Negligence

Summer time I am always negligent in my photo and blogging duties. There are so many great photo opportunities as we spend our time in Michigan that I find myself just enjoying the moment and not capturing anything on film. Here are a couple of photos that others have forwarded me. You can see we had fun this summer.


our "shack" in grand haven

leena at the dollar tree

ani having a good time -- she loves michigan!

More coastal bliss

from a look out post at Ft. Jesus

Ft. Jesus - fort carved from a coral cliff by the portugese in the 1500s.

port of mombasa

ani at the hotel

One might think from these infrequent posts that we spend most of our time lounging on the coast. Not quite true, but we did make a journey to Mombasa this weekend. Ben had a work thing and the girls and I came along for some fun in the sun. It's actually been quite cold in Nairobi these days.

Vacation! Part II

We went to the coast again -- this time with the kids and friends. It was fabulous and our friend Olav took some great pictures.

Vacation!

Ben and I took our first kid-free vacation this week. It was absolutely wonderful -- sleeping, reading, relaxing on the beach. We had a cabin on the Indian Ocean and it was very tranquil, with the exception of monkeys breaking into our cabin on the first night.

Photo shoot!

We had our talented neighbor and friend Anne take some family pictures of us the other afternoon. Unfortunately, the kids were having a hard time cooperating. Just when Ani would come around to smiling, Leena would burst into tears. Still, we got some cute shots.

Holiday Season Cheer

Here's a recent picture of us at Aberdare National Park. We spent a night there this past weekend. Beautiful and I just love seeing the elephants wander out of the brush on the mountainside. Also, it was COLD, which put me in the holiday mood. While Thanksgiving makes me a tad homesick for family/friends, I am enjoying the Christmas season in Nairobi.

I like Christmas like anyone else but get worn out by it back in the US -- it's just too much -- (too long, too many parties, too much shopping, too many desserts, etc...). Here it seems a bit more contained. So far, we are able to limit the gifts (3 per kid) and if I feel like a holiday dessert, I make one instead of a sea of them foisted upon me --- granted, I always oblige because I love sweets, but regret the stomach aches after. Right now the girls and I are into singing carols, decorating, and making wrapping paper per Santa's request.

Song writer

Ani loves to compose her own music. Here's a clip of her on YouTube. The wicker chair is her piano and the coloring page is both her sheet music and lyrics inspiration.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgk_zw599Qk