Mother's Tea

 I had a wonderful time at Mother's Tea, put on by my daughter's 2nd grade class. They had a wonderful program full of songs and poetry. Each child in the class memorized a poem and they each did a fantastic job of reciting. Lani made a necklace for me, and I am so excited to wear it.

Singing the songs.

Reciting her poem: Crayon Dance.

Such a fun program!

I had to take a picture of the centerpieces and the baskets for the moms. The kids made a flower magnet and they were on the metal buckets with a sunflower. Then, the little paper baskets had a cupcake with a chocolate flower sucker in it.  They were so cute!

Here is Lani and her teacher, Mrs. Dennis, who is FABULOUS! We love her. She is a wonderful teacher and loves the kids. Can you move up to the 3rd grade next year? Thank you, Mrs. Dennis for a wonderful afternoon.

Why I love being a mom!

In honor of Mother's Day, I decided to post the top for reasons I love being a Mom. Here they are:

Of course, my wonderful, beautiful, talented, funny kids. They make me happy, laugh, cry, worry, and love unconditionally. My family is the best part of my life and I am grateful for them everyday. I also learned from the best-thanks mom! You are awesome, and I wouldn't be the person I am today without your love and example.

I thought I should maybe catch up with posts here too. It seems like a dry spell for blogging. Not because there is nothing to say, because there is so much going on! The end of the school year gets that way.

So a bit of older news: Kieren lost her first tooth. (yeah, I know, about 6 weeks ago.) To my amazement, she let her older brother pull it out for her. I am amazed at the trust and love my kids show one another-another great reason I love being a mom. She was so excited for the toothfairy to come! Her second tooth is loose now. She is hoping Nick will pull that one out too. Maybe we have a future dentist.

I love watching my kids in their various activities-another great reason for being a mom. I feel so proud as I watch them. I get excited, and my heart pumps as they compete in their sports or other competitions.

Lani had her dance recital. She has enjoyed jazz dance this year. She seems to have good rhythm (definately from her Dad) and likes to "move it-move it"

Next, comes Emma. Right now, Emma is involved in 3 activites: volleyball (ending this week) Track (ending this week) and softball (just started 2 weeks ago).  I think she is crazy busy, but she loves it and is doing well. I talk to my mom about it and she says "She is her mother's daughter" I guess I was always busy and involved too. Here she is in one of her activities: Track. Her events are 100m hurdles, 100m dash, and long jump.

Nick has been busy too. I dont have any recent picts of him in his activities.  Drivers ed is one.  He has 2 more drives with the teacher and he will be turned loose to drive our cars with us. I know my heart will be pounding. He is also earning some money by dethatching lawns in our neighborhood. The weather hasn't been too cooperative and so he has been waiting for the rain to stop and he can do a few more.

I got to go to Women's Conference at BYU at the end of April. It was a nice break from the everyday routine. I enjoyed going to the classes and feeling uplifted by the speakers. I met up with a friend from AZ and enjoyed spending time with her. I wish we still lived around the corner from each other. I enjoyed spending time with some ladies in my ward, laughing, talking, and being silly.

Spalding has a break from classes right now. It is really nice. He is home more and has less stress. He resumes classes in another week, but it will be the second to last semester! YEAH, almost finished with classes, then he has the dissertation left. He was also just called to work with the Young Men in our Ward. He will work with the boys Nick's age.

And one more thing: My sister Megan is living with us while taking classes during the first block at BYUI. She just got her mission call to Tulsa Oklahoma and leaves in July.

No more training wheels.

-K- asked me to take the training wheels off her bike. We tried this last fall, and she was too scared because she was so wobbley. Yesterday, I took them off at her request. I ran beside her for about 10 feet, then she rode for 50 feet by herself. I was very excited for her and said, "Let's practice riding some more". I thought I could run in and get the camera and take some pictures of this big moment.  Her reply. "Nope, I know how to do it now. I don't need to do it anymore."  So I guess she thinks she has it mastered. Maybe we can go out and try it again today.

