I have a lot to be thankful to God for this Thanksgiving (and everyday!). My family- kids, parents and sister - (WHAT would I do without my almost daily skype conversations with my mom?!), my dogs, a home to live in, money in which to feed my children (For the last six years I have been supported SOLELY through friends, family and a few churches in the States – AMAZING!), good friends, amazing employees, and safety and protection for me and my kids.
What a great Thanksgiving we had! Having friends over for a bbq potluck in perfect weather makes for a very easy Thanksgiving – and a fun one!
First off, we started the morning out with Madea standing on the outside table peeking in the window!!! Her and Ranger are big enough to climb up on the rocking chair on the porch (where they were both sleeping together – awww!) and from there she was able to bounce up onto the table. So funny!
I marinated two fillets in Teriyaki as well as half a kilo of sausage. The teri sausage was a bit of an experiment and although I didn’t get a chance to try one, an ADULT (that’s important!) said they were pretty good. A friend and her husband, who live a very remote part of Uganda, were in town so Amber brought the fix in’s for corn fritters and APPLE CRISP! Another friend brought the smashed potatoes, gravy, green beans, and water melon, another friend brought some salad and fruit and another friend brought drinks and pumpkin cookies.
Ella helped Amber in the kitchen making the corn fritters and apple crisp while Frankie helped me with the cooking of the meat on the fire pit. He was actually a big help running to and fro to the house fetching me things! Luckily he used his hobby horse for transport, which really saved on his legs : ) You should really always keep one around for help with things like that! Our neighbor Kathryn would occasionally come out to clarify or help carry a breakable object.
The kids enjoyed playing with their friends, James and Abigail. We had a total of seven adults, four children and an infant – fun!
After the meal we hung out drinking coffee, chilling and everyone had to listen to me babble on and on about dog psychology. One of the perks of having people at YOUR house because then you are the boss and they have to listen to what you say : ) I also got a MUCH NEEDED haircut! That is ALWAYS a swell addition to any day! After the last of our friends left at 6pm we fed the dogs and puppies, popped some popcorn and chilled out with a movie, The Family That Preys, chosen by Ella. What a weird choice for a five year old!
Whilst we were reveling Sarah popped out and went with a friend to look at some pieces of land : ) One piece was too small and next to a school (um, no thanks!) but the other she thought I’d really like so we’ll see! It’s part of an estate with other development going on, and has a land title, so the security would be good. Land issues are tricky here so you have to be careful. Especially when you’re a foreigner! I am so thankful for my friends who are helping me out with this!
So, while pretty non traditional, we had a great Thanksgiving that beat the – 9 below weather back in Montana, hands down! Another thing I’m grateful for – WARM WEATHER!
Sorry there are no pictures as our camera was stolen a week and a half ago :(
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Conversation with L
Ever had one of those conversations with your kids and afterwards you thought, “Wow, we really ARE weird!” Well, Ella and I had one of those the other day.
We were outside playing with our puppies and kitten and the discussion turned to spaying and neutering. Ella and Frank both know all of the “body parts” involved in a neuter (Ella helped me neuter our last puppy, Kayo) and thanks to our pets, both kids know the differences between boys and girls. It’s not even an issue with us. Ella knows all about neutering but wanted some details about what would happen when Madea was spayed, and why. Ella LOVES all of the gory details and was about to jump out of her pants when I described the procedure a bit and then mentioned that maybe we could see it done. Yep, that’s L. The bloodier and gorier the better. Weird kid!
So then I explained why Madea would be spayed – if Madea is spayed then she can’t have babies. We don’t want puppies that we can’t find good homes for. Ella thought about that and said, “Yeah, then someone might leave THEM under a tree.” My point exactly, L. Nice to see her using her head! But then, well, she kept on doing some MORE thinking. “Are people spayed and neutered?” Um, no.... “Did you spay ME?” No (scary- does she not realize that she's a "people" too?!). Then finally, “Are YOU spayed? Because you don’t have a baby in YOUR tummy!” HAAAA!! Awesome logical thinking, L! But, well, there’s a bit more to it than that!
