Watermelon Soup

Ethan has been obsessed with cooking lately. We've been watching Cbeebies, and he loved Big Cook, Little Cook and I Can Cook. We have a Big Cook, Little Cook cookbook, and he likes going through it, choosing something to make.

Last month, Ethan was obsessed with the Carrot Pie. This was his own invention. I, successfully, redirected him each time he wanted to make it.

Tonight, we went to my parents' for dinner. My mum went to get the dessert, when suddenly Ethan had the brilliant idea to make dessert. My mum was happy to oblige.

So Ethan asked my mum for a pot. He needed one piece of watermelon, no seeds, and hot water. Then he requested my mum chop some carrots and add salt. Next, he wanted mum to bring it to a boil. I guess it's not dessert but soup. As it was "cooking", Ethan needed some pepper, and a pineapple. Since mum was helping him with the cooking part, he gave out the instructions. "You need to squish the pineapple."

Mum convinced Ethan that it was cooked, and Ethan decided it needed to simmer, while he counted to 100. And, voila! Watermelon soup!

 This is Ethan's concoction. 

 I even served it up for him.

He ate 2 bites before deciding he didn't like it!

52 Weeks of Happiness - Week 11

Last week was pretty stressful.

I couldn't wait for the weekend.

One of the great parts of this weekend, was Ruth's baby shower.

Ruth teaches Grade 4, and she's expecting her 1st (a girl) at the end of July. 

We decided on a casual Sunday brunch.

But, of course, it isn't a baby shower without a cake.

Thanks Farry for a fabulous cake.

Ruth cradles her cake like her baby.

Ruth told me, she thought she was having a boy, and was a little stunned when told it's a girl. So, of course, she was inundated with pink.

Kate hit the jackpot with her gift.

Ruth LOVES Beatrix Potter.

Happiness is a Sunday afternoon, with some great friends, looking forward to a little bean.

Things Falling into Place

 Don't you just love it when things start falling into place?

We've had the pleasure of calling Dar es Salaam home for the past 9 years. Moving to Zambia, while exciting, is also terrifying. We need to find a school for Ethan, get him registered, find a place to live, make friends. Yikes! I mean, since we're going for Scott's job, I get to go back to being an Expat wife. But now I'm a SAHM in a place I don't know.

Last week we headed to Zambia. Friday morning, we registered Ethan in school. We decided to go with the American International School of Lusaka (AISL). It's an IB school, which is what I really wanted. He gets French 4 times a week starting in KG. I really like that. While there, I got to meet with the principal, who interviewed me. Was hoping to get some supply/substitute work there in the next school year. It's a beautiful campus. I think Ethan will really enjoy it there.

We left the school and went to Scott's new office. While he met everyone, Ethan and I explored. Found the cutest little shop. This place has potential!

We spent the rest of Friday house hunting. It gave me a headache. We narrowed down the houses to 3 and decided to revisit them on Saturday. After seeing those, and one more the agent thought we'd like, we went for lunch to discuss each house. We decided on House #2.

Our mate had recommended we don't live in Leopard's Hill, as it's isolated, being far from the main part of the city, and it's bubble-like. Mostly Expats living there. However, we liked the house the best, and it had a garden and pool. Plus, Scott will travel alot, with this new job, and I'd feel safer living on a compound.

Things were starting to fall into place.

They got even better when, on Monday, my principal came to tell me that she got a call from AISL checking on my reference, and on Tuesday I got offered a Grade 2 teaching position there. Yeah!

Ok, so leaving Dar after 9 years will be hard, but Lusaka is looking great.

Things are falling into place.

The Twilight Before Christmas - Christine Feehan

I got the bestest box from Amazon last week. Sshh, don't tell Scott. My Amazon box had some new books that I wanted to start reading. I decided to dive in with some Drake Sisters.

The Twilight Before Christmas, is the story of Kate, an award winning novelist, and Matt Granite, a former army ranger who now works in his family's construction business.

Kate has returned to Sea Haven, has bought a run-down mill, and hopes to renovate it into a bookstore and cafe. Matt has always loved Kate, so this turns out to be the perfect opportunity to get close to her.

