And Lydia

 And....successfully putting everyone under her spell.

Bring It Summer!!

Successfully completed third grade, first grade and kindergarten.  

 

Merry and Bright 2010

 

It IS a wonderful life.

The Source

 

Uploading in the U.S.A. is an absolute dream. There were weeks at a time that I couldn't even get logged into our blog and then when I could, it would take a Rip Van Winkle to get anything to upload. Some frustrations/aspirations in life...are worth eliminating or at the very least putting on hold. So blogging gave way to living and playing on the island. And I'm glad for that.

So now I think I might just post our year last year for a whole 'nother year. After all, Eric will be glad to point out that we have about 15,000 or so photos. Really? I think he must be including his photos that he took of mosquitos landing on different colored pieces of fabric. Truly. It must include the thousands of those as well. Or not? No matter.

Volcano filtered water, anyone? Tasty.

Our Kentucky Home

 

All right boys. We will now sing hymns in English, French, Tahitian...and Bluegrass drawl. Look sharp.

"What? You don't want to wear flip flops and shorts to church anymore? Why not?"
"Dylan? Yes?"
"You love Tahiti. Me too. You like THAT house. You like PK 18 (beach). Of course."
"When will we go back?"
"That's a tough one. That's a tough one."
"Yep. Let's send Tati Annie, Tati Marie, Tatita and Tati Fifi and all our friends lots and lots of kisses."
"It's all right. Let's dry those tears. I'm sure they're thinking of you too."

Papeete Ukeleles

 

It's a good day when you make this discovery on the corner of town where you happen to be. And you happen to be there because while you were waiting at the bus stop, a woman stopped and offerd a ride to you and your toddler which you accepted surprised but glad. So instead of cramming into the faded, worn bus full of people, you get to talk to a Tahitian dance teacher and exchange stories in French about your children. And so when you get to town, this is where you say good-bye to your stranger good samaritan now friend. The chorus of voices and the strumming of ukeleles makes you stop and for many long moments, you know that all you need to do is just stand there and enjoy. Such happy sounds in a happy world.

 

When I say something like, “It’s totally crazy that our water comes into the house through an above ground hose that looks pretty much like a basic garden hose,” Eric will say, “Well you should see the system in Ecuador!”

When I say, “Wow. That bus I rode the other day. It was pretty trashed, noisy and dirty.”
“You should see the busses in Ecuador!”

“It sure would be nice to have a car here.”
“Well. You wouldn’t have one of those in Ecuador. Hardly anyone has a car.”

“There really are people living in those shanties under the coconut trees. Can you believe it?”
“You kidding me? The housing is great here compared to Ecuador.”

“It’s just awful that petty theft is such a problem.”
“Well, at least they’re not coming at you with a machete. Like in......(you guessed it) Ecuador.”

“It is so hot here? We are all drenched in sweat! An air conditioner would be nice.”
“I don’t think I even sweat this much in Ecuador.”

And so I am pretty convinced. I am glad we are living in Tahiti NOT Ecuador. Even with all the sweating.

Sunday Afternoons

 

Were meant for nice walks. Peaceful thoughts.

Celebrate!

 

Dad by day. Super hero by night. Weapon of choice? Football, of course.



Question: What does Dad-Eric like to eat?

Dylan (2.5): “I don’t know.”
Isaac (almost 4): “Cake. Pink. No. What if he had chocolate?”
Benjamin (almost 6): “Peanuts.”

Question: What’s Dad’s favorite drink?

Benjamin: “Can. The Cherry one.”
Isaac: “Juice.”

Question: What does Daddy do at work?

Dylan: “I don’t know.”
Isaac: “Check ‘s moskitos.”
Benjamin: “Study mosquitoes. Work with a microscope and pipettes. And then he catches more mosquitoes.”

Question: What is Daddy’s favorite thing to do?

Dylan: “Don’t know.”
Isaac: “Go to work.”
Benjamin: “Watching BYU win.”

Question: Where’s Dad’s favorite place to go?”

Benjamin: “The beach of course!”
Isaac: “I cahn’t r’member.”

Question: What do you like to do with Dad-Eric?

Dylan: “How about. Make a mess. Clean up BIG mess.”
Isaac: “Play trains.”
Benjamin: “Play football with Daddy.” (Which he did yesterday. When discovered sitting on the sideline, Benjamin was then asked why he wasn’t playing. “I’m the coach!” Apparently, Dad really needs one.)

Question: What is Dad good at?

Benjamin: “Catching the ball. But not catching Frisbees. Last week at the beach, he kept missing the Frisbee. But I caught it every time.
Isaac: “Throwing the football in the clouds.”

Question: What should we get Dad for his birthday?

Benjamin: “We should get Daddy one of those movies. With a super hero in it. A DVD. Wouldn’t that be fun?”

 

Happy Birthday.

In the Leafy Treetops

 

"Moooooooooooom, where are you? Come and see me!"

Ward Choir

 

I'm still struggling to communicate in French, but I'm getting pretty good at singing in French.

Joyeux Noel

 

 

Relief Society Talent Show Paea Stake, Tahiti

 

When the sun shines, it's laundry full throttle.

Expat Day at the Beach

 

MOMA

 

Installation PK 16.8

Web Album

A Day with Dylan 

 Dylan wanted to invite you to spend a morning with him so he can show you his neighborhood and give you a feeling of what it is like for him to live in Tahiti. The nice part of NOT being here on vacation is the chance to experience the ordinary living of a place. There are so many stories we have to tell of tsunami warnings and impromptu hikes into the mountains to get to high ground, of facing the intruders and of meeting new friends; of personal triumphs. Sometimes we're so busy with the living of it and the being of it that we are asleep long before the stories are repeated. But we are well, safe and doing more than surviving. When the soft sun of evening highlights the array of pinks on the hibiscus trees around the yard and we are laughing under the blue sky with the cartoon clouds, it is all that happy should be. All that we hoped.

