Happy Mother's Day!

This year for Mother's Day Chris & the kids sat down and chatted about what they noticed I did around the house. The kids imitated me doing my house hold duties and Chris took pictures. They developed the pictures, wrote little notes on the back and gave them to me with small gifts. I loved the pictures and wanted to share them with you. What a joy to be a Mother. I'm so thankful for the time that the Father has given me to be a mother of these 3 sweeties.

CJ's imitates Mama doing the laundry. Yes, I always have a huge smile on my face when I'm doing house chores :)


Eliza takes a swing at home schooling her sister and brother- I think that her classes may be a little more difficult than mine :)


Miriam just loves mopping the floor. Yes, she too knows how happy Mama is when she mops the bathroom floor- whatever! This is one job that I can't stand because it never stays clean or dry. I have to mop multiple times a day because the tubs here are rarely stationary and/or caulked and therefor whenever you shower the water pours down the wall and onto the floor. But I will strive to have a Happy Heart and Smile like my Dear Mirsy when I mop.

Let me see your silly face!

When I was a kid I remember my parents saying, "Karen, let me see your sad face. Now your happy one. How about an excited face?" I should ask them some time how that all got started but I have a feeling it was because of my tendency to bare my emotions on my sleeve. Throughout life my overly dramatic faces have often gotten me in trouble... but I guess as a kiddo they also provided much entertainment.

Anyhow, we recently purchased a new camera and I was experimenting with it on my own kiddos. I found myself repeating the same things I heard my parents say: "CJ, let me see your _____ face. Miriam, your turn. Eliza you too." This is the final product... some fun shots of the kids.

Sounds of the City

So, I grew up in Philadelphia. That's a big city right? Well, it never prepared me for the size of the city we live in now. (But then I did grow up in NE Philly- not down town). The shear number of people out walking at any given moment just boggles my mind sometimes. There is so much going on that I often feel like I'm in sensory overload. I almost daily have to ask the children to speak louder as we walk to and from school because I can't hear them above the traffic (cars and people). Then there are the sales clerks in the store fronts that we pass on the way to school. They have their mega phones, loud speakers and radios blaring in hopes of catching your attention and drawing you in to their store. As we step onto campus the volume dies down considerably and we're able to hear the birds tweet, the roosters crow (is that what roosters do?- and I still can not figure out where someone hides a rooster in the middle of the city- I have yet to see the noisy fellow), and the never failing comments, "Look, that foreign lady has THREE children. Oh my!!! Aw, look how cute they are...". One of my most memorable moments... was when I finally figured out where the ice cream truck sounds were coming from. From early September on I could hear the song "Jingle Bells" playing on some type of vehicle in the vicinity. I never saw an ice cream truck but I always kept an eye out. About two months later when going to pick the kids up from school I saw the culprit... it was a large street cleaner with a tough looking driver in the front seat. I think I laughed out loud when I saw it. I was anticipating some cute little truck with a smiling face behind the front wheel. I giggled to think of what my husband would have said if he were told that he had to drive the street cleaning truck with Jingle Bells playing all day as he drove around town. It is always an adventure here!

What year are you?

Our family made yet another trip to the local park last weekend. While there we saw various animal statues representing the Chinese Zodiac calendar animals. If you have gone to a Chinese Restaurant in America they may have an explanation of the animals on a place mat or something else. We all had fun posing by 'our animal'.

Eliza- year of the pig

Mirsy- year of the chicken

CJ- year of the sheep

Karen- year of the cow

Chris- year of the tiger

Art in the Park

One of the things that our children really enjoy is going to the park and "doing an art project". We walk to a nearby park, ride a few small amusement rides and then our children usually choose a project to complete. (We already of a large assortment of sand art, home made window clings, and piggy banks in our home.) Here is just another little taste of culture for those that are curious about life on this side of the world.


I love the sights on the way to the park. Want a hair cut? Here is a barber that sets up on the stairs that lead down to a nearby railway.


Want a yummy treat? Our kids love the fresh pineapple that is prepared by men like this one. They cut outside layer of the pineapple, cut it in quarters and put it on a stick. Delicious.


Notice the folks watching? Yep, they stopped to watch the "little foreign kids" do an art project. :)

EASTER

We had a great day celebrating Easter. We rarely get to spend the entire day with English speaking friends- but this Easter we all enjoyed our Sunday time and afterwards some sweet fellowship. We enjoyed some yummy Mexican food- because everyone knows that Jesus is a Spanish name. :) Fajitas, chips and Queso, pico de gallo, fruit salad, Mexican rice, and chocolate cake. (Well, ok... maybe only the adults really appreciated the Mexican food. But the kids did have tons of candy to componsate for a meal that was not their favorite.) After a labor intensive meal (mostly just the tortilla making) we played some Wii and just hung out. It was a great day.

Final touches on the Living Room!

A few folks inquired about our place. Well, here is the living room after some recent work. We had the whole place painted a khaki color (with the exception of the kid's rooms). I had the zebra print sofas recovered, bought some IKEA furniture in a nearby city, and finally hung some art work on the walls.

As you enter our apartment you enter a small entry way that has a place for shoes and the stroller. Immediately on the left is the dining room table, home school room and kitchen. Turn 90 degrees to the right and this is what you see- the remainder of the house. (Living room to the immediate right, CJ's bedroom then the girls bedroom on left, master bedroom at far end on right side)


Left door: squatty potty bathroom Right door: CJ's bedroom


YEAH- no more zebra print sofa :) I would still like to find something to put above the sofa but that will come in time.


More shelves surrounding the TV...