Goings On

Occurred to us that we haven't posted an entry in a while, so thought to bullet what's going on lately. Nothing dramatic or especially interesting, just day-to-day life.

• Maylia, kids and our friend Karen and kids went to the aquarium yesterday. Still a long shot from a real city aquarium, but it is newly renovated to look almost modern.
  They even have a tank where kids can feed the fish. Price of fish food speaks volumes toward renovation costs.


• Ella is enjoying more time in the park with her Harley, ...er training bike. Getting faster, getting less concerned with missed treasures and just enjoying the riding. From day 1, she has fallen a few times and gets right back to riding.


• We had a special corner cabinet built to house our 2.5m (8') step ladder. We used to store it lying down, leaning lengthwise against the wall, but li'l Mattias got too curious about it. The same Ukrainian tradesmen who tiled our shower proved adept carpenters. Those adept Ukrainains!


• Kristyna has proven herself incredibly capable and helpful in recent weeks. A few times we have left her with both kids to be fed, bathed and put to bed. We come home to find Kristyna has baked, cleaned and done dishes?!? It's as if she gets bored after they're asleep. We may be adopting a new child, in her mid-20's.


• Ella seems to be enjoying skolka more since Christmas holidays. Maybe it's because she's just that little bit older...maybe it's because she has been going more consistently without being sick...maybe it's because she's starting to make friends. We even had one friend and her mom and little sister over for a visit. Whatever the reason, it is great that she has gotten comfortable there and actually wants to go. We can't help but think how easy it will seem to her when we move home and she gets to go to a school where everyone speaks English.


• Maylia is once again teaching a toddler music class Friday mornings. It's over in our old neighbourhood so it's a bit of a jaunt. But she and the kids usually make a day of it, visiting friends in the afternoon. She shares teaching responsibilities with Josie, a new friend from Great Britain. It's a lot of fun! And a bit crazy - 13 three-year olds! Maylia also helps the same group with a monthly storytelling/puppet show at a Prague cafe.


• Mattias is a little parrot. He tries to mimic just about anything we say or do. He's a hoot! He's also starting to get a bit more cantankerous in his old age. He doesn't like to see Ella getting too much attention from Mom or Dad. He's also developed a very irritating scream that he produces regularly when he wants something. A friend asked Maylia, "And what do you do when he screams like that?" Maylia replied, "I get him whatever the heck he wants as fast as I can. It's annoying...but highly effective."

That's it. Again, nothing really interesting, just life.