Trying Simple Life in Taiwan

first, please pray for the those in the earthquake in China. Being across the Straits from them, we get lots of news. It is heart breaking, really. We had an earthquake 24hours after that............in the middle of the night.........talk about freaky!!!

anyway, I am tired. i had a long day today and getting a headache. man, seems like the woes of pregnancy has hit me all at once! at 34week check up, dr said Anna Joy was still very breech. We go again on the 23rd and see. that will be about 36weeks.  anyway, we might have to have a c/section.................scheduled right now for June 12th. So, we'll see. I honestly am tired and exhausted with this pregnancy!!!

i haven't been doing alot cooking wise again.........getting lazy, just tired, really exhausted. I did plant flowers though:-) we are hoping to beautify the place, but then again, after baby comes, i won't keep up with it too much.

well, hope everyone is doing well.

and I am still in my pj's!!LOL!!! at least they have all eaten breakfast!!

the boys are trying something they saw on Art Attack, an art program they LOVE!!!

anyway, I have some laundry to do today.....hey do you all like my new ticker at the top? only 8 weeks............sounds like a long time, but it will go by fast. PLEASE PLEASE do pray that Anna Joy turns into position. My dr will give me til 36 weeks to discuss any other measures. Yesterday I mopped the floor japanese style we call it. Meaning on hands and knees. That is supposed to help too. We'll see. We are all excited what this little one will bring to our family!!! not to mention what she looks like!!Oh, dh goes on a trip to China (works with underground churches) RIGHT at my 36th week!! great! and if the money comes in, then he may stay a little longer. I told him that if baby comes while he is gone one of two things will happen (in joking manner of course):1)move with no forwarding address or 2)change all the locks............he got my point!!

We are having to revamp somethings and get ready. In May, prices for gas, electric and our insurance are going up (insurance is going up 13.8%!!!) So gas will be $5US/gallon starting in May. With 3 boys and a soon to be girl, that will mean we need to start being frugal. Of course,dh (Emperor of China as we call him....he was spoiled as a child even though he grew up poor!!) needs to stop being so durn picky as well. The boys just follow what daddy does.

There are many areas we need to cut back on, so we need to think it all over. Our income comes from USA supporters, and there are things that USA supporters just don't realize. Exchange rate for one, we have lost 10% of support just from that!!! And unfortunately, missions giving in many churches is the first to go or get cut back on. So, in September, I will probably have to open up some English classes or start tutoring again to get some more income. We'll see.

Well, I need to get a shower and start some bread...........i made oatmeal bread in my bread machine for breakfast the other day, that was good!!!!! any good recipes out there for a bread machine? I guess I better use my iced tea maker today too. I don't like black tea, but the kids do. BUT everyone drinks it til there is one or two sips left and then no one wants to clean out the container!!!! Maybe i'll make some instant pudding and/or jello today too....................

oh, my yogurt jar was broken after ds2 got it out of the fridge. he was crying, afraid of getting in trouble. The boy doesn't think at all!!!! I told him i was just glad he wasn't hurt that's all. Dh cleaned it up!

ok, have a great one

Well, last week I made a dozen tortillas. Didn't last long at our house!!

this weekend I made yogurt......got a thumbs up from my 5yr old.....that's a good sign.......and didn't make him sick--LOL!!!

today I cleaned the livingroom/dining room floor......Japanese style.....meaning on my hands and knees. I have read that that might help turn a breech baby. We are at week 32 and baby is comfortably behind down and knees to chest, with head in my ribs. Dr said since this is my 4th, he'll give it til week 36 then discuss what to do. I REALLY REALLY REALLY don't want another c/section. So please do pray that Anna Joy turns and stays there!!!

I am really have a difficult time with energy though, and occassionally feeling sick still at 8months!! IF I get a burst of energy, then I use it up and am sooooooooooooooo tired. So please pray for my energy and my um.....irritablity problem lately!!thanks

Sunday night we went to the night market. Something we have rarely done since getting back to Taiwan a few months ago. It is only on Sunday nights here in our town. Before, I noticed looks and comments on the "cute mixed kids".....yeah, my kids are considered "mixed." The technical Chinese translation would be "mixed blood child", though I really don't like translating it like that, but that's about how it is literally translated. Anyway, most don't think I know Chinese, so I just ignore comments and go on. Well, last night, I noticed that not only were we getting the "cute"kid stare and comments, but that we had 3 kids AND pregnant.

