Summer Break

I hope all of my American friends had a great Fourth of July!  I have decided to take a blogging break for the summer.  I am in the process of adjusting and regrouping, and I am planning to be back here more regularly the end of August.:)  I hope you all have a great summer and I'll see you again in a few weeks!!!

Re-Entry

This past week and a half of coming back to the states has been very different than the last three summers.  When I came back the other summers, I was a visitor, on vacation.  I didn't really jump back into the U.S. culture, but I hadn't really grasped the Nigerian culture either.  I was an "in betweener".  I could have the best of the U.S. fast food restaurants and rationalize it because I couldn't get that in Nigeria.  I could bounce around from friends and family's homes and visit and not have to think about where my children would go to school in August.  It seems that in many ways, my expat life has come to an end and the reality is that if I keep eating at McDonald's the way I have been when I have come back over the last three years for an unknown length of time.....I will probably be as big as Jabba the Hut!!!! 

Things are definitely different this time around.  I feel like I am noticing more because I know I am not leaving this time.  I have had to find a house, and register the the kids for school.  I have been trying to watch how much junk I'm eating.....but it's hard when you are relocating.  I thought I'd share a few things I've learned on my re-entry:

1) Bruno Mars is not a planet

2)  New Direction is not on my navigation system, but it  is one of the latest heart throb boy bands

3)  Nicky Minaj's song "Starship" makes me want to throw my hands up in the air and shake my bum bum

4)  I can consistently drive my self around in a car by myself, and am loving the back up camera on my new car!!!!

5)  My patience has been tested to new limits without having Happiness here to help me with the kids:)

6)  I am not taking the clean, well maintained streets for granted here

7)  I kind of miss the bumpy,flooded streets on V.I. and the okadas whizzing by

8)  I am not the same person I was when I moved away three years ago

9)  I see people differently now

10)  I'm afraid I will become boring....I kind of miss Lagos...yep...that is a huge shocker for me, too!!!

The past few weeks have been full of happiness and confusion for me.  I know I lived here three years ago, but I can't help but feel I am a little different now. Angela, a friend of mine I met in Lagos wrote to me the other day and she said she was so happy for the time she had in Lagos because "it made us all come alive again". I can't agree with her more. I don't know if I realized it when I was there, but I saw so much and did so many things I otherwise would have never done if I hadn't gone.  In a way, living there did bring new life into our lives.  My hope is that that "new life" will stick with our whole family so we can continue to "see" people and celebrate the differences all around us.:)

He's Back...

On Friday, Guy landed back in the good 'ole USA.:)  The kids were so happy to see him and so was I.  It had been a long week of jet lag, househunting and not sleeping. I needed serious reinforcements and I did miss him...just a little bit.:) We were so happy to have Guy with us for Father's Day. For the last three years, the kids and I have traveled out of Nigeria the beginning of June and not returned until the beginning of August.  Guy has always joined us in the U.S. the beginning of July so we haven't been with him on his special day for a while.  It was a great day of eating good barb-e-que and being together with the best dad my children could ever ask for.  And it was topped off by some pictures of our trip to South Africa with some frames from the real Lekki Market in Lagos, Nigeria...not Houston, Texas (Poor elizabeth....she is so confused.:)

Happy Father's day to my dad, Father-in -Law, Grandpa and all the great dads today!:)

Gold

It is so interesting to me how life always seems to work out.:)  It has been a little bit of a sad and confusing week (not to mention the jet lag) since coming back to the U.S. from Lagos, but it always seems like the universe seems to balance itself out.  As lost as I felt a few days ago, these past two days have been filled with hugs and smiles from some dear friends right here in the U.S.  Laughs, hugs, and some glasses of wine with a good friend can take all the sadness away.:)

My "silver" friend from Lagos in Houston.:)

And a waffle the shape ( and size) of Texas can bring a smile to any one's face.:) ( Courtesy of our hotel).

Lizzy was camera shy!!!???

