Mon. 3/30 - Sun. 4/5

Wednesday was April Fools Day and for the first time I had big secret plans. Not so much on the April Fools end of things just a surprise. Without telling my family I made plans to chop my hair off. (They knew I was going to eventually...) I had been talking about it and debating back and forth for a long while. I finally gathered enough courage to just DO IT! Worst case scenario I would hate it and it would eventually grow back...

Here's my hair pulled out of a bun ready for the chop! I was excited and nervous! I brought a friend with me for moral support. 

AHHHHHH!!!!  I can't believe I'm doing this!!!! 

I didn't want to look at it or touch my head.  

Much shorter but far from done.

 SO much hair NOT on my head!!

(For anyone curious I did not donate it nor did I just keep it. I don't know how I would've donated it from here and I didn't research it...)

After the big cut I picked up Emma from a friend and met my family for lunch. SURPRISE!! Mark really likes it. When I asked Isaac what he thought about me cutting my hair really short a few weeks ago he said he didn't think I would look very cute. Then he said, "but you'd still be my mom". I thought it was silly. After I cut it I asked him what he thought and he said, "you still look cute" 

Mark suggested we go celebrate Mommy's new hair cut by going out as a family to Swirls Frozen Yogurt. Any excuse to eat frozen yogurt!!  Mark teased the kids with it being April Fools by telling them we would go to Swirls and then said "April Fools!" Then he said he was kidding and then said April Fools that he was kidding and had them so confused. Kari asked, "Which is it?!?" We went to Swirls. :) It was so yummy!

BEFORE: (3/29/15 Photo Courtesy Isaac Dahle)
AFTER: (4/5/15 Photo Courtesy Mark Dahle)

I've been asked how I like my hair. If you're wondering too here are my thoughts. It's weird not being able to pull it back into a pony tail or bun. It's very different but I'm getting used to it. It's easy to fix and does it's own thing. It is SO short.and doesn't take long to wash. I had thought when I cut my hair I would immediately start growing it back out. I'm not sure I'll be able to do that very well without being a "foo foo" head. I may just keep it short here and start growing it out when we get back to the states where I can use a curling iron and straighter... We'll see. Overall I do like it. Sure beats the frizzy bun I was sporting before. 

Saturday was  General Conference. It was so strange waiting until noon for the first session. On Sunday at 10am I started playing Saturday's afternoon session for the kids just so I could begin at the time I'm used to. The kids sat at the kitchen table with the laptop and Conference Bingo papers. We even had Smarties for Bingo rewards we saved from a package Granny sent us. I'm so grateful for technology and that we were able to easily watch conference with few hiccups. I'm also extremely grateful that I can go back and listen to them again later and catch thins I missed.

Sunday was also Easter and Emma's 11 month old day! We even had the elders over for dinner.

HAPPY EASTER! (the girls already attacked their Hershey's)

Emma is 11 months old!! She started climbing up onto the couch when the cushions are off. She likes to climb up stairs when she gets the chance and we're working with her on how to safely go back down. It make me nervous! Ahh! We adore our sweet Emma girl!!!!! 

As we were preparing for the missionaries to arrive for dinner the kids worked together on a special project they (Lexi) came up with on their own. We didn't know exactly what they were up to until they came into the kitchen and started taping letters to the wall. It was so kind and I think the elders felt pretty special. I was proud of them.

The power went out while we were waiting dinner. Luckily I knew right where a flashlight was and how to find it in the pitch black. It was our first time losing power here. It was kind of exciting except  for the fear of not knowing how long it would last. Thankfully it only stayed out for about an hour.

Mon. 3/23 - Sun. 3/29

Tuesday I went along with the kids on a field trip to Crescent Moon Cabin and farm. The last part of our long drive was exciting with a narrow dirt road and steep hills. It almost felt like a theme park ride or safari type tour. A couple came from America in the '60s to teach school and loved it so much they decided to stay (or come back after they left...).  About 16 years ago they found this place that had been grown over with trees and fixed it up. They used original foundations. There are a handful of small buildings or rooms rather. I'm finding it hard to describe!! They rent out rooms like a hotel and they also live there. One "building" was the library. It was very open with a hammock and picnic table inside. They have a Montessori school there where their 6 and 8 year old grandsons are taught. The children enjoyed exploring their school. They have a greenhouse with a huge variety of plants that they use to cook meals for their guests. They had goats the children fed flowers to. There were also chickens in a coop. I've gotten used to chickens crossing the roads and going where ever they please. It seemed strange for them to be locked up. I was talking with the grandma who asked where I am from. She was excited when I said Idaho near Boise. They apparently close down their hotel every May and go travel. They like to ride bikes and in May they are going to Boise to ride their bikes on the greenbelt! It sounds like an interesting way to live.

I have pictures to share thanks to Kari's teacher Miss Sarah!

Emma pushed the turtle's head back inside.

