The Zhao Family

So we've been crazily busy with the kids activities since school started. This year is even busier than previous years. Since the kids have taken up activities, Abbey and Da drive them everywhere all around town and some of the classes are not even close to home. Read below.

Let's start with FF. She joined Adventure in Science for the first time. CC used to be in it but he joined another club. (Details below) It's about a 25 min highway drive from home on Saturday mornings. She really enjoys it. Here she is building a rocket to launch for the AIS program. It was really cool!

In AIS class, they have lots of hands on activities to challenge building things and encourage teamwork.

She also took up a music instrument: the French Horn. Abbey took her to a 'petting zoo' where she gets to try to play all instruments and she chose the French Horn. She's been really diligent practicing it and learning it pretty quickly, much better than piano.

SS still love violin. He's improving a lot and this was his most recent recital

We need to get a new tie and a belt so he looks a little sharper!

He's still in 4H and this year he has been elected as recorder.

He also joined a local soccer team called the FC Lions. He really loves his team jersey

CC is still in band. Below his school band went to FF's elementary school to perform.

He's still in Sax with Mr. Perry.

CC has joined a Robotics club. He really really really likes it a lot. The only thing is that the meeting house is 40-45 mins away from home and also opposite distance of other kids' activities. They meet on Friday nights from 6-9pm and Saturdays from 1p-6pm. They meet more often when there's no school or holiday so they can prepare for competition December and January.

These are just a sample photos of the kids' activities. I will post more from each kids' activities.

So Abbey finally became a US citizen. Not sure what made her to do it now and not earlier or wait until later. Nevertheless, she did it. Months prior to that she was so nervous diligently studying the 100 questions that was from the official Immigration website. Out of the 100 questions, they will ask each candidate 10 questions and out of the 10 questions you only need to get six correct to pass. 

So after many weeks of studying, Abbey now knows a lot more about American history, government, and politics than most US born citizens. Lol. So on the day of the testing, Da drove her there and the waiting was the longest part; the test was really quick. Abbey went in only ten minutes and she came out smiling. She said she got all first six questions correct although she almost stumbled on one of them. 

The cool part of the whole process was at the end when she passed the test, the examiner asked her if she want to wait to swear in or come back next week to swear in. Naturally she said she'll go back next week. So after months of studying, within 7 days, Abbey is now a US Citizen! Congratulations!!!

It took months to have this family session. Kids got busier with activities and parents got more duties at church and rides to give. When the kids are growing so fast, Abbey did not want to miss documenting their growth.

It was a very cold morning. Kids were not too thrilled to take pictures. Especially mom did not buy special matching clothes. She picked out whatever she could find to make it work.

She is grateful the younger two cooperated even without thick jackets. They were their usual crazy selves trying to stuck their freezing hands under mom's sweater.

Brennan has became the old Abbey not too excited to take pictures (childhood experiences) , or as a usual teenager. After Mom explained to him when they gets older, these pictures would be the only evidence that he was once the same height as her. He came back out from the car and put on a real smile for the last few pictures. There is only five more years before he serves his mission and leaves home. 

Thanks to Da's awesome photoshop skills, we are all color coded and looks great in this family picture. Let's hope the next session will not take as long as this one!