So Long Ordinary

Our Thanksgiving this year was a bit on the un-traditional side but it was so fun!  We had planned to get together with our fellow Americans for Thanksgiving on Saturday so the pilots would be less exhausted...our MAF teammates were excited to celebrate with us in our home but the other American here, married to an Indonesian, wasn't in town.  Then we thought we'd invite our British friend and her Indonesian husband.  They were really excited to eat some American Pumpkin Pie, so were quick to say "yes!"  And then we met a Dutch family that just arrived and thought it would be fun to include them.  And then they asked if we'd mind if they brought their Swiss friends, who also happen to be in town!  Pretty soon, our "American Holiday" became an International affair.  I wouldn't have had it any other way! We had such a great time sharing our American traditions with our new European friends.  What a special time full of laughter, food, mingling language

It's very odd to me that today is Thanksgiving.  Our dinner here was mie goreng, nasi goreng, and gado-gado.  (Google those, I don't feel like explaining Indonesian cuisine right now.)  We didn't even have pie....yet! Tomorrow, I'm baking two pies and then I'll spend all day Saturday cooking chicken and other fixings for our little get-together on Saturday evening.  So far, we have just 4 Americans (ourselves and our MAF teammates) plus 3 Swiss, 3 Dutch, 1 Brit, and 1 Indonesian coming.  Oh, and 5 little wild savages known as the Cannon and Pratt kids. We are so excited to share our American traditions with our new friends from all over the world.  I love  that about missionary life! I'll admit that I'm really trying very hard not to think about the fact that we aren't with our extended families enjoying sweater weather, turkey, cranberry salad, football, and, well, family.  But you know what, God is still good and I'm still very thankful. Yep, I'

Is it really "Date Night" again?  Man, I'm loving our new routine.  On Wednesdays we have our teammates' little girl over to play in the morning - she's the same age as Paige.  I'm grateful that they are getting along well at the moment...ummm, that doesn't always happen!  We made some homemade playdough - four little girls are busily making all sorts of yummy treats out of their lumps of dough. Hooray for a creative outlet that keeps the peace.   We also go eat lunch in town with a group of Western ladies on Wednesdays.  It's fun to get out of the house and fellowship with some other people who understand what it means to be a foreigner living in a very different world. Are you ready for Thanksgiving?!  We're hosting a Thanksgiving meal at our house on Saturday for our family, the one other American family, and a host of Europeans and Indonesians. It's sure to be a fun time! We didn't get a turkey this year (it's a good $80 or more to

So yesterday I shared about our relaxed, interest-led homeschool.  It's all very gypsy and whimsical isn't it?  Well, I'll let you know now that it isn't quite that simple, simple as it is.  Sure, I don't pressure my girls into learning things they aren't interested in... but that only goes so far.  Because there's also a place for structure and a plan - especially when it comes to reading, writing, and 'rithmetic.   I feel very strongly about giving my girls the tools they will need to use for the rest of their lives.  Knowing the temperature of the sun's core and being able to map the extent of Justinian's empire are not tools (though both are things that I find fascinating now).   Reading, writing, and math ARE tools - tools that help us learn everything else we need to know about the world. Think about it.  If you can read, communicate well, and do math with confidence, you can do - or learn to do - anything. Add to these basic tools a nurtu

A very regular occurrence in our house.  Our next door neighbor joins in the fun. When Brooklyn was probably about 2 years old, I first began researching and considering homeschool.  It never worked out, though, until now.  I've been researching homeschool for a good 7 years.  This is the first year that I've been able to put my own ideas into action and it's everything I hoped it would be.   So what does our homeschool look like?  I am a big fan of keeping it simple.  In my opinion, learning should never be a burden.  That's not to say that some days, we don't just have to do stuff we'd rather not, because we do and that's life.  What I mean is that we're not going to spend the whole day with our heads bent over worksheets, feeling the pressure of a looming deadline, learning by rote so we can pass a test and then forget it all.  (Which pretty much sums up my entire education from Kindergarten through College, by the way.)  One way our family avoids vie

