Kanigan Family: Wrapping Up Another School Year

It's been a few months and life just keeps on moving forward. I see myself staring at the back-end of another school year for my kids and wonder how time manages to fly and crawl at the same time. Dan and I have been busy attending all of the end-of-year events: strings concerts, choirs, soccer games, martial arts advancements and class parties, ect. The kids have turned in their final assignments and are excited now for the final (much more relaxed) few days of school.

I have to say, even though living so far from my home country is hard, I am so grateful to be here in Manila with the international school. My kids really love it there. It is very diverse they have friends from all over the world and from many different religions and cultures. I love how accepting everyone is of differences. I wish more of the world was that way.

At home our little puppy Lola is now seven months old. We had her spayed last week (sorry girly!) and she quickly recovered and is chewing everything she can get her paws on. She especially likes hairbrushes, head-phones and remote controls. She's pretty much potty trained now, but if she does happen to have an accident it's pretty obvious because she skulks away and avoids eye contact. Not hard to see she did something wrong. She loves the kids and treats Ellie and Owen like puppies, chewing on their shirts and wrestling with them. Whenever we get up and do something active (dance parties are a common occurrence in our house) Lola jumps in and looks her very happiest!

Rainy season is starting up now in Manila, and you would think it would cool things down, but actually it doesn't really. Instead, you can walk outside and feel like you are in a steamy sauna. Helps keep your clothes wrinkle-free, I have to give it that!

Logan's wrapping up seventh grade and his soccer and strings classes. He's grown a lot this year, which is great because he plays the double base in his strings class and that thing is huge! I was so proud of him at his last concert. It's funny how kids will be drawn to certain things. Sometimes they are all interested in what their parents interests are, but other times they want something completely different. I would never have picked the base for Logan myself, but it really suits him. He seems to love it too.

Line had some different after school activities. Soccer, art, Aikido. He's happy too, and is always sketching little creations for video games he wants to invent. He's really into coding and computers and is already begging for his own laptop. :)

Owen just went from a white belt to a yellow one in Tae Kwon Doe, and he had his own strings concert where he got to play the fast part of 'Cannon in D minor'. He practiced like crazy and was nervous to preform (with a few other kids too), but did an amazing job.

Ellie loved wall climbing, soccer and art. She came home every day looking like a hot mess (if y'all will pardon the southern phrase). I swear, I put her on the bus clean and organized, but it didn't take long for the humid air and her messiness to take over and make the transformation. I should take a picture sometime. We've made progress though. She is now coming off the bus with at least one ponytail holder still in and her shoes ON her feet. Socks are hit and miss. We're still working on that.

Dan's still plugging away at the embassy. He works so hard and is always the first one up and out the door each morning. I spend my days cleaning, taking care of Lola, cleaning, looking into master's programs, checking up on the kids work, editing pictures, and all that stuff. I'm afraid that's about it for this update. I guess I am just happy to report that we are all happy and settled and have had very little drama.
I'll take it!
We have some fun things coming up this summer, so I will be sure to post more soon. Until then, here is the barrage of pictures I am certain you all are used to by now!