So she knows how babies grow in peoples tummies, how they get pushed or cut out, and how to prevent babies from growing in ones tummy (ya just yank out the uterus!) but she has no idea how a baby actually gets started in that tummy! And, well, I just wasn’t up to describing it to my five year old yet. Yes, I know. Coward. She’s so into what goes on inside the body (guts, blood, bones, brains, etc) that I think I’ll teach her all about that, and then gradually work into the birds n the bees. And with L, I know that it won’t faze her a BIT! But really, how much does a five year old really need to know about all of that now?
And no, I’m not going to tell her that you “need to be married” before you can have a baby in your tummy cuz that’s just not true. You should but you sure as heck can get a baby in there without it!
We were outside playing with our puppies and kitten and the discussion turned to spaying and neutering. Ella and Frank both know all of the “body parts” involved in a neuter (Ella helped me neuter our last puppy, Kayo) and thanks to our pets, both kids know the differences between boys and girls. It’s not even an issue with us. Ella knows all about neutering but wanted some details about what would happen when Madea was spayed, and why. Ella LOVES all of the gory details and was about to jump out of her pants when I described the procedure a bit and then mentioned that maybe we could see it done. Yep, that’s L. The bloodier and gorier the better. Weird kid!
So then I explained why Madea would be spayed – if Madea is spayed then she can’t have babies. We don’t want puppies that we can’t find good homes for. Ella thought about that and said, “Yeah, then someone might leave THEM under a tree.” My point exactly, L. Nice to see her using her head! But then, well, she kept on doing some MORE thinking. “Are people spayed and neutered?” Um, no.... “Did you spay ME?” No (scary- does she not realize that she's a "people" too?!). Then finally, “Are YOU spayed? Because you don’t have a baby in YOUR tummy!” HAAAA!! Awesome logical thinking, L! But, well, there’s a bit more to it than that!
So she knows how babies grow in peoples tummies, how they get pushed or cut out, and how to prevent babies from growing in ones tummy (ya just yank out the uterus!) but she has no idea how a baby actually gets started in that tummy! And, well, I just wasn’t up to describing it to my five year old yet. Yes, I know. Coward. She’s so into what goes on inside the body (guts, blood, bones, brains, etc) that I think I’ll teach her all about that, and then gradually work into the birds n the bees. And with L, I know that it won’t faze her a BIT! But really, how much does a five year old really need to know about all of that now?
And no, I’m not going to tell her that you “need to be married” before you can have a baby in your tummy cuz that’s just not true. You should but you sure as heck can get a baby in there without it!
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Ella's jump rope tricks
Old L's getting pretty good with the jump rope. It's amazing to see all those long arms and legs coordinated!
Also thought I'd post a cute video at the end of Bronco and Madea battling it out :)
Also thought I'd post a cute video at the end of Bronco and Madea battling it out :)
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Yard work!
We have REALLY been enjoying our new home. I can not describe the relief I’ve felt being ALONE in a compound, with out the steady stream of people in and out and the claustrophobic feeling of the old place.
I so enjoy working in the yard after I get home from work now. Unfortunately this hasn’t lend any progress in Ella’s school nor in unpacking my remaining boxes, but the outside is looking nicer! Our latest project has been collecting flowers and plants and planting them in our new flower bed that goes around the end of our house. We’ve collected flowers that were growing wild outside of our gate, from our old house, and from the office. We’ll have quite a variety!
I’ve never considered myself a “gardening” type person but wow, it’s hard NOT to be one in Uganda! It’s hilarious – you rip up a plant (hoping that you get the roots too but if not, no big deal), stuff it in some dirt and pour water on it and usually by the next day it’s looking perky again, like nothing ever happened to it! With that kind of near instant transformation to a “landscaping” project, how could anyone not be hooked?
We are almost done planting the flower beds and after that I’m going to start raking up all of the rocks that are around here (a lot of cement and debris was left over from raising the wall). Then I will probably continue to plant more flowers and try to spruce up the outside of our gate a little AND pick up some of the trash along the road that goes by our place. Oh, and maybe I’ll unpack those boxes...
