Blog entries

Tutus

Nate & Kelley — Tue, 21 May 2013 07:00:00 +0100

Lately when I'm not working, playing with kids, or getting ready for birthday parties I'm getting ready for other people's birthdays. As in little kids. I've made three capes in the last month and these are numbers three and four in my tutu count!

So many colors of tulle to pick from to fit the pers...

Currently Eden

Nate & Kelley — Sun, 19 May 2013 07:00:00 +0100

Totally independent. Toddles off in the park to mount the teeter totter all by herself despite it being far from Mom or Canaan. My friends call her "Todo terreno" because she won't have the older kids doing anything without her and thinks she has no limitations.

When she's had enough of Canaan's intensity she's also happy to toddle off to another room to play by herself for awhile. Lately Canaan has had a few play dates and things that have given m...

Mother's Day 2013

Nate & Kelley — Wed, 15 May 2013 20:32:16 +0100

It started unexpectedly on Friday evening. My friend Linsey had been gifted a night at a hotel room by her husband, but she didn't want to spend it alone. So she, Bethany, and I checked into the Dann Carlton for a night away from our babies. We ate a good meal at a little Italian cafe called Romolo e Remu. Then we went back and changed into swimsuits and spent the rest of the night in the pool and jacuzzi, catching up on life and sort of swimming! The next ...

Chocolate Topped Peanut Butter Cups

Nate & Kelley — Fri, 10 May 2013 07:00:00 +0100

My husband is a HUGE fan of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. And I always think I am too. Until I pop one in my mouth and remember that more than chocolately or peanut buttery they taste waxy. Eh. (Someone please remind me of this when I'm about to waste one by eating it and not loving it as others do.)

But theoretically I should LOVE them.

I agree that there are lots of delicious desserts out there. But I also fully agree that cupcakes are delicious. <...

PUCE 7K

Nate & Kelley — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 17:06:19 +0100

A few weeks ago we had quite the non-traditional Sunday. We woke up 5:30am to get in the car and drive the whole family to a race. And then instead of going to our Quito church afterward, we had the opportunity to "church" via skype with New Life Lakeview! Definitely fun to participate in that way despite the fact that Canaan had a crayon meltdown while we were talking in first service. We got smart 2nd service and just kept shoving food in their mouths to keep them qu...

Green Lantern Rides a Bike?

Nate & Kelley — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 07:00:00 +0100

This one does. He also has a little sister who follows him around.

And he likes to swing a lot.

Colors

Nate & Kelley — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 04:16:00 +0100

In the car on the way home from play group tonight.

Canaan: Mom, what is your best, favorite color?

Me: Maybe green?

Canaan: My best color is violet.

Me: Violet?

Canaan: Yes, violet. Purple. And daddy's best color is brown and Eden's best color is green.

3rd Birthday Party

Nate & Kelley — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 07:00:00 +0100

Canaan had a backyard, transportation-themed birthday party. Last year we were pulling the party inside quickly as the rain started to pour. This year we were glad for the tent because the sun was crazy bright out. I was really pleased with how the party turned out. I was looking for something entertaining but unstructured. Something where kids and adults could enjoy themselves with feeling herded from activity to activity. But where the kids had enough to ...

Crunchy Roasted Chickpeas

Nate & Kelley — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 07:00:00 +0100

I'm pretty tired of feeding my kids animal crackers for snacks. And they're pretty tired of eating animal crackers. It was time for something new. Seeing how I steer clear of the chip, candy and cookie aisles and I live in a foreign country where pretzels cost $5 for a small bag I needed some creativity.

&n...

Canaan is Three!

Nate & Kelley — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 07:00:00 +0100

For your actual birthday we tried to make it special in a few different ways. You requested cinnamon rolls for your bday breakfast so you ate them in your "birthday chair" wearing a special birthday hat. Unfortunately your tummy wasn't feeling great so you ate about two bites of your roll.

Throughout the day we opened presents when we felt like it. You played with your toys and enjoyed them fully one by one. (Truthfully it took til Saturday f...

Happy Easter

Nate & Kelley — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 07:00:00 +0100

We were excited to celebrate by attending a sunrise service out at El Refugio, a camp owned by YouthWorld. It's out past the Equator and even higher in altitude. We woke up at 5:30, packed the kids up and headed out. We had trouble getting to the actual service, which was up past the regular campsite and had to park in the middle of a dirt road and have someone come pick us up to drive the last 5 minutes. No 4-wheel drive for these city folk! The service was simp...

Los Gnocchis

Nate & Kelley — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 07:00:00 +0100

Argentina and Uruguay have a tradition of eating gnocchi, either homemade or takeout on the 29th of every month. Living in Uruguay Mark & Kora participate in this tradition and encourage friends and family to do it too as a way to connect over the long miles!

This month was our first time participating and we mostly made it happen because we involved our Uruguayan friends here in Quito! It's funny how God works, with both of us becoming involved with...

Pre-Easter Activities

Nate & Kelley — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 18:07:58 +0100

When I planned an easter egg hunt for our play group I thought it would be our only one for the year! But then we were invited to participate in one with some other families from the school. It ended up being a neat thing because we went to a local orphanage and had the egg hunt, story of Easter, and egg dying there to help the toddlers living there celebrate. I wish Nate had been able to come because I felt like a particularly unhelpful parent in terms of playing with the o...

Oatmeal Sandwich Cookies with Cinnamon Red Hot Buttercream

Nate & Kelley — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 07:00:00 +0100

Right. So I missed Valentines by about two months with these. Certainly they would have been really cute then! But as far as I know there isn't a rule against eating red hots in April so I just went with it on a day that I had time to commit to multi-step cookies.

I give the oatmeal cookies 3 ...

Love

Nate & Kelley — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 07:00:00 +0100

I don't know that there is anything on this earth that can make my heart feel more full than to watch these two little ones enjoy each other fully.

For My Records

Nate & Kelley — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 07:00:00 +0100

I haven't been as good at posting the milestones since Eden turned one, but she's still growing and changing.

She is walking, running and CLIMBING everywhere. She's learned Canaan's technique of scooting a chair all around the kitchen and house to get where she wants to go. She will climb anything, anytime. My play group friends say, "She counts now." This is a clear sign she's not a baby anymore but a moving and opinionated toddler.

<...

Nurse!

Nate & Kelley — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 07:00:00 +0100

Last week at Carmen Bajo I sat in on the women's bible study since my first client hadn't arrived. I often get to participate in the beginning as timeliness is not next to Godliness in this culture! Picture a church with rough-hewn benches, a cement floor and a dull, stained carpet piece somewhere between mustard and pea green. Women arrive in little clusters and we sit near the front of the sanctuary. When enough have arrived they start the worship time, which is aid...

Birthday Bonanza has begun!

Nate & Kelley — Sat, 06 Apr 2013 07:00:00 +0100

Within my playgroup we've got 6 birthdays within one month. That's five parties since one is for twins! I'm going to have quite a spoiled little boy by the end of this! We started off last weekend with T's bday at Burger King. We didn't say much about it ahead of time to Canaan because he can make us crazy asking "when" questions.

But boy was he excited to dress up as a "pirata" (costume borrowed from a friend) and help celebrate. Our l...