This came after Friday English class. One of my colleagues asked me if my kids were going to an American college (hellooooooo...my oldest is only 4th grade??!!!). When I said I hope so, he said "that's better, they wouldn't fit in here in Taiwan college because of homeschooling." LOL!! he got the "talkin' to!!"........then as I was leaving, he says "don't you think 4 is too much?"......took me a minute to figure what he was saying...when I asked if he was referrring to 4 kids, he said "of course, that's alot!". I simply said "as Christians, we feel that kids are a gift and a blessing, not just a money eating responsiblity." He agreed that that was probably it. Most Chinese families see our family size (which I don't consider big mind you!) and think "wow...you must spend a fortune on education and cram schools" (the latter is basically an after school tutorial to keep kids on track or ahead......for good test scores!). When we mention we homeschool, after we pick them off the floor, they say "no wonder....you save alot of money!".........................

Well, it has really occurred to me that in the USA and even here in Taiwan (which is now trying to give out money for people to have children!) really have a thing against large families (aka.....2 child family). It's sad really. Even my ob/gyn said "the governor needs to give you an award for having another child."....................I think we are allowed though for one more in most people's eyes since our first 3 are boys. It is like "well since you have 3 boys, you can stop now after you have your girl." 

I just pray that we can raise our children to not be sensitive to these remarks, even from Christian circles, and let them know they are a blessing!!

i guess that's what you could call it, anything else nifty sounding? gokings 13 is trying to help me through it:-)...........so  I will write what I did today..........I will try to do this often, though I am exhausted and my feet feel like they are swelling.

What I accomplished today:

1. 2 loads of laundry

2. fixin' dinner.........put chicken in the crockpot and then around dinner time made a curry sauce and put that in the crockpot. Had lots left over, so maybe lunch tomorrow and then freeze the rest for an "emergency meal".

3.did a few subjects with ds1.........this is where I struggle, I have other duties as well (ministry and such) and it seems like if I get really domestic, then homeschooling suffers, or vice versa.....

4.  Cleaned out the back/outside room where the trash is kept........our current foster daughter, that is her job to take care of it and the trash........well, I had enough and my million times of telling her nicely didn't work (she is writing as punishment as I speak..........she is 15yr old and been here for 3yrs now, it's not like she doesn't know what is expected of her!!!! and it's is her main job, the trash........she doesn't do much else)

5. took our "daughter" (first fosterdaughter) to her prenatal check up as her dh is out of town working...........she is due one week before I am !!

That's what I did "domestically"......LOL!! I was going to make lunch, but I was so exhausted DH went out and got it. So, I will try to do lunch tomorrow. Though, I might do breakfast just to get back at dh:-p.....he said he DOES eat Chinese porridge, which no male in his family does! He said if I fixed it he would....................I am not good at fixing it though.....................we'll see. I will have cereal tomorrow as I found the whole wheat puff things I like here:-) I am feeling I am getting back to normal............or would this just be part of the nesting syndrome!!!LOL!! 9 more weeks to go.............oh, I have an idea of what I want to do to my flower bed, there is this ONE place anytime we plant things the plants die!!??! weird I know. So I want to see if dh will make me some wood slats to put flower pots on, make it look nice...............so we'll see..............that's it for the pan fam tonight!!

oh, does anyone make home made tortillas? I do, but usually they are gone (all 2 dozen of them) really quick. I am thinking, if I just spend the time to make ALOT, how/should I freeze them.............suggestions?

can someone do or explain making yogurt for dummies? I mean, use whole milk (some say bad for you) use 2% milk? yogurt to use as a starter? times? my oven is broken so I can't put it in there.............set it in warm water in a pot?

my kids love yogurt, so I am thinking of trying to get them on that a little more, and if we can make it, then that will be even better!!! though they like the drinking yogurt...........can that be made?

another thing.....................breadmaker recipes..........are they all the same for any bread maker? guess I need to try to use that too.

Early this AM, dh and ds1 got on a train to the capital, it's a 6hour ride (give or take). Ds1 had to go to an award ceremony for his art project. I don't know if I can get a picture of it....I'll see.....

anyway, dh just called me to tell me the ins and outs...........totally bragging here:-)

out of 7,000kids whose pictures were entered, then 2000were chosen, THEN out of that 200 were chosen THEN after that 80 of those were sent to Japan for another competition. Well, our 9yr old got a special award (they didn't do first second third, but the name was better than honorable mention.......does that make sense?) in the Taiwan competition...........THEN out of the 80 sent to Japan, 75 received awards..............ds1 got honorable mention at that competition too!!!!!

