a few random thoughts

paul was being extra naughty to his older brother while playing games on the computer and after many attempts to solve the issue, i resorted to a spanking. instead of spanking him on his bum-bum, i missed and got his lower back. he said to me while crying, "mom, you almost broke my heart!"

i was going to potty train hazel today...the one day deal...but again...she has the big D...so it would not be a pleasant experience for any of us. but i feel bad for her as she doesn't quite know what to do with herself when she feels so bad. if only the neighbors would stop feeding her...i think our problems might be solved...

i know i am getting used to things here when i am just brushing ants off my food, knocking them out of my toothbrush before i brush, and accepting them crawling on the floor (instead of trying to kill all of them). last night i noticed as we sat and talked there was a tile 30cm x 30cm...and on that tile were 3 different sizes of ants. what are they doing???

gavin is excited about a dodgeball tournament that HE INSISTS is happening at school. every day he goes to school KNOWING that today is the day it will begin. i keep waiting myself cuz he is into this...unfortunately, tomorrow is his last day of school. then they get a 10 day spring break. so it won't be happening any time soon. i wish that our lang. school break (going on this week) would happen at the same time as the international school (next week)...it keeps us from going anywhere...but maybe that is ok too...seems we are quite busy the way it is staying right here :D and catching our breath.

we have started to paint a mural in the boys room. it's a jungle and the boys are so excited and not afraid to give their "honest" opinions of our work. gavin said, "mom...the monkey's head is lopsided." or to his dad, "is that ALL you are going to do there?" he is quite the artist critic. but he wakes up every morning in hopes that we have done SOMETHING new on the walls. he loves it...but hazel will come in and exclaim "wow!" jump and turn "woah!" jump and turn "cool!"

today we purchased a parrot clock to go in the boys room. when we lived in america we had to do this same thing and have just now gotten around to installing the old idea again. paul loves to wake at the crack of dawn and here the crack starts about 4:30 am...with the mosque going off. he can't help but get up and want to play....with someone... but we can't help but be annoyed with this. so we are going to give the clock game another try. he can't come out until the bird says 6:30. or like i told him, "you can't come out until you can clearly see the bird." but that is much earlier than 6:30...but much later than 4:30!

we picked out fabric today for little "smoks" to be made for the kids to where at school in greg's art classes. (so they don't get paint on themselves) we picked army looking one for the boys and a pink pasley, glittery one for the girls. i think it will give attitude in the classroom! :D

when the kids from the neighborhood are here to play...they have a routine now to have a drink of water from our "good water tank" just before they leave. after they ask for the water...they go home. this is kind of the custom here when at a party...you wait and when the hostess gives you a little box of "goodies" everyone leaves...immediately... cuz they want to run home and see what is inside cuz it would be rude to open it in front of everyone. so they are used to getting something before they leave...i'm glad they have settled on water for now :D...once in awhile our pimbantu will make some donuts or cookies and they love that...30 donuts gone in less time than i can hand them out! it's fun to have the kids playing games and seeing our kids enjoying it more and more.

since it's rainy season...everything seems a little damp. i wonder if you were sitting by me...if you would think that i smell? i don't feel like i smell but i hope i am not just getting used to "the smells" here...