Life in cold Weather

Life is as busy as ever and I am anxious for winter to end. Since returning home from our trip, (which is hard to believe was 7 weeks ago, time has really flown by) we have been in the middle of the winter cold. We definately went from one extreme to the other. Not to worry, we have had hints of spring, and the sun is shining (occasionally). 

-N- got his braces off! He was very excited, and -E- is jealous that he no longer has to spend 20 minutes of the day brushing and flossing like she does. (I don't think he ever did as good as a job of it as her anyway.)

He is quite the handsome young man!

-E- turned 13! Yep, two teenagers in the family now. Hopefully they will take it easy on us parents.

I made her favorite ice cream cake and we went to Applebee's for dinner.

I took the kids skiing last weekend. We had a great time. -L- got to have a lesson, and like most everything she does, she caught on quickly.

  

It snowed quite a bit that day, and I was reluctant to carry my camera around with me, so I had to get shots of the kids right before we left.

-L- has had several dance performances at halftime of local 8th grade and JV basketball games. She seem to enjoy dancing.

There is only 4 days left in the second trimester of school. The kids are very glad. -N- is waiting for his math grade from his online class. Dealing with the school issues for our trip was a challenge and sometimes frustrating, but I am thankful that it all worked out in the end.  I am happy that no one got the illnesses that seem to be travelling around the district. They couldn't miss anymore school days. When third tri starts, they can get sick all they want. Hopefully that doesn't happen either.

-K- is having fun at preschool, and got to go on a horse drawn sleigh ride for a field trip. It was lots of fun. She didn't like petting the horses though, because they were sweaty.

This past week has also been a sad one for my side of the family. My mom's sister passed away. We knew it was coming, but it is still sad. Then, my dad's brother passed away. It came as a suprise and I was very sad to hear about it. I have wonderful memories of both my Aunt and Uncle.

Our lives have been like a roller coaster, ups and downs, speeding up, slowing down, sometimes screaming, sometimes laughing, but hey its fun.

Joburg, South Africa

Jan 6


We are staying at a cute bed and breakfast just outside of Johannesburg, South Africa. The locals and people in Mauritius call Johannesburg by a nick name-Joberg. Nick and Emma say we should start a nick name at home-Rburg. Spalding has found a person who will drive us to different places. It is so nice to have a local person to show you the sights and tell you about the places. First we went to the Hector Peterson Memorial. He was not the first child to die in the riots that were happening in South Africa, but he was the first to be photographed so the world would know what was happening. Then we went to the Nelson Mandela house. Spalding was really excited to go there. He has always thought highly of Nelson Mandela. I learned a lot. After that, we went to the Apartheid museum. We learned about the apartheid system and how the people were put into various racial classifications. Spalding and our children would have been classified as colored. There are several variations of that, and sometimes families would end up with different classifications within "colored". Vanessa, our guide, told us that in her family, the three kids were each classified differently because of their skin tones. She was in high school when apartheid ended. We learned some more about Mandella and the riots, and the changes that have happened in South Africa. Our last stop was the Johannesburg temple. We enjoy seeing the LDS temples in the places that we visit. I don’t think that the kids really enjoyed all the museums and history, but we feel it is important for them to learn about history.

Jan 7

Today we went to the Lion park. The kids loved petting the lion cubs and feeding the giraffes. We went on a tour of the park, and one lion even jumped up on the truck we were in. We learned about different types of wildlife in Africa and saw various antelope, zebras, hyenas, cheetahs, many lions, and giraffes. We are preparing for our long plane ride home. We have to fly 15 hours to the US, then go through customs in New York before we get on the plane for Salt Lake. From there we will drive home. Not looking forward to the long plane ride, but looking forward to my home.