Bonjour Reva!

 

We love it when this boy from the house behind our back fence comes out from his gate and yells "Bonjour" over our side fence. Reva is exactly the kind of person we WANT to hop over our fence and play. He's like our own little secret garden kind of friend because we've lived side by side for a few months and he and my boys only just now discovered one another. We blame the fences.

Sunday

 

Benjamin at Church




Sorry Neil, I don't remember how to take out the truncation...and I didn't really have anything else to say.

Some Scribbles

Some notes I jotted in my journal because obviously not every day is a well-edited essay.

At breakfast: Isaac sweeps a hand over the table decked out with our plates of pancakes and complete with a group of small stuffed animals eating mini pancakes, “Is this real? Is this all real?” “What do you think?” Almost to himself he says again, “Is this real?” “What do you think?” I ask again. “I think it is! My animals are real. I give them words and they talk.”

One day in July:
Bedtime conversation with Isaac: “My something special was seeing the boat dock and the tugboat. (Talking about stuffed friends) Dora was at the temple. Bluey and Ne-ne went on a walk. That’s all.”

Benjamin created The “Puppy-Pulley” and gave rides to all the puppies, the cat and Isaac’s horse all afternoon long.

Another day in July:
While Benjamin and I were making our list of things we would do for the day.

1. Get dressed
2. Hang up wet swim suits (that were soaking from yesterday)
3. Make a robot
4. Go to the beach
5. School

Benjamin discovered that Dylan and Isaac had been following their own agenda in the playroom. “Emergency!!! Emergency!!”

I went to the playroom to discover a bit of mayhem. I looked at Isaac and said, “What are you doing?” He puckered up and blew me a big kiss. They had a regular playdoh factory in progress—playdoh and toys to hither and yon. According to Benjamin it was an “emergency because had mixed all the playdoh colors together and had made a mess on the floor and they should have played with it outside.” We decided that
1. Mixing the colors wasn’t so terrible and they look pretty
2. It would have been better if they had played outside “and asked permission”
3. But it could all be cleaned up
4. And it would be good to clean it all up if everyone wanted to go to the beach.

That’s the least little emergency ever.

Another day or so later:
Isaac climbing out of the bicycle trailer says, “Done for the day. That’s what Pampa always says.”

On a Sunday afternoon:
Isaac fell asleep and missed eating dinner with all of us. Once he woke up he was insistent that we all needed to sit down again and have dinner with him. I suggested that maybe he could eat with Dora, (stuffed dog) and Panda instead. “NOoo…I want to eat with real people who can talk to me.” Once we had all acquiesced and sat down at the table with him since who really does want to sit alone eating with the gecko on the ceiling and the moth flying around, he then insisted that we all needed to have food. We tried to protest; we’ve already eaten. But of course, that wouldn’t do. So I said to Benjamin “Why don’t you get your bag of leftover fruit loops?" It had been that day’s be-quiet-in-church-incentive. Jubilant Benjamin jumps up, “I thought you’d never ask!”

Highlights of the Week (July 25-August 1):

Roulettes: Boats and racing around the gazebos and making sure that Dylan didn’t get himself too involved in the soccer game some kids were playing in front of the roulettes (little stands that sell food).
Benjamin’s prayer for Linda and her children on the night they were flying to Tahiti
Friday night shopping at Carrefour
Fair in Fa'aa
• rode dragon roller coaster
• “train” ride with boys in forklift, jeep and tow truck
• steak and fries dinner
• Orangina, Orangina, Orangina (Dylan's chant any time he sees a bottle of his favorite drink coming to our table).
• Tamari Group Performance (One of the groups that performed in Heiva. WOW!)

PK 18 Beach Day
Walked along the oceanside to meet Eric at the beach
Great snorkeling
Getting a calling at church—I knew because I heard my name over the podium even though I didn’t know what the calling was (Primary pianist)
Last day with Sister Eleanor as the nursery teacher. (Sniff)

August 3, 2009
After a Family Home Evening in which Benjamin had arranged the furniture, led us in the songs, selected the stories to retell (Lehi and the tree of life and King Benjamin complete with capes and scripture quoting), initiated the game (hide and seek) and then took us all outside for desert, he says, “That was my best ever Family Home Evening that I ever put on.”

Talking with Isaac about going to school, Eric says, “What do say when you go to school.” Isaac: “Toilette!”

Special Things of the Day:

Benjamin: "Family Home Evening and making a circus tent outside."

Isaac: “Taking a plane trip with the animals and getting back to Tahiti.”

Dylan: “Beach. Fun.”

August 5, 2009
Benjamin announces as he passes me: “We’re H.I.P.’s. When there are fires we rush to them and open the emergency doors. We also set things up for performances. There’s going to be one tonight.” Hears pretend fire. “Sorry. I’ve got to go. We’ve got to go open the emergency doors.”

Lately August 19, 2009:

Isaac: “Where’s that big fancy car that I drew for you yesterday?”
Me: “In the kitchen.”
Isaac: “It’s a van. I forgot to draw you in it.”

Me: “Do you think you can handle this school thing?”
Isaac: “You know I don’t speak French.”
Isaac: “My teacher asked me if I learn French. Where does she live?”