Monday 2/15 - Sunday 2/21

So I have an app on my phone that I thought might be helpful for blogging. I put some pictures on a post for this week and wrote down a few things to remember and now it's gone....  Yep. I guess it's not going to be as great as it might have been. I KNOW I hit save. Grrr. I almost want to throw in the towel with blogging. I'm so in over my head with pictures and technology. It's pretty sad and ridiculous how little I know! BUT I really want to remember our time here so I will keep on keeping on with it. Instead of a post back from September here's a current post. :)

This week was a week of first time extra curricular activities.

Monday the girls started a dance class. Isaac didn't want to participate.

Emma trying to trace her hand. She was really concentrating.

Tuesday Emma and I went to Roseau. Will I was going up and down our stair lugging groceries 2 birds flew into our apartment undetected. Once the groceries were inside Emma and I sat down at the table to enjoy a chocolate crescent from our trip. We heard a bird close by and Emma saw it up by the door just out of my view. We chased it around for a bit. Luckily, I had done this before and learned to put a towel up in the window above the door so the bird would fly out the door and not get stopped by a window. After Emma took a nap we headed to campus to get the other kids from school and wait while Isaac and Lexi went with a group to learn about basketball from a fellow spouse. Later when we got home we discovered another bird that had been in our apartment. Apparently it was a quiet bird. And apparently they like to pick at bananas! (see picture below)

Wednesday small meeting for RSO sponsorship. The kids went to a soccer group that another spouse just started. It's great that so many people are suddenly willing to share what they know with the kids. What's even better is they are sharing their talents for free. Here we can all understand the lack of money and living on loans.

At lunchtime we were locked out of our usual eating place the family lounge. It locks easily and accidentally often but usually someone is inside. It took forever for security to come over and unlock it for us. After lunch I was able to get in there and put Emma down for her nap. 

Thursday I tried to clean up the house a bit. I think that was my excitement for the day...

This girl!! She makes me laugh.  

The kids love to gather these pretty flowers that have fallen off a tree on campus. 

This little lady is growing too fast too! She is super close to her 9th birthday! I have told her I am cancelling all birthdays for the rest of forever. She didn't believe me though. :(  If only I could I would! I want to pause time!! Don't grow up too fast! 

Alexis saw these and told me "Mom there are real vacuums over there."  It's been so long since I've used a vacuum! I actually miss it! Funny enough, all of these vacuums are broken. 

Friday morning the lady spouses from the branch got together for breakfast at the Corner Cafe.They have WAFFLES!! And they are so yummy!! I miss waffles. Back in Caldwell we would eat waffles every Saturday morning.

Saturday while I was out working on laundry Emma went chasing lizards. Yes naked. She is interested in potty training so diapers are often optional at home. That is one nice thing about not having any carpet.

Our local neighbor gave Emma a cherry from his tree. She was excited about it. It wasn't quite ripe and tasted a lot like a tomato. 

Mark thought it would be fun for Emma to use the GoPro. It didn't last long but she looked cute! 

Sunday Mark went to Roseau to be the group down there. He goes once a month. I spoke in sacrament meeting. It's one of my least favorite things to do but I know that it gives me the opportunity for personal growth. We were short one speaker so I talked with Lexi then volunteered her to do a musical number. She sang "I Know That My Redeemer Lives" like she did when my in-laws were here in December. I love that song and the Spirit I feel when it is sung. "He lives, my kind, wish heavenly Friend. He lives and loves me to the end... Oh, sweet the joy this sentence gives: I know that my Redeemer lives!"

Mon. Nov. 9th - Sun. Nov. 15th

Monday - Mark took his 3rd mini of the semester this morning. After the kids got out of school we went to Swirls to use our gift certificates we received from the mud run we did on Halloween for being the "most inspirational". We love Swirls' fro yo! We love Daddy even more!!!!

Lemon grass for Daddy's lemon grass tea. 

In the evening we had 3 elders come for dinner. We had homemade pizza and our yummy Blendtec "ice cream".


Thursday I went out to breakfast at Corner Cafe with a group to surprise a gal who is getting married here next Sunday. It was so fun. She was truly surprised.

Friday morning I went with a large group to find a trail not far from campus. It was a beautiful morning. I love being out enjoying God's beautiful creations. 

Saturday evening was RSO's banquet that we have near the end of each semester to say good bye to those who will be leaving the island. We went to Cocoa Mangos and enjoyed yummy food and good company. It was a nice kid-free evening! 

Not quite everyone was there for the picture. We took another later but I like this one better :)

Bible study group 

 LDS ladies. 2 just got here this month and 3 are leaving next month.

Sunday -  Today church was great. I always feel our meetings are inviting of The Spirit. Follow the prophet and beware of pride were the main take home thoughts that I got out of my meetings. 

The church recently came out clarifying it's policies on children of homosexual couples needing to wait until 18 years old for baptism. This upset many and some have left the church because of it. It makes me sad. The world, or the "large and spacious building" from Lehi's vision, is calling out to us and so many are listening and falling away from the iron rod which is the word of God. The prophet is God's mouthpiece on earth. The Lord will not lead us astray. The things of God are not the things of man. This world is becoming ripe in it's wickedness. It makes me nervous to send my kids out into the world where there is so much evil and confusion. I hope that I am being a good enough mother to teach them to love God and know good from evil.   

Mon. Nov. 2nd - Sun. Nov. 8th

This week was "intersession" for the kids at the prep school. The prep school is now doing school year round school so every 45 days or so they have a week break or so...  This was the first one. They can still be at school but thy aren't doing normal class work. Tuesday however was Dominica's 37th Independence Day so no one had school that day anyway.

Wednesday morning I took the kids to school and went with a group of friends to Pagua Bay and spent the morning doing what others seem to think we do here on the island. We soaked up the sun and relaxed! We ate a beautiful brunch and enjoyed good company. It was a wonderful morning! I wish we could've stayed all day!!

I got to go home to this. Not so ritzy and fancy huh? Nor is it much like an extended vacation. The last time I scrubbed poopy diapers on a vacation...oh wait, I've never done that! I can't even open my door all the way because the washing machine has to sit right behind it so gravity can help drain the water out off the balcony. Not to complain but to show that even though we live on a beautiful green paradise island we don't just lounge around. In fact, this island is very poor and many are in need.

November 5th - Emma is now 18 months old!!!! Usually that is cause for celebration because kiddos get to start going to nursery but here she's been going for months! She weighs about 24 pounds. She has gone #2 in the potty a couple times. Never #1. We're not actively potty training her yet but she may force me to. She tends to stick her hand into a poopy diaper to inform me she's poopy. She can SAY poopy but she prefers to SHOW me! YUCK!! Also, she has learned to take her diaper off...  I'm also still nursing her 3-4 times a day and I'm not sure how I'm ever going to ween her!! Milk is so expensive here and not always in stock. I've only bought it twice in the 10 plus months we've lived here and one time it was sour!

Emma is very expressive with her eyebrows. She has perfected the scowl. She looks mad but she's just being silly (usually). Emma makes us laugh everyday. She is learning so much. I love this age! She seems to be enjoying going to the ELC. She enjoys dancing, running and playing with her siblings. I'm amazed at how much joy can come from having this cute happy little lady in our family.

Thursday morning it was raining cats and dogs outside and was reminding me of Tropical Storm Erika that came through in August. I decided we wouldn't leave the house at all. Our roof started leaking a little and I heard the river was starting to flood too.... Better safe then sorry. I was SO glad we had been to Pagua Bay the day before on not on this rainy dreary day. The storm is because of a "trough system" water that means in weather terminology...  Friday's prep school trip to Batibou beach is cancelled and the rain is expected to continue off and on through Tuesday I believe.

Yucky brown water. BOOOOO!!!!! 

When Emma went to sleep we pulled out the paints we got from our early Christmas in October. I joined the kids and we had a great time!!

Isaac's

Kari's

Alexis'

And this one... is MINE!! I was feeling artistic :) It's probably the best painting I have ever and will ever create!

We LOVE pizza and eat it in some form or another probably too often. Tonight I tried making these pizza rolls. I was a fan! Yummy!!

Friday we stayed home and again the kids painted during Emma's nap time. 

I stole this picture from FB of Saturday's lovely sunset!! Gorgeous! I don't often get to enjoy these.