I found the above picture on my computer and had to post it.  Maddie was all dressed up for our little Halloween party.  Halloween is not celebrated here but our MAF teammates decided we needed to dress up and be silly and eat mud pies.  It was fun. I'm typing this carefully.  Last night I decided to slice my thumb instead of the garlic and if I'm not careful the cut opens up and starts bleeding again.  Ouch!   I'm getting ready for another date tonight with my best friend!  It's been rainy again this afternoon so maybe we'll have to just take the car this time.  That would be the smart thing to do anyway. Homeschooling is going well.  I'm going to write a whole post about that soon.   We're getting ready for my parent's visit in 5 weeks!  It's been a LONG time since we've seen any family and we can't wait.  It will be about 1.5 years since we saw our families...I think that's too long. Just a few weeks after my parents leave, we get to g

I get the morning off from homeschooling since Brooklyn got to go flying with her Daddy today.  So, I just wanted to drop in here and tell you about last night. Sean and I recently implemented a survival tactic.  It's called The Weekly Date.  We've learned through the years that the seasons when we can have regular dates are often the best in our marriage and mental/emotional health.  This life we live is far more taxing than we realize and sometimes the chance to just step away from it all and be a couple  again is the best way to let off some steam.   Don't get me wrong, we LOVE where we live and what we do.  Sean loves flying and working at the dock/hangar/office.  I love homeschooling and cooking! (I really, really do.)  But still, it's exhausting and I can't even explain exactly why.  Maybe the heat?  Cultural differences always popping up?  Trying to operate in a different language?  Frustrations with getting simple ingredients?  Life with small kids? At any r

At the end of last week, Paige was really on a roll - she got into the medicine and made a huge mess, she ran out the gate on several occasions to chase down ice cream men, she used floor cleaner to "bathe" the puppy and also dumped a full bottle of floor soap into the washing machine's soap dispenser.  But the week culminated with her final grand act... I had let Paige take her afternoon nap in the guest room. I was exhausted and ready for my nap too, when I heard her crying over and over, "Mommy!  Mommy!  Help!  I tan't do it!" I found Paige locked in the guest bathroom and she had the key on her side.  I stood at the door trying to explain to her how to turn the key or take the key out of the door and pass it under the door.  She couldn't do it (it is tricky) and just kept saying, "I tan't do it, Mommy!" until she finally just gave up. I could hear her in there playing with the water and soap, having a great time out of my reach. I calle

I've had my Kitchen Aid stand mixer for nearly 7 years.  I got it for Christmas from my Mom - she knew I wanted/needed one as we were preparing to head to the mission field.  You see, missionary wives tend to do a teensy bit  ton of cooking from scratch...ask any MAF wife - she has some sort of high-powered mixer and she uses it almost daily.  I know I do. I love my KitchenAid - even though it's kinda old, showing a little bit of wear  character, and a smaller model. I almost sold it in one of our many moves.  I had put it on our list of things to sell and then that night I couldn't sleep just thinking about it.  I had butterflies in my stomach and broke into a cold sweat.  I promptly got out of bed and crossed it off the list, breathing a huge sigh of relief that I wasn't so stupid as to part with my faithful friend. Today I made a rather rash decision that I must start making our sandwich bread - because the bakery bread here is really expensive, comes in small packag

It's that time of year...the crisp air, the changing leaves, the spicy smell of pumpkin lattes from Starbucks.....oh wait!  Not here!  Here, it's just as hot as it is any other month of the year - except when it's hotter.  But that doesn't mean that we can't still celebrate the month of November with thankfulness.  (And a little mock pumpkin spice (iced) coffee, scented candles, and decorative fall leaves!) Here are a few things I'm thankful for: Rain!  Blessed, cooling rain! Puppy Paws. (but not so much wet puppy smell) "Warm" Cocoa parties on the porch. The fact that my oldest is still excited to play card games with me. Being a part of MAF!