Ski Day

One of the sacrifices I have made for international teaching has been not skiing for 4 years. Yes there was that time in Dubai... but that doesn't really count. It is with a mix of emotions that I look at my Colorado friends ski pictures on Facebook: I'm happy for them sure, but couldn't they try to look just a little less happy in their pictures?

Anywhoo- we set out today to go bowling, and after being told it would be roughly an hour wait for the lane to open we decided to hit the adjoining arcade.

"and then I saw her face, now I'm a believer"

okay- maybe not the soundtrack that was playing in my head, but when I saw the ski game I knew-just like that- today was a ski day. The graphics were fantastic- 80's one piece all the way- its too bad they don't show up in the pictures.

So take that everyone back in Colorado who just had to suffer thru a blue sky spring ski day! Ski Day in Caracas! and we never did end up bowling.

 Check out that form! I still got it!

 you can take the boy out of the mountains but you can't...

The kids are in the way!

Pretty sure this is yet another example of me mistranslating things, then deciding my mistranslation is more fun than what the sign actually says.

I see this sign out on the tuesday morning run and always just thought it said "kids in the way"

so true I would chuckle- so true.

But it also makes me think about our kids and what this whole experience will be for them. A large factor of us choosing to live overseas was the hope that this would be something cool that would be a positive for them. That said there are times when... well, they are just in the way.

Mostly weekends when there isn't anything to do. You can't just send the kids out to the park-in Qatar it was because of sandstorms or heat, In Venezuela its because... well it is Venezuela (no details, my mom might be reading)

So this post is about what you have the kids do when there is nothing to do and they are in the way

homework - just look at the joy on that face

 read to your brother- maybe a book about healthy eating choices

 play with army guys/ nerf guns/ neighbors/... or all 3.

Justin's helmet was fantastic, and the "plunk" sound the nerf darts made were perfect.

duct tape them to the ceiling... don't think I haven't thought that thought. Unless you work for child services then I have never thought of duct tape as a parenting tool.

 Play a board game... Lisa's favorite perhaps

take em out for ice cream.

 Give Luca a musical instrument (not a peaceful idea)

I always like to give vague directions like "Luca, go wash your feet"

Leave your phone out only to find it with a few new selfies.

and although we try, try, try not to watch that much- watching TV on the laptop is always an option. Moving from a home that never had TV, this has been one of the hardest things to swallow about being overseas. We now use TV as a timekiller, a babysitter, pacifier, etc. Its hard not to and we do our best to find other activities but man, we have watched more TV in the last 4 years! 

 

can you guess where the TV is in this picture?

Now, I write this tongue in cheek- we (hardly) ever think of our kids as "in the way." They are amazing little people and now as we start to wrap up this 4 year overseas jaunt I can honestly say my main memories will be sharing so many cool things with them and Lisa.
-to which they will undoubtedly reply: "thats nice dad, now can we have some screen time?"

We love you- you little weirdos

Saturday at the market

I don't always go to the Saturday market at Chacao but when I do I go with MSR and have a really good time, and usually find some good food too.

The morning starts with parking and a sample of some good street art.

First order of business upon entering is juice. Fresh squeezed OJ (will try to get a photo as the machine is wicked cool) and straight out of the coconut water. I've never had it fresher.

Next is the most important part- 2 mushroom empanadas and a coffee. It slows down your door to door shopping time but trust me, -worth it.

 

After finishing up on the top floor (fruit) you head down to the big show- vegetables, cheese, eggs, chicken, and... bananas.

today there was some art inside as well- a cola is a line. 

Here is the onion and garlic aisle- it smells...

so good. 

 Camburs! We usually end here because it is by the door and there is a bench. I love it because the lady I buy my bananas from always sees me sitting there and brings me a sample banana to enjoy.

I've written about Chacao before- but just had a good time and thought I'd let you in on it.  

One more shot- after shopping and back at the school we wanted to see how many ways we could rearrange the I love Venezuela sign. Here is one- with some help from Graham.