Hair!

The girls have been getting more interested in trying different hair styles. I'm trying to get them to be more responsible in taking care of their own hair also.  Last weekend, they decided they wanted to use my flat iron to straighten their hair and see how long it is now. 

I love Chloe's expression in this one.

What I didn't expect was AJ to want to get involved.

Very impressed with this

Mohawk!

We put it up in a man bun overnight and it still looked great in the morning.

Music Makers Concert

We celebrated the girls' creativity last week at their school's fine arts festival.  The girls had artwork on display and also participated in the Music Makers concert.  The Music Makers group is an after school program for 4th & 5th grade students.  The girls have really enjoyed participating in this group this year.

In Art class, Chloe's group each colored a square of this replica of Van Gogh's bedroom without knowing which section of the picture they were coloring.  Chloe is pointing to the square that she colored.

Essie's group colored Starry Night

Happy Easter 2016

Happy Easter from the brightly-dressed Kinnells

Essie, AJ, Chloe

Mom & Dad

Instead of Easter baskets, Grandma filled some fun hats with candy.  Here are our hat models.

Clowning with the Twins

As anyone who knows them can tell you, Essie and Chloe are a hoot.  They love to laugh and have fun.  Here is a little glimpse into the high comedy stylings of our 10-year-old twins:

Plantains from the store = good props for some improv comedy:

Not too long ago, we traded in our old minivan.  Before our first road trip, Dad ordered to hold this solemn ceremony:

Crazy Hair Day at school.  Chloe wasn't into it, but Essie...

So it was a warm, sunny Saturday, and we were "bored".  Dad got out some scrap wood and we put together some outdoor play toys:

Stilts - we can't walk on them yet, but they're fun to stand on.

A balance board, or "hoverboard" as the girls call it

Going for a new record.  (Chloe currently holds it at 1 minute, 19 seconds.)

The next day they had to show Mom what they had been up to while she was working a 10 hour day.

Essie

Chloe

Essie & Chloe: 7 Years Home

This, our first family picture, was taken seven years ago today in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

These were among the first pictures we received of our girls in September 2008 from their village near Kamashi, Ethiopia - about 12 hours northwest of Addis on the Ethiopia/Sudan border.

This photo was sent to us after we passed court in February 2009 - it is the twins at the adoption agency's transition home in Addis Ababa.

May 2009 - age 3

2010 - age 5

2011 - age 6

2012 - age 7

2013 - age 8

2014 - age 9

2015 - age 10

Girls Basketball

The girls enjoyed playing basketball on their school's recreational league team this year.  It was their first year playing with the standard, regulation height of the hoop.  They were also the only girls and only 4th graders on their team (all the boys are in 3rd grade).  Though they only won 1 game, Essie's skills as point guard improved greatly and both girls became awesome defenders.

Wilmore Cubs 2016

After their last game.