I am so excited!! God has given him a great talent and we pray ds1 uses it greatly for the Lord. I can't wait til they get back and tell me more. DH didn't take pictures though.......bummer!!! But he said it was a long great award ceremony. What an experience for our 9yr old too!!

that sounds so pathetic doesn't it!!!LOL!!! I am probably just having really bad hormone problems right now as well.................

anyway, i had started to do really good or at least headed that way before furlough in September, and now being pregnant........no umpf (feeling sick or tired alot doesn't help the no umpf part!!). Now, I am thinking of a plan, sorta..................

Can anyone help me figure out how to get started on changing things? I realize that it has to be a little at a time, it can't be looking up the steps and saying "wow!! that's a long way to go"..........I know it has to be little steps........one thing at a time..........BUT WHAT!!!! any suggestions? any helps for "Homesteding for dummies".................granted we don't live on a farm, more like the concrete jungle.............we live in Taiwan where you can't buy prepackaged (at least not as much in the USA), but it is conveneint to get out and buy stuff instead of making it.

I have a bread machine (haven't used it but twice!!LOL!!)............I really want some good recipes for it, are they all the same? can someone help me? My oven is broken and don't know when it will be fixed.............so it's crockpot (which all my stuff seems to taste the same from it it seems) or stove top..............my dh is Asian so at least one meal HAS to be white rice..........................

I don't know if I should start with cooking three regular meals? or what? I am such a dunce at all this...............HELP!!! ANYONE??!!

it is 11:30am and we are finishing up breakfast. YUP!!!! why? well, I for some odd reason slept really well last night......must of been the double dose of calcium/magnesium pills i took last night!!!! so I didn't get up til 9:30am. My oldest didn't get up til 10am and the other 2 didn't get up til sometime after that. My dh got up mind you, around 8am  in order to watch the basketball game live..................we are in Taiwan, so the USA night time games are our morning games.

Anyway, I told them that was brunch...........if they get hungry, and they will in about 1.5hours...............what is it with boys?!................we'll figure something out.

I really want to cook, I do. But my kitchen is such a pathetic looking thing, it just makes me ill to go in there. We are renting, so it's not like dh wants to spend the money (and not like we have it) to fix it up. I think I just need to start trashing stuff and say "oh well......hasta lavista" ....then again,maybe that's the nesting phase I am hitting!! Our foster daughter will probably go home in June, that will leave us to just our family. That is downsizing to say the least!!! we used to have 6 kids and 2 adults, now we are down to 4 kids and 2 adults, but in June, it will be 3 kids,2adults and a newborn. So maybe I just need to start readjusting some stuff. Plus, being 7.5months pregnant, I just don't have energy this pregnancy to do anything!!and it's not like we can buy prepackaged, precut foods here. If I want a salad, I have to buy all the stuff, wash it properly and then cut it all..............by that time,I don't want a salad!LOL!!

On a sad note, we have $177US in our bank account..............not all bills are paid..............we do have $600US coming but still, that's note alot. Our missionary support from the USA just isn't cutting it anymore. And it seems like when there is not much money, we eat out more??!!! maybe its the fact of not wanting to go buy groceries.........our oven doesn't work still, don't know when that will be fixed..........it's not like garage sales are a thing here in Taiwan and could do that to get some money. I am due in June and who wants to hire me for a tutor and then have the summer off?!! anyway..........not complaining, just thinking out loud. God has gotten us through things like this before and HE will again.

So, how do you all get over that hump?

just got back from my check up....30 weeks and counting!!! i am ready for this to be over and hold my baby girl in my arms.......though that still seems weird to say since i have 3boys!!
bp was good, getting back down for me, though before it wasn't high for normal people, mine though is usualy low.
baby is breech but dr isn't worried as this is my 4th, she'll turn i am sure.

dr was happy as my weight was the same as last month (when I got a talking a too.....dr has a thing with weight).....and baby gained, so she is now approx. 3lbs
wish I could get the ultrasound scanned.....it is the best picture of her face, not a fancy dancy ultrasound or anything, but came out really well....

we had our 3 boys with us at the clinic today and my oldest, who is 9.5yr old says" looks like an alien to me" ...boys...gotta love them.......

get to go back every 2 weeks now...............developing quite the relationship with this clinic.....this is my 3rd at this place, he is the only dr and he has an apartment at the top of his clinic..............remember, I am in Taiwan, so that's how they do things...................

we have gotten math and English done today......English is becoming a task as their is more written work now involved and well, 9yr old boys don't like that!! still have a few things to do. we only have 4 days this week as ds1 and dh are going up to the capital via train to attend an awards ceremony. Ds1 won an award early in the "First Annual Aborigine Children's Art Competition"............I was told his award was better than Honorable Mention...............so, they have their way paid up there for the ceremony. It might be televised too!!!WOOHOO!!!!!

it's started raining thanks to a storm in the Philippines......the season is upon us I guess..........oh, we had a 5.8 earthquake last night around 11:40pm.......i was watching tv and BOOM!! it was short and no damage, but man........freaks you out!!!

