It is really hard to get in the christmas spirit. With no snow or minus temperatures it really doesn't feel the same.
We have gone to Panama City a few times….just can't get enough of those crazy Panamanian drivers. The Stores are really looking festive, with huge christmas trees, tiny winter wonderland villages, (complete with snow…looks like Canada…lol) So I thought it would be a good idea to spend christmas at the mall with the huge christmas trees. (we will do something a little more exciting than the mall). Like face time friends and family.
Stew and I are expecting company just after christmas and into the new year. It will be so good to see our great friends again, as well as my sister, and later on in February, Stew's Sister and Husband, and maybe a cousin from Saskatoon. Really looking forward to everyones visit!!! Will be even better once we are in the Condo.
Speaking of Friends, one of Jada's Best friends will be flying here over the christmas break as well. Thank goodness for iPhones, we all got Calgary phone numbers through the internet, which makes it local calling for friends in Calgary. If anyone has not heard of it, it is called Fongo. Great little app for the phone, and it runs through wifi. It only sucks when our internet fails…..which lately has been a lot.
This app, has been great for Jada staying in Contact with her friends. She really misses them, and this visit will be such a great time for her. I just wish one of Brandon's friends could have made it up as well. But Jada will be great at including her brother, she always is!!
Brandon does a lot of skyping with his friends, he didn't want a Fongo number. As well, he plays an online game with a great friend. Sometimes though they stay up a little too late…like 3 or 4 in the morning! One time he did this on a school night…..I felt for you James, hope you didn't get into too much trouble!
The kids are doing relatively well with their ADL. (Alberta Distance Learning)
Though it is really tough on them to just be here with us day in, day out, without any other interaction with their own peers. So, we will be putting them in an international school in the new year. The tutors will help with anything the kids need with their ADL, and the school has a lot of English speaking kids around the same age as ours. There is a couple kids from Alberta, Spain, Columbia, Italy, and the US. Jada and Brandon made the decision to go, after checking it out, and are really excited about it. I am glad they will be getting a change of scenery, will be able to make new friends, and just basically a change in atmosphere for them. I believe they will get a lot more done in a school environment. Plus, they will have a decent gym program for the kids, meaning they will have to get off there butts and do something during a break, not stay sitting by their computers playing games.
We are enjoying our pool immensely, and swim everyday. Of course we have to clean the bottom of the pool from leaves, dead scorpions, centipedes everyday too, as well, as any floaters. Speaking of bugs, we all learned to not touch any of them. Thanks to Stew's misfortune!!! Funny thing…..There are cute caterpillars here, and I would always try to save them from the poison we spray by the doors to keep things out……….I save them by sweeping. Anyway, a caterpillar was in the pool, so Stew decided to save it. Unfortunately, the cute fuzzy caterpillar had barbs on it, which stuck to Stew's hand. Was not very pretty!! He looks at me and says, "there cute you say, we have to save them you say, next time you pick it up!" I don't think they are cute anymore, and when one stuck to my jogging pants, lets just say my pants came off pretty quickly with me screaming in the process….was really worried about getting those barbs in my skin. Was pretty entertaining for the kids….nice to know I can be the comic relief!
A couple weeks back we took the kids to the Zoo in El Valle. Had a lot of birds, monkeys, etc. Still feel sorry for these animals stuck behind a cage, just isn't natural. We had a guided tour which made it really nice, and the tour guide spoke english. (he was learning, and was really happy to practice with us.) The kids thought the Zoo was pretty neat, and we plan on bringing our guest to this zoo so they can get a close up look at the local wildlife. (I plan to buy them out of corn to feed more of the zoo animals). Oh, here your allowed to feed the animals, in fact, they sell you bags of corn for 25 cents, we ran out pretty fast with our four bags. Will buy a lot more next time.
Stew and the Kids went swimming in the ocean, again a couple weeks back. I didn't swim because the water was just too churned up with the waves. You couldn't see the ocean floor, and all that sand in the waves, just put sand in places where its hard to get out and should't get in there in the first place. Plus, with the water not being clear, I was a little nervous. I just wanted to walk the beach anyways, nice to finally walk a non mountains area. I am really starting to hate these steep roads.
So, we are having a blast at the ocean, had been there for couple hours, when Brandon starts cursing and yelling and running out of the water. Jada has a look of fear on her face and beelines out behind him. Well, Brandon got stung on the foot by a jelly fish. It looked so painful, and even though he was in pain he never cried…..just swore a whole bunch……not sure where he gets his language from.
Anyway, we had heard if you pee on the sting thats suppose to help. (not sure if this is a myth). Since Brandon didn't have to go, Stewart had the honour of peeing on our son's foot. Jada and I couldn't stop laughing……Actually, neither could Stew! Brandon got grossed out and ran back to the ocean to wash his foot off. He thought it would be better to deal with the pain than to have urine drying on you.
By the third day of the bite, it wasn't hurting anymore, but the white inflamed look on his foot was still there. We won't be swimming in that area anymore. We will wait until we get to the condo where the ocean is clearer.
We are enjoying our time here in the mountains, and enjoying the new friends we are making! Really wonderful people here.
I will most likely post once a month now instead of two weeks, since I haven't really been good at doing that anyway….sorry for worrying our family back home!
And Merry Christmas everyone!!!!!
Photos coming up!
Karen Adams
Another day doing homework.
Swimming at Punta Chame!
Stew taking photos, kids are the two little dots in the background.
A close up of the sand, cool with the two different colours.
We are rich!!! we found sand Dollars!!
Stewart trying to relieve Brandon from pain.
He had enough, washing his foot from Urine Medicine!! lol
One of the houses we found in Altos Del Marie. on top of the mountain.
One of the many birds
our tour guide.
the gardens at the zoo
A jaguar
an Ocelot
Really loved his colours, beautiful cat.
swimming in our pool
Family Photo, and my sexy feet!
View of Panama City at night from our hotel
Panama City
Panama City
Holy Huge!
Restaurant at Panama City Causeway
