Current Storm Standing...

Hey guys, I'M STILL ALIVE!

Littlest sister is down for a nap, and 4 kiddos went off for a play date for a couple hours, so I am going to take this opportunity, in the midst of the *SILENCE,* to give you an update.

My parents left yesterday around 3:00. Their plan took off at about 11:00, they flew to Dubai, stayed there a bit, and should now be a)flying to Addia Ababa, or b) IN Addis Ababa (with the time change and everything, not sure what is going on right now. Haven't heard from them yet, but they will be emailing once settled into their Ethiopian hotel).

Once they left, everything went well. Couple minor two year old melt downs, (when we have "please see mama" fits, we just go out side and look for airplanes "Oh, she is up flying in the plane to get Simenesh!"...usually works!) but other than that, all smooth. Ate some shrimp pasta for dinner, fed them cookies, watched Chicken Run, and sent them off to bed (and that baby, she slept for 12 hours!!!!! Hallelujah!!!!).

Pictures from yesterday;

This is a little uh...trick... Avi taught herself. It is called "socky hands."


Sock(y)s. On hands. And yes, they were previously on her feet.

And this is the "socky shock face." Cute kid.

Today everyone got up, ate donuts, scrambled eggs and a Clementine, did some school (or watched Bob the Builder, depending on age), and then we moved on to FUN STUFF.

ART PROJECTS.

Let me just tell you, when I am someday a REAL mom, my kids will be stinkin' artists by age 3. Art is like the BEST thing you can do with/for kids. "Here, make something." It is an important learning experience. Plus it is fun, it is one of those things you can't really get wrong. Math can be wrong. English can be wrong. But art...it is whatever you make it to be! In our world imagination and creativity are fading from the minds of kids. I am keepin' it alive!

Anyway, we made a "WELCOME HOME" banner for Simenesh.

I had the kids rip and glue paper up in a collage-ish manner, and then I cut out the letters and strung them together. Hung it in the girl's bedroom for when their new sister comes home. Man, I love craft projects!

Other highlights of the day;

Youngest brother looks out the window and yells "THERE IS AN OSTRICH IN OUR YARD!!!!"... only ... it was a TURKEY.

Then I drive them all to our (sort of kind of almost) cousins house. First we encounter 2 more turkeys, IN THE ROAD. Then about a mile later we come to 4 COWS in the road.

*"Are they wild cows?"

"No dude, there aren't any wild cows. They must have escaped from some place."

"Maybe they built a plane, like in Chicken Run."*

After some honking, we k-turned and took a detour for the well being of the bovines. And yeah, I live in the country, but just so you know that is not normal. Very weird drive.

Rest of the day consists of picking up kids again, doing dinner -sausage pizza, more cookies!- with the help of my mom's friend Beth, a lot of showers, some laundry, maybe another movie and then more sleeping! Oh motherhood, you are so glorious!

Now, if you'll excuse me, reality is calling in the form of a crying, just awaking baby...