I am laying down as I type this. For some odd reason today, I puked up my lunch and have been feeling yucky since.Only 74 days left or so til baby Anna Joy gets here. Wow! we are all so anxious. I know dh is getting more and more excited. The big thing is.......what will she look like:-)   our boys are all handsome, and being they are caucasian/austroasian (meaning my husband is tribal....of the Atayal tribe), they all have a unique look.

Anyway, we have been greatly blessed by a supporting church in the USA! they had a baby shower for us and sent all these adorable girlish looking clothes. Anna Joy will be the best dressed baby in Taiwan!! we are so thankful for these clothes. We didn't know they were sending things, and I started to cry when I opened the box.

This pregnancy has definetly worn me out and all. I have no umpf to do anything. If i do get some energy, then it's gone really fast. I have been really really hormonal lately as well, mainly to my kids. I don't like that, but it seems like I can't help it. It has gotten really bad.

Our oven is still not fixed. Our monthly support from the USA is not what it should be,plus do to exchange rate we lost 10% there. God is taking care of us though. No reason to complain. Our van a/c is now broken though...........um, not good in the tropics!! I know God will provide though.

Our ministry continues to grow though. We are planning the stages for an unwed mother's home. THere is none on the east coast here in Taiwan. I was really shocked. Resources though are an issue.....no strings attached resources I should say.  But we know that things will work out in God's timing.

I hope to get the umpf to keep up with blogging here..............really tired lately...........it's only like 6pm here and I am trying not to fall asleep!!LOL!

I am typing and listening to Dr. Dobson's radio broadcast on the communistic California ruling on homeschooling........scary to me!!!

anyway, we have hit a record!! two days with eating breakfast at home!! yesterday we ate lunch out, but for the 5 of us, to eat a full meal (well, I had noodles, the boys had their rice and meatsauce and we had veggies, and some had soup) it cost us around $6US. I think that was ok!! today for lunch we kinda had a fruit buffet of banana, dates,apple and pineapple and yogurt. Granted, by 4:30pm, the boys were starving so dh went and got a snack for them.

Why are we not easing into this? finances my friend.........this month was a low month on financial support from the USA AND the exchange rate has plumeted. The US dollar is falling to the Taiwan dollar, so it is getting a little more rough. We will survive though:-)..........we are working hard on not having to use the credit card....that got us in trouble last time. THOUGH next month, I will need to use the credit card to buy homeschooling stuff. But we should be able to pay that back within 3months.

my oven is broken, there is gas going to the burners, the pilot light is on, but there is no flame in the oven part. DH took it all apart and tried, but he is Chinese and well, he just doesn't know about ovens (they don't use them!). So, we need to get the only man in our city who fixes AMerican gas ovens to come and fix it............BUT that will cost us a pretty penny I understand. So, we will need to wait til next month at least to fix it.

as for pregnancy, Anna Joy is moving around alot:-) good sign! though having a girl is DIFFERENT than a boy............I tell you, I am a hormonal mess!!!!

tomorrow is my b-day and dh said he would get me a sewing machine, BUT now with finances this month, we'll just have to wait, oh well........I can live.

well, I need to get going

this is going in the next few hours to our local Christian newspaper....I hope they can translate it ok:-)

well, it's thursday here,a holiday. Our fosterdaughter is home for the day, but going home for a weekend visit. The agency says that since she will be done with foster care June 30th, they will now be having her go home once a month, readjusting........crazy in my book, but hey, what do fosterparents know right? Funny thing, she may stay on her own AFTER foster care as their are no highschools in the village. She is graduating from Jr. High this June. So, anyway, my boys still have to do school today.

God is really doing somethings. Tomorrow, Friday, I have a meeting with the head of Garden of Hope here in Taitung. I am meeting with the unwed mother's dept. head about adoptions. I am so excited about all this. This is such an opportunity for our ministry. God placed adoption stuff in our laps a little over a year ago I guess and wow, things have just taken off. We have had the privildege of placing 6 children in Chrisitan homes, two of those we made contacts via the internet!!

