life in pictures

1. Lu got baptized.  Father John allowed us to have it during teacher's mass (every week all the Mount Carmel teachers go to Mass on Thursdays after school) and it was just perfect.  Such a wonderful community celebration.  And after, we had Dona Betty make her famous pizzas, and everyone feasted on pizza and homemade fresh ice cream and cupcakes.  Welcome little Lu!

2. RASPBERRIES.  They are not something you find in Belize anywhere.  Last year we were surprised to find a Mennonite nursery selling a tropical variety, and got a couple of bushes.  This seems to be the time of year for berries.  I'm only getting a handful at a time, but I'm freezing them so maybe in a year or two I'll have enough to make some jam :)

3.  Miss M has a problem with that other baby getting a bottle when she does not.  She is also fascinated by Lu's eyelashes, which has resulted in several unfortunate eye-poking encounters.  

4. Don't worry, Lu's fine. Those eyelashes are pretty tempting though.

5.  Morning view, with guinea hen

6. This is some kind of toucannette (Daniel told me but I am horrible with bird names). This pair apparently loves papaya, and spent several mornings devouring the fruit which was conveniently located just a few feet from my window.  They are just glorious to watch.  

7. Bonus toucan shot.  Isn't he a gorgeous fellow?

linking up with Jen for 7 quick takes today.

seven quick takes vol. 8

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When you live in a country with no walmart or target, sometimes you just have to improvise.  Miss M loves her slightly getto baby play station. 

--- 2 ---

Speaking of Miss M, my very proper British mother-in-law was kind enough to watch the kiddos last week.  When she handed Miss M back to me, she said, "this little girl is very good at bringing up air."  Translation: your baby burps like a 13 year old boy.  Why yes, yes she does.

--- 3 ---

Just look at this deliciousness.  I do a monthly photo shoot with Miss M, and I think this shot is my favorite.  It didn't end up being the picture I used for her album, though, because she can't actually sit up yet (she is propped here) and apparently I have strong feelings about honest representation of baby abilities in monthly pictures.  I often find myself odd, too.

--- 4 ---

The Babes and I are still working in a few montessori activities each day.  His favorite right now is anything to do with transferring.  I am amazed at this little boy, who used to spend most of the day attached to my leg whining, and now spends large chunks of time fiercely concentrating.  He also spends large amounts of time fiercely saying No.

For example: the Babes-- water? Please? water?
                      Me-- here is your water.
                     the Babes-- no.  NO.  NOOOOOOO!

Let's just say the amount of wine being drunk in this house rises in direct proportion to the amount of time outs experienced per day.

--- 5 ---

No. NOOOOO.

#^*@* chickens. Yeah they look all cute and fuzzy and smooshy now, but wait till they are ugly scrawny teenagers who poo all over the yard. My husband might be a science teacher, but apparently we need to have a nice chat about rooster+hen = eggs = MORE CHICKENS.

--- 6 ---

I finished my mobile, and I love how it came out. 

--- 7 ---

My parents are coming to visit in a few weeks.  We will take a quick trip out to the Cayes where we are renting a house with hot running water, AC, and a pool.  You might never hear from me again.

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!

7 quick takes vol. 7

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 New baby horse!  She was a bit of a surprise, as her mom accidentally got into the wrong field and crossed with a stud... we weren't sure who though.  Lucky us, it looks like this little filly's dad is an Arabian.  She is absolutely beautiful.  I love baby horses at this age, they sleep with total abandon.

--- 2 ---

I like the idea of meal planning, but I always fail to sit down once a week and plan.  So I've decided to make a monthly plan, with the hopes of eventually getting up to 3 months at a time.  I already have about 3 weeks worth, and I am attempting to plan meals that are strictly stovetop-only.  There is nothing worse on a 90 degree day then heating up the oven at 4pm.  Recipe suggestions would be welcome!

--- 3 ---

Along with the meal planning, I'm trying to be better at consistently making bread. Buying bread in the store is frustrating, cause unless I can get into Cayo for fresh bakery bread, I am taking a chance and getting bread that is probably already stale and most likely will mold within a few days. I have a bread machine (which I got at the market a few years ago for $30BZ!) and I have fiddled enough with the recipe that I have it down to 5 ingredients and about 4 minutes of active time on my part.  The only problem is that the loaves are small, and if my husband is in the mood he can finish off an entire loaf in one setting.  This wreaks havoc with my meal planning....sigh.

