Spring Break Recap

Since our school is still operating in the midst of Covid-19 (helloooo homeschool life!), we were eagerly looking forward to Spring Break.  Everyone needed a break, maybe Mama most of all.  We took a week off after Easter, and lots of fun ensued. 

We asked the boys what they wanted to do during Spring Break, and they created a lengthy list of activities, including (but not limited to):

                                         ●  movie night                     ●  campfire

                                         ●  critter quest                     ●  archery

                                         ●  Dragonwood                   ●  Settlers

                                         ●  painting                           ●  Tetris                                        

                                         ●  cinnamon rolls                ●  Ninjabread cookies

                                         ●  walk to the river              ●  sports

So it was a busy week!  But such a great week.  And Eli was home with us!  He was able to take the week off with us which made it all the sweeter.

Easter Day was a wonderful day for us.  It started early since the boys woke us up before the sun was up, excited to see Easter baskets waiting for them (which they'd totally forgotten about and made it all the more fun).  I had saved some candy from American visitors awhile ago, and the boys were elated to see all the special candy.  And we realized that they don't know what some American candy is anymore.  They had no idea what Twizzlers were.  Or jolly ranchers.  Or Hershey kisses!  I've officially decided that when we're in America next, we'll be doing an "American candy tasting party" so these American kids know their way around the candy aisle at the store :)

Most importantly, we enjoyed a beautiful morning celebrating our Risen Lord!  And Caleb and Kai received their first full versions of the Bible, which has been so meaningful and special.  Watching our kids get so excited about reading the Word and learning how to look up stories/verses for themselves is heart-squeezing.  They still look at the children's Bibles all the time, but now they compare those stories with the full passages in their new Bibles and it just fills me up every time!

Here are some snapshots from Easter Day.  There was lots of time playing outside, along with the all-important Easter Egg hunt, followed by Resurrection Rolls!

These two are chained at the hip and I love it!

I filled the Easter eggs with Tootsie rolls - 

also from our American visitors and also a candy the boys were unfamiliar with

Resurrection Rolls have become a new tradition for us, as long as we can get our hands on marshmallows.  I brought a bag of marshmallows across the ocean with us last year and used them on Easter, and this time I saved a bag of marshmallows that my parents brought over in November just so we could use them for Resurrection rolls again on Easter.  Yes, I saved marshmallows for five months.  I know how to plan ahead!  And how to make all the special stuff last as long as possible.  You don't wanna know how long I hold onto things like M&Ms...  At any rate, these delicious treats are the perfect way to celebrate Easter.  Not only do they remind us of the Empty Tomb, but they taste so good that you can't help but declare "Praise the Lord!  He is Risen indeed!" as the cinnamon sugar marshamallowy goodness melts in your mouth.

All of that was only the beginning of Spring Break!  Every day had something special on the agenda.  It was a week for the books!

The boys were recently introduced to a show called Critter Quest where a naturalist from Michigan explores and finds critters.  Naturally, these nature-loving boys wanted to emulate his example, so they packed their backpacks and we set off to find and identify critters around our compound.  This is actually a very normal activity for them.  They find critters every day, but this was an official Critter Quest, complete with picnic lunch in tow and backpacks full of bug-catching tools and critter books.  Plus Dad was available to join - could life get any better?

Kai was adamant about wanting to learn "grown up" Settlers of Catan.  He loves Catan Jr. (thanks to Grandma Horn for getting that across the ocean!) but he's seen grown-ups playing the real Catan and was desperate to learn for himself.  So we invited some Catan-playing friends over and taught this game-loving boy how to play "grown up Catan".  Mission accomplished!

And of course they wanted to pull out their bows and arrows.  We don't let them use these too often because, well, we've learned the hard way that three little boys running amuck with bows and arrows is a recipe for disaster.  But when an adult can give full attention to their antics and keep them all in line, lots of fun is had by all.  And they're actually pretty good at it.  Asa is shockingly good at shooting those arrows.  And what little boy growing up in Kenya doesn't want to pretend to shoot arrows like a Maasai warrior?

And now we're back to life as usual.  We've already got another week of school under our belts.  It was a tough week, but the end of the year is in sight and that gives us motivation to keep at it and finish strong.  And after that: summer break!  The boys are already planning all sorts of summer activities :)

The She Shed

Our new shed is officially named "Hitchcock's Folly" because our friend who built it, Nathan Hitchcock, named it so.  But it's also being affectionately called "The She Shed" because I'm the one who begged and pleaded for any kind of outside storage to free up space in our house from all the outdoor kid toys and gardening tools, etc.  After being in Chogoria for a year, we finally have a shed!

After trying and failing two times to get a shed built via local channels, we gave up and asked Nathan to do it.  He's a nurse by day and handyman at all times.  And he literally built this beauty from the ground up.  He concocted a plan with whatever local materials were available (or could be ordered in), and bit by bit he built us a shed.  Oh, and he also let our kids "help" him almost all the time.  Clearly this man is full of dedication and patience!

The main benefactor of Nathan's kindness and patience with our children was our Kai Guy.  Kai is a builder at heart and he was in heaven, let me tell you!  He may have skipped a decent amount of homeschooling to participate in this project :)

Even Eli got to help sometimes!  And he learned some new handyman skills like mixing cement and welding.

Asa liked to "help" too and made his best contribution by painting.  He actually painted a bit, believe it or not!

Once the mabati was on, we all signed the back before it was installed on the concrete slab.  Psalm 127 has been a theme for me this past year, and it seemed fitting to reference that psalm on the shed:

Unless the Lord builds the house,

its builders labor in vain.

Unless the Lord watches over the city,

the watchmen stand guard in vain.

In vain you rise early and stay up late,

toiling for food to eat --

for he grants sleep to those he loves.

Sons are a heritage from the Lord,

children a reward from him.

Like arrows in the hands of a warrior

are sons born in one's youth.

Blessed is the man 

whose quiver is full of them.

They will not be put to shame

when they contend with their enemies in the gate.

Now the shed is done!  And we've put the soccer balls and sidewalk chalk and diggers and dump trucks in there, along with the hose and the machete and other things for the shamba. 

We are so excited this project is complete!  And so thankful for the kind of friend who would willingly gave days of his life to undertake this project.  What a gift and tremendous blessing to the House of Horn!