You can't win if you don't play

You don't know if a new recipe is any good until you try it. You can't win if you don't play. You don't know if your kids need naps until you try it without it and realize that, for now, they do.

THANKS for all of your suggestions. Keep 'em coming, honestly. That, for me, is part of what's so difficult here - being cut off, essentially, from those with suggestions and places where you can get ideas and feedback. Thank God for the Internet working again because it makes me feel connected and not quite so adrift! We know things will be good when we get home, and we're making progress in marking the days off the calendar.

Yesterday afternoon, The Napless Day, was full of breakdowns and tears. And then there were the reactions by Hope and Leah. Badoomp-chh. (That was a joke). We tried just pushing them through but it made for a long afternoon and it became evident that though experimentation does sometimes result in a major discovery, many times it just proves what's already known.

So, today's effort was to get them up earlier and get going and move everything else up an hour - lunch, nap, dinner. Today's nap effort was much, much better and we only had a few moments of angst. We ate lunch out, which helped. While we've been saving money and getting healthier foods into them by eating in the room (lots of fruits and veggies), it was great to not have issues related to meal prep in our tiny space. We'll try to do it a few more times during our remaining days here in this city. On our way back we gently started preparing them for a nap when we got back; one said no, the other yes. Ultimately what matters is they're both in sleeping now.

This afternoon we'll head to the market and then come back and hit the "pool" at the spa. Then it's time to play for a bit before starting bedtime efforts and ending another day.

Here are some pics of the last few days, including their first lunch out. Ah, the introduction of fried food from The Chicken House.

Mom's shoes - Hope

Mom's shoes - Leah

Waiting (patiently!) for the food

A tomato from Papa