These are friends I had before moving to Lagos (thank you Amy and Jim for having us over!) and who have stuck with me the entire time I was gone. And, guess what!!??? They are here to welcome me back!:) There is one more dear friend who I haven't been able to see yet.( Although I did get to see her husband who graciously let me store some of my very heavy bags from Lagos in their home.  THANK YOU!!!!)  She has been traveling to see her family, and she'll be back next week! Once I see Emmy again, it will most definitely feel like I am back home.:) Last year, I wrote a post called Silver and Gold about the new friends I made while living in Lagos.  I am so thankful for my "gold" friends for sticking with me on this three year adventure even though you didn't understand it all the time. My friends, Jen,Mindy,and Kirstin who didn't live near me before but have always been just a phone call away have also been there for me and supported me.:) I thank all of you for everything you did to not make me feel like I was a crazy fool for going to Lagos. You all let me go on this journey and then, were ready to welcome me back into your lives with open arms.   I am so thankful to have you in my life.  You are my "gold".  Thank you for welcoming me back home:)

Jeremy and his Godparents:)

I Wish I Could Have Read this...

Here is a letter I wish I could have read before I moved here...

Dear Meredith,

Don't worry about feeling all alone in a new place because there are nice people all over the world, and most of how you will do in a  new place is based on your attitude.

Don't sell yourself short and think you can't leave things you know...you are stronger than you think.

Don't worry about losing friends from your home because your true friends will stick with you through it all even when they don't really understand why you left.

The power will go out, but consider yourself blessed that you have power at all when so many here don't have it at all.

You will never sit at a table and look at all the food the same way again.  You will see people starving and parents who have nothing to feed their children, and you will feel blessed for what you have.

You will have an amazing opportunity to meet people from all over the world and you will love it!!!  You think you won't because you will be far from home, but you will love it because it will open your eyes to things beyond your life in the U.S.  Put that knowledge in your mind and remember it for the rest of your life.  It is truly a wonderful opportunity for you!

Your children will learn acceptance and tolerance for people of other races and religions.  They will not identify someone by their skin color but by how they are treated.  Your son will learn to identify flags from all over the world.  Your daughter won't remember her home being anywhere but here.

You WILL be sad when the day comes that you have to leave, but love your stewardess anyway.  She will be your guide and your friend in this foreign land. It will hurt terribly to have to say goodbye but love her anyway and know she will always be in your heart.

You will have to leave all the wonderful people you meet here, but throw yourself into everything you feel passionate about even though you hate saying good bye to things you love.  Leave your "thumbprint" on things which are worthwhile.

Most importantly, remember to "see" the world on this adventure.  This is truly a wonderful experience for your entire family to see outside themselves and learn tolerance and acceptance for people all over the world.

I know you will worry and wonder if you will be able to live in Nigeria, but take the leap of faith that everything will be ok.  You are ready and you will have a wonderful experience!!!

                                                                                                      love,
                                                                                                    Yourself:)

In an Instant

Yesterday morning 15 people woke up and got dressed and went to church in Bauchi State, Nigeria.  It was something they probably did every Sunday.  And, while they were walking out of church talking with friends and visiting with loved ones, a car bomb exploded right outside the church and those 15 people lost their lives in that instant...

Yesterday afternoon while the kids and I were enjoying a great afternoon of fun with some friends from our compound, a Dana Air flight took off from Abuja headed to Lagos.  While my kids were laughing and having fun with their friends, over 150 people lost their lives in a plane crash right near the Lagos International Airport (which is on the mainland.  We live on Victoria Island a good distance away.).  Guy is in Port Harcourt and was watching CNN, and immediately tried to call me.  All the CNN report said was that the plane crashed into a building in a heavily populated area in Lagos.  Guy had no way of knowing what building it could be.  I never even heard the phone ring with his frantic phone calls while I was was laughing and having a good time with my friends.  Poor Guy, when I finally checked my phone I saw that I had missed three calls from him.  Needless to say, he was relieved to know we were safe.

The only thing which could make that crash even worse is that the plane crashed into a heavily populated residential area of Lagos where houses/shanties are built so close together it resembles a can of sardines.  There is no way to know how many people on the ground lost their lives or are injured.  What is known is that all people on the plane lost their lives, but it will probably be a while before there is any report of how many people lost their lives in their homes...

In a country where there is poverty and sadness all around most days, Nigeria did not deserve these acts.  But, things like these could happen anywhere at anytime.  We all need to remember that each day is a gift and there is never a guarantee of tomorrow for any of us.  The one thing we can do is love our loved ones right now at this moment.  All of our lives could change in an instant...