Mauritius Part 3

December 29


Another nice relaxing day. We went to a hotel in the north part of the island. Spalding’s cousin, Marylyn, arranged for us to have a room for the day. On our way there, we stopped at a catholic church for Spalding’s mom. She wanted to visit the place where Pere Laval is buried. He was a priest who came to Mauritius and did a lot to help the people. He was then made a Saint. We went to the hotel and swam in the pool and in the ocean. We canoed and took paddle boats out in the ocean as well. We were with lots of cousins for the day. I really enjoyed just laying on the beach and by the pool reading a book. That is vacation for me. We got to eat lunch there, which was delicious, and at tea time, had crepes. YUM. It started to rain a little and cooled things down, which was also nice. We came home and the kids were ready for bed. The girls spent the night with their cousins. They love the sleep overs they get to have here.

December 30

Today Mario and Linda took us to L’aventure du Sucre. It is an old sugar mill that has been turned into a museum. There were displays about the history of the island. Most of the people on the island come from ancestors who came to Mauritius as slaves from Africa, or indentured servants from India to work in the Sugar cane fields. Spalding’s ancestors came to the island in these ways. We also learned about how sugar cane becomes the sugar we use, and what the by-products are. After the museum, we got to taste all the different types of sugar. Did you know there is not just white sugar and brown sugar? There are many variations in between. We all enjoyed the sugar tasting; I think Kieren tasted each of the sugars three times. Her face was very sticky at the end. When Spalding was in school, there were 30 different sugar cane refineries, now they have consolidated into 11 on the island.

December 31

Happy New Year! Today we went swimming at Tamarin for a couple of hours, enjoying the waves. Then we went to Spalding’s brother’s house for dinner. We got to talk to my family via Skype. Isn’t technology amazing? Just before midnight we went back to Grandmere’s house for firecrackers. New Years is a big holiday here because all the different people celebrate it, unlike Christmas. The kids loved setting off all the firecrackers. They were very loud! The kids went up on the roof to watch all the people in the area setting of fireworks. It was really fun. The kids loved it.

Jan 1

Today is a day for visiting people and wishing them happy new year. Bonne Annee! People put new curtains and deep clean their houses. Another tradition is new clothes. Everyone wears their new cloths. We also went to a party at Spalding’s Uncle Michael’s home. It was very nice and lots of fun. Most of the Ramiah side of the family was there.

Jan 2

After church, we went to Uncle Desire’s house for another Party with the Ramiah side of the family. It is tradition to get together on this day because January 2 was the day that Spalding’s grandma would get everone together. After she died, the family decided that they should still have a special family gathering on that day. Uncle Sammy makes his famous Alooda drink. It is a milk drink with some spices and jelly sticks in it. I like the milk, but the jelly is not my favorite. After the Alooda, we had dinner. Lots of curries and salads, rice, and bread. After lunch, we all sang Karoake. The Ramiah side of the family all has great voices and rhythm. I sang along to a couple of songs that they thought Americans should know, and with Lani when she sang Yellow Submarine. She knows all the words thanks to Rock Band. Then they tried to teach me and Emma how to Sega. The Sega stems from African culture and the slaves in Mauritius. I don’t think I did too bad, but Emma was embarrassed to try, and Nick didn’t want to do it at all. Kieren and Lani enjoyed the music and dancing. It was lots of fun, and I think the Ramiahs all have fun when they get together.

Jan 3

Today we went on a picnic with some of the Ramiah side of the family. A picnic is no small occasion. We rented a bus! We went to pont natural. The ocean was so blue, and the waves hit the rock cliffs. It was gorgeous. There was also a natural rock bridge there. Then we went to Gris Gris. There was a beautiful viewpoint there as well. The kids enjoyed climbing on the cliffs a bit, and they found a sea urchin out of the water. Next we headed to the beach for eating. We found a shady spot full of trees. It was really nice. We swam a little bit and headed home. It was fun with everyone on the bus singing and talking with each other.

Jan 4

It was my last day at the beach. I am sad to say it. I have enjoyed the sunshine. I must be a solar person because I feel like sunshine recharges me. I will miss the ocean and blue sky. The kids have enjoyed the water a lot. We have created some great family memories.

