A World without walls
everyday life while homeschooling overseas
Girls Camp 2013
Has it really been almost a month since my last post? *sigh* Isn't it a sad thing that when we have lots of time to post, there's nothing to post! But when we have LOTS to post, there's just no time! I keep thinking that life can't get any busier, and then it does. So, instead of writing a novel, I will write a few bullets that highlight the month and hope that I can expound as time allows. Today is our 'last day of school'. We're currently waiting on Devin to call me and tell me when the kids have hair cutting appointments for us to plan the rest of our day, and since the kids are busy destroying their room, I decided to shut myself in my room to avoid it. :) I'm hoping with it being the 'end' of school, and a few days' break until we 'start', that I can have some time to post some more. Maybe. Maybe not. Since all the other kids in the area are starting school, that may help with a little more free time. We shall see. So, in a nutshell...
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Our homemade aquarium in its infancy... ...after a few days of fun fishy projects... ...and the finished product was very cool...but it's too bad I didn't get a picture of it!!!! :( Oh well. It's time to dance about and burst into song:
"It's lovely bobbing along... bobbing along on the bottom of the beautiful briny sea!" And another few weeks pass by in a blur of busyness for us. What happened to those 'lazy days of summer' that everyone seems to be raving about? I think summer is busier than any other time of year! Maybe it's because all of my kids' friends are out of school, so we all seem to want to plan playdates and outings pretty much every day! The other day, Josh actually asked me when we were going to have a 'down day' where we could just stay at home and basically do 'nothing'. (Well, to clarify, their idea of doing nothing is inventing lego cities, doing science projects, and any other creative idea that comes into their heads that may or may not have to do with the city of pop up tents we have stored under all of our couches--my kids know that if they tell me they're bored, they have to clean a toilet!) We did have one of those...it was either this last week or the week before. I can't remember. It's all mushed together.
Yesterday, however, was a super fun day for us! In the morning, the kids and I went to visit a 'library'. This cute little girl decided that since there are no libraries in Jordan, she was going to start her own! So, we went over to be her patrons. It was so great! Andrew walked in and said, 'This is even better than I imagined!' I think he made her whole week! :) The kids checked out books and read them on the couches. Then the family we were visiting brought out snacks, so we chatted, and started coming up with ideas about how we should open an Abdoun branch of her library--including a database for all the books, library cards, and even interlibrary loans! Josh and Claire had their wheels turning, and between them and their new friend, Raya, I think they've got a super project idea in the making! :) They're really pumped about this, and I think it's an awesome thing for them to do. After the library, I dropped the kids off at friends' houses for play time while all the moms went to our new best friend: The Plant Guy. There's this LONG lane of nurseries right along the road to Jerash, and a bunch of us have gone over there ever Thursday morning for the past 3 weeks to pick up plants for our yards and houses. This guy loves us. This time, I only bought one indoor plant, but I also found a tortoise to live in our yard! Ha! Our house is turning into a menagerie, according to Devin, but I think it's just super awesome! We have baby water turtles, birds, and now, a tortoise. Honestly, this is what I envisioned with homeschooling--I want the kids to have the 'pet' experience, without having to have cats and dogs, since Devin and Josh are allergic. These 'alternative' pets are fantastic, as their upkeep is minimal, and the kids are doing it all themselves! :) Hooray! Josh takes care of the birds, Andrew takes care of the turtles, and the tortoise (whose name is M'shell--'michelle'--by the way) takes care of herself and just wanders around the yard. The kids are loving having all the pets to look at and play with. Me too! It's fun! After our pet shopping...I mean plant shopping...we came home for dinner and put the kids to bed...sort of. Josh babysat while Devin and I went to an Iftar dinner! It was so lovely! I ate WAY too much food! :) They are such a wonderful family--and even made special dishes just for me because they found out that I can't eat grains. It was very thoughtful. We had a lovely time chatting and laughing and stayed WAY too late. When we were driving home, the road to our house was blocked off. Doh. Yesterday, the results of the major high school exams came out, so apparently there was a celebration going on near our house in the Abdoun circle area. We were 20 feet from our road, and they would NOT let us in. I keep going over this scenario in my mind, wondering if I would have called the Marines in to get us through, if they would have relented. It was SO frustrating to be SOOOOO close to home and not be able to get through! We had to take this seriously long circuitous route to our house that took an extra 20-30 minutes and we were both fuming. Not a good way to end an awesome day. However, we made it home none the worse for wear, really. And I think that after last night's intense celebrations, the city is going to be VERY quiet this morning! |
Who Am I?
As a Stay At Home Mom of 4 wonderful children, I have the amazing opportunity not only to home school them, but to do so in many different places! I am married to the most amazingly wonderful (and handsome) man in the whole world! Together, we seek out, every day, that Joy in the Journey that makes life exciting! Archives
November 2020
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Emily's books
by Dan Brown
I like that the plot twists and turns a lot...and it makes you think. However, I don't appreciate Dan Brown's endings in his books. I find the endings incongruent with the rest of his stories--why make it a romance for the last chapter...
by Shannon Hale
I loved this book. I'm a sucker for fairy tales/fantasy. This was so well written! I can't wait to read all the rest of her books!
by Shannon Hale
I'm reading this one again. I liked it the first time I read it. I'm still liking it for the second time around. I like all of Shannon Hales' books.
**Still lots of fun the second time around! I do like this book for a comfortable...
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