella).

Chubby-cheeks eating her breakfast this morning. PopPops and Nana gave her the nickname "truck stop" because she can fit so much in her mouth!

Jonah: "I missed you a yot for a yong time, Mommy. I am glad we are in my house again."

Hey everyone!! We just got back home late last night. We spent 9 days in Spain, 3 days in France, 2 days in London, and 2 days in California. Now we are home and can sleep in our own beds!! We missed the kids so much and they missed us. We are so happy to be a family again. I don't think we will be doing a trip like that again any time soon. It was so hard to be apart from our kiddos. My grandma Grace died while we were gone, and we were so sorry to have to miss the funeral, and the family sharing times. That has been really hard on me. Plus while we were gone Jonah got sick and had a double ear infection (we didn't know why he was being so cranky--we thought he missed us). He had it for a week before it was diagnosed by our friend Mindy and she was able to get him to the doctor and get him some antibiotics.
While there we had some great opportunties to talk about our Father, and were able to stay with our Basque daughter's (Itziar) family in Spanish Basque Country. That was the BEST part. Another great experience was sharing in their schools about life here in the USA and how they can come over and learn english here (and go to Young Life camp to hear about the Lord) this summer! We had a lot of students come to the interested parent meeting, so that was encouraging.
Overall it was a very hard trip. We learned a lot about relying on our Father and trusting in Him for everything (it was very hard for me to do under all the circumstances). I have also learned to ask "What are you trying to teach me through this?"
Thank you so much to all of you who kept us in your prayers. Please continue to pray for us as we readjust to life here: having to discipline again; as we begin to process the grief; dealing with jet-lag, too.
Thank you!!

Well, the count-down is on! In just two days Brawleyfam heads out for a cross-cultural adventure. The kids are staying Stateside, while Jon and Elisabeth head across the Atlantic to Basque Country (Northern Spain & Southern France) and London for a total of 16 days. We will try to post updates on the blog from internet cafes along the way, so check back.
We arrive back in PDX on Feb 2.
Please be praying for us!

today while playing Old Maid:
Elisabeth: "I won!"
Jonah: "Oh, for keeps sake, mom!" (Pete's sake)
;0)

Two nights ago while praying before bed:
Jonah: "Jesus please help me to be a good big bruzzer to my baby sister."

Then today during play time:
Jonah: "Ava, don't touch this."
Ava: "Otay, Jao Jao."
Jonah: "Mommy! MOMMY!! Ava obeyed me!!"

Yesterday:
Jonah: "Sorry I hit you, Ava."
Ava: "Your welcome, JoJo."

As Jonah says, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY JESUS!"
Merry Christmas to all our family & friends.
We hope you all have a wonderful holiday!
~Jon, Elisabeth, Jonah, & Ava Louise

Jonah, looking at his dinner last night: "My tummy says 'No'."

Ava got a new "kitty" with carrier for Christmas from Jon's aunt and uncle. Ava was pretty indifferent to it until Jonah decided HE loved it. He even named it Suzie. So this afternoon, while Ava was carrying it around, and Jonah was longing to play with it, he was being mean to her. While I was talking to him and trying to explain to him that he needed to be nice, he replied, "But Momma, Suzie is my best friend!"

Just a few minutes ago I overheard this conversation:

Jonah: "You charge your phone every night, Dada!"
Jon: "How did you know I charge it every night?"
Jonah: "Cuz your favorite toy is to charge it!"

Today Jonah and Marcus (our next-door neighbor) were playing "Fire Engine" outside with a big wooden wagon.
Marcus was pulling Jonah in the wagon over the bumpy dirt lot next to our house, and it had been raining.
Next thing I know, Jonah landed in a puddle and was covered head-to-toe in mud!
He actually looked so adorable but a little concerned when I burst out laughing (I think I scared him).

I always like to get a "take-off" cup of coffee at the airport Starbucks before we go on a trip. This last time, when we were flying down to Palm Springs, I went ahead and got the kids a "hot" cocoa to share. Next thing I know Ava dumped her entire cup of cocoa on her Beary's head! Jonah took one look at her and said, "You're a trasher, Ava."

Out for a cruise along the Desert Shores 

Jonah (4) and Ava (20 mos) in the pool at Nana and Pop Pop's Casita. 

My friend Ian told me that there is a Chevron in town that has a sign posted:
"Not responsible for lost gas caps".
Oh, please.

Last night:
Jonah: "Mom, you wanna come in da hot tub with me and Daddy? It's cold! It's hot! It's the hot TUB!"

This came to our email today:
"This is so fun and only takes a minute. Sometimes when you have a stressful day or week, you need some silliness to break up the day. And, if we are honest, we have a lot more stressful days than not. Here is your dose of humor... Follow the instructions to find your new name.