L watering our newly transplanted plants. Quite the outfit, isn't it?!
The flowers go all around the house now, in an L shape.
Can't exactly call these two "helpers" but they ARE cute
We even get to wash our own car now. Yes, it's fun!
She's serious about it :)
I really need to get these rocks raked up! Ranger will have a smoother ride then.
Such a placid puppy!
Ella and Madea, who is shaping up into a nice SUBMISSIVE little dog!
Some little girls play with dolls, some play with live animals.
"Ranger has a nose!" and a very long tongue!
Growing Madea
Growing Ranger
"The Pack"
I so enjoy working in the yard after I get home from work now. Unfortunately this hasn’t lend any progress in Ella’s school nor in unpacking my remaining boxes, but the outside is looking nicer! Our latest project has been collecting flowers and plants and planting them in our new flower bed that goes around the end of our house. We’ve collected flowers that were growing wild outside of our gate, from our old house, and from the office. We’ll have quite a variety!
I’ve never considered myself a “gardening” type person but wow, it’s hard NOT to be one in Uganda! It’s hilarious – you rip up a plant (hoping that you get the roots too but if not, no big deal), stuff it in some dirt and pour water on it and usually by the next day it’s looking perky again, like nothing ever happened to it! With that kind of near instant transformation to a “landscaping” project, how could anyone not be hooked?
We are almost done planting the flower beds and after that I’m going to start raking up all of the rocks that are around here (a lot of cement and debris was left over from raising the wall). Then I will probably continue to plant more flowers and try to spruce up the outside of our gate a little AND pick up some of the trash along the road that goes by our place. Oh, and maybe I’ll unpack those boxes...
All of my "pups"
L watering our newly transplanted plants. Quite the outfit, isn't it?!
The flowers go all around the house now, in an L shape.
Can't exactly call these two "helpers" but they ARE cute
We even get to wash our own car now. Yes, it's fun!
She's serious about it :)
I really need to get these rocks raked up! Ranger will have a smoother ride then.
Such a placid puppy!
Ella and Madea, who is shaping up into a nice SUBMISSIVE little dog!
Some little girls play with dolls, some play with live animals.
"Ranger has a nose!" and a very long tongue!
Growing Madea
Growing Ranger
"The Pack"
The big dogs are seriously mean and I don't know why. Not over the top aggressive but if they are out and not on leashes they will just RANDOMLY attack people. As in, people who are just STANDING and not moving at all and aren't even near our house. It's crazy. I'm starting to wonder if keeping the pups was smart. I mean, will I have FOUR mean dogs? I don't want to be "those" people with the dangerous dogs who people worry will get out and hurt their children. I do wonder what's wrong with my pack leadership. My dogs are crazy!
Monday, November 8, 2010
Seriously heartwrenching ;)
Sunday morning we had one of those rare "dog free" mornings - No dogs were allowed in the house the ENTIRE morning before church. I was getting tired of pooping, chewing puppies and dirty pawed big dogs jumping on and hogging all of the furniture. So we locked them ALL out.
They mostly handled it pretty well - except for Bridger. He's always had a flare for the dramatic.
Crying yet?
They mostly handled it pretty well - except for Bridger. He's always had a flare for the dramatic.
Crying yet?
Saturday, November 6, 2010
A riding we will go!
To celebrate Frankie’s 3rd birthday and first year with us I did want to do something special. For Ella we had a BIG party, which included friends from the babies home (both workers AND children, which was pretty neat), but with Frank I thought that we should probably do something a little different.
Now Frankie has been my little cowboy ever since he came home. I think one of the first English words he learned was “horse” (pronounced “Forse” to this very day ;) and he’s been wanting to ride a horse ever since. Of course he’s ridden donkey’s and camels but never a horse! And really, horses just can’t be beat... Do you ever see pictures of cowboys riding camels? No. Donkeys? No. I rest my case.
