Responding to "request #1"--Photo updates!

The last time I posted photos was October, so the following are a bit scrambled but are photos from the last two months.... I'll try to give some explanation in the captions!

Daniel and I joined the Community Art class and visited this awesome project, Breakdance Uganda.  They have a cool documentary film available on Itunes called "Bouncing Cats" if you want to find out more (they are also on facebook)

This has been the season of baby animals--these are two of our puppies--Thorin and Bjorn.  And our cat had kittens three weeks ago, so maybe when they come down from their super hiding spot on the top shelf of our outdoor storage tunnel, they'll show up in photos!  I'm temped to bring them inside for the next month--for their uber cuteness and to protect their teenage mother from an inevitable repeat experience! 

This fall with the homeschooling action going on, we signed the kids up for a soccer league in Kampala that was pretty cool.  BTW, next semester, I'm hanging up my homeschooling hat, and trekking the kids into a small international school in Kampala (Acacia International School)

The kids at a local pool-- we have a perfect climate for lots of pool days all year round. 

We went to a sugar factory for a tour (this was not the Hostess tour you remember from days of youth).  Sadly, they were making menthol cough drops this day so there was a pretty strong smell in the place.  On the up side, lots of free candy to sample!

We've had this Elmo costume for 8 years, and it had a pretty cute inhabitant this year-- this is Noll, Dorothy's son-- Rachel's "boyfriend." yikes. 

We got to watch a cool solar eclipse this year-- didn't get quite as dark as the kids were expecting so they weren't super impressed.

Mary turns 6.  After her birthday week, she told me that it wasn't that good of a birthday for her.  Sorry, homeslice, but I did what I can do.  (a home birthday party, an outing, a family birthday meal/gifts, and another small outing with friends)

Rachel had a solo in her class song... someday I'll show some videos to family members! :)

Mary with her class, preparing to dance

The girls were at a Montessori school that would not match Montessori schools in the US, but is very progressive for here where most schooling is based on rote memorization with very large classes.  So as part of the program, the school was showing the parents how they do different types of learning. 

Earlier this fall, I did some tie dye with the missionary kids on campus-- always a winner.

This fall, I made friends with a British mom who has two girls the ages of our girls.  This is pass the parcel at their daughter's birthday party-- a great party that reminded me of parties of my youth.  

Dad is playing Monopoly with the boys-- yeah, Grandpa!

My good friend Gwyn visited us in Uganda this November (she lived here for 4.5 years and worked with Mark) The first picture is of us at lunch in Kampala; this picture is at the Nile where we had lunch. Not shown is the fun trip I took with her and our mutual friends to Fort Portal-- great chats, walks, meals, catching up on life.  Mark was at home on duty which made that a very relaxing grown up trip! 

Having a birthday dinner in town with our friends who are also our neighbors.