Fierce

Yesterday morning, I woke up to some thunder outside.  The thunder and rain quickly subsided and the sun was shining bright through the clouds.  After about forty five minutes, the sky turned dark again and the kids were a bit confused if it was night time again since they had woken up a little bit before.  Then, the rain and the wind started in, and the rain was blowing sideways.  I tried to capture it in the video to show you how quickly these storms can blow in from the ocean.  The ocean off the coast of Nigeria is such a beautiful thing, but it has a fierceness that nothing on this earth can rival....

Yellow Fever

When we moved to sub Saharan Africa, we knew we were coming to a place where we could be exposed to several different diseases and sicknesses.  The top ones being malaria, typhoid and yellow fever. When we moved here, we all had to get a series of vaccinations so we (hopefully) would never get any of these diseases.  Until yesterday, I didn't know there is  "yellow fever" that you really cannot avoid here in Lagos...

Fatai was driving me around the Falomo bridge roundabout trying to get on the bridge to head back to Victoria Island.  We were about four rows deep into chaotic traffic trying to find our way to the very narrow opening to enter the bridge when I heard a very loud banging sound on the back side of our car.  I thought it was an okada trying to weave in between the cars and misjudging his girth. When I looked over my shoulder, I saw a traffic police officer walking along the passenger side of the car.  My window remained rolled up....but I could hear him loud and clear.  At first he was yelling very loud in Yoruba...and I don't understand too much Yoruba, but his facial expressions and body language could clearly tell me he was very upset.  Then, he started yelling at Fatai in English that he didn't see him waving him to stop.  I looked around at all the chaotic traffic and thought this guy is really trying to control THIS????!!!!  Yeah, clearly he was having a bad day and then I kind of felt sorry for him...what a terrible job...standing in the crazy Lagos traffic and no one listening to you as buses zoom past your outstretched hand and okadas not minding any traffic rules.  I guess we were just the ones to get the brunt of his frustration.  And, as many altercations in Lagos end, the traffic officer stopped yelling and eventually waved us forward with a disgusted look on his face.

When I got home, I told Happiness about it.  She asked me if he was wearing an orange shirt. I said he was.  She told me I was just infected with Yellow Fever.  I said, "Yellow Fever??" and she said " Yes madame, Yellow Fever.  Those traffic police try to infect everyone with their yelling and arm waving."  I told her that was odd to call them yellow fever because their shirts are actually orange. She said that there was an Afro beat artist named FELA who coined the name yellow fever for the traffic police here in Lagos.  Happiness told me that since she was little that is what many Nigerians call these officers.  I found it a bit amusing that it took almost three years for me to be "infected" with yellow fever.  With all the craziness in this city, I would have thought it would have been sooner.:)

Out On A Limb

For most of my life, I have had a fear that whatever I may want to write other people wouldn't like, and sometimes, I still feel like I'm in sixth grade trying to read my essay to my class and feeling my face turning beet red and hot.  I got so nervous, my stomach wouldn't stop flip flopping and I couldn't even speak.  I just looked over at the Sister (I went to Catholic School) who nodded her head discreetly to let me know it was okay for me to just sit down.  I remember thinking I wish I could just sink right into the chair and become invisible...

I am happy to say that I have come a little further today, and I have been writing on this blog for almost three years now.  I know many of my readers are my wonderful friends and family. But, there are a few of you I have met along this journey.

I haven't told too many people that I am a writer for World Mom's Blog because I was/am a little scared that people may not like what I have to say.  But, today my first post on World Mom's Blog was posted, and there is only one person who has liked it so far.  Somehow, I don't feel like I did when I was in sixth grade.  I'm glad I was able to write and have it posted today.  It is a huge milestone for me to "put myself out there".  So, if you have a chance you can check it out here www.worldmomsblog.com
If you want to check out the post and it's after today, May 31, click on the link above and type
"Meredith" in the search box on World Moms Blog.:)  My post should appear after you click search.:)

And, if you don't like it, tell me ....or don't tell me....or do tell me......or don't........okay, maybe I am still like the scared little girl in sixth grade!

Finding the Love

This morning, I woke up as usual and took my shower.  I went to get Jeremy up and made him his breakfast.  I got him to the bus and came back upstairs to get Elizabeth ready to head off to school.  Then, I was taken aback by a comment I received from someone I have never heard of who read a post from last year on my blog.   It stung a bit, and then I started thinking.  Why is it that there can be a million things that someone does right, but it is the one thing that is wrong that everyone seems to notice?  I know that everyone does it.  We all make snap judgments of people based on a small glimpse into their lives.  I am one of the people who is guilty of it, too.   I used to think that some of the parents in Nigeria were terrible to let their babies ride on okadas.  But, now, I realize after learning more about their lives here, for some, that is the one and only mode of transportation which is affordable for them to get to work and make money for their families.  Do we all really follow the old saying "You can't judge a book by its cover?"

