It has been awhile since I have posted and updated everyone on life in the Caribbean. We are still blissfully happy with our world down here...
Today, we are preparing to host the school staff at our house for an American style thanksgiving meal. It's potluck style, so everyone is bring something to add to the table...we are hoping for some great caribbean food...I think jerk turkey would be yummy.
In the meantime, I am doing laundry, making pies, and having the kids clean up their rooms, playroom and bathrooms. Rick is scurrying about getting tables and chairs from the school amidst a "Pink Ladies Baraar" (No, I didn't misspell 'bazaar' that is what all the signs say all over the island!)
The kids are doing well, we had a bout of a stomach flu this past week. We think Toby brought it home and had it a week ago Saturday...from there it went to Keighley, Isaac and Noah all on Monday night...It hit me Wednesday and so far has skipped Rick totally! Thankfully, we were able to enjoy our weekly date at Fidel O'Murphey's Pub...we go and grab a bit to eat to share (usually a turkey club) play some rummy and watch rugby or UK football.
All four kids are in Children's choir with the church. When I say kids choir, I don't just mean what you think I mean..a group of kids getting together over sunday school to practice a few familar songs and sing them a few times a year in front of "big church"... no, no, no....
I am talking about a full on, full fledged production...with costume changes, lights, makeup, tryouts, professional photo shoot, the works!!!!!!!! Our kids were given a scholarship to be able to participate...Keighley is in heaven!!! She loves it...all of it...she even got an understudy part, a solo in a song that she will preform in 2 out of the 4 shows they do!
The whole thing is a bit overwhelming, but the kids are enjoying it...even Toby (whom everyone adores...he is known islandwide!!!) It also has given Rick and I some much needed date time...Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings we get about 2 hours to go out, kid free, and do whatever we want! This is how we found the pub!
Work continues to go well...I do not do well with politics so I am working through keeping my head down and not saying too much. I have a very interesting role and I don't think that anyone who has my job will ever actually be allowed to do it! So, I do what I am told and teach my classes. I am enjoying teaching very much. I get to teach the 9-12th graders Bible.
Rick is finding his feet with Science and Math, there is a great SEN and Math department head who are working with Rick on all the kids who need extra help and those who are way ahead of the pack. He gets along well with his co-teacher (who is Barbation and has been in education for 45 years!)
Noah is finishing up his football season (that is caribbeanfor soccer), he has enjoyed learning the game, but its been hard learning curve, these kids have been playing since they were infants and they have little patience or tolerace for a big white kid who doesn't know what he's doing! Noah continues to do well in school, he is leaps ahead of his class in reading and math...we are looking at having him tested for promotion to 3rd grade (the system down here is about a year behind)
Keighley LOVES school! She made principals honor roll for the first quarter. She loves her teacher and classmates...especially loves having little girls to play with (life with three brothers isn't always a tea-party!) She loves to sing, dance, and preform. She also loves the beach! She loves to snorkel and her new favorite beach is Smith Barcadare.
Isaac is reading!! They have him working on site words and word families in PreK! (PreK is a year head and then somewhere they fall behind!!) His handwriting has improved and he loves Mrs. Bender to death!!!! He too loves all things beach and underwater. He also likes jumping off the rocks at Smith B too!
Toby is the sweetest little munchkin. We took our 1st ER trip for a head injury with him last month. He has recovered well and still talks about "the medicine up my nose" with great disdain. He tolerates preschool, he'd rather not go but stay home and play Thomas all day. I wish that we could keep him home with one of us...he's the only one who didn't that time home!
We are very much settled in...our house with its empty walls and sparse furnishings is home! We love all the space! The other day the kids caught a baby ignaua and brought it home. They kept it as a pet until sundown and then set it free. I hung my wash out in the caribbean breeze to air dry in the bright sun. We will have tons of new friends over later to celebrate this time of Thanksgiving in all our lives!
Tomorrow we will have our Granger Family Christmas decorating time! Two whole bins we packed were for Christmas!!!! We love this season. Rick will load my school computer with Christmas songs and we'll start the countdown till school break!!! (Dec. 17-Jan 3). In the meantime, I will turn 34 next week!!!
Life is good!
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