Ecuador 5/19/2024 |
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Sunday, May 19, 2024 - Spending Sunday with the KidsWe woke up at 8:45, and went over to the kitchen of the main house for breakfast. We were served coffee, ham, cheese, bread, fresh lettuce, an omelette wrapped around a hot dog, and juice.After breakfast, we went back to the casita and continued getting unpacked and settled. The bathroom sink drain has always leaked, and Craig brought some epoxy putty from home. He applied the putty to the pipe and we refrained from using the sink while it dried. We decided that since it was Sunday and all of the kids were around, we would give them their gifts. I had purchased clothes and toys at TJ Maxx, a retailer for whom I work doing product management. We gave everyone some clothes, and we had toys for the two youngest: a wooden car carrier for Kuri, and a Melissa and Doug ice cream playset for Nena. Sisa, Shina, and Nena put on their new clothes right away. The boys' got squirreled away for a special occasion. The two little kids really enjoyed playing with the toys. Sisa asked if I knew the song "Careless Whisper." Yes, I was a big Wham! fan back when I was a kid. She is learning to play it on the sax in school. We sang it together. She also loves the song "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" by Franki Valli and the Four Seasons. She sang that too. Lunch was soup, juice, peas, carrots, onions, beef, radish and tomato salad, and rice. It has become a tradition for us to bring a big jar of Chinese chili crisp with us when we visit. It acts as a good complement to the food, and many in the family have come to love it. We also bring black pepper, as that is not something that they know or have on hand. We finished getting settled in the casita, arranging it for our two week stay. We then played with the kids outside in the sun. The older three kids played soccer out in front of the house. We played a lot of ice cream buying/selling with Nena. She loved playing with us, but doesn't like to share (us or the toys) with Kuri. We noticed right away that she likes to have all the attention to herself. We made a consious effort not to let her monopolize us, but to still give her the attention that she deserves. We had a cup of coffee and then had dinner: soup with popcorn, pineapple juice, chicken, fried plantain, cucumber and tomato salad, lentils, and rice. We had a nice chat with Antonio about his job at Laguna Cuicocha, where he drives the tourist boats after recently getting certified in water safety. We said goodnight and went back to the casita at 9:00. Tomorrow is a work/school day, and we all needed to get up early. |
 Shina modeling her new sweater  Nena wearing her new coat and hat, playing with her ice cream toys Photo Gallery May 19 |
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