March felt about 7 years long. And I am guessing the coming months will feel the same. Hard to believe the month started off "normal"....
Bags packed the night before as Gio leaves for early morning swim team practice at 6AM.
A Sunday playdate.
Pool party!
Whenever I cook....
This goes on the entire day....
Student-led conferences...here in the Spanish room.
Reading to us in her classroom.
Beating Papa at a math game!
Gio doing some improv on his trumpet.
Back home and reading to me. Maria started the year as a non-reader so this is really impressive!
All signs are pointing to Coronavirus arriving here soon and the restrictions that will come with it. So I began hoarding....dog food!
Sensing that the school would close any day, Gio set up his desk for virtual learning. In fact, the next day the first case in Kenya was reported and all Kenyan schools closed.
Embracing the new world both Gio and Maria have become LEGO fanatics. I have no idea where I am going to put all of their creations.
We joined the Rex family on a weekend trip to Mt. Kenya. No lockdowns had yet been announced and with one case so far in Kenya we felt we could take one last weekend away. Lots of precautions were in place including hand sanitizer everywhere we went. We staying in an AirBnB in a wildlife estate- I think only about 3 houses of the 70 or so in the estate were occupied. Needless to say, we were socially distancing!
The estate was built right next to Ol Pejeta Wildlife Sanctuary. We were able to ride and run amongst zebra, warthogs, monkeys and antelope.
We had lunch at Mt. Kenya Safari Club (very very few other guests!). Maria had fun posing with one of the "ugly five"- a Marabou Stork.
Out on the lawn during our lunch.
Visiting their orphanage.
Best friends.
Mt. Kenya itself.
And then we were home for what looks like will be many months. The children began home learning on March 23 (the week before had actually been our spring break). Here is Maria doing yoga online.
Writing about our trip to Mt. Kenya....
Math!
Zoom chat with classmates!
Studying time.
This remains Gioia's favorite sleep spot. She has grown so big that doing the u-turn it requires to get into this position is getting harder and harder for her. Yet she persists!
Most mornings Maria asks to come with me to Karura (we are still allowed to walk our dogs).
So, yes, we spoil Bruno A LOT. He has always been a difficult dog to feed. Currently the only food he is willing to nibble at is spaghetti with meatballs. So every few days I whip up a huge bowl of it. At least I have plenty of time these days....
Gio's Zoom with best friends...
Gio and I have been trying out all sorts of new recipes. This was sushi night. Not too bad!
And suddenly I have to cook lunch. Yippee. Today George the hamster joined us.
We take dog walks every evening before the 7PM curfew with the children speeding around us on their bikes. Maria has mastered her bike and can now easily keep up with Gio.
Never been so grateful that we have a pool!
Opinion piece on why horses are THE BEST.
I suspect my April post will look a lot like this one....
We started the month with Gio heading off for the 5th grade class trip and we ended it with his Leap Day party. In between we took our first (and not our last) trip to Lamu and watched Gioia grow and grow and grow....
Some action shot in Karura Forest....
Gioia and her best friend Pepper (who has stolen Jagger's ball). Gioia likes to body slam Pepper until she spits it out. She understands her brother's obsession with his tennis ball!
Waiting for the bus.
Homework.
The 5th grade traveled to the base of Mt. Kenya. Can you find Gio?
They played games, visited cultural sites around Mt. Kenya and camped in tents for 3 nights. Gio loved every minute.
As soon as Gio got back we flew (in a teeny tiny plane!) to Lamu Island. The beach was soooo crowded....
....with donkeys....
...and cows!
Searching for shells.
For Gio this was the highlight. He even shared his last 10 minutes with Maria. He is saving his allowance now to do more of this the next time we go.
Dhow sunset cruise.
Beach day #2
He caught this blowfish with his bare hands....not too smart!
Fun in the waves.
Gio and Paolo decided to swim the Lamu channel.
"I was bored so I decided to do butterfly."- Gio
Swahili dinner.
Pool time.
And all too soon it was time to get back on that tiny plane to go back to Nairobi.
Snuggle buddies.
International Day at school.
Henna at the India booth.
Gio and Paolo spent a weekend camping with the Cub Scouts.
Bonding.
Saturday sports (soccer & swimming) after a sleepover.
Gio's gang over for a Sunday of Nerf Gun wars and hair dyeing....
Two tigers (look closely at Jagger's coat).
Cleaning out an empty peanut butter jar is Gioia's favorite treat.
Homework on the tennis court.
A Harry Potter birthday party.
Sleepover morning.
Tennis lesson with "Bobs"
Maria often naps when Gio is playing.
Best buddies.
Spanish class.
Her presentation on Italian houses.
The "houses of the world" team.
Giving their reports to a Kindergarten class.
Gio's Leap Day party finished out the month...
Gioia spent most of the party on the couch supervising with me.
March is here. We canceled our ski trip to Italy due to Covid-19 (our flights were canceled by our airline and our school would have required the children to be quarantined at home for two weeks upon our return). We will travel to Mt Kenya for a few days but have no other plans this month.
