Birthday Month!

Yeah, we celebrated while in town. But we got to celebrate again, jungle style, with our co-workers, ON our kids' birthdays. Fun!

My dashing little 1 year old. Oh, you should be jealous of me. He's just the darlingest.

And he's a whole year old! Yikes! Here he is, examining his big boy birthday apple muffin.

And playing with a GIANT punching balloon.

And thoroughly enjoying all the company in his "baby cage".

And then, 11 days later, we celebrated again. This time, it was for our 4 year old.

She chose a new dress from her Memere Cece, a borrowed crown, asked for a "tiny bit of makeup", some of her new nail polish from Memere and Papa, and was ready for her morning snack time tea party with Abby and Dina. Here she is, blowing out the candle on her pink birthday cupcake.

These giggly girls. I tried who knows how many times to get a shot of all 3 of them smiling at me at once. No such thing. :) This one is fun though.

Not all 4-6 year olds have perfected their lady-like tea-drinking habits. :) I had to (more than one time) ask Nadia to stop licking the inside of her tea cup...

 

Presents!

Craft time! Thank you, Grandma and Grandpa Svoboda for sending the fun paper bag puppet kits. These busy little hands spent well over an hour enjoying putting them together.

Dina, very focused, working on her cow puppet.

Our brand new 4 year old and Abby, showing off their new parrot and elephant puppets!

Growth Chart

I was just commenting to a friend the other day that we haven't lived in one house long enough to begin tracking our kids' growth on a door post or anything. We then discussed making a portable one (which is still something I'll consider). But check THIS out... I have a fun way to track my giant son's recent growth. Over the past 6 months, he's gone from:

Big chubby baby hangin' with a village granny - To:

Gigantic one-year-old crushing village granny's lap.

YIKES!

Have Funout There

On our way to the hangar the other day, we saw this guy riding along. His shirt (in case you can't see for yourself) reads: Have Funout There. We thought it was fitting to see that just then - as we were on our way back interior. :) Now that Phil is in here with us, we're having more funout here. :)

Three of our pilots. We love these guys! Our plane ride in the other day was smooth as glass, and it was so amazing to fly over where we live - then land just up the road. What a blessing!

In other news - What better way to get over the loss of a kitten than to... get a puppy?

We'll give it a try! Our neighbor's dog had a little litter a few weeks ago, and her pups might have the best chance of making it in here (they're born with our village antibodies, and will be accustomed to our climate as well as to eating rice - not to mention that their mommy is here). Nadia is scheming a name for her puppy (it's a girl puppy, and we've nixed any Disney-based or princess related names....). We'll see what she comes up with. :)

Last Minute Town Stuff

No matter how much careful planning goes into our times interior and out in town... Well... last minute stuff comes up. A lot.

Here we are running some last minute errands on the bike. It's been awhile since i've posted an all-the-family-on-a-motorbike photo. So, i thought it was time. :) One of our first errands on the day this was taken was to buy Nadia a new helmet (Quinn's head is not big enough yet...which is, frankly, shocking).

Now, i will segue into a "Making Spaghetti Sauce" series. Not at all related to last minute town stuff. :)

Not having a single drop of Italian blood in my veins, i sought out the advice of the best Italian Spaghetti Sauce Cook i could find: Mrs. Ginny Pallotta of Agawam, MA. :) Oh, how long ago was THAT?!?! I don't know, but it was a long time ago. And oh, how much fun we had that day. Sitting and chatting over coffee for WAY too long, poking around in the garden, then "studying" hard in the kitchen with fresh ingredients. i won't divulge all her secrets here, but i will say that she taught me everything i know.

4 kilos of tomatoes

1 kilo of ground beef

1 bulb of garlic

2 carrots

2 onions

1 green pepper

1/2 cup mushrooms (shhh, don't tell Phil) :)

and 1 stick pepperoni (Thank you, Lindsey!!!!!)

Blend, chop, brown, sautee, mix and cook and cook and cook.

Enter: Canning for Dummies. Well worn, splattered and stained, this book has saved my hide many a time.

I canned 8 pints of that yummy sauce that day to take interior with us this time.

Thank you, Ms. Ginny! Miss you!!

In other news, Quinn has another tooth! (that makes 7)