This is how the kids ride...

This is more footage of the roads in the neighborhood of the assembly hall...The boys seem to like it!

Driving in Quito, Ecuador is not for the fainthearted!

This gives you an idea of what the roads and area looks like in the neighborhood of the assembly hall.  Jan, Jesse, and I were just returning from two wonderful Bible Studies.

Update on the Project (December 28)

 In this picture, you can see some of the work already done, in the foreground, and today's pour in the background.

 

This gives you an idea of the labor involved in the stamping process.  It is hard work, but the brothers are really happy with the outcome!

Making Peanut Butter Cookies

 Jan had the boys help her make peanut butter cookies in the missionary home kitchen this morning.  We had a blast!  The cookies turned out pretty good...we are saving some of the dough for our special cookout, Friday at lunch.

Tuesday December 28

 

The boys had the
privelege of washing the missionary home stairs with "Aunty Jan" this morning.

Grant- The Doctor

Grant found a "needle" to go in his syringe.  Talk about improvising!  I couldn't believe Jack and him didn't get any stickers!

Jesse is getting the royal treatment here!

This is Cally, the asssembly hall caretaker's wife.  She has been one of the ones taking excellent care of us while we were sick.  She has also taken a liking to Jesse, even babysitting him for me for a few hours.  That was a giant piece of cake, which he thouroughly enjoyed, after WT study last Monday.

Monkey Boys Hanging Out in The Trees

 The boys seem to be adjusted and enjoying life in Ecuador. 

View from the assembly hall of Quito

The wall is part of the assembly hall property, and borders the entire property.   In the background, you can see some of the city of Quito and landscape beyond.  This photo was taken from the very top of the assembly hall property.  Our room is located at the bottom of the hill.  It is quite the hike to take the garbage out! (garbage is to the left of this photo)

A Before Picture of the Project

Travel to Ecuador was a bit rough...but, we made it!

Monday in Ecuador

Well, it is Monday morning in Ecuador.  We are all starting to feel like ourselves, finally!  Jesse is still having some tummy trouble, but the vomiting and diarhea have stopped.  Grant still never got "the plague", as we have named it, but seems to be fighting a cold, along with Jack and I.  I guess it is all related.  Ugh!  But, enough of that...
We were able to attend some of the Waddington's circuit assembly, here at the assembly hall yesterday.  It was pretty nice to walk around the corner and be at the assembly!  It is a beautiful assembly hall that holds quite a bit more people than ours in Woodburn.  The boys were little celebrities, everyone pointing and talking about them.  One brother even made them pose for a picture...that was pretty funny.  It was a very nice experience to be with the brothers and sisters.  The songs, especially, are always so moving...
Today, our day began at 6:30 am.  We eat breakfast and consider the text in our room before walking up the hill to the project site for the kick off meeting at 8.  There is a couple who are here to help with the project from Australia, originallly.  They live in Ecuador now.  And then there are the two caretaker couples and a different assortment of local brothers and sisters each day who are invited to help.  It was pretty funny when we were all assigned a day on which we could do our personal laundry.  I got Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and the weekend!  I guess they could tell that I will be in need of doing constant laundry, just to keep up with the kids!
The boys are adjusting well.  They have a few balls here and a toy sword.  What more could they ask for? 
Matt is in town with Roger today, shopping for concrete supplies.  I am anxious to hear how that goes.  It is far different down here than at home when it comes to concrete.
We have family Watchtower tonight at 6:30.  In addition to our family, there will be about 12 people in attendance.  It will be conducted in english, but the songs will be sung in Spanish.  Matt received the assignment of conducting Watchtower study in two weeks.  We were assigned to the Waddington's congregation for the length of our stay, except on the Sunday(s) that Matt will be giving the talk at the English congregation here in Quito.  Well, that is all for now, we have to head up the hill for lunch.
We will post some photos and video soon... Love to you all!

WE ARRIVED IN ECUADOR!