Jan 5

Leaving Mauritius is bittersweet. I look forward to being in my own house, with my things and my space. It was hard to leave everyone behind, and Spalding and I both had some tears. We hope that it will not be another 9 years before we return and hope that Spalding’s mom and brother will come when he graduates with his PHD. The kids have had so much fun with their cousins and getting to know their relatives. I hope that this connection will continue to grow, even from a distance.

Mauritius part 2

December 19, 2010


Today we went to church. It was wonderful to go. It amazes me that no matter where you go in the world, the church is the same. The same lesson that was taught here, is taught back home. The sacrament prayer is exactly the same in every place, only in a different language. It is just awesome. Today there were three speakers. Two spoke in French and Creole, one who is an American, spoke in Creole and English. There were 50 people who attended the Branch today and 10 of us were visiting, all English speakers. The Sunday school lesson was taught in English, and someone else translated it into French. The same was with the Relief Society lesson. There are normally 3 young women who come, but today Emma was the only one, so she chose to go to primary with Lani and Kieren. Nick had 5 other young men with him. After church we had lunch with Spalding’s cousin, Lisebie. Again, delicious food. After lunch, many of the cousins came and we went to Curepipe for a nature walk. It was very green. That part of the island is higher and more toward the center where it rains a lot. The kids are getting better about interacting with their extended cousins and speaking with them. Spalding really enjoyed talking with his cousins and being with them. Growing up, they spent a lot of time together.

Decber 20

Today we picked up Spaldings mom, sister, and niece and headed to an aunt’s home in Mahebourg. Nicolas got to climb up the Tifi’s mango tree and pick and eat mangoes. Then we went to Blue Bay together. The kids swam for a bit, and then we decided to go out on a glass bottom boat. We learned that there are many tupes of coral: plate, ginger, broccoli, and lettuce. We went off the shore and saw many fish. Then we stopped in a shallower area and snorkeled among the fish. It was so cool. The boat guide gave us some bread and the fish would eat right out of our hand. My favorite fish was a parrot fish. It has many beautiful, bright colors. Spalding and I took turns so Kieren could get in the water too. Spalding forgot about his phone and jumped in. Salt water and SIM cards do not mix. We couldn’t dry it out and it was almost immediately corroded.

December 21, 2010

We spent the morning in Tamarin Bay. Nicolas and Emma were really hoping to learn to surf or kite surf today. Unfortunately the waves and wind did not want to cooperate. The surf school only gives kite surfing lessons in the winter, when the wind is strong, and the waves were not good enough for regular surfing. We decided to walk down the beach a bit and found some little waves and taught the kids how to body surf. They had a blast! Big smiles all around. We couldn’t find any boogie boards to rent, but hope that the waves will pick up to go back again. We drove down the coast a little way and saw where they make salt. Water is pumped up into these flat, rocky areas, and then it sits until the water evaporates, and the salt is swept up and put in baskets. It is very course. Then it is taken to a refinery and cleaned and crushed to a finer grade. For dinner, we had a BBQ on the beach with some cousins and friends of Spalding’s. The kids were running around finding little crabs in the sand. We are really enjoying our time here.

December 22

Today Mario, Spalding’s cousin, took us to Ile Aux Cerf. In English, that is Deer Island. I did not see any deer, but we had a fabulous time. WE took a 15 minute boat ride to the island, and then played in the water. Nicolas and I saw starfish and sea urchin in the water. Then we took a boat to the other side of the island for a BBQ lunch. We were served BBQ chicken, fish, sausage, salad, and bread. For desert we had cooked bananas. Then we took a speed boat up the river and to a waterfall. It was a small waterfall but beautiful. Earlier in the day our guide had seen monkeys there, but unfortunately we didn’t wsee any. Then we went back to the island and played in the water longer. The boat took us back to the dock, and we went to another cousin’s house (Herve and Sana) to eat Briani. Sana is especially good at cooking it.

December 23

Today I went to the Bazaar in Port Louis. There were so many people buying and selling. It was very, very crowded. My sister in law knew the way to go and the different shops and vendor s that she wanted to go to so I followed here. I could smell the mixture of diesel exhaust, incense, body odor, and cigarette smoke. It was not very pleasant, but we found some good buys and gifts. I was happy that the kids were not with me, but were playing with some cousins. It was our first night out of the apartment and in Quartre Bornes, with Spalding’s mom. It was so hot! The kids did not sleep very well. I was sweating the whole night. We borrowed a fan, and that does help, but it feels like a blow dryer on my body.

December 24

The day began with Lani’s Baptism. We had it at the beach in Flic en Flac. It was beautiful there. We tried to find a quiet place that was shaded with trees. We had some extended family there as well as some new friends we have made from the branch here. I gave a talk, and two members of the branch bore their testimonies. The Spirit was strong there and I hope that Lani will remember the feelings she had today. We had a cake made by Spalding’s cousin, Clever, who has a patisserie here. We celebrated with some cake after the baptism. We also set up the Christmas tree. It looks like a branch when compared to the trees we can get in Idaho, but the kids have decorated it nicely and it looks festive. If you have a fresh tree in Mauritius you can only put it up one or two days before Christmas because it dries out so quickly. Spalding roasted some chicken; I made green salad and “company” fruit salad, and fresh bread. All of Spalding siblings were there, so it was all the Jugganaikloo family together. We followed their tradition of opening gifts when you are with the person you received the gift from. So the kids opened all their presents that night. They went to sleep pretty easily, and Santa came. We brought stockings from America for santa to fill for all of Spalding’s immediate family. So they had to come back on Christmas to get tehm. Today we also had our first experience with water shortage. In order to shower, we needed to wait for a water basin to slowly fill up and then stand in the shower and use a pitcher over our heads to clean up. The water was cold, and I think a bit refreshing since I have been so hot and sweaty, but it really made me appreciate warm showers and long bubble baths.

December 25

Merry Christmas. I love to think of the birth of our Saviour Jesus Christ. Spalding took his mom to Catholic Mass in the morning,. The kids enjoyed opening their gifts from Santa. It was ver;y easy going and quite a peaceful morning. WE decided we would have a white sand Christmas and took the kids to Tamarin, so far their favorite beach, for some swimming. We borrowed a boogie board that was Kieren and Lani’s size and taught them to catch a wave. It si very different to be in a country that the majority of the population is not Christian. Since there are more Hindu and Muslim here, many shops were open and it was business as usual. The kids noticed this right away. There were a few shops that were closed, buat there were many people still out shopping and doing errands.

December 26

After our church meetings, we decided to go on a picnic with Spalding’s cousin Mario and his wife Linda and visit Pamplemousses Garden. We saw many types of trees and foliage. We were amazed by a tree that flowers only every 100 years. Also there were huge lily pads about 3 feet in diameter.

December 27

Today we saw many sights. We went with some other Americans. I knew Jami Nichols from BYU-Hawaii. Kristi Nichols was also at BYUH and knew Spalding. They are here visiting thier sister, Mindy, who is married to a Franco-Mauritian and lives here. First we went to Grand Basin. There is a sacred area to the Hindu people. There was a huge statue of their supreme god, Shiva. All other gods come from Shiva. We saw statues of other gods, and watched as people offered their sacrifices and prayers. It was interesting to watch and very different. We also saw a monkey in the wild! The kids have been waiting to see one. We went to Chamarelle falls and the seven colored earths. Then we drove down to the coast and went to Le Morne and watched some Kite surfers. It was really cool. Nick really wanted to learn, but when we talked to someone who gives lessons, it would take more than one lesson to learn, and we don’t have that much time left. Le Morne is also a place where it is known that slaves escaped from their Masters by jumping off the cliffs. If they survived the jump, they usually escaped and would be free. Many did not survive the fall.

December 28

Today Spalding’s cousin Linda took us to the beach at Flic en Flac. It was very enjoyable to watch the kids play together. They get along so well. I took a nice little nap on the beach after some swimming. The kids are feeling tired and a little bit cranky so this was a nice day with hardly any driving and just relaxing fun.