Vacation!

This was our last week of teaching before the big break. We get two weeks off. In the Fall, we were thinking of having a new car by now so we could take a nice vacation in France. Glad that hasn't happened, because all we want to do is recover. We are both totally out of energy. I think the couch will get a lot of attention these next two weeks...

We had a really nice time yesterday after the soccer game and Monday for an Easter egg hunt with the other twin boys and their parents. It is a lot of fun to hang out with them, at least when the kids can be outside. It gets a bit chaotic if all 8 of us are in the same space.

Our garden is getting nicer and nicer as we add more things here and there. Naomi has really been enjoying it. Today we will plant a few things we picked up at the greenhouse assuming it doesn't rain too much. Now if we could only figure out where the leak in the stream is...

The Easter Egg Hunt - the boys are only 6 months older than our girls...

Finding some new plants for the garden.

The Surprise

Naomi's birthday is coming up, so the girls and I made her a little present while she was at work on Friday. I told them that is was a surprise and they shouldn't tell Mommy about it. Here is how the conversation went as soon as Mommy walked in the door...

Twins: Mommy!!!
Amélie: "We did not make you a present!" Shaking her head.
Mommy: "You didn't make me a present?" Big smile.
Abigail: "Yeah we did make you a present." Guilty smile.
Mommy: "You DID make me a present?" Bigger smile.
Amélie:  "We did NOT make you a present!!"

Press repeat for a couple minutes, and you get the idea. Getting two year olds to keep a secret can be entertaining...

I got some good news this week as well. I sent out a few open applications to schools in the area. One got back to me quickly. I had an interview with them Thursday night, after hours. It seemed like a good match - I was what they were looking for and the school sounded really good to me.

Friday they contacted my references and told me they would arrange things so that they could offer me a job. They wanted to set a meeting for the next school day to work out the details. Seems like they really want me since they are pushing things so fast! Too bad the next school day happens to be two weeks from now...

Tulips

It was finally an ordinary week. I guess ordinary is rare lately. I have still been a bit bothered by the job situation. Very uncertain for the fall. Made good progress on the cabinet that I am working on. Had some fun with the girls. Lost the soccer game yesterday. Silly mistakes - thankfully not mine though. The atmosphere among the team gets really negative. I don't like that.

Yesterday Naomi took the girls to visit her cousin's baby. They had a nice time. The weather continues to warm up, but I can't figure out how to turn off our thermostat. Seems like it is always pumping hot water through the system. Annoying.

Today it is 70 and sunny again. I am sure we can find something fun to do this afternoon!

Still making a mess even though we stopped using bibs.

Fun in the living room.

Summer

It sure seemed like summer this week - Thursday and Friday at least. 70s and sunny. Another beautiful day today. We got a lot done this week. Monday Abigail had to stay home from daycare because she had a croup cough. I stayed with her. This was the longest time they had been apart so far in their little lives. They did well. I got a lot done too - taxes, open applications, and a set up a new printer.

Friday Naomi took a group of students to Brussels to learn about the European Parliament. It is nearly a four hour drive, so she had to get up around 4:30 and didn't get home until nine. She was pretty wiped out yesterday but still had fun with the girls. I had to finish up a few things with the cabinet I am working on for the twin boys, and then play a soccer game.

Since I started, the team has been improving. The first game I played we lost 0-8, last week was 2-5, and yesterday was 2-2. I am starting to figure out what I am supposed to do. Still not very good at doing it though. There is a Somalian refugee on the team, only 20 years old. He has been here for 2.5 years and has to take a lot of crap. There are regularly racist jokes and remarks from the team. They also give him a particularly hard time if he does something wrong. Uncomfortable dynamic, the negative feedback loop...

Abigail eating lunch with me during her sick day.

Amélie checking out Daddy's work - Abigail was too afraid.