Kari's class. Such a pretty view.

The trip was nice but it was at least an hour and a half drive one way!!! After we finally made it home after the field trip I felt I was in desperate need of a nap and said so on Facebook. It didn't feel like it was long after that Mark came home and told me to take a nap. I said no but I was crying with a head ache and listed all the things I needed to do. He lovingly walked me to our room and "tucked" me into bed. Here that meant turning the fan on and starting some nice music so I wouldn't be able to hear the kids easily. I slept for an hour and a half and woke up to homemade pizza! Not only that but the crust was stuffed with cheese and he also made tasty bread sticks. I'm SO spoiled. He knows that I love stuff crust and bread sticks and made it extra special for me!! I love my hubby!!

Thursday, I went to Roseau in the morning. Unfortunately, the store I was most anxious to go to was out of nearly everything I wanted. They have a shipment coming next Thursday but that doesn't do me any good today... Bummer. It was still a successful trip though. I ended up with a yummy chocolate crescent from the french bakery that they sell at the grocery store Save-A-Lot. I was thoughtful and brought one back for everyone in my family.

Kari and Lexi have both had these little bumps on their necks. Lexi's definitely started before we even got here to Dominica. Now Kari has them too. Lots of little skin colored bumps. On Thursday I took them into the clinic on campus. The bumps don't seem itchy or bothersome at all. We've gotten some white stuff out of one Lexi's before. I just really don't know. One doctor said warts. Another doctor came in and said molluscum contagiosum...  Lexi had a bigger growth that just developed on her stomach. I was more concerned with that. It was nonexistent and then grew pretty rapidly. We had it removed right then and there with bribes of going to Swirls with Daddy for frozen yogurt afterwards. She ended up with a little stitch to help it heal. Now she's proud she has the first stitch out of our children.

Saturday evening I went to a pirate themed banquet as a farewell to those members of RSO (Ross Spouses Organization) who will be leaving the island. We went to a restaurant called Mangos.

The kid's teachers told us they refer to us as "the mom squad". We all have at least 3 children. 

It was nice to have an evening kid free.

 These are calabash bowls they gave as gifts to the ladies who will be leaving the island.

Mon. 3/16 - Sun. 3/22

Monday morning Mark woke me up and led me out of the bedroom to the kitchen to find he and the kids had been working on cleaning dishes and the floors. What a great way to start a Monday!!! Sunday evening especially I was missing America. Juggling housework, feeding my family, homework.... was particularly getting to me. It was nice have some extra help.

Monday morning I met up with friends for breakfast at Aunty Grace's to say goodbye to a friend leaving for a month. I think there were 10 of us with a few kiddos. It was nice.

Mark started an exercise group on campus they call Boot Camp. He pushed it hard and is going to feel it!!!

Tuesday morning I helped everyone out the door for school (the back door we use) then I went to a front window and watched them cross the street to wait for a transport. (They usually walk but today we're running late and Mark is sore from last night...) It made me smile to see them standing there together. They were all coordinated too wearing green for St. Patrick's Day.  I love them! I yelled out the window, "Love you guys! Have a great day!!" They waved and yelled nice things back. I stood there for a minute and watched the vehicles drive by. There was a little pick up truck with 9 people piled in the back. There are often people in the back of trucks but 9 was the most I had seen.

Wednesday evening we had a potluck dinner for the RSO group.

Thursday the kids and lingered at the family lounge and watched TV for a while after school and I caught up a bit on blogging.

On Friday we again lingered in the lounge. I'm feeling lazy!!!

I have put into place a rotation where the kids help me with dishes and general floor clean up each night. We're just starting. The idea is good but we'll see how it actually goes as we put it into practice. I need the help and they need to learn how to clean and be grateful for what I do for them.

Saturday wasn't very exciting and I kind of liked it that way.

Sunday I'm going to be sitting in with nursery for about a month until our friend gets back from her visit to the states. Emma really enjoyed it!

Luckily when this friend gets back she is bringing me my new cell phone we shipped to her parent's house so I can have an easy way to take pictures again!!!

Mon. 3/9 - Sun. 3/15

I hope nothing exciting happened this week that I can't easily remember because I didn't write anything down to jog my memory...

Monday I baked around 170 butterscotch oatmeal cookies. I then packaged and labeled them to participate in my first EVER bake sale on Tuesday.  It was for the RSO club. Half of the money goes to the club and half to the person who baked the goods. I made just over $42 EC. Kind of cool.

Saturday was Kid's Fest with a St. Patrick's Day theme. The kids had lots of fun!!

Later that afternoon we went to a birthday party of a boy from Lexi and Isaac's school class. They had popcorn, pop, candy and we watched Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day on a projector in the CAC building. 

On Sunday Mark and I were speakers in sacrament meeting. We spoke about preparing for general conference. It will be here in 3 short weeks!!! I love general conference! :)