Already late. . . .

For posting each day this month. oh well. . . here's a shortened summary version for August 1-4th. We were on vacation away from technology well. . . until yesterday. . . and enjoying every minute of being away from technology. So I am not going to let that 'technological' glitch deter me from the days that I am one with technology. So August's theme is GREEN! There are so many things to talk about for the GREEN theme, like the environment, recycling, the many things that are GREEN, how to live more GREEN, etc.

So I'll start by talking about how we try to save energy and resources in our house. If you read my last post, I highly encourage my girls to use ice cubes to make cold water instead of running the water for 10 minutes to get cold tap water! There are many other ways we attempt to be "greener" too! We have a composter and are teaching the girls that food waste can actually be made into energy for our new garden. I believe this fall we'll have enough to mix into our garden soil for a great spring planting next year! Then there are the usual, turn off the lights before leaving a room, close doors behind you, wearing certain clothing items more than once, using the same glass/cup for the entire day, etc. These are sometimes hard things for all of us to do, especially when we are not used to doing some of these things! So green, is the theme for August. We'll see how many green topics I can write about! So happy blogging and reading~

It has to be cold water!

So my youngest Ms. B is very spoiled and well. . . . I don't know. She has to have cold water when ever she drinks water. She can't have lukewarm water right out of the tap, she insists on running the water until the flow over her finger feels "COLD". Then she will let it fill her cup. So now we keep a container in the fridge for her, but tonight she refused to drink out of the tap! She refuses to drink water from the tap up north too, "it doesn't taste good" or "it tastes funny". UGh! So when people ask me if the girls have aclimated, of course my answer is YES! TOO MUCH sometimes.

A few weeks ago we had a sit down discussion regarding the frivolous use of water in our house. The running of water for minutes to get it cold to our liking. I would rather the girls put a few ice cubes in a glass than to let it run just because they don't like the temperature. I have asked them if they had cold water in Ethiopia and of course the answer is NO. I want my girls to have all of the opportunties that the world has to offer, but really cold water?

Posting from Remote

Using the new MacBook Pro to post. Yes, I purchased a new laptop so that I can be mobile!! It's a great thing. The Mr. and I have already figured out how we are going to converse next week when I am away at school. My fancy new technology has a webcam already installed and has wonderful voice quality so we are going to use a webcam for the Mr. and we'll be all set! So much to do before leaving for Pittsburgh on Monday! WOW. . . . . . The girls and I already tried it out tonight out on the porch! WOOHOO!

The girls finished summer school today. So next week they will hang out with a cool teenager for part of the week and daddy for part of the week. Then on Friday will come and retrieve me from the airport. . Think I'll be smarter? Well. . . but I'll definitely be more tired! I'm happy to say that the new Marriott I'll be staying at in PA has free wireless so I'll be so connected to my family. This is what I keep telling myself. Actually, I'm pretty nervous leaving. And for a variety of reasons, but I know it's only for a few days and then we get to have some vacation time together, so that will be nice. So for now, I am connected via the webcam! I can talk to the kids and the Mr. every morning and night!! This is when I very much like technology :-)

I know I missed two days!

Oh well, I had other things on the mind and they were more important than trying to come up with a post. I won't vent or tell any stories here, not the right place. So my humble apologies. Hopefully I made up for it a little by posting the great pictures of Miss B. She's quite a ham! She loves to have her picture taken too!

Introducing my synchronized swimmer~ Miss B.

Here she is! Ready for olympic competition! She had a great time playing in the itty bitty pool (mommy is frightened to get anything bigger right now, and they are not complaining) and got real silly! Anyway, here is Miss B in her new Speedo performing the best of the best moves in synchronized swimming.

Remember When

We first came home! This is the first picture taken of us as family. It was taken in Ethiopia and we had been with our girls about 5 days! What a great picture! These are the sunglasses we sent with another traveling family. They were, we all were so very excited and tired and you name it! Anyway, first family picture and lots of memories to go with it.

trying really hard

to be positive about the weather! I know we need rain for things to grow, but it's getting to be to much. It seems everyday we have either a tornado watch or warning, flash flood warnings and severe thunderstorm warnings. The girls and I checked the weather on the web and there are two days listed without rain! I know I'm cranky about the rain, but the kids get super punchy and well. . . unbearable at times because it's summer and they can't go out! It's also very humid so we are all in the basement cooling off. We really don't like to turn on the air conditioning so we escape to the basement! Oh well. . . . My guess is that July is going to be dry dry dry! And I'll try not complain about that! UGH!