Out For A Walk

The girls and I decided to go walking this evening after dinner. There was such a nice breeze and the temperature was just right. I love this time of year!

First Day of School

As is the tradition in our household, we observed the Annual First Day of School ritual this morning.

First Day of School 2010

HallieBeth--5th grade; HannahKate--10th grade

HanK looks like she's delivering a dramatic monologue here, but she's really just talking with her hands...probably saying something like,  "Would you stop taking my picture?!"  Funny how speaking through clinched teeth can resemble a smile...

(We've been using the same crayon candles every year since HanK was in Kindergarten.  They used to look like crayons.)  

I love that Hallie is still eager for the first day of school...and that she will still smile for a picture without rolling her eyes. 

HanK, on the other hand...well, its just hard to believe she will only celebrate this tradition two more times.  I seriously doubt she'll allow me to show up at her dorm and sing to her on the first day of college...even if I do have muffins.

Wow, where has the time gone...?

She'll probably kill me for this....

But, hey, I'm the mom.

Take 2

Testing

Trying to figure out mobile blogging.  I'm not nearly smart as I think I am...

Fun on the Fourth

Well, I'm just now blogging about the 4th of July...but better late than never, right?

There's only been one other time when I've been out of the country on Independence Day. When you're not bombarded with tons of fireworks and Lee Greenwood singing "Proud to Be an American", you really have to make an effort to appreciate the freedoms that we are privileged to have. Thanks to Elizabeth and Jen, we had a 4th of July celebration to rival all others.

All totaled, there were about seventeen volunteers at the albergue that day. Joel and Doug grilled hamburgers and barbecue chicken for us. (Of course, first we had to buy the grill first and then found that Peruvian charcoal is quite different from briquets we have in the states.)

Elizabeth made potato salad and Jen made fresh guacamole as well as "grilled asparagus". Everything was so delicious...even though the hamburger patties had a little "different" texture to them.

A 4th of July celebration just wouldn't be complete without sparklers.

We learned the coolest trick~if you put your camera on the "fireworks" setting and then make letters backwards with sparklers, it will spell out a word! Joel, HanK and I attempted to write USA. (It looks a little more like JSA, but you get the point.)

The long-term volunteers spelled out PERU. By that time, we had the technique perfected, so it turned out really cool-looking.

So even though we were in a foreign country, it was such a special celebration honoring the freedoms that are ours not only with fellow Americans, but precious fellow Believers. We are so very blessed.

Saved--Finally

So I knew I wouldn't make the NaBloPoMo goal. It was harder than I thought since I didn't have much time to think about things. Plus every time I sit down at the computer, there are tons of people around. Added to that, the internet is off/on. Anyway, I'm sort of relieved that the pressure is off....

We have been having a great time. Poor Joel has scraped and scraped and then scraped some more. Today, they were finally able to begin painting. The paint sure goes on a lot easier than it comes off. One thing's for sure, there's always plenty of help around here.

And of course, there's always an audience =)