Hello everyone!  Well, we have FINALLY arrived in Ecuador.  Saying the trip was long or tiring would be an understatement.  Day one of traveling from Redmond to Miami, with two long layovers, was tiring but uneventful.  The boys did great!  We were really proud of them...quite the little travelers.  Grant and Jack pulled their own carryons throughout the airports.  We enjoyed watching them as they went.  It was pretty funny seeing all the other travelers reactions to our little "clan".  The boys didn't understand that their carryons don't turn with the same preciseness that they did, and more than one set of bystander toes suffered because of this.  We arrived in Miami Monday night, and were picked up by a wonderful brother.  He took us to his home where an amazing guestroom was waiting for us. The  next day we spent most of our time with Beau and Tia Natvig, friends who just moved back to Florida from Bend.  We had a really fun lunch at Rain Forest Cafe.  It was great to be with friends. 
Wednesday morning we woke up nice and early to allow us plenty of time to be at the airport about 2 and a half hours prior to boarding.  Imagine our surprise and dismay when Jack woke up, came into the bathroom, and proceeded to vomit.  The poor kid was so sick;  the kind of sick that if we had already arrived at our final destination, it would have been really upsetting and concerning.  But we still had at least 12 travel hours to go!!!!  And so, with very heavy hearts, we arrived at the airport at just 2 hours before departure, which proved to be just barely enough.  We had to laugh at ourselves.  Imagine this:  We are in line for an airline that nobody has ever heard of;  we are alone with our four carryons, 7 checked bags, stroller, personal items, and three children.  One of those children is throwing up about every 30 minutes.  Matt cannot leave the bags because they will either be stolen, or someone will try to smuggle drugs into the country in them.  So, that leaves me in line to check in, with Jack throwing up in the stroller and Jesse sleeping in the backpack on my back.  Keep in mind that there are few to no English speaking travelers.  Also, everyone is plastic wrapping their bags so that they will not be broken into.  We got checked in and made it onto the plane, with no time to spare for coffee or breakfast.  But, we were on the plane!  Poor Jack continued to throw up for the entire day.  We spent several hours on layover in Caracas, Venezuela.  Our connecting flight was approximately two hours late, with no expanation.  That put us into Quito about 2 hours late, but, a small group with balloons was waiting for us.  We were so happy to be on the ground, with Jehovah's people, heading to a clean, safe, and comfortable room.  We finally got in bed at about 2:30 am.  We have now been in Quito for two days.  Jack is slowly making progress.  Then, early this am, Jesse started throwing up.  So, the  boys  and I have spent almost all our time here in the room, while Matt tries to get things planned out for the concrete project.  That is all I have time to write now.  Know that we are safe and being well taken care of.  Love you all.  One day we will look back on this and laugh, right?

An Ordinary Evening in Our Home

We are going to Ecuador December 13 through January 19!!!

As some of you know, Matt, myself, and the kids have been invited to Quito, Ecuador to work on a concrete project at the assembly hall.  This assembly hall property also provides home to the missionary home where our dear friends, the Waddington's, live.  Needless to say, we are soooo excited!  The project should take approximately four weeks, including the first week of planning and designing the details of the work.  We will be housed at the assembly hall in one of the guest rooms/apartments.  Matt has been asked to bring down some public talk outlines...so, it looks like we will get to meet many of the friends in the nearby congregations.  The boys and I are invited to help Matt as we can with the work.  In additiong to that, we will also join the Waddintons in the ministry as often as possible.  Please keep checking our blog since I will be posting updates of our stay as frequently as I can. 

Circuit Assembly Cleanup

The boys enjoyed helping vacuum after the circuit assembly last weekend.

LAST DAYS OF SUMMER

This was taken just days before Laela started Kindergarten.  We were joking that she will be that stinky girl in the back of the class, because we will never get all that dirt off her!

I guess I need to clean my garbage can...

So, the other day, the boys were making a big mess in the living room.  I told them that they needed to clean up.  So, using a container that resembled a small garbage can, Grant started putting the mess inside of it.  He then asked me if I had any "spray that smells like yucky" to spray in the container that he was using.  I asked him why he would need that.  Pointing to the kitchen garbage can he said, "So that it smells like that".  I guess I need to deoderize our kitchen garbage can sooner rather than later.

"No, it is not a popcicle"

So, I guess I never really thought about the fact that my boys don't really get a well rounded education in girl stuff.  After all, I am not that "girly" myself.  For example, they think it is the strangest thing when a woman wears pantyhose.  It was actually embarassing for a while because they would squat down at her feet and rub their little hands up and down her legs... then they would kinda pinch the pantyhose and pull them away from the skin.  "What are these amazing things?!" you could almost hear their little brains saying.  So, when Jack came across one of my tampons the other day, it was no surprise when he asked me, "Is this a popcicle?"

Country Living

It's never a good sign when Matt calls me to help him with something using his "I am calm, now, you stay calm" voice.

The Dancing Duo

I found Grant dancing in the office to this old country song.  Jack quickly joined in.  I had to get this on video.

SuperHero Blooper

We had just gotten home and the boys put on their dragon costumes for the first time.  Jack got a little hung up...

Poop Happens (Frequently In Our House)

So, this is what happens when you decide to stay on the couch and finish the last couple of bites of your dinner, instead of immediately going to get the newly awake baby.  I wish I could say the bites were worth it!