Here are some fun photos of the fun we've been having:
This is a view from the balcony off my room. The kids are finding 'poppie' seeds. Claire isn't there for some reason... The guy off on the right looks like he's sort of at his wits' end, doesn't he? Poor Patrick!
Our guard stuck 4 of the 7 kids into the jogging stroller, then ran as fast as he could up the driveway. The kids loved it! and the older kids would try to race and see if they could go faster.
Josh, Claire and Andrew taking a popcorn break together.
Josh and I have continued to do some 'school' together. He's learning so fast! And it is so fun to see! We did a little section on art, and how artists use objects that they see, or like, or imagine as their paintings. We looked at some art in some humanities books (old college fare...never throw those books away! They're useful!!), and then I had him find something that he would like to draw. I told him he could use the 'paint' program on the computer, and that I would save it and post it here on my blog for everyone to see! So, here is what he drew:
(In case you were wondering what it is, it's a train. I have no idea where he came up with that, but there it is!)
I will miss him when he starts school in a few weeks!! But, now I can focus more on giving Claire a good pre-school education just like Josh. We actually decided to hire on someone else as a nanny. Now, I know that I really don't need a nanny. I love my kids and love to be around them. But I had this epiphany the other day. I keep wondering why we're here and what good that I personally can do while I'm here. It's been difficult for me, just because I'm not really able to get out a lot, since I'm busy here. I'm NOT complaining...I just want to find something that is helpful to do here without giving up what I love to do, which is being with and teaching my children. Then, I was thinking about my housekeeper. She is a very good person. Very sweet, hard working, and has a lot of potential. I know that if I train her well, not only in cleaning but also in American cooking and doing REAL childcare (which means not just making sure the kids don't jump on the couches, but playing useful games and doing projects, etc., with them) then she would be completely and totally secure in getting another job here once we go. Wouldn't that be something worthwhile?? Just a little help to someone here, so their life is better and more productive, and so the economy isn't as hurt when someone is out of work like half the population here... And I found that her younger sister just lost her job as well. She has been a nanny for another diplomatic-ish family, and the family had to move back to France. She doesn't have a lot of training...she's watched kids, but not like I do. She doesn't have any cleaning training, or cooking... and if I were to take her on, I would have someone else to help out, someone that I could train to work as I like, and I could leave her better off and ultra ready for another job when I go! I would have someone to watch the babies so I could give Claire an hour or so 'lesson' every day (one on one is SO handy!), AND I could train both of them on how to play games with kids and do activities by having them help me do them with the kids! So, I would be able to do even more with the kids, having fun with them and teaching them, while benefiting other people and helping to make their lives better and giving them a future! Talk about 'welfare in action'! When I was on my mission, I was technically a welfare sister. In the MTC, it was ground into our brains over and over again, 'Leave people better than you found them!': What talents do I have that can better the lives of those around me? Well, on my mission, it was music. I could teach the people there to play the piano so that they wouldn't be dependent on me or any other transient missionary in order to have music in church. Here, though, while music is still a talent, it's not something that is as needed. Now, I can teach cleaning, cooking, and childcare skills that are invaluable if people want a really good job here! A good nanny/housekeeper here who really knows how to care for children and how to cook and clean can make a killing! :) So, that is my goal. I can help these two be the best nannies/housekeepers out there, and use my kids to show them how! It benefits everyone and makes me SO excited!!!!!! :)
On to the bad news now. The bad news is, today as I was walking through the living room, I looked down at our super ultra sticky mousetrap behind the couch, and instead of catching a mouse, we caught a gecko! :(
The kids were so sad! (Well, Andrew wasn't...he just kept yelling, "A Gacko! A Gacko! Wow!!!") Josh could hardly eat he felt so sad about the gecko (it was lunchtime). Poor little guy! We all thought it was dead. My housekeeper took it outside to try to scrape the poor thing off, and found that it wasn't dead after all! So, she pried it out of the super ultra sticky stuff using a toothpick. But, the poor thing then just stuck to the ground. All of it's fingers/claws were so stuck together. It was trying really hard to move, but just couldn't make it. What do you do about this? I feel so sorry for it! I'm a Gecko Killer!!!! :( I want to put it out of its misery, but can't bring myself to do it! So, we put some water in a leaf, and put it up to its face, and it drank, but it really won't survive for long without being able to move. It can't catch bugs, and it can't run from other bugs/animals. We tried pouring water over it, thinking that that might lessen the effects of the sticky stuff, but it really is this super ultra sticky glue stuff that just won't come off. Very effective for catching mice, but not so forgiving if you catch the wrong creature. We also caught a couple of spiders along with the gecko, but weren't as careful when trying to pull them off... And there are some cockroaches caught in the trap downstairs...he he he... Oh well. I am sad that we lost a gecko friend today. *Moment of silence, please*
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