It's ironic that I just had a conversation with Guy the other day, and I realized that many times, I see the negative things in a situation first before I ever see the positive. Most of the time I see all the negative things in myself first and foremost.  It is a learning curve for me, but I can definitely say that living in Lagos has taught me more about acceptance and understanding than I ever had before.  

Why is it that people may read a newspaper, a magazine or a blog for years and enjoy it everyday without one single positive comment to the writers, but then he or she sees one thing which offends her and that is when all the negative comments come?  Words can hurt and they can never be taken back like a piece of clothing which doesn't fit.

I remember when I was living in New Orleans, I stopped at a local grocery store so many times on my way home from work.  I was always tired and would run in and grab whatever I thought Guy and I would like for dinner.  I went to any of the cashiers and to be honest, I was usually in such a hurry to get home from work that I never even really paid attention to what cashier I was going to.  One night, I was in line and ready to check out, and I realized I forgot something. Instead of doing the "rude" thing of telling the cashier to wait on me while I ran back to grab something, I collected all of my things and went back to get the item so the people behind me could go on ahead.  When I came back to check out, I put my things on the first counter I saw and all of the sudden, I heard a loud voice screaming, " I see how you are!!!!!  I see how it is!!!"  I looked up for a second and saw that two check out lines over, a cashier was yelling those words to me.  I was a bit confused , and then, she went on, " I see how it is!!!! You just wanted HER to check you out....you go on and make excuses about forgetting something!!!!"  I still was a bit confused and then realized when I finally bothered to even look at the cashier in the line I was in that she was white and the other cashier was black.  I NEVER EVER had that intent in my mind......I simply forgot about an item and went up to the first check out counter I saw.  I felt terrible inside....I couldn't believe I could be judged like that.  I was so embarrassed and hurt that anyone would ever think that way of me that I left the groceries on the conveyor belt and just left. That cashier had no idea I taught African American children from the projects all day and loved my job. I LOVED those kids! She judged me in a moment and thought she knew me....

Why do we (as people) seem to gravitate towards the negative and not rejoice in all the positive? I guess what I am trying to say is before you say a negative thing to or about someone else, please try to see the "whole picture" first.  Try to look at someone as though you are assessing them as an essay question and not just a one word answer.  I think many times that is the reason why feelings are hurt and wrong judgments are made about others.  And if the entire essay is bad, then, and only then, call it what it is.

 I love the song Where is the Love by the Black Eyed Peas . I think it sums up just what I am trying to say.  And maybe (just maybe) we all can start to see the positive in people and finding the love.:)

Liquid Gold

This morning I ran into the kitchen to fill my water bottle up before going to help at Elizabeth's school.....I always take this for granted...

It's just a water dispenser, but when you're out of water around here...it can really be a problem...

A few weeks ago, while I was helping at her school, we turned on the tap, and there was no more water.  Let me tell you, you haven't lived until you have to bring buckets of water "bucket by bucket" to flush the toilet for 20 little ones 4 and half and younger!!!  Not to mention having to wash the kids hands in a bucket with the only water left from the bottom of the water tank...

I don't know why it never really occurred to me before, but just like electricity...the water supply is not central and many people (like me) have water delivered not only for drinking water, but also for just water for the tap and flushing toilets (in huge water tanks...usually on top of the buildings).  That was another "aha" moment for me (Thank you Oprah!)!!  I had seen these tanks before, but never really thought about what would happen when that "endless" supply ran out!

That's why, when I saw this this morning I was pretty happy....

The terrible, loud sound of this water tanker filling up the water tanks at Elizabeth's school is the sweet sound of not having to bring buckets of water in to flush the toilets!!!!! That's worth more than any box of gold! Yay!!!!:)

Finding the Beauty...

