Happy Valentine's Day

It has been a LONG time since we posted any new photos or videos, but life has been really hectic. Between battling the typical "winter" colds, second semester challenges of Jimena's learning to tell time, Charlie's State report (Pennsylvania!) and Franklin's science fair project, Jonathan's potty training, Benjamin's cutting his first tooth, Matthew's upcoming trip to Monterrey, Mexico, and my pending Masters field project, there has not been much time to blog. But I wanted to share these pictures from our annual Valentine's Day heart pizza lunch. It became a tradition a couple years ago and has just stuck. Here are the kids and the pizzas full of love from yesterday's celebration. Check out the photos at our Picasa Photo Gallery (look at the link to the right, Mom -->). Happy Valentine's Day to all of you. We might be far away, but know you are much loved and missed here in La Ceiba.

Love always,

Andrea, Matthew, Franklin, Charlie, Jimena, Jonathanasaurus and Big Ben

Vocational Training 101

Jonathan had his first lesson, preparing him for a future of summer income as a travelling orange peeler/salesman. Forget lemonade stands, kids, this is a serious business!!

Creative Self-Play

Jonathan has mastered the art of entertaining himself. While I toil away at the computer and on the phone, he spends the morning talking to himself, building a house for his Yaya and his stuffed animals, and "reorganizing" my bedroom. It is really fun to be working diligently on a project or trying to reconcile the Finca accounting reports and to suddenly hear, "Ok, oso, you go to Yaya's house. We eat pollo." This kid cracks me up.

Gingerbread Houses

So let's be honest. Making gingerbread houses was more about the fact that I wanted to eat gingerbread than the fact that I thought it would be fun for the kids. But the kids had a really good time, especially when I let them eat all the candy off the roof for breakfast yesterday.

My Little Pilgrim

I love elementary school. I think virtually every elementary school teacher will be canonized for their patience, creativity, and ability to help my kids learn things that I can never seem to get them to understand. However, I do not particularly enjoy being the mother of elementary-aged school children. It requires an ability and desire to be far more creative and crafty than I have ever been or ever will be. Take this week for example. Second grade is putting on a Thanksgiving play followed by a Thanksgiving feast. Now, Thanksgiving I can do. I host a huge Thanksgiving dinner party every year. I go all out. It is my favorite holiday. But Pilgrims, now that I do not do. My poor little Pilgrim, Jimena, is stuck with a mother who refuses to be good at things like making Pilgrim costumes on demand, especially when I know that I have to make, not one, but TWO angels costumes next week. So we scrimped and we scrounged, and the poor little dear will be a Pilgrim tomorrow. Perhaps the saddest looking Pilgrim in second grade, but a Pilgrim nonetheless. All I can say is thanks be to God for scraps of construction paper, a headband, leftover cloth from Franklin's embroidery project last year, Charlie's cloth belt, a nice little maternity dress that is floor length on a 7 year old, Enma's black hoodie, and a stapler. Put it all together and what do you get? Jimena the Pilgrim!!

Compare their driving

Jonathan vs. Benjamin. Personally, I think they are both pretty bad at this driving thing. But it is fun to compare them at this age, as for all those who think they look so much alike, I think they are TOTALLY different. Judge for yourself.

A New Phase in Toddlerhood

Jonathan entered a new phase of Toddlerhood today. The Playdoh Phase. Up until today, Playdoh had not been an approved part of Jonathan's life. He was introduced to it at a birthday party in September, when he and two other preschool aged boys effectively stamped Playdoh permanently into the clay tile floor of our dear friend Sophia's house. In his defense, Jonathan only stumbled upon the already-in-progress trampling of the city by Godzilla and King Kong, but once introduced to the joys of Playdoh destruction, he was an equal accomplice. I decided on the spot that we were not yet ready for Playdoh. But today, when Jonathan asked if we could make cookies (referring to his fond memories of making Halloween sugar cookie cutouts), I opted instead to get out all the cookie making tools and Playdoh. Turns out, he is ready to make pretend cookies, and pretend to eat them. No stamping or eating of Playdoh...YET! Oh, the doors of inventive hours of entertainment that are waiting to be opened...