Blood, Burns, and a Brunette

BLOOD

Ella lost a tooth.  By this age, she's used to it and doesn't freak out.  She was even excited when Ephraim popped it out and it bled all over her mouth.  It's great to be eight.

BURNS

Isaac burned his feet... on the stove.  How?

Isaac is an independent 6 year old.  He wakes up earlier than everyone, wakes Owen up to keep him company (he's not as independent as he thinks), and then makes his own breakfast.  

On Thursday morning he turned on the burner to warm up some water for his instant oatmeal (we don't have a microwave).  As he was prepping the pot and water, he forgot the burner was on.  He climbed up on the stove to reach the oatmeal which is stored in the cupboard.  He stepped on the burner and burned both feet.  He was screaming, "I'm gonna die!  I'm gonna die!  I wish I never turned that stove on!"  

Some kids learn the hard way.

His feet are really tough since he's always barefoot. We've given up buying real shoes for him since he loses them, so we just get $2 rubber slippers.  We buy 3 pairs at a time so he can mix and match as he loses a slipper here and there.

Here are the burns.  You can see the curves of the burner coils.  There are really three of them, but you can barely see the one on his heel because the skin is so tough, the burn didn't really affect it. 

You can also see a little puncture to the right of the burn.  That's where he stepped on a nail last week.  I know.  This boy needs Flint Lockwood's Spray on Shoes.

He's fine now-- a little wiser and more cautious.

A BRUNETTE

Do you ever just need a change?  Do you ever feel that desire so strongly that you do weird things like pick up a box of Clairol Nice and Easy one day and dye your hair while making dinner?

Well now I'm a brunette, and my craving for change is satiated... for now.

                   After                                                                                           Before              

Oreo Mustache

It's funny what attitude a little mustache brings on.

I Had a Birthday

I had a birthday last week.  It was nice.  Our friends watched our kids one night so we could go snorkeling.  We saw lots of cool fish, bright blue sea stars, and two sea turtles.  The turtles were awesome!  The first one looked like it was flying in slow motion as it moved along.  The second was sleeping.  Ephraim later reminded me that turtles hold their breath under water -- even when they're asleep.  That's remarkable.  So I'm remarking.  Wow!

I have no pictures of that.  But it was a fun experience.  I reflected on my life that day and thought, when I chose to marry Ephraim Temple, I knew that my life would be unique.  And here I am, thousands of miles from a city or suburb.  Ten minutes away from sea turtles' natural habitat.  I am quite lucky.

I made pumpkin pie for my birthday because someone gave us a large pumpkin.  Mmm.  And we didn't have a lighter or matches, or enough candles.  So we just threw like six candles on there, sang, and we all blew all over the pie.  I didn't even make a wish.  After this many years, I know the truth about wishes.  They only come true with lots of hard work.  Candles have nothing to do with it.
And most of my wishes have already come true.

Here's to another year.

Goofy Kids - September

August

Here are some random photos from last month.  

This is actually a pretty common sight.  Linus has a naval obsession with one hand while his other hand  pacifies his mouth and explores his nose.

Ephraim's been introducing board games on Sunday afternoons.  (Thanks to Christine Peters, the game queen, for passing along some good ones.)  They've also played Settlers and Bohnanza.

My kids l.o.v.e play dates at Valerie's house.  Not only is Valerie gracious and kind, her sweet children have the funnest costumes!  Everytime I'm there I need my camera because they always have something new on.  I mean, raise your hand if you have a banana costume in YOUR closet?  Now, do you have two?  See, Valerie's awesome.

Goodbye August 2012.  May we remember only your good times.

Primo's in Malaeimi

A local chef and culinary educator Chef Sualua opened a Culinary School near our house.  They run a bakery and cafe which we love to go to.  Not only is it nearby, it is clean, people are friendly, and the pastries are unlike any on island--but much like good ones off island.  We took the kids last week for a lunch date with Ephraim.  Definitely recommend it -- Monday - Friday from morning until lunchtime.  Must try the banana muffins.

Robert Louis Stevenson Museum

Our hotel in Apia is walking distance from the Robert Louis Stevenson Museum.  In case you didn't know:

Robert Louis Stevenson lived the last four years of his life in Samoa with his wife, mother, and stepchildren.  They lived in a beautiful villa in the village of Vailima, which is near Mt. Vaea where he is buried.  

 To get to the villa you go through these gates and walk about half a mile down a beautiful lush garden path.

 The driveway leads to the "Villa Vailima".  RLS sure picked a great spot.

 There are two fireplaces in the house.  Our guide said, "Fireplace is good in Scotland.  Not in Samoa.  Too hot."  I think he said it three times.  It made us laugh.  This was the smoking room.

 A view toward Mt. Vaea from the upper verandah.  That opening is the start of a hiking trail to the lookout where his grave is.  We didn't have time to do it this time.

 These were original works of RLS, first editions, I guess.

 We were amazed that most of the areas in the house were not cordoned off, you could just walk up, look at, and if you wanted, touch anything in the place.  Some items were even originals.  I can't understand how they're preserved, in this climate too.  Oh well, we just enjoyed the experience.

We were impressed with the furnishings that he had managed to bring all the way across the ocean back in those days.  It must have cost a lot of money, and required a lot of hard work to transport his multitude of heavy belongings to the villa.  And we complain about getting stuff here today!

 This was an original dress his wife wore.  I can't imagine wearing long dresses and boots here in Samoa!  No thanks.

 His mother's room.

 His son's writing desk.

 The "hospital room" where is wife took care of him.  He had TB.

 The medicine cabinet.

 Going down the staircase.

 The great room.  This was an amazing hall where dancing, music, and feasts took place.  It would have been fun to have been invited to an event here.  Ephraim was impressed that many people played instruments back then.  They had a piano, two sitars, a mandolin, and an wind-up music box that played songs from wooden spools.

 

The Prayer at Morning
(Written at Vailima)

The day returns and brings us the petty round of irritating concerns and duties. Help us to play the man, help us to perform them with laughter and kind faces, let cheerfulness abound with industry. Give us to go blithely on our business all this day, bring us to our resting beds weary and content and undishonoured, and grant us in the end the gift of sleep.
-Robert Louis Stevenson