Neighbours

This morning we drank our morning coffee as Seth dug a hole in our yard and the girls filled old containers with dirty water and made suco do chocolate and suco da laranja.  A neighbour boy had invited himself for breakfast and him and another boy were busy trying to crack open coconuts.  The boy's dog was making himself at home wandering around the yard and tracking muddy footprints around the patio.  Shaun did a good job of reminding me that dirt all over the  house was inevitable when you had healthy and happy kids and a yard full of dirt to play in next door.  I felt woefully appalled at my lack of blogging, yet pulled in all directions to clean the muddy footprints (kids' as well!) before they dried on our cleaned-thoroughly-just-yesterday veranda, as well as dealing with a slightly-under-the-weather Jonas.  Shaun pulled out a book "When Helping Hurts" as he is supposed to read and discuss this his next Mission Aid meeting, and I started uploading pictures to the old blog.  What a pleasant Saturday morning after a week of early morning schooling.  No time pressures and before you know it, it is one in the afternoon and I have to think about a hot meal for lunch.... oops!  I guess it's fries and who knows what else.

Seth already had to take one shower before breakfast.  He's had to rinse off his feet and legs numerous times in our outdoor shower to come into the house, and he will be taking his second full shower before lunch... if it ever is ready.

In this attempt to update you on our lives, I thought I'd show you a bit of our relationship with a few neighbourhood kids that has grown over the last few months.  We'd like to think it is because we are such a great family, but it might have something to do with the mango tree that the kids were getting overly comfortable coming into our yard without asking to pick fruit off of.  We straightened that out, and at least they started asking....

 Our street is a dead end street, and there is one other family on it.  This family has six children, and it has been really great to have them around.  It has been a real confidence booster for Seth especially, feeling like he can make friends with Portuguese-speaking kids.  We mostly see the four youngest, this is the oldest girl.  We think she runs the family when her parents aren't around.  Or maybe even when they are.

Playing hockey on our veranda.  One afternoon and all the sticks are broken... *groan*

A family from a town 20 minutes away spent some of the summer, weekends and Carnival at a house on our street that they rent.  They have two kids that are polite and respectful, and one of them accommodated Lyla's request to be biked around. 

 One of my favorite kids from the family across the street.  She is an energetic little tomboy.

Seth's lego is a big draw for the neighbourhood boys, and sometimes the girls as well.

Neighbour boy entertaining Jonas with a puppet.

Neighbour kids helping teach Lyla to ride a bike.

 And she's off!

Should we teach Jonas yet?

Polly Pockets and Barbies, what more can I say.

Fun neighbourhood activity: the boys made bottle cap guns with elastics and clothespins, and then shot at some old tin cans.

Our felts are also a source of wonder.  A few weeks ago a neighbour boy had drawn a picture of a legoman, which I hung up on the kitchen wall with our kids drawings, writings, etc.  Apparently another kid noticed it, because we are getting all sorts of pictures from neighbour kids to hang up on the wall now!

A kid helping himself to one of our coconuts this morning.

Keep tuned... there's more to follow!