Saturday, I go via 2.5hour train (ugggghhh! my train leaves at 7am as there are only two trains going down south that day) to a city down south of us. There is a new home for unwed mothers opening up. The 1st is the open house and then they are ready for people to come. It is being run by a few missionary woman and national helpers. They want to work with us for adoption.

See how God is working? Luke, my beloved dh is working hard on the paper work to get us officially registered with the gov't so there are no problems at all. Not that there would be as most of the adoptions done here in Taiwan are done privately. So, now you know why that little box for chip in's is at the top of our blog. We are praying to get money raised for a building so we can take more kids in, not just for adoptions but for other kids in need of a home. So, please do pass that or our ministry site.... www.mlchome.org  around, even if people just put $1 in that is $1more than we would have before (yes, i am the optimist!!)

So, in addition to all that, I have failed the past few days for breakfast, cooking it that is. We have eaten at home for lunch and dinner, even though my oven is now broken......it won't heat up which I found out while trying to cook a casserole..............anyway, we are taking this little by little.

Oh, dh is going to get me a sewing machine for my B-DAY  now, can I get infant/kids or even adults patterns via the internet? I could probably ask my mom but they are like.............sick and my dad is to have knee replacement surgery blah blah...........well.........you get it.

anyway, that is it on us..............

so hopefully I can do a little better. Though I went to bed before 11:30pm last night, early for me. Only woke up a few times to use the bathroom and at day break to put my eye covers on......I cannot sleep if there is any light at all and so I wear those eye masks. Anyway, I heard ds2 coughin' as he has something due to the weather being unpredictable here lately. Finally I decide to get out of bed to use the bathroom. It was 9:30am!!! Dh and ds3 are still snoozin' away. Though I did wake up with a sorish throat, not sure what to take, other than gargle with my sea salt. any ideas what a preggo woman can take? I will up my probiotics and my vitamin C. I admit that we haven't been eating healthy AT ALL!! I really need to start doing that.

I think that before, I tried to change too much at one time. That can be exhausting and just plans for failure really. My goal is to eat breakfast at home Wed-Sat., though Sat can be flexible. I know you all think this sounds crazy..why don't you eat at home? remember, we live in a foreign country where there are stands everywhere to eat at. And in some cases (like one noodle shop we go to), it is as cheap to eat there (including vegetables...all cooked very nice by the way) as it is to buy it. Things have gone up dramatically here, other than salaries!!LOL!!

So, lunch and dinner will be home this week too, though the weekends are flexible. It is hard though as being pregnant, my tastebuds have seemed to have changed.............we'll see.

I am crocheting now.........thanks to you tube..............I am crocheting a baby blanket, I 'll post it when I am done. It's not a pink blanket as I don't think EVERYTHING needs to be pink.

Well, hopefully I can write again of success later this week.

(double post from my homeschoolblog)

First, my husband is thoroughly impressed with the little Chip in ticker down to the right side.....it is a place for people to donate money via credit card or paypal or such to our children/teen ministry (www.mlchome.org) . It has only been there like 72hours and we have $118 US so far. He was so shocked. Please feel free to pass it around. This money will go to helping children and teens with education as well as the adoption ministry God has placed on our hearts.

I was sorta cleaning up things, you know, old things you print off the computer when you are in a "go get 'em homeschooling" moment!LOL!! anyway, I have been kinda puttin' pressure on myself for not doing so much around the house. This pregnancy has really worn me out, and the weather here definetly hasn't help at all. Then I was reading....don'tchya like it when God does that....places things in your hands at JUST THE RIGHT TIME!!.......there was an article I read....ok, to paraphrase and make a long story short.......should I be more concerned about the time folding laundry, baking bread (ok, I don't bake bread, but hey, you know what I mean), and all these duties, or concerned over spending these years with my kids as they grow? you all have read my recent posts (ok, my dad and a few others...2?) and it seems like I have complained alot about my 9yr old. I have......but it has made me realize that I really need to not focus on getting all the chores done, or cooking just that right meal and such, but focus on my kids! DUH!!! you are probably saying, but as homeschooling moms/parents.....don't you find yourself focusing on those things?house work, cooking, keeping up with others (aka....perfect seeming families). I really doubt any of you out there can say, "nope, never had that problem."