--- 4 ---

 So, laminating is high on my list of tropical living life hacks; it protects against mold and geckos and damp, etc.  Once upon my husbands' teaching training time, he had a laminating machine, which jammed after about 2 uses.  Since then I have to go into town and pay a lot every time I want something laminated.  The other day I decided to pull out the old laminating sleeves and try laminating with my iron.  I just put my item in the plastic laminating sleeve thingy, covered it with an old t-shirt, and ironed on the cotton setting.  It worked fabulously.  I've been wandering around my house since, looking for more things to laminate.

                                                       --- 5 ---

I've started a new method for organizing my craft stuff.  When I decide on a new project, I throw every supply that I think I might need for it in a plastic bag.  Then whenever I have a few minutes during naptime, I can grab a bag and work for a while.  Everything gets thrown back in if I don't finish.  This is a hot air balloon mobile that I've been working on for about, oh, 11 months or so...

--- 6 ---

The new-to-us storage container came this week.  It is 8X17 feet, and our downstairs is only 10X26 feet.  So I'm a bit excited about the huge increase in storage space.  I'm sure my husband will fill it up fast though.

--- 7 ---

The Babes, on the other hand, was absolutely thrilled with the backhoe that helped move the container.  So excited, in fact, that he literally peed his pants in excitement :)

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!

7 quick takes vol. 6

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     Last week my car bit the dust. We were about 40 minutes from our house when it happened, and of course there is no triple A to call to come get us.  So we called our mechanic, and he had his son drive ½ an hour to come and tow us.  During the hour or so we were sitting on the side of the road, 3 of Daniel’s current or former students saw us and dropped by to chat and of course diagnose the car (teenagers are good at this).  One guy even rode his bike home and came back with a few tools.   The only thing that was surprising is that more people didn’t stop by (I would have expected at least one cousin). 

Belize is really just a small town masquerading as a country.

--- 2 ---

I finally succumbed and started caffeinating myself.  I’ve always been a hold out against coffee, maybe because my dad drinks like 5 cups a day and is continuously wired.  But two babies have succeeded where even grad school failed.  Every morning around 10 I have my (classy) spaghetti jar of sweet tea.  I use a cold brew method, and put my jar in the refridge the night before so the tea steeps a while and it is icy cold.  I am rather shocked at how much more energy I have.  Now I’m actually voluntarily doing things at 4pm, instead of dragging myself off the couch while softly weeping.

.--- 3 ---

   The energy burst let me rearrange a bunch of the Babe’s stuff to mesh more with a montessori philosophy.  Beyond a bit of internet research and having attended a montessori-ish kindergarden myself, I don’t know what I am doing.  However, I like the ideas of order and self-sufficiency that montessori promotes, so I set up some stations for the Babes.  In the bathroom he has a little tray with his toothbrush, some soap, and some small hand towels.  He does not get toothpaste on his tray cause he would eat the whole thing.  In the kitchen, he has a little tupperware filled with his utensils, cups, and plates so he can set those up for himself when he eats, and I've also put single servings of snacks in easy-to-reach containers so he can serve himself.  So far it has cut down a lot on whining and messes cause he stopped going through my other cabinets looking for his things.

--- 4 ---

His toy shelf has also been overhauled and now includes a sensory basket and some other learning type activities.  I'm working with what I have, so no fancy matching baskets and trays yet.  He is playing so much better now that he sees his toys, and also because he has less to choose from I think.  The house is much easier to keep looking neat, which is a nice bonus.

--- 5 ---

This is in my front yard.  I FINALLY got my husband the chicken collector down to 2 chickens, but he is unable to help himself and let this hen get broody so more chicks I guess in about 2 weeks.  ARGH.

--- 6 ---

I found a bumbo for Miss M, but it is proving to be a popular spot for others.  The Babes is a big fan too.

--- 7 ---

And this.  The best part of my days.  Miss M has started smiling at us, and she puts her whole heart in it.  Really it doesn't get any better.

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!

7 quick takes vol. 5

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Last week I went in to renew my driver's license, and since they are upgrading country-wide to international standards, I had to get a new one made.  The gentleman typing my info into the computer stopped when he got to eye color, where I had written green.  Apparently the problem is that the computer program offers a drop down menu with choices for each category on the license  and for eyes the choices are brown, blue, or hazel.  No green.  We agreed to go with hazel, because my eyes definitely aren't brown or blue, but what color is hazel really?  It is a vague color.  I'm sure I'm not the only person with green eyes driving around Belize, I wonder what the other drivers did.