So today, in celebration of his 3rd birthday and first year home I took the kids for Frankie’s FIRST RIDE ON A HORSE!!! Actually, I think it’s the first time he’s ever even SEEN a horse, and sure enough HE LOVED THEM.
I was very sentimental about Ella’s first horse experience – I wanted it to be PERFECT, as in , on MY old horse in MY saddle that I used when I was a little kid. Well with Frankie I knew that we wouldn’t have that chance for a couple more years and he is by far more horsey than Ella ever was. So I caved and his first horse experience was on an unknown horse in an English saddle but he LOVED it just the same! He really had no idea : )
I found out about a place about 20 minutes from Entebbe that had horses so I called the gal this morning and we headed out in the afternoon. I paid $25 for the kids to take a half hour ride which about killed me but heck, it was better than paying $.50 each for a ride around a circle on a donkey, like at the zoo! I thought about my old horse Fixie just STANDING around in Montana, that we could ride forever for free, but considering the airfare involved, I think the kids and their $25 (for both) half hour ride was probably the better deal ; )
I thought of my MT and WY friends and family LAUGHING at me because my little boy was riding in an English saddle (with a helmet!) being LED on FOOT along a trail and me PAYING $12.50 for it. But then I thought, how many of THEM could say that their kids got to ride horses along Lake Victoria, through cassava fields, banana trees, through peoples yards, ducking under clothes lines (awesome!), past little naked children, under mango and Jackfruit trees, in AFRICA?? NONE! So really, it was a PERFECT first horse riding experience for my Ugandan born son : )
What was REALLY cool about this place was the fact that the lady that owned the horses and lived there had a PACK OF 14 DOGS and was a Cesar Milan follower! AWESOME! She had all different shapes and sizes of dogs, which looked a lot different than my dogs (who are all Ugandan born and bred) because she got them from other expats who were leaving the country. She had some beauties! The biggest was a Great Dane/Cane Corso, the cutest was a fuzzy dogs, the littlest a happy dachshund, with a plucky little Jack Russell and a bunch of other interesting mixtures that you don’t see much of here! Most dogs look like MINE.
Frankie rode on a CUTE little pony (a cob actually, since it was a good sized pony –probably the size Rielly was or even a little bigger) named Shaggy, while Ella road big old Hope. The owners little four year old rode Maltida the Donkey. They were all great and nice, calm and gentle. Three guys led them and I followed along taking pictures and straightening Frankie, who kept leaning off the right side. The guys were, um, well, guys on a walk leading horses, ignoring the children on top of them, the fact that they might be slipping, or asking questions and wanting to chat. But oh well, they did their job and the kids had a great ride!
Frankie on his first horse ever!
Ella rode a great old horse, Hope.
Frankie and Shaggy brought up the rear
Ella and Hope led the way
Matilda the Donkey was the donkey filling in the middle
At least there was a big blue sky!
Isn't this the most awesome looking dog?!!!!
Off they go, riding through a typical Ugandan neighborhood.
I LOVED this view! You may have to be a horse rider to appreciate looking at a horses butt but I loved it!
Down through the cassava field - hang on little Man from Snowy River!
The end of the ride (and are we getting slightly cranky that it's time to stop?)
A man and his pony :) He totally wanted to ride longer and come back the next day to "ride a forse". It really pissed him off when I said we couldn't ;)
Ella and the Great Dane/Cane Corso cross. He was so big that she could have almost ridden him!
This was a pretty little Arabian but unfortunately she had warts on her nose, which is why Frankie was petting it with one finger!
The life of a horse in Uganda is a pretty sweet one
Now Frankie has been my little cowboy ever since he came home. I think one of the first English words he learned was “horse” (pronounced “Forse” to this very day ;) and he’s been wanting to ride a horse ever since. Of course he’s ridden donkey’s and camels but never a horse! And really, horses just can’t be beat... Do you ever see pictures of cowboys riding camels? No. Donkeys? No. I rest my case.
