Olympics

Every year, to end the school year, NSMS hosts the Olympics for the kids.  It started the week before with the ever-popular egg drop.   Then, the day of the Olympics they split the kids into 2 teams and give them time to come up with a team flag and cheer.  I wish I had a video of Josiah and Olivia's team cheer because it was hilarious! The kids both broke school records - Josiah in the 40 meter dash (we don't have enough room to run 50!) and Olivia in the long jump and the 40 meter dash.   A fun time was had by all!

Can you tell our kid's eggs didn't break?!

Team cheer,  it was something to do with Ninjas in case you can't tell.

Football accuracy

Long Jump

40 meter dash

Jump Rope

#1 fan

Character Day & The Pinewood Derby

The kids have been busy.  A while back they had "character day" at school.  They decided that they were going as a pair.  Can you guess who they were?

Yep, they love Calvin and Hobbes as much as their parents!  Josiah is Calvin (he wanted me to dye his hair!) and Olivia is Suzy Durkins.

The next activity was the semi-annual pinewood derby.  The kids (and dad) did a great job on their cars.  They are both super creative.

Calvin & Hobbes are ready for the race!

Pure joy!

Not sure what we're going to do without our "race guy" Ron!

Life

It has been quite a week!  We have had dinner guests all week - which makes our kids very happy.   Monday night we had unexpected visitors from the jungle.  One of the families that is so kind to always welcome guests into their community for tours, was in Shell to make some purchases for their community's school.  They ended up helping Josiah with his "rain forest biome" project (don't tell his teacher!) and Olivia was able to show her friend Gima her tree house (which I'll have to post more about later).  Also this week we were able to eat a couple of times with Darryl and Sandi Holland from Mississippi.  Darryl and Sandi served with us in Sucua when we first arrived.  This was their first trip back to Ecuador since they left 6 years ago.  They were able to come with a couple of guys from their church and worked at the orphanage here in Shell.  Also, they timed their visit perfectly to coincide with the birth of their first grandchild.  Their son and daughter-in-law are missionaries in Quito.   It was fun to spend time with old friends and think back to our early years in Ecuador.

Sandi getting her complimentary "war paint" during their jungle visit.

To culminate the week I went to a baby shower yesterday and then we all went to play ultimate frisbee with some of the doctor families at HCJB.  We had a great time and were ready for a relaxing afternoon.  Chad and Josiah drove home and Olivia and I decided to walk.  When we arrived home Chad met us at the door, informing us that we should get in the door quickly because of some wasps.  He also said that he had just gotten stung and was feeling kind of funny.  Within the next 10 minutes he was starting to itch all over and had a pounding headache.  Then his face turned red and his eyelids and lips started to swell (he reminded me of Martin Short in the movie Pure Luck!...OK, maybe not that bad!), so we were off to the emergency room.  Chad was happy to see his good friend Doc. Joe Martin on call at the ER, well at least until he said they needed to put in an IV. He wasn't too crazy about that, since he's such a baby about medical stuff.   If you've seen the "man cold" video on-line - you can understand a bit more.  I did rub his head and say "poor little bunny".....but it didn't seem to help!  After some epinephrine and steroids he was feeling much better.   We spent another hour or so there waiting to make sure he was OK before heading back home.   He's all better now.  If only they could've given us an IV to help our sore old muscles from ultimate frisbee!

***By the way, our ER visit cost us a whopping $26.00!!!  That's even with extra medicine and an IV!!

The Beach

For the first time in 9 years we took a family vacation by ourselves without visitors from the US!  We typically save our vacation time for when visitors are here.  We all had a great time and made some great memories.  Our good friends and fellow MAFers, the Whiteheads and their cousin Kim went with us.  It's so fun to share time with friends that you can be yourself with....and they still like you!  : )

The beach is only 8 hours from our home here - but this trip was only our second time there.  The first time we took my parents and I was pregnant with Olivia and not feeling the greatest.  That translated into no one having fun because Andi wasn't happy!!  Oops!  I forgot life wasn't all about me!  : )  So, this trip was a blast because our kids are at a great age.  The Whiteheads say that every year older that your kids are, the more fun vacations will be.  I agree!

The "Casa"

The past couple of weeks were action packed as the school year wrapped up.  The last Friday of the year we always have a school-wide Olympics.   This year was extra fun because our friends, the Hardin's were here and their two boys were able to participate as well.

Evan Hardin and Josiah

Kirsten Hardin and Olivia

Sydney Tachney and Olivia

Right after the Olympics we left for a weekend vacation with the Hardins.  The only downer about that was Josiah started getting sick towards the end of the Olympics and carried on until we arrived at the river.  Not a fun car ride!  The joy of it all was that by the end of the weekend several more kids joined in on the fun!!  There's always a good story when you're with the Hardins!

Here are our pictures from our weekend at "Casa del Suizo."   Always a FUN time!

Kirsten and Olivia waiting for the canoe ride.

To get to Casa del Suizo you have to park and then they shuttle you and your luggage in these canoes to the hotel.  It makes it feel like you are on an island.

Olivia and I before our tubing trip in the river.

The hotel rooms from a tower look-out.

"Sick" Josiah - he doesn't even look sick in this photo!

Mike, Karol and Chad

What a life!

Everyone knows Chad loves to know what's "In Style!"

Chad and the leaches!

Saying goodbye - the Hardins were able to stay an extra day, but we had to leave to finish out the school year.  : (