The following in an excerpt from a children's book, Captain Underpants And the Perilous Plot of Professor Poopypants' by Dave Pilkey. The evil Professor forces everyone to assume new names......

Use the third letter of your first name to determine your new first name:
> a = poopsie b = lumpy c = buttercup
> d = gadget e = crusty f = greasy
> g = fluffy h = cheeseball i = chim-chim
> j = stinky k = flunky l = bootie
> m = pinky n = zippy o = goober
> p = doofus q = slimy r = loopy
> s = snotty t = tootie u = dorkey
> v = squeezit w = oprah x = skipper
> y = dinky z = zsa-zsa


> Use the second letter of your last name to determine the first half of your new last name:
> a = apple b = toilet c = giggle
> d = burger e = girdle f = barf
> g = lizard h = waffle i = cootie
> j = monkey k = potty l = liver
> m = banana n = rhino o = bubble
> p = hamster q = toad r = gizzard
> s = pizza t = gerbil u = chicken
> v = pickle w = chuckle x = tofu
> y = gorilla z = stinker

> Use the fourth letter of your last name to determine the second half of your new last name:

> a = head b = mouth c = face
> d = nose e = tush f = breath
> g = pants h = shorts i = lips
> j = honker k = butt l = brain
> m = tushie n = biscuits o = hiney
> p = chunks q = toes r = buns
> s = fanny t = sniffer u = sprinkles
> v = kisser w = squirt x = humperdinck
> y = brains z = juice

Thus, for example, George W. Bush's new name is Goober Chickenshorts. William Jefferson Clinton is Bootie Liverbiscuits.
John Kerry's new name is Cheeseball Girdlebuns!

And remember that children laugh an average of 146 times a day; adults laugh an average of 4 times a day."

Jon's new name is Zippy Gizzardsquirt
Elisabeth is Chim-chim Gizzardsquirt
Jonah is also Zippy Gizzardsquirt
and little Ava is Poopsie Gizzardsquirt
Have a great day!

Since it was Jon's b-day last Sunday, Jonah is asking everyday whose birthday it is.
So, today we are celebrating "Mum's" (Jonah's Lambie's) Birthday!
And today at lunch Jonah prayed and thanked God for "Mum's" birthday. How cute is that?!

Today on a walk:
Jonah: "I will HIT this wood and it will BREAK and it will DIED!
(then a few seconds later) Mama, will it go to Heaven or to Hell?"
Elisabeth: "It depends if it knows Jesus or not."
Jonah: "Oh. I yuv Jesus. I want to go to Heaven!"

Today Jonah and I were sitting at the kitchen table making pumpkins out of construction paper.
Jonah: "Thanks for doing this, Momma, that was weally nice of you!"
Me: "Do you know why I am nice to you Joe?"
Jonah: "Cuz you wuv me."
Me: "Yup! When we love each other we try to be nice to each other."
Jonah: "And if you died I would be weally sad."
Me: "Uh, good, I guess."
Jonah: "If I BONK you on the head you would died!"
Me: "Well, then please don't bonk me on the head."
Jonah (looking a little confused): "Okay, Mom, I won't."

Jonah, almost 4 years old:
"Mom, I have chapskick on my face from your bafroom. I was trying to get curlies in my hair like Ava's hair. Wow, Mom, you have boingy hair, too!"

Jonah: "I have a yot of work to do today."

Jon's new nickname for Ava:
"Cookie"
She's a little cookie-monster! And now she actually has molars so she can really chew them. :)

Recently (hey--it's only been a month ago) we took a trip up to Lake Chelan to go camping. We went with William & Heather, Stewart (Jon & Heather's cousin from Kelowna, B.C.) and his wife Tobi and their baby, Jacob.
We stayed for four nights and had a blast. The only problem was the weather!
But it was so nice to finally meet Jacob and spend time with our friends who also happen to be our family.
The following five pictures are from that trip.

Story time!

Tobi & Jacob campin out in the 5th wheel 

Stew and Heather taking a tour of Lake Chelan--it was so windy! 

Elisabeth & Jonah staying warm on the boat! 

Baby Jacob--Jonah and Ava's cousin--at Lake Chelan. 

We are currently without either set of grandparents and the kids are feeling it:

Ava: "Nana?"
Elisabeth: "Where's Nana, Ava?"
Ava: "In RV"
--------------
And sitting next to my sister April:
Jonah: "Where's Gampa? I haven't seen him in a yong time."

Jonah is loving preschool and especially loves his teacher Sharon. The other day when we first arrived, he followed her around for a few minutes. She was talking and didn't notice that he was following her. It was adorable.