So today, in celebration of his 3rd birthday and first year home I took the kids for Frankie’s FIRST RIDE ON A HORSE!!! Actually, I think it’s the first time he’s ever even SEEN a horse, and sure enough HE LOVED THEM.
I was very sentimental about Ella’s first horse experience – I wanted it to be PERFECT, as in , on MY old horse in MY saddle that I used when I was a little kid. Well with Frankie I knew that we wouldn’t have that chance for a couple more years and he is by far more horsey than Ella ever was. So I caved and his first horse experience was on an unknown horse in an English saddle but he LOVED it just the same! He really had no idea : )
I found out about a place about 20 minutes from Entebbe that had horses so I called the gal this morning and we headed out in the afternoon. I paid $25 for the kids to take a half hour ride which about killed me but heck, it was better than paying $.50 each for a ride around a circle on a donkey, like at the zoo! I thought about my old horse Fixie just STANDING around in Montana, that we could ride forever for free, but considering the airfare involved, I think the kids and their $25 (for both) half hour ride was probably the better deal ; )
I thought of my MT and WY friends and family LAUGHING at me because my little boy was riding in an English saddle (with a helmet!) being LED on FOOT along a trail and me PAYING $12.50 for it. But then I thought, how many of THEM could say that their kids got to ride horses along Lake Victoria, through cassava fields, banana trees, through peoples yards, ducking under clothes lines (awesome!), past little naked children, under mango and Jackfruit trees, in AFRICA?? NONE! So really, it was a PERFECT first horse riding experience for my Ugandan born son : )
What was REALLY cool about this place was the fact that the lady that owned the horses and lived there had a PACK OF 14 DOGS and was a Cesar Milan follower! AWESOME! She had all different shapes and sizes of dogs, which looked a lot different than my dogs (who are all Ugandan born and bred) because she got them from other expats who were leaving the country. She had some beauties! The biggest was a Great Dane/Cane Corso, the cutest was a fuzzy dogs, the littlest a happy dachshund, with a plucky little Jack Russell and a bunch of other interesting mixtures that you don’t see much of here! Most dogs look like MINE.
Frankie rode on a CUTE little pony (a cob actually, since it was a good sized pony –probably the size Rielly was or even a little bigger) named Shaggy, while Ella road big old Hope. The owners little four year old rode Maltida the Donkey. They were all great and nice, calm and gentle. Three guys led them and I followed along taking pictures and straightening Frankie, who kept leaning off the right side. The guys were, um, well, guys on a walk leading horses, ignoring the children on top of them, the fact that they might be slipping, or asking questions and wanting to chat. But oh well, they did their job and the kids had a great ride!
Frankie on his first horse ever!
Ella rode a great old horse, Hope.
Frankie and Shaggy brought up the rear
Ella and Hope led the way
Matilda the Donkey was the donkey filling in the middle
At least there was a big blue sky!
Isn't this the most awesome looking dog?!!!!
Off they go, riding through a typical Ugandan neighborhood.
I LOVED this view! You may have to be a horse rider to appreciate looking at a horses butt but I loved it!
Down through the cassava field - hang on little Man from Snowy River!
The end of the ride (and are we getting slightly cranky that it's time to stop?)
A man and his pony :) He totally wanted to ride longer and come back the next day to "ride a forse". It really pissed him off when I said we couldn't ;)
Ella and the Great Dane/Cane Corso cross. He was so big that she could have almost ridden him!
This was a pretty little Arabian but unfortunately she had warts on her nose, which is why Frankie was petting it with one finger!
The life of a horse in Uganda is a pretty sweet oneFriday, November 5, 2010
Frankie's 3rd birthday party finally happened!
Today we celebrated Frankie’s 3rd birthday! Two weeks late (his birthday was October 23rd – same as his anniversary day of coming home) but better late than never! We were moving on his actual birthday, hence the delay.
I love how different my kids are. For Ella’s birthdays we have around 30 to 40 of our “closest” friends over. For Frankie’s birthday we invited two : ). And only one could come and stay because his little girl friend Abi was sick! Frank believes in quality over quantity however and so he had his little buddy (and our favorite neighbor ever) James, James mom, Kathryn, and of course Sarah! To be honest, I’m with Frank – better a couple of good friends than thirty of forty all at once because then you’re able to enjoy them more.