This all comes about as well after totally blowing up at my kids. You know how it is, trying to concentrate on a phone call and it seems they all get loud and fussy JUST THEN!! 9yr old kicked it all off with a smart alec comment and then I blew....HORMONES WERE A RAGIN'!!  But my response wasn't right, though it felt like it at the time, it wasn't. I really need to watch myself on that. But you, there are more important things in life than these material things we see and want...........KIDS!!! FAMILY!!!! yuppers.....that is the most important.

ok, so not a new one for all you out there in blogland, and not a new one for me.............but a reminder for homeschooling stress.......be happy you have kids to make messes and fuss with and love on and hug on......one day they will grow up.........

i have started to get some more energy back up. maybe it's the cold weather or something here, i don't know. Ok, cold here is alot different than cold in the USA!! in our particular area, 58F is setting a record cold! some places in Taiwan, the mountains mainly, it's like the first time in 5+years that it has snowed!!!! we live in the tropics people!!!! it is a cold wet, especially in cement houses with no heat. We have two heaters, one for the boys room (so they can sleep allnight!) and one downstairs, which the teens take to their very very cold room on third floor. our room is one of the coldest (except for the teens) because we have a door to the outside balcony. I have checked my windows a few times to see if the curtains were blowing because I didn't close the windows.....nope, just poorly put in windows.

I cleaned our living room/dining room last night.....haven't tempted to clean (meaning vacuum and mop) the kitchen. I am still bringing in hot water from the bathroom to wash the dishes. Did lots of laundry and checking out what baby stuff we have that looks even close to femine!!! not much.......we are gonna have to hit the grandparents for some stuff!! dh is looking better to buy a sewing machine for me for Christmas.

I may only post once a week here. I wish I had time to do alot more. In addition to homeschooling, ministry, adoption ministry and fosterparenting, I am now enrolled and going to take classes for a master's degree in counseling. My dh and I prayed about it and really, if he had said no, I wouldn't do it. He had not approved before for other times I asked,but this time he came to me and said he thought it would be beneficial for our ministry and up coming ministries. SOOOOOOOOOO waiting for books and workbooks. Not to mention we have a baby coming in 130days!!!

So, gotta really work on this frugality stuff and organization stuff. Though when I am under pressure I usually do well. Hope to keep you all updated on our life and ministry.

Til next time

Deana

I attacked the dishes that have been in the sink for a week.......I know, that sounds bad. There weren't that many, but then I realized that people had been adding on to them. Remember we weren't home for a good 4 days either. We ate out (which is not like eating out in the states, you can find very cheap places....like $25US for a family of 6) the few days before we left too.

I had to go get a little bucket/pan type thing today. I then filled it up with hot water in the bathtub, then took it to the kitchen to wash dishes. Though the dishes were rinsed in cold water, it was much more tolerable. Since we don't have hot water in the kitchen, cold days like this are awful. I do boil water to pour over the dishes before they get placed in the rack for air drying.

The boys did one load of laundry today.I will do one tomorrow. I was able to sort some clothes out as well. Not really anything slightly femine looking. There are a few things, but everything has blue on it!!LOL!! grandparents to the rescue:-)

I am hoping to do crockpot bbq chicken legs tomorrow for dinner. I gotta get myself back into gear for all this domestic stuff--LOL!!!  Kids were told what breakfast is tomorrow, hopefully we can stick with it!

Baby has been kicking alot lately, but always stops when daddy tries to feel it.Ok, it's almost 11:30pm and I will be in bed with lights off tonight at 11:30pm

This was on my homeschool blog. Last night  I made a bigger sock..purple....I honestly am not a pinky sorta gal, fushcia maybe but much prefer purple (color of royalty!!LOL!!) When I finish the other one, I'll get it up. GRANTED I am having a June baby and we are in the tropics.

My next project MIGHT be a rectangle sweater........When I finish it I'll let you all know. I did get some yellow and pink fluffy stuff to make a blanket.........we'll see...........sigh....now if I only would wash the dishes and cook, it might be better.... we don't have hot water in our kitchen and it's cold here right now!!brrrrrr

Here is the hat and booties I knitted....my first ones!! whatchya think?

My husband's neice and our family on the wedding meal day ....the thing on my head I was forced to wear :-) All the female relatives (I am an aunt) had to wear them. It was quite itchy! Traditional for the Amei tribe that we were at. The husband is not aborigine, but Hakka. Luke is Atayal and his neice is half Atayal tribe and half Peinan, but the family lives with the Amei tribe....confused?

The roads to get there!! as well as surroundings! I'd love to live there! Actually, one of our previous foster girls is from this area......she doesn't live here now though as she goes to Bible college.