--- 2 ---

It's avocado season again!!  My favorite way to eat avocados is to make guacamole and mix some salsa in.  Yum.  Anyways, does everyone know how to tell if an avocado is ripe?  It should give slightly when you squeeze it, but not be mushy.  Then you shake it next to your ear-- if it is ready you should be able to hear the seed rattling around inside.

--- 3 ---

This conversation sums up my husband really, really well:

me, while playing with the Babes: Daniel, did you have a favorite toy when you were a child?
Daniel: I don't really have much recollection of my childhood
me [slightly jokingly]: Did you have a favorite sheep?
Daniel [enthusiastically] : Oh yes.  I had a favorite pig too.

--- 4 ---

Miss M is almost 2 months old, and she is just starting to make little noises, little coos like a pigeon.  I love it.  I can't wait till she starts smiling at us.
 

--- 5 ---

When we first got the Babes we taught him some sign language because he wasn't talking yet.  One of the signs he learned was "more," and he would sign "more, please" when he wanted more to eat.  When he started talking he picked up "more" quickly and used it consistently.  Last night at dinner, he said, "Another, please."  Well ok then.  Aren't we the proper toddler.

--- 6 ---

Lest I give you the impression we have a genius child here....
Since we don't know how long we will have the Babes, we have encouraged him to call us Tia and Tio (Spanish for Aunt and Uncle) rather then Mama or Dad.  This has failed rather amusingly.  Me, he calls nothing, although sometimes I get called "Tio" or "boy" (but in creole, so it sounds like bwuoooy!). Daniel is called mama.  If we try to correct him, he shakes his head yes and says, "Mama Tio!"

--- 7 ---

This was entirely unposed.  Later she tucked her front paws in the bucket, laid down and went to sleep. (in case you miss it, the toy truck is a mini CAT).

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!

7 quick takes vol. 4

Linking up at Conversion Diary

1. Tomorrow is my birthday!.  The last couple of years I’ve tried to make my birthday a bit of an adventure (see here and here), but this year I just want to not have to cook or do dishes.  If someone washed my floors for me, I think it would be the best birthday ever.  I want to go out to eat at a new restaurant in Cayo, and I have been looking forward to it for weeks.  Not really because of the restaurant, but for the chance to go out sans kiddos and not have to think about what is for dinner.  I do believe this officially makes me feel old.

2. Miss M is in a stage where she wants to be held on my shoulder at ALL times.  I am loving it, because for a while I thought that I would never have a chance to be a mom to a new baby.  There isn’t much sweeter then a little baby asleep on your shoulder.  On the other hand—well that hand is full of baby.  So not much is getting done around here.  I am grateful for a phone + internet,  and am spending way too much time sitting on the couch holding Miss M and browsing Pinterest.

3.  I am failing cloth diapers.  I think I got sucked into the “cloth diapers are soooo easy” spiel given by countless mommy blogs and forgot that I live in a third world country and nothing is as easy here as it is in the States.   Here are my realities A) any water pressure we have is due to gravity.  Our toilet does not have enough pressure to use a diaper sprayer, which means cleaning dirty diapers by dunking them in the toilet water (GROSS) or taking them outside and rinsing them off at our outside sink (impractical while home alone with a baby and 2 year old). B) we do not have hot water. Thus I can’t do boiling hot pre-wash sanitation super cycles, or whatever it is that mamas in the States swear by to get the diapers clean.  Nor do I have access to special cloth diaper detergent. C) I do not have a drier, everything is line dried.  When it rains for a week straight (this is the tropics, it happens) all laundry ceases to be washed.  So I am dealing with diapers that stink a little even when they are clean, and I’m not ok with that.  Also, I tried soaking the dirty diapers overnight in my washer and holy cow I totally should have known better (I once soaked dried beans overnight and woke up to a nice bubbly fermented concoction).  It took about 4 wash cycles before every piece of clothing washed stopped smelling like the time you went to the beach and put a bunch of seashells in a bag and then found the bag a week later and opened it up…. Yeah. 

4.  A few months ago I read the book Happiness At Home, which was meh and not really recommendation material.  However, it did get me thinking about what would make my house more pleasant.  And the answer was…. bunting.  It makes me happy.  I started in January, and every month I try to make a new kind and hang it somewhere.  This month I did a mini version on a wreath and I love it.

5.  We have horses, and they are nosy.  One may have given Miss M’s hair a little nibble.

6.  Fun fact—this horse was born red

 here he is a couple years ago.  

Now he is totally gray.  He was named Blaise for his white forehead blaze, but now you can hardly see it.

7.  gratuitous cute baby picture.

subtitle:  burping is bliss