Guy has been gone to Port Harcourt for the last week, and the kiddos and I have had some ALOT  TONS of time together!!!  Tonight, as we ate dinner listening to the background  music of "Nuzzle and Scratch"( BBC CBeebies), we ate our dinner in perfect harmony.:)  As a matter of fact, I think I even heard the words, "I love you, Mommy!" uttered...without prompting.:) ( A miracle perhaps??? I'll look into it and get back to you later!) After dinner, Lizzy sat down and did what she has really liked the most these past days....she has discovered masking tape...and I am telling you...there is just no stopping her with the endless possibilities this tape has in store for her.  It has been everything in these last 2 weeks from bean bags (don't ask me) or a balloon???  I have no idea, but I can't help but smile when I see her in "the zone" with her tape!!  Finding the beauty in the little things is the key to happiness, right??:)

p.s. Kirstin, thank you for inspiring me to change up my blog's appearance...a new year calls for a new look, right!??:)

in "the zone"!

Visions of Sugarplums...

It was more than just "visions of sugarplums" for us today....these visions actually came to life before our very eyes!!!:)  My mom took the kids and me to a Sugar Plum Fairy lunch to meet all the characters from the Nutcracker Ballet.:)  We are going to see the actual ballet next week,with the Saint Louis Ballet Company but she thought it would be a great idea to make the characters seem more real to the kids if they could actually interact with them and even get their autographs!!:)  The kids have really enjoyed reading the story of the nut cracker and it was so neat to see their faces when they got to see the characters:)

Getting ready to go !

at the lunch:)

Chinese tea signing an autograph

one of the candy canes

Jeremy and the Snowflakes

The snow king and queen

Arabian coffee

The toy soldiers

It was a great afternoon, and I know the kids had a great time.:)  They are so looking forward to seeing the characters come to life on stage next week!! Thanks mom!!!:)

Cookies and Color

Today was one of those days when I felt like I was living in my parallel life...the one in which I live in the U.S., and I can just run over to a nearby hair salon to trim my hair and touch up my color. Oh, and did I mention, I didn't have to sit in traffic for three hours just to get this done!!??? Let's just say I was more than a little excited to get my hair done since it hasn't been touched since June!:) While I went out, my mom and the kids made some Christmas cookies together.:)

The haircut: too much money!

The hair color: way too much!

Time spent alone and having someone else wash your hair and give you a totally awesome head massage:

PRICELESS!!!!!!



My "Do"



And I thought it was just a Pencil Holder!

Since Jeremy has homework everyday this year (still getting used to that!!), I quickly realized that I needed a bigger pencil/crayon holder. So, I went to one of my favorite stores over on Ikoyi, Ethnikologie, and found this really cute little pail. I thought it was so cut,e and I loved the African huts on it.:) The other night, Jeremy was coloring a picture, and I heard Happiness talking to him from the other room. He asked her what the ladies were doing in the picture.  I heard her telling Jeremy that they were making pounded yam, and that it was a lot of work for them to pound the yam . "It takes a long time." she said.  Then, Jeremy asked who they were.  She proceeded to tell him that one was the senior wife and one was the junior wife.  I was waiting for him to ask about that, but nothing came up.  Score for me...awkward conversation diverted!!!!  I am still getting my head wrapped around the fact that some Yoruba men do actually have more than one wife, and the other wives know about it and it is perfectly fine with them.  I don't want to sound ethnocentric, but it is still something which blows me away in that culture.  It really isn't a big deal for a Yoruba man to have more than one wife!!!



Then, he wanted to know what the girl was doing. Happiness told him it was either another wife or a daughter of the husband who was cooking a stew...( Still good, he didn't ask anything!)

While the father/husband was sleeping in the hut waiting for his meal to be served to him...

Okay, so I had no idea all of this could be derived from this "cute little pail" I bought.  I got a social studies lesson ( along with a lesson in the set back of women's liberation) along with the pail. And I thought it was just a pencil holder!!!!

Feast

There is something about the Thanksgiving holiday which feels a little more special to me now that we live overseas.  It's funny, I know, but it took moving out of the U.S, for me to appreciate this holiday.  It is a holiday which is truly American, and it reminds me of home.  So, it is really special that we can celebrate here in Lagos.  Not only can we celebrate it here, but we can teach other people from different countries about this holiday.  Since there are children from all over the world in Jeremy's classroom, it was so fun to talk to the children about Thanksgiving and also share some typical "Thanksgiving foods".:)

I brought chickens...my oven is too tiny for a turkey:)

lots of food:)

 There was a mother in Jeremy's class from South Africa, and she said that she had pumpkin pie today for the first time and loved it!:)

 I still haven't figured out how to be in two places at the same time, so I wasn't able to be at Elizabeth's school for her celebration....but I did manage to get a few pictures beforehand...

I wish a very Happy Thanksgiving to all of my family and friends...American or not.:)  I am truly thankful for all of you!

Holy Moly Guacamole!

Or as Elizabeth would say, "Holy Moly Like a pony!!!!!"   My jaw literally dropped open when I brought Lizzy home from school today....

 Could it be true???? Is it a figment of my imagination?????

NO.....it's real! The road in front of our compound is being repaired....this just may be a miracle!!!

Taken for Granted

This morning, I was in my flat taking a shower at 6 a.m., and wouldn't you know it????  The power went out.AGAIN!!!! I know I have written about the power outages here, and I admit they are very annoying.  But until the other day, I didn't really completely comprehend how fortunate I have been to have had access all of my life to safe power sources.  I met a lady who is a mother of a child at Elizabeth's school, and she had emailed a flyer advertising solar lights.  I looked at it and didn't really pay much attention to it.  Actually to be quite honest, I am not sure I even really read it....

 Then, the next day, she was talking to the other teacher, and I overheard her explaining that there are so many people here in Nigeria who are seriously injured if not killed from using kerosene lamps for lighting in their homes.  I have talked about the power issues (or the lack thereof ) in a previous post.  And to be honest, living here, it has just become something we all know about.  But, the huge difference is I live in a compound where the power is never out for too long.  There are people living in Nigeria who may see lights in their homes 3 days out of an entire month!  I never really thought about what they do when the power isn't working.  Some of them do have generators, but many people cannot afford them or afford the fuel it takes to keep them running.  I realized while I was listening to this lady talk that many people here do use kerosene lamps to be able to see.  Also, eye care is considered a huge luxury here, while in the U.S. it is just part of our regular check ups.  It never occurred to me until I heard her talking that there are so many people here in Nigeria who have very poor eyesight because of lack of access to good doctors, lack of awareness to detect diseases such as glaucoma and cataracts, and lack of lighting. "Lack of LIGHTING!!!!!" I thought to myself.  it never hit me until then what a luxury it was to have adequate light to eat dinner with my family or to read a story to my children. So many are straining their eyes to see in the darkness, and children who are in school learning to read have to strain to read their schoolwork because of the lack of power in their homes.  Click here to read an article about poor eyesight in Nigeria  I swear it was like something hit me and made me "wake up".  I had never thought of it in that way.  Access to power or light in particular is such an important part of my everyday life as I am sure it is to you as well.  I wouldn't be able to be sitting on my laptop typing out this blog at 9 o'clock at night without access to power and light.  But, there are  millions of people in Nigeria who do not have this luxury.  Please check out the website for these great solar lamps by clicking here.  If you live in Nigeria and are interested in purchasing one for any members of your staff, please let me know through my email in the "contact me" part of my profile, and I can put you in touch with my friend at school.  She never asked me to spread the word about giving light to people who don't have it, but I truly believe in what she is trying to do. Everyone deserves to be able to have safe dependable light when they need it. The next time you flip on a switch to turn on your lights, please don't take it for granted.

Whew!

whew!!! What a weekend is all I can say today!  I don't think I have ever had a busier Halloween weekend than this one.:)  I am pretty sure our flat won't be touched by any "evil" spirits this year with all the costumes and partying that went on here over the weekend.  I'll let the pictures speak for themselves.  I think i was caught somewhere between a fairy and Cinderella this weekend...and I think I even saw Michael Jackson and Steve Jobbs back from the dead!!!:)

The weekend started Friday with trick or treating at Jeremy's school

dressed up as Ben 10

Rapunzel and Ben 10 ready for our Halloween party on Saturday:)

Barbie,Ken, a random priest, a Nigerian woman, Steve Jobs, a fairy , Michael Jackson and Rapunzel ( minus the hair)

Fairy, Barbie, and Nigerian woman:)

who knew M.J. could boil up some shrimp??!!

Toasting farewell to a friend!!

Sunday: a Czar, Cinderella , and Rapunzel

trick or treating on the compound:)

Cinderella, Luigi, and Pirate

Kids running around the building for the Halloween "parade"



Needless to say, we had a great time and the kids have more candy than we will ever know what to do with!:)  All the "ghouls" and boys scared all the mean spirits away this weekend...until next Halloween!:)