We had a simple little sausage and marshmallow roast in our new fire pit, ate cake and just hung out all afternoon. It was simple and nice!
Sarah made chapatis because what kind of a party is one without them?!
The kids love watching :) Frank was talking with his nose plugged. Cool when you're three!
Ella claims that she adopted this baby from a babies home in Kampala. So, if you're adopting from Uganda, watch out or you may end up with a baby like this!
The kids watching the sausages burn/cook
Frank had an attentive audience while he munched a sausage!
Before our friends even came the kids had moved on to roasting marshmallows - and Ella proceeded to roast and eat them for the next three hours!
Eating a birthday marshmallow
When our friends came we all sat down and ate. Get a load of Madea! Dog psychology WORKS! A little puppy who can participate in an event where children are sitting on the ground eating FOOD. Amazing!
Frank opening his first present (from James). I loved James face!
Computer from Granny - a crowd favorite
The politically correct way of describing the effects of this toy would be " a lot of group participation" but actually everything, from opening it to playing with it, was realistically more along the lines of "watch out cuz there's gonna be a big fight!"
The birthday boy had to get in a few tricks on the glider swing
Baby Simon even woke up for a little while so I could snap a picture of him in between naps!
I thought that this was an interesting place for a kitty to sleep!
And finally, the CAKE!!! Ella is singing ;)
Blowing out the candles (with the help of his big sister it looks like;)
The entire birthday crowd! James, Kathryn, Sarah, Simon, Frank and Ella
Frankie reading his new Thomas the Train book to Ranger
Reading it to himself...
...and better yet, having Kathryn read it for him!
Sanyu must have slept for a half an hour with her head under this hankie. Go figure!
And Ranger had a nap too.
I love how different my kids are. For Ella’s birthdays we have around 30 to 40 of our “closest” friends over. For Frankie’s birthday we invited two : ). And only one could come and stay because his little girl friend Abi was sick! Frank believes in quality over quantity however and so he had his little buddy (and our favorite neighbor ever) James, James mom, Kathryn, and of course Sarah! To be honest, I’m with Frank – better a couple of good friends than thirty of forty all at once because then you’re able to enjoy them more.
We had a simple little sausage and marshmallow roast in our new fire pit, ate cake and just hung out all afternoon. It was simple and nice!
Sarah made chapatis because what kind of a party is one without them?!
The kids love watching :) Frank was talking with his nose plugged. Cool when you're three!
Ella claims that she adopted this baby from a babies home in Kampala. So, if you're adopting from Uganda, watch out or you may end up with a baby like this!
The kids watching the sausages burn/cook
Frank had an attentive audience while he munched a sausage!
Before our friends even came the kids had moved on to roasting marshmallows - and Ella proceeded to roast and eat them for the next three hours!
Eating a birthday marshmallow
When our friends came we all sat down and ate. Get a load of Madea! Dog psychology WORKS! A little puppy who can participate in an event where children are sitting on the ground eating FOOD. Amazing!
Frank opening his first present (from James). I loved James face!
Computer from Granny - a crowd favorite
The birthday boy had to get in a few tricks on the glider swing
Baby Simon even woke up for a little while so I could snap a picture of him in between naps!
I thought that this was an interesting place for a kitty to sleep!
And finally, the CAKE!!! Ella is singing ;)
Blowing out the candles (with the help of his big sister it looks like;)
The entire birthday crowd! James, Kathryn, Sarah, Simon, Frank and Ella
Frankie reading his new Thomas the Train book to Ranger
Reading it to himself...
...and better yet, having Kathryn read it for him!
Sanyu must have slept for a half an hour with her head under this hankie. Go figure!
And Ranger had a nap too.
All in all, it was an easy, fun way to spend the afternoon, with some of our best friends in Entebbe. Happy Birthday, Frankie! We love you and are glad that you're a member of our family!
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)