Easter perpetration

Aunt Chris's brownies - check
Eggs boiled - check
Confetti eggs - check
Clean bathrooms - check
Clean kitchen floor - check

Crafty

This is my first attempt at a hair bow. What are your thoughts?

Hand-me-downs

Darn hand-me-downs!

Pray

The boys are going to the French Catholic school in town. With this they are being exposed to a 3rd cultural, even different then those we live around. Monday they didn't have school because it was the holiday for the Annunciation of Christ to Mary. And as we prayed at supper Zaky informs us we can pray with our hands closed if we don't want to hold hands. Jonas wanted to pray for breakfast like he prays at school.

Cow boy

The street in front of our house often has real life cow boy crossings.

Skype

To hold the boys attention they often "shot" our Skype callers. We are working on the proper forms of speech, I.e: when to use shoot or shot.

Jonas update

I have not posted to much about the boy's school. Zaky has warmed up to his class, he wakes up teary but then turns his attention quickly to packing his snack. Jonas on the other hand! I can see the big play area from where I walk Zaky in, and often we will peak in on Jonas. It has broken my heart, little man at first was sitting in a stroller on the side, he progressed to sitting in a chair clutching his back pack. I would ask him if he played or sang , his answer would be "no, I cried for you Mama". Zaky and I would pray for him, and together I am telling him not to be a lump, and to try to make a friend, and play on the toys. No, was his most favorite response. But today, he was standing with the other kids during the singing, still clutching his back pack, but standing with the others. Answered prayer!

Photographer

Our little photographer had my phone. I went Thursday to take the boys to school, and it became very obvious there was no school. When the parking lot is empty, is my first clue. Jonas still had school but Zaky's teachers were on strike for the day. So little man got to go to Beirut with us for the morning. To entertain himself he flips between games and photos, thankfully they are easy enough to erase.

Easter Lilly

Just in time for Easter.

Man I feel like a woman

I pride myself on being independent. Almost cold, in my emotional independence. But, that does not mean I want to change my own tire, nor do I want to set my own rat traps. But Bill was out until later in the evening and the deed had to be done. (This is a little lesson on rat traps) I squirted the glue all over several pieces of card board, then put a piece of chicken tender in the middle. All of you out there placing traps note it is more location then bate. And I was successful! So this afternoon I put my success in a trash bag, and asked Jonas to carry it down the stairs. Zaky's foot got a little to close to the traps, twice.

Jonas cleans out his lungs too

For some reason

For some reason she just gets to sticking her tongue out.

Little eater

She is on week four of "food" and doing well. So far I think bananas are her favorite and carrots her least. Today she had her first savory dish of zucchini and potatoes. She gobbled up lunch but supper time seemed to have her cold and tired take the best of her and she went waa or WAAAAA all the way to bed with no supper.

And then...

And yesterday because I am still dragging and living Advil to Advil I got a house keeper for the morning, forsaking mine, and everyone else's eating out for the week. The house was clean. And then.... This morning we found terds in the laundry bathroom, our bathroom, and a whole in the bread! Ugh!!!! The cleaning lady had moved the stone from the drain on the bathroom when she cleaned. I have decided to get a cat!

After the 99 yard TD

Anna-Lena chillin after her long TD run.

Aww!

And later that day, the "Sir" sleeps.

What's worse?

What's worse then having fever chills, aches, and sinus/chest infection? A four year old with above said infection. What's worse then a sick four year old? A two and half year old with above said infection, now nick named "Sir snots a lot". What could be a bit more stress full then a whining Sir-snots-a-lot? A 6 month old with the family cough that sounds like two dogs fighting. And what could make this whole week complete? Bill on and off with fever since Wednesday. We will all be glad to survive this week. Thank you Lord for Azythromyacin.

Insights from a 2 and 4 year old

Back drop: our company is aiding Syrian refugees by giving out food bundles with the agreement for follow-up. We have been explaining to Zaky that some people don't have food or clothes, and Jesus tells us we need to feed the poor.
Zaky "so do some kids not have toys?" "I think we should go to McDonalds and get a box with a toy, and I could give that toy to a kid who doesn't have any"
Me "or we could go through your toys and give away the ones you don't play with""
Zaky "no that's not a good idea, I play with all my toys mama"
Oh generous one!

Back drop: the boys can watch Backyardigans on the computer for prayer meetings.
Me "see the big kids take computers to school, when you guys get bigger you will probably have your own computer to take to school"
Jonas "then I can watch Backyardigans at school on my computer"
If he is still watching Backyardigans we have other issues.

Still with fever

Jonas still had a bit of fever Tuesday night so no school Wednesday. He was heart broken! I picked up some cheese miniesh (pizza thing) for breakfast after taking Zaky to school. Right about the time Jo's ibuprofen kicked in.

School days

After one day in pre-k he got sick. They both missed Monday and Tuesday, then Zaky went back to school Wednesday, as excited as you might expect. He still has a nasty cough, but his sullen face and red puffy eyes have more to do with the uniform that he does not like (pronounced cost-tume in French) and that Jonas got to stay home. I would like to say it got easier in the week but it didn't. Getting these guys ready for school is like swimming against a strong current.

My oven is back

The repair man came back yesterday to fix the washing machine again and install the new sensor in the oven. When he installed the new sensor the oven still didn't work. He took the face off, and to my disgust, his younger helper (not him) pulled out two grocery sacks worth of trash from under the burners! He at first asked if I had put the plastic bag in the oven, no it was the rats!!! Aggh! So the oven works again.

Sunday lunch

Snails are raised by locals as a French delicacy and enjoyed by the Christians. Someone brought several pots for our church lunch for everyone. Bill and I both tried one, and only one. But when the table full of kids next to us was slamming them down we decided to offer them to our second culture kids. Zaky liked them, Jonas was less impressed. Aggh!

Not to be out done

Well he wouldn't be out done by his brother, how proud his Pop Pop must be.

Her first

Her first taste of fine dining, McDonalds ice cream. She must be ready for Grandad's visit. Zaky and Jonas are also preparing, since our return they are both able to finish their own cone.

Still an odor

There was STILL an odor! So we broke out the laundry soap, and with my little helpers in hand, we tackled it again.