P2 Weekend News

Chelsea (Ashlyn’s teacher) has the students write up their “Weekend News” at the start of every school week. 

Here are Ben and Ashlyn’s Weekend News from today.

“I Kissed Ben on the lips at Gibbs farm.  My family went yesterday!!!!”

[It was actually Simba Farm]

“I kiss Ashlyn on the lips (at) Yoka’s farm.  I went with Ashlyn yesterday!!!”

I love the use of (multiple) exclamation points on both of them.

Simba Farm

Despite Matt being out of town (rough life as he visits with the chimps in Mahale National Park while on a ‘work’ trip), the kids and I joined some friends and we all took advantage of the Eid holiday from school and went to Simba Farm in West Kilimanjaro.  11 kids and 5 adults…not the ratio that we strive for, but it was great.  Farm animals, friends, sundowners, and farm fresh food…what’s not to love?  (Well, Anderson didn’t like the multiple run-ins with the siafu that made me strip him down, but really he should have learned his lesson the first time).  It’s been almost a year and a half since the first (only) time we’d been, so it was fun to go back. 

Time around the farm:

Sundowners:

Ummmm...yeah.  Ashlyn and Ben.

Ride around.

Even got to bring home some veggies fresh from the farm.  Yum.

Ashlyn’s (School) Birthday Party

Ashlyn’s best friend at school, Simone, has her birthday 4 days after Ashlyn, so they decided it would great fun to have a joint birthday party after school.  That happened on Friday. I think the kids had a great time.  I know that Ashlyn did.

Pharaoh Cluck

Tierney’s P3 class (2nd grade) is learning about artifacts and how finding artifacts teaches us something about the people that used them.  As part of this they are doing a science experiment:  mummifying chickens.  She loves this.  The class has Pharaoh Cluck (her group’s), King Pharaoh Feathers, and King Egypt. 

 

I can’t wait to see how these turn out. 

(I never got to do anything like this in school.)

((And now T wants to go to Egypt))

More Summer Memories

While I am in no way happy that my little brother crashed his bike in a race and took the brunt of the fall with his face; I am lucky enough to be the beneficiary of some of his newly found free time.  He put together this little video of our time at Beaver Pond in the Adirondacks this summer. 

Beaver Pond Memories

Feel better soon, Mikey, and thanks for the video memories. 

50 stitches, a broken nose, and some chipped teeth.  Too bad it’s not closer to Halloween so he could really reap some benefits from the aftermath.

Happy 6th Birthday, Ashy!

Celebrating today with cupcakes at school and a couple of friends over for a sleepover.  Matt has decided to take one for the team and has agreed to sleep in the tent with them.  All seem very excited (even Matt at this point). 

And a fine example of sisterly love:

 

 

Tarangire National Park

We went to Tarangire National Park yesterday to help us re-experience the fun side of Tanzania.  Tarangire did not disappoint.  Since we are now in the dry season the animals were very concentrated near the river which made wildlife viewing very easy.  What a great resource for us since it’s just about an hour from here. 

Listen for the wildebeest (gnu) grunting and the high pitched zebra call. 

We even stopped at Tarangire Safari Lodge for a great lunch and some swim time for the kids.  What a great way to break up a long day in the car.  Notice the impala just through the door to the left of the slide…we were half expecting one to just wander in. 

Matt, Ash and I even tried some fruit from the baobob tree.  The fruit is supposed to be very high in Vitamin C and Calcium.  It was pretty bitter.

And to make it an even better day, when we got back home the power was ON! (Guaranteeing hot showers after a dusty day in the car – yeah!)