My daughters are trying to raise money to fill the educational centre in Gindo, Ethiopia, with books, gardenng supplies, furniture and learning supplies.

Above is the posterboard they made to solicit book donations and tell the school about their campaign!

If you can, please stop by Raymer Elementary in Kelowna at 2:30 on Thursday the 19th to buy some books!

If you can’t make it, please consider donating a small amount to their campaign! Here is the link. Thank you so much!!!!

The picture below is of some of the kids benefiting from the preschool, library, and afterschool programs!

Way to go Sugar! Today she graduated to a yellow belt in Kung Fu.

It’s funny that we managed to find such a great hobby for her – it’s nothing Jrock and I would ever be interested in. But the structure, positivity, and focus is exactly what she needs. Plus (being a chip off the old block) she doesn’t like competition against others, but excels at competition with herself. In Kung Fu there is no sparring with her peers, so the self-improvement focus is perfect for her.

Sugar wanted to bake some muffins from her latest cookbook the other day – she now has two and is on baking fire!

So Spice (left)  joined her in the kitchen to use up the last of the zucchini and together they baked delicious zucchini chocolate chip banana muffins!

I’m so proud how useful and helpful the girls are. I made a little mistake yesterday, though. Jrock bought me some new Global knives for my birthday (nice!!) and I was letting Sugar chop apples with one. Ooops! and she cut her finger. I think I’d better let her stick with the not-as-sharp knives…

This kid TOTALLY cracks me up. She’s on the phone to her aunt and is having trouble coloring and chatting at the same time. So what does Spice do? She invents a new purpose for a sleep cap. Hands-free device!

Wanna buy a fab sleep cap? Visit AfricaSleeps.com , our super duper sleep caps website!

This first week of spring a break Sugar and Spice have been going to horse camp. That’s right- morning of heavenly horsey bliss.

That’s one seriously fuzzy pony.

The girls are 2 of the 6 kids in the horsecamp. The funny thing is that 2 of the other kids’ moms have the same job as Jrock. Coincidence? I think not… Lol

They have learned about catching horses, brushing them, and of course… They are riding ponies to their hearts content. I’d you recognize the ponies, the camp is at the same place that the girls had their birthday party last year.

BTW the girls have picked their theme for next year’s birthday party. And yes, I am talking about the end of the summer! But you know you have to plan these things in advance.  The theme? Drumm rollllllllllllll….

Bollywood! We’re going to have Indian food, some Bollywood dancing, bindis, menhdi and colorful fun! Of, so much fun planning… And pint-sized saris to buy!

We spent a Saturday up at Big White, and took the girls skiing for the first time.

Little troupers! They did awesome. It was all smiles no matter how many times the bit the snow, and they both managed to cruise the entire bunny hill at the end, top to bottom, by themselves, and ski right in behind the magic carpet!

Enjoy the pictures form a lovely day!

Our OKFCA group recently met out for our annual winter warm-up. We had a wonderful time in February out in Lavington for the fourth consecutive year. Our group keeps growing and growing, and it’s wonderful to see new families joining and enjoying themselves. If you are in the Okanagan or would like to join us for an event (we sometimes have people come up from the Lower Mainland) please check out our website!

If you’d like to learn more about SwaziKids, please check out their website!

A lovely picture of my sweet girls on our way out to the concert!

A few weeks ago the girls and I went off to our very first Sparks camp! It was organized by the local Pathfinder group, and themed all around Valentine’s Day.

The older girls did a great job of planning great crafts, although they somehow forgot to plan to take the kids outside (which I spontaneously suggested in the afternoon. But an overnight in the local Guide camp dorms, tons of crafts and food made a wonderful introduction to Girl Guide camping for the kids.

She was a month or so behind her sister, but Spice finally lost a tooth – and then another two days later!

It was great timing, since the girls had just made toothfairy pillows with Gramma in Creston. They sewed them themselves! So even if Sugar lost the first tooth, Spice was the first to use her toothfairy pillow… so they both got a “first.”

The tooth fairy pillows the girls made with Gramma at her quilter's group. Aren't they cute? It may not surprise you to know I had a similar one myself

Spice’s second tooth was so loose – I knew it would come out easily. I actually got it on film! Such a brave little girl!!!