paint

Ms. Margaret watched the girls one night and Kirk and I had a date! We went though a couple of stores just looking since that is never easy to do with all three, and we saw some face paint. I just had to get it for the girls, i knew they would love it, and they did! The next morning we gave them their surprise and Kirk and I painted their faces. It was so much fun!
and someone even sent us tongue tattoos, so they were covered! I had never even heard of tongue tattoos, but the girls loved them and they fade really fast, it is really just a candy! It was a fun morning!!!

G's house

G the lady who watches the girls while we do school invited us to eat at her house with Ms. Margaret. We had been before and the girls loved being over there, they are spoiled rotten while we are there and she has a great climbing tree outside her house, the girls love it. And annielynne loves the food. So Ms. Margaret got to have food from our country and real Ethiopian food too. It is good, but they feed you a ton! After you eat there is coffee and dessert and bananas too. Annie Lynne was helping the lady make the coffee on the floor. They roast the coffee bean right there and then make the coffee. I'm not a huge coffee person, but Kirk really liked it, and I liked it better then other coffee I have had. Anyway, it is always a fun and interesting and a good cultural experience.

cooking class

For one of our "shared experiences" for our language learning we went to a spice shop. Our teacher, Sam, showed me something that looks like orange noodles and told me how good they are. So I bought some but told him he would have to tell me how to cook them. So finally after a couple of weeks of asking I got him to call his mom and sister and ask them how to make it. It was so funny, he was so embarrassed, the kitchen is defiantly out of his comfort zone. But as one of our lessons we talked though how to make it and did the steps and it came out really good, of course I forgot to take a picture of the finally product so I'll have to make it again. It is a dessert and very sweet. We had eaten it before, without knowing what it was, and I thought it had coconut in it (same texture) and then I thought what we bought was noodles, but neither is right. I now know the name of it, in this language, but still have no idea what it really is. But we all 5 liked it, and that is unusual, I am sure because of the amount of sugar. Ms. Margaret was here too when we made it and even she liked it, so it must be good, wish I knew what it was?
Of course Annielynne was in the kitchen helping. Sam loves her and she loves him too.
After this experience, Kirk and I both know a lot more cooking terms, wonder how often he will put them in practice??? :)

"the park"

One day a national friend of mine asked me if I would like to go to the park with her and her children and bring the girls. So we went. I soon learned that they call everything a "park." This "park" was the top floor of the mall and is similar I guess to a gattiland type thing, with games to play and miniature little rides, and a big play area that you can pay about 50 cents for and play for 30 minutes or so. Well when we got there it was crazy, kids everywhere!!! and it was a bit overwhelming for me and the girls, we played a few things and then I let them play in the play area, but it was just too much for annielynne and she was out of there in about 5 minutes. But it was great to find out that the place existed! So when Ms. Margaret was here we decided to take the girls and we went with out language teacher, and it was a lot of fun! We went in the morning and no one was there, it was great!!! The kids had the entire play area to themselves and we also saw in the back they have bumper cars. So the pics below ayden and kirk are in one, Ms. Margaret and addie, and "Sam" (our teacher) and Annie lynne. It is not a huge space, but it was a lot of fun and the girls had a blast. Sam had never been there before so I think he enjoyed it too. Was glad we found a place like that and I think Ms. Margaret enjoyed watching the girls play and have fun.
I think this will become our birthday treat or special treat place to go.

play ground

This is the playground at one of our favorite restaurants, they have the best chicken shawarmas! But the playground makes me a little nervous. Hope you can see from the pictures, it is all made out of medal and has these big steps with nothing between them. Annielynne has to be so careful not to fall through. and then where the steps change directions there is a big hole there so she has to hold on tight to the side and go around the big hole. CRAZY! Then at the top the bars are so far apart she could just fall right through. Of course, I am the only one nervous about this, they think it is a great playground, especially since the slide is super fast! I learned the word for monkey and so that is what I have been calling them. No fear, they just climb up on everything. And Ayden doesn't understand why I wont let them go out on the playground while I'm still sitting and eating.
Even though the playground makes me nervous, it is worth it for the shawarmas and humas at this place!

Ms. Margaret's visit

The girls were so excited when "marmie" got here. And then even more excited when they got to go through the suitcases. Thanks so much for everything that was sent. The girls had so much fun that morning, and then after all the excitement and once that had on there new dress-up dresses, we had cake for Ms. Margaret's B-day, just a couple of days late, but glad we could celebrate with her.

annie lynne

I'm sure mom would say that I was the same way, but surly I was not as stubborn and independent as Annie Lynne. Here she getting dressed (in one of Kirk's shirts) all by herself. Only when she was almost in tears would she let me help her get out. She may be small but she still won't fit through an arm hole.

The other picture she is wearing not only one but two dress-up outfits. That is her and Addie's favorite thing these days, to dress up in two outfits.