A new roommate?

For the 4th time in ten days, two Americans showed up at McDonald's with several kids in tow...now, I really am thankful for McDonald's (never thought I'd say that), but I am ready to put some space in that relationship. One more sleepover and then...

I gave my boys the choice of ordering pizza or going to McD's and you know what they choose. They had great behavior in the restaurant. Apparently, all my kids love ketchup and there were more than several attempts to dip into my ketchup (everyone got one packet) and then the fry stealing attempts began. They're funny boys. Angela had joined us for dinner, butI told her we'd meet her at home...the next day was her birthday and I'd asked the boys what they wanted to do to celebrate her birthday. They said a party (so what do you need for a party?)and a gift...jewerly to be precise. We marched down to Meli Melo and I asked the boys if they wanted to get her a necklace or a bracelet and they chose a necklace. In small groups, we searched the small store and together they picked a silver necklace. Each boy was handed money and they paid for the oh-so-beautiful necklace. Now we needed food for this party. We went to what could be compared to a convience store and each boy got money and was told to buy some of the things that they had mentioned earlier we would need for a party. It was a great learning time of not buying exactly what somebody else was buying, two Cokes were enough, we probably don't need to have cereal as food for the party, etc. They each carried their blue basket (very necessary, each customer must have one!) to check-out and paid, which thank God the cashier was a kind woman and when their purchases went over, she took off what was too much to make the amount of money each child had work. They got the change, we stuffed as much as we could into my bag and homeward bound we were. The tour of the house was given again, the stereo turned on and spoons distributed.... what? Games are great for teaching you to wait for your turn, how to loose and how to win, how to work together and how to entertain yourself. So the game of Spoons has officially come to Casa Nadia and it was a hit. They we worked together to make chocolate chip cookies and they changed into their pj's and piled onto the couch for another running of Spirit, the horse movie. Fortunately, I like that movie so it's ok for the third running this week. As the kids are about the get money from the government, I gave each boy play money with which they had to "buy" their cookies and drinks. It was fun for them and for me. Time to brush teeth. When it was bedtime, I crawled to each child and prayed over them and then Angela and I sat nearby, rubbing backs until the beautiful silence occured. Morning came much too quickly. Another movie and I made pancakes and bacon for breakfast, which came with a request to share the pancake recipe with the cook of Casa Nadia! Funny! As I brushed my teeth that morning, I noticed that a new, red toothbrush had appreared in the toothbrush holder Angela and I use. Hmm...guess someone's movin' in!





Several more rounds of Spoons with the suggestion from the kids that no one have to leave the game even if they didn't get a spoon, and then a game where you did have to leave if you didn't grab a spoon. Madalin spent quite some time in the kitchen, where he washed plates, utensils, bowls, etc that had been used Wednesday night and Thursday morning and even the counter and sink got a scrubbing! WOW!