Last Trip to Mbudya Island

It was a beautiful day and we were able to share it with some wonderful friends!

So nice to be able to make a quick day trip to a National Park and Refuge, just off the coast of Dar es Salaam.

Our view of the coast, as we were heading out to the island.

Rob and Donovan, with Krypto, waiting for the boat to come and pick us up.

Shelbyanne

Gwangi

On the way to Mbudya, you pass this island...Gwangi calls is Jungle Island.

My view in the boat

Gwangi and Shelbyanne, talking.

Amy and Donovan.

Indy and Sissi.

A Dhow boat that we passed.

Floating in the clear Indian Ocean.

"I'm going to get you..."

Brothers, having fun.

Amy and Donovan, playing in the water.  It was clear and perfect.

They found a starfish.

A sea anemone.

Krypto loves all things about the sea.

Lunch time!

My lobster and chips, yummy!  Caught fresh while we were on the beach.

Indy's fish and chips!  It was amazing and I had been dreaming about it all week.

The kids, eating their lunch.

More play time on the beach.

Silly faces by the baobab.

A shell!

The "serious" look.

Looking into a "crater"

The waves against the rocks.

School and a Birthday Party

The past two weeks have been busy.

We're starting to get to the time of "last dinners" and "last get-togethers" with people.

We're getting our school work done, I've been teaching at the Ocean and also at Sala Sala, but we are also taking out time to go to the beach and pool with our homeschool group for one last lesson with our swim teacher and to attend birthday parties for our friends.

It is hard to believe that in a month, we'll be back in the US and setting off on a whirlwind adventure drive around the States to visit family and friends.

Just two more weeks of school and then packing!  The time will fly!

Mother's Day photo with my kiddos!

Some of the books that we used for school these past two weeks.

Sissi, working on one of her drawings.  Do you see her painting in the background, on the right?  She did such a good job with all the details.

The boys, watching a video about Booker T. Washington and Tuskegee University.

Sissi's gift to Mae for her birthday.

Mae, wearing the necklace that Sissi and I made her and getting ready for her candle to be lit!

What a smile while we were singing to her.

Mae's mommy and sister.  They are from Germany and work with SIL/Wycliffe.

Sissi, all ready to eat her treats!  You can kind of make out Deanna's shoulder and Mahayla in the window...Mahayla didn't want her picture taken.

Mae's sister, Grace.

On the way home from this party, we started to get stuck in the sand pits and mud.  The girls were a bit worried as you could feel us sinking and the mud was spraying everywhere.  I was praying for 4WD to "kick-in" and trying to move the tires in different directions so we didn't get stuck.  Deanna was praying as well, and I was driving..or as she put it later, when we were shaking and out on the road, she "had the prayer wheel and I had the car wheel."  Whew!  It was quite an experience!  Memories to be sure!

A lovely day with friends

Our friends, the Vargies, came over and spent the better part of the day with us.  I put a few pictures up on Facebook, but thought I would put the rest of them on my blog, so that we can always go back and look at them and enjoy them when I print my blog at the end of the year.

What a lovely family, with such sweet hearts.  Always ready to help and to serve.  They have been an amazing blessing to us, from the very first day we arrived in Tanzania.  I hope one day to visit them in their hometown in India.

A bit of goofing off as they were posing for the picture.

I really like this one!

This was Sissi taking the picture :), too cute not to share!

The parents!

Big Julia and Little Julia

The boys with Grace

We wanted a group shot and so we asked Happy, our gardener, to take it.  As I was showing him how to use the camera, this was one of the shots we took.  I love how Indy is stretching and getting ready for that picture.

Group shot success!

Happy!  What an awesome guy this man is, he keeps us safe, takes care of our yard, plays games with the kids...we could not have asked for a better gardener and guard!

A Happy Birthday to Gwangi, in Pictures

Our special day started with breakfast, of course....  The birthday person always gets to pick, so it was toast, fried eggs, a small bowl of cereal, and a smoothie.  The smoothie flavor was banana and mango with strawberry yogurt and some chocolate chips, oh so yummy!

Then, we had to shoot on over to HOPAC for Gwangi's ABRSM piano exam.  He was doing the Prep Test this year, so you get instant results.  That was good for my birthday boy!  He passed!!!

Then, home to do presents and have some play time.  This homeschool mommy gave the kids the day off!  So glad that I'm learning to be more flexible, hmmm.

He got a set of Orient Expedition Legos that Indy and I had purchased over 10 years ago :), it was the last of the "before we had kids...but, we're buying them for when we have kids" Lego sets.  Also, an Atari Greatest Hits DS game from Titi Vette and Uncle Tony!

When Krypto turned 8, he got his very own Bible.  Well, I had no idea I was setting a precedent by doing that, but Gwangi has been mentioning for ages that when he turns 8, he wanted his very own Bible as well.  As soon as we get back to the US next month, we'll be taking a special trip to Mardels to pick one out and have his name put on the front cover "in golden letters"

Yes, I know, his name shows up here :), but it was just too cute of a certificate and he was so happy that I made it for him!

Another "slip" with his name, I wanted to keep his certificate "from the Queen" for posterity though.

"Ahhhh, this is the coolest Lego set ever"....

Yes dear, I know, you say that about EVERY Lego set you get.  I'm just happy you are so content with a Lego set and a certificate for a Bible for your birthday!

Working on putting together his "Emperor's Ship"

Lunch was left over Irish Stew...and toast :)

I think my boy loves his carbs.

His completed Lego set.

Krypto with his teacher, Mr. Notman.  He feels like he did very well on his Grade 3 ABRSM Violin exam.  We'll know in a few weeks, once the results are returned.

Mr. Alloys, Gwangi's piano teacher.

Walking up the steps to the music room today.

Some beautiful flowers outside of the music room.

For dinner, we went to DJ's with the Peterson family.  

The boys played a Lego card game.

Sissi and her Daddy

The girls, enjoying their after dinner playing and milkshakes.

Sitting with the Petersons, chatting after dinner.

Gwangi and his friend, Caleb.

Monopolies, Strikes, and Immigration

Over the past two weeks of school we began covering the issues of child labor in the US, strikes and how they impacted children, communities, and families, the intricacies of the "Gilded Age" along with meeting some of the major players of the times (Carnegie, Rockefeller, Pierpont), and immigration during the 1870's and 1880's.  

We also read about Lottie Moon and her work in China, what a powerful story that was for all of us.  

We know most all of the states now, and so several times worked on a review game to be sure they could find them all on the map.  

Keep reading and looking to see some of the other things we did during the past two weeks of school.

The boys, seeing who can point out their state first.

Working on a craft while reading about how the French gave us the Statue of Liberty.

My take on a cinnamon roll/french toast casserole for breakfast.  Yummy!

Gwangi performing his ABRSM (Associated Board of the Royal School of Music) pieces.  Their exams are next Thursday, the 9th of May.  A musician/examiner from the UK will be in country that day to hear all the children that are ready to perform.

Krypto playing his ABRSM exam pieces.  They also have to memorize 8 different scales, arpeggios, sight read a piece, and do several aural exams during the process.

Little Miss Sissi is working her way through Math U See Alpha...she loves to do math!

Gwangi likes to do his math on the floor in his room, so it's quiet and he's not disturbed by Sissi and I talking. 

Krypto is keeping a journal each day as part of his Tapestry of Grace writing assignment.  It also helps him to get his typing up to speed.  We used the free  www.typingweb.com this year and I highly recommend it.

For art this week, I pulled out our Draw, Write, Now books and we drew the Statue of Liberty.

Gwangi, working on his special lady.

Sissi, coloring her picture of the Statue of Liberty.