Which "Do" Should We Do?

So... three (and a very small half) things to keep in mind:

1. This is what happens when the 10:30 p.m. bedtime is not met.

2. Ingenuity can come in all shapes, forms, sizes, and hair colors.

3. No, there is no need to call in for emergency help/replacements. Believe us... it's under control. Truly. No lies here.

3 1/2. I believe that every once in a while a pointless post like this is needed... therefore, please excuse (recognize?) that while this situation is maybe not unusual, per se, it is normally highly unlikely to occur. ;)

The SCENE: Back green room, official "hang-out" spot.

The TIME: Way past bedtime.

The ISSUE: Hairstyles... and what would we really look like???

(A question that only comes after serious pretzel consumption, I feel the need to add...)

The PLAYERS: Amy, Jenna, and Steph... a troublesome trio, we know.

The AUDIENCE: Those who are still (commendably) reading this post...

1. 2.

1. 2.

1. 2.

Wow. Chalk it up to late nights, too many pretzels, and an irrepressible desire to have a little downtime... :)

The Big Stink

(The Stink Itself. Warning: Don't read this post while eating... more exciting pictures to come... lol)

So... there have been some pretty daunting odors wafting around the kitchen for the past couple weeks, and while knowing it was a sewage/draining/possibly grease tank problem... the disgusting-ness wasn't exposed until yesterday afternoon.

Jenna, Jo-el, Gloria and I were all in the kitchen Sunday afternoon when suddenly the drains spouted up a lot of smelly water... yuck. Clambering quickly for buckets, mops, and towels we got the water cleaned up, stopped, and wrung out.

And then... the action brigade started.

Returning to the north of the comedor an hour later, I saw Jo-el on the backhoe, Bill directing, various work team members observing and lending a hand (we currently have a specialty welding group here helping us), and kids of all ages making gagging noises and expostulating over the overwhelming stink coming from the opened drainage pits [okay... time to admit that I do not know all the technological language for this, and will probably not write it correctly... ;)].

Amy and Jenna stand at the edge of the opened pit, showing us how they really feel...

Professional Stink-Remover #1: Jo-el actually looked like he was enjoying this...

Professional Stink-Remover #2: Bill prepares to stick his arm into the mess of gross-ness to insert the wire-enforced water hose. He also looked happy at this point...

... maybe not as happy at this point. Pobrecito is really the only fitting term here. Jo-el was kind enough to hold up the back part of the sleeve for him... ;)

The spectacle drew quite a crowd. I am especially impressed by Paola's reaction (girl at right, in blue) in this photo...

Finally the stuff started draining after excessive water-blasting, and Michael and Francisco were ready to help with the "last details."

So... a big thank you to the Smell Remover Crew... you are my new heroes. ;)

Vacationing with the Ladies...

Last Thursday my Mom, my Grandma Eileen, my Aunt Paula (hereafter referred to as "AP"), and my cousin Sue all arrived at CVE to visit. We had a great time painting, playing with the kids, catching up, and... did I mention we played with the kids??? ;)

Although a bit like having four grandmothers in the house (this is not always a bad thing, and certainly not a reference to age in this case), the kidlets seemed to love having a very attentive audience...!

Here are some photos from our short time together:

(L) Mom helps Pollito make it down the slide, and (R) Diego puts on a face for AP's camera...

I was able to take the four ladies out for lunch at Las Chicas for some shrimp tacos! Mom & Grandma bypassed the green sauce (a great loss, I feel, but a little too spicy, I think they felt... lol), but everyone seemed to enjoy the "splendiferous" comida...

Mom helps Candi ride the teeter-totter...

(L) Pollito and I chillin' out on the porch, and (R) Grandma reads to Candi. The interpretations of the Spanish children's books were quite amusing, but the kids love the English books we have... so it worked out okay... ;)

Sue & Grandma work on painting the bunkbeds in the boys' room.

Aaron and I get ready to put his handprints on the wall. Tif, Chel, and I started this project back in January when we painted the bathroom. Over the ensuing nine months, small bits and pieces have been done to finish off the bedroom/bathroom, and finally... it is complete!!!

Yaneli models the border of handprints in the finished boys' room...

(L) Pollito and Candi have this thing lately for sprawling out anywhere, on any surface, and giggling... I don't know who teaches them this stuff... lol, and (R) AP went for a hike with the girls, so here she is with Yaneli balancing on her shoulders!

Thanks, AP, for the use of your photos!!!

Parent-Teacher Meetings...

... were this afternoon at Aaron's school, and I had my first junta [meeting] as a parent with the teacher of class 3B, and the school's social worker. Before I started caring for the kids, this was not a meeting that I thought I would ever have to go to at least for the next... forever. ;)

However, it was a great experience, and since they didn't immediately call in the police or lock me in a closet, I'm assuming that the answers to the questions they asked weren't too frightening... lol.

After I returned to CVE, though, I was looking through some photos of a day playing in the mud from right after I got back from Kansas, and wondered if maybe the whole truth wasn't spelled out...

For instance:

Maestra: Does he [Aaron] know how to wash himself?
Me: Yes, he bathes himself every night, and generally stays pretty clean.

Against my Word, Case #1: Aaron and Diego showing the results of the mud-bath day, which they told me they wanted to repeat every day.

Maestra: Does Aaron know how to make any food? Like sandwiches or how to pour cereal?

Me: Yes, he can pour his own cereal, but I usually do it. I don't think he's ever made sandwiches or anything else.

Case #2: Aaron exhibits the award-winning pastel [cake] that he has just made... from mud.

Maestra: Do the children at your orphanage eat healthy food?

Me: Yes, we have a weekly menu designed by our lunch lady [Okay... I didn't say lunch lady, Jenna, b/c I didn't think the humor would translate as readily... lol] and all meals include most of the basic food groups.

Case #3: While Diego's mud meatball displays a terrific amount of creativity, I don't think it would pass as a "healthy" food. Then again, I'm pretty sure my sisters and I ate mud and dirt when we were little, and it hasn't hurt us any... ;)

Maestra: Is Aaron scared of anything? Like the dark or animals?

Me: No, he's very courageous. And he likes any and every kind of animal.

Case #4: So... Aaron maybe wasn't scared, but definitely startled when Michael came walking up during this mud-bath time and strummed a chord on the guitar right in his ear. Since Michael's guitar-playing skills are limited to one or two chords that he uses over and over again... that does get scary in that you sort of want to smash the guitar over his head. No worries, David... we promise to control ourselves for the sake of the guitar. ;)
Above, Pollito was walking quickly away from Michael's guitar and refused to go back over...

Maestra: Do you have drinking water at your orphanage?

Me: Yes, we have purified water from our kitchen that we use for cooking and drinking.

Case #5: Except for Candi... who apparently prefers to imbibe muddy water than clear any day. These photos were snapped about .5 seconds apart.