An earthquake rocks Sea Haven, cracking the foundation of Kate's mill, and reveals an old burial crypt, allowing for a century old evil to be released, just in time for Christmas.

The book begins with a new, dreary version of The Night Before Christmas. And each chapter begins with two lines of the poem. It reminded me of high school and being asked about foreshadowing.

So now that I've gotten to know the first 2 Drake sisters, it's time to get to know the others.

52 Weeks of Happiness - Week 10

Ethan's mate turned 4! 

"Now we are the same, mommy."

The party had a Superhero theme.

Isaac was Ben 10.

Ethan was SuperEthan.

Happiness is playing Super Heroes.

House Hunting

This weekend, we had a mission. Our mission was to head over to Lusaka, get Ethan registered in school, and house hunt. 

The first 2 were easy. 

The house hunting gave me a headache.

Friday morning we set off to check out some houses. The estate agent had given us a bunch of houses and we narrowed it down to about 10 that we wanted to see. We saw about 6. Then in the afternoon, we went to see another half dozen. I seriously had a headache that evening. But, we narrowed our choices down to 3.

Saturday morning, we decided to re-visit our favourite 3. The agent had a fourth one, she thought we'd want to see. 

House #1 - Roma

Roma is an area in Lusaka. It's the furtherest away from Ethan's school of the 4 houses. 

This is the house.

It has a pool (that needs cleaning).

And a fireplace!

House #2 - Leopard's Hill

We were told by our dear friends that we don't want to live here. It's out by the International School, far from everything else.

This house is in a compound with 5 other houses.

The kitchen.

And yet another pool that needs maintenance. (There's also a small, baby pool on the other side.)

House #3 - Woodlands

This is a standalone house in a quiet neighbourhood close to Scott's office, and about 10 minutes from the school. 

The front and back of the house.

Love how you find a fireplace in a house in Africa!!!!

And check out this bathtub!

The downside to this house is the lack of swimming pool, but it does have a vegetable garden!!

House #4 - Kabulonga

This is another house on a compound. It's advertised as a 3-bedroom, but it's actually 4, as they consider one of the rooms to be a study. 

Hmmm... I just realised, this is the only 2 story house in our top 4.

For a person who doesn't cook, I'm sure obsessed with the kitchen.

Forget about the last bathtub, check this one out!

So those were our favourites. Which do you think we chose?

Perfect Match - Jodi Picoult

Did I ever tell you how Ethan's name was chosen? We didn't know Ethan was a boy, and were choosing/discussing names. We had a girl name picked. That was easy. But Scott and I could not agree on a boy's name. Scott wasn't a fan of any of the names I'd suggest.

Then one day, while watching TV, I offered up Nathan. With our last name starting with an N, Scott wouldn't go for it. But then, suddenly, he offered up Ethan. I liked it, and that was done. Why bother thinking up more names when we finally agree upon one?

So you're probably wondering why I'm sharing this when you're here to read my thoughts on this book. Well I need you to know that, because as good as this book is, I had a hard time with it.  The little boy's name is Nathaniel, and he is 5 years old.

The Perfect Match asks, a seemingly innocent question.
Your son has been deeply hurt.
You know the courts won't bring you justice.
What would you do?


Nina Frost is a prosecutor. She is thrown into every mother's nightmare. Her 5 year old son was raped. Knowing the legal system, she knows the chances of her son's molester being prosecuted is rare, and would further damage her son. She feels she has no other choice, but to protect her son by shooting the man responsible.

The problem then comes, when DNA proves that it was not this man, but his half brother. She has killed an innocent man.

The first part of the book was really difficult. It touched way to close to home.

The second part was now about her, her defence, her guilt, her husband, and her son. She vowed to protect her son, but if she goes to jail, she won't be there to protect him. However, she needs to come to terms with the fact that she killed an innocent man. Her husband needs to deal with the fact that his wife killed someone. Should he have been the one to shoot the man? Why didn't he think/follow through with it? What does that say about him?

Perfect Match is a difficult book to swallow. But